The public health impact of COVID-19 variants of concern on the effectiveness of contact tracing in Vermont, United States.
Sci Rep
; 14(1): 17848, 2024 08 01.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-39090157
ABSTRACT
Case investigation and contact tracing (CICT) are public health measures that aim to break the chain of pathogen transmission. Changes in viral characteristics of COVID-19 variants have likely affected the effectiveness of CICT programs. We estimated and compared the cases averted in Vermont when the original COVID-19 strain circulated (Nov. 25, 2020-Jan. 19, 2021) with two periods when the Delta strain dominated (Aug. 1-Sept. 25, 2021, and Sept. 26-Nov. 20, 2021). When the original strain circulated, we estimated that CICT prevented 7180 cases (55% reduction in disease burden), compared to 1437 (15% reduction) and 9970 cases (40% reduction) when the Delta strain circulated. Despite the Delta variant being more infectious and having a shorter latency period, CICT remained an effective tool to slow spread of COVID-19; while these viral characteristics did diminish CICT effectiveness, non-viral characteristics had a much greater impact on CICT effectiveness.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Public Health
/
Contact Tracing
/
SARS-CoV-2
/
COVID-19
Limits:
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
America do norte
Language:
En
Journal:
Sci Rep
Year:
2024
Document type:
Article