Articles: covid-19.
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Pediatric emergency care · Feb 2025
Comparison of Outcomes for Emergency Medical Services-Transported Infants With Suspected Brief Resolved Unexplained Events Before and After the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic.
This study compares care-seeking behavior, care delivery, and outcomes for infants with suspected brief resolved unexplained events (BRUEs) who were treated by emergency medical services (EMS) and emergency department clinicians before and after the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and stay-at-home mandates. ⋯ For EMS-treated infants with paramedic-suspected BRUE, presentations and hospital admissions were similar before and after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and stay-at-home mandates. There was a longitudinal increase in EMS transports for infants with suspected BRUE before the COVID-19 pandemic and stay-at-home mandates, which then leveled off in the after period.
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Pediatric emergency care · Feb 2025
Changes in Seasonal Patterns for Common Pediatric Respiratory Viruses During the COVID Pandemic.
Observed alterations in seasonal patterns of common pediatric respiratory viruses during and immediately after the COVID-19 pandemic had far-reaching implications for the care of ill children. Here, we quantify the effects of the pandemic and related nonpharmaceutical interventions on the prevalence and seasonality of common pediatric respiratory illnesses. ⋯ Our observations add to the growing body of literature supporting the hypothesis that human interactions are one of the key drivers of pediatric respiratory viral seasonality in addition to climate. Understanding the effect of human interactions on disease spread is crucial for the development of effective mitigation measures for future pandemics while avoiding dangerous spikes of other illnesses once those interventions are lifted.
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Long-COVID is defined as the persistency or development of new symptoms 3 months after the initial SARS-CoV-2 infection, with these symptoms lasting for at least 2 months with no other explanation. Common persistent symptoms are fatigue, sleep disturbances, post-exertional malaise (PEM), pain, and cognitive problems. Long-COVID is estimated to be present in about 65 million people. We aimed to explore clinical and biological factors that might contribute to Long-COVID. ⋯ Long-COVID is not just one entity. Different clinical presentations can be identified. Cardiac involvement (as measured by troponin T levels) and telomere shortening might be a relevant risk factor for developing PEM-fatigue symptoms and deserve further exploring.
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Following non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPI) lifting in 2021, an important surge in childhood lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) was reported in several countries, raising major concerns about the middle-term consequences of such interventions. Whether this recent upsurge overwhelms the initial benefit of NPI remains unknown. ⋯ Three years after their implementation, despite an increase in LRTI incidence, the middle-term impact of NPI remains highly beneficial in preventing overall paediatric LRTI. The implementation of some societally acceptable NPI, particularly during epidemics, may be considered in the future to further reduce the burden of paediatric LRTI.
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Preventive medicine · Feb 2025
Chronic conditions, COVID-19 vaccination, and institutional trust among Hispanic/Latinx communities in San Diego, California.
Hispanic/Latinx populations have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. These populations are also more likely to have chronic conditions, putting them at higher risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes. Vaccination is important to reduce the risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes, but Hispanic/Latinx populations may be less likely to vaccinate due to institutional trust related to experiences of discrimination in healthcare and community disinvestment. Project 2VIDA! is a randomized clinical trial developed to respond to the need for increased trust and vaccine access among these populations in San Diego, California. Analyzing 2VIDA! data, this article seeks to better understand the relationship between chronic health conditions, institutional trust, and vaccination behaviors among a predominantly Hispanic/Latinx sample in San Diego. ⋯ Our findings suggest that widespread communication on the importance of vaccination for older Hispanic/Latinx populations with chronic conditions may have supported vaccination uptake. Targeted messaging and community-based approaches to build trust, combat misinformation, and increase vaccination uptake among younger individuals and Spanish-speakers are needed.