The spread of SARS-CoV-2 at school through the different pandemic waves: a population-based study in Italy.

Proactive school closures are often considered an effective strategy by policy-makers and the public to limit SARS-CoV-2 transmission. While evidence on the role of students in the spread is debated, the effects of closures on children's well-being are well known. In the light of this, we aimed to assess viral spread in educational settings, by calculating the rate of secondary infections per school class and identifying factors associated with cluster generation. We conducted a combined longitudinal and cross-sectional population-based study between October 2020 and November 2021. Secondary screening was conducted whenever a SARS-CoV-2 positive subject had been in the school environment in 48 h prior to symptoms onset or on the date of swab, if asymptomatic. The effect of selected variables on COVID-19 cluster generation was assessed by logistic regression. We identified 1623 primary COVID-19 cases. Of these, 72.5% resulted in no secondary case, 15.6% in 1, and 11.9% in 2 + . The probability of generating a 2 + cluster was lower when the index case was a student, rather than school staff (AOR = 0.42; 95%CI: 0.29-0.60). The number of clusters per week was in line with COVID-19 incidence trend in the general population. CONCLUSIONS: Index cases at school led to no secondary case in about three out of four times and only to a secondary case in about 15%. School environment does not facilitate viral spread, but rather reflects circulation in the community. Appropriate measures and timely monitoring of cases make school a safe place. Given the effects on children's learning and well-being, it is essential to favour school attendance over distance learning. WHAT IS KNOWN: • During the COVID-19 pandemic, most European countries resorted to school closures to counter viral transmission. • Although the scientific debate on the suitability of school closures as a non-pharmaceutical intervention is still open and the role of school children in facilitating the spread of SARS-CoV-2 is not supported by unequivocal evidence, there is now a growing awareness of the impact on children's well-being. WHAT IS NEW: • The contribution of educational settings and students in facilitating viral spread appears limited, as exposure to a positive individual in the school environment led to no secondary cases among students in 72% of cases and only one secondary case in about 15%. • The likelihood of generating school clusters was approximately halved when the index case was a student compared to teachers or other school personnel.

Infection Rates and Impact of Glucose Lowering Medications on the Clinical Course of COVID-19 in People with Type 2 Diabetes: A Retrospective Observational Study.

Purpose: Diabetes is a risk factor for COVID-19 severity, but the role played by glucose lowering medications (GLM) is still unclear. The aim of this study was to assess infection rates and outcomes of COVID-19 (hospitalization and mortality) in adults with diabetes assisted by the Local Health Unit of Padua (North-East Italy) according to the ongoing GLM. Patients and Methods: People with diabetes were identified using administrative claims, while those with SARS-CoV-2 infection were detected by cross referencing with the local COVID-19 surveillance registry. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to verify the association between GLM classes and the outcome. Results: SARS-CoV-2 infection rates were marginally but significantly higher in individuals with diabetes as compared to those without diabetes (RR 1.04, p = 0.043), though such relative 4% increase may be irrelevant from a clinical and epidemiological perspective. 1923 individuals with GLM-treated diabetes were diagnosed with COVID-19; 456 patients were hospitalized and 167 died. Those treated with insulin had a significantly higher risk of hospitalizations for COVID-19 (OR 1.48 p < 0.01) as were those treated with sulphonylureas/glinides (OR 1.34, p = 0.02). Insulin use was also significantly associated with higher mortality (OR 1.90, p < 0.01). Use of metformin was significantly associated with lower death rates (OR 0.62, p = 0.02). The association of other GLM classes with the outcome was not significant. Conclusion: Diabetes does not appear to modify the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection in a clinically meaningful way, but strongly increases the rates of hospitalization and death. Insulin use was associated with worse outcomes, whereas metformin use was associated with lower mortality.

Precision Medicine and Public Health: New Challenges for Effective and Sustainable Health.

The development of high-throughput omics technologies represents an unmissable opportunity for evidence-based prevention of adverse effects on human health. However, the applicability and access to multi-omics tests are limited. In Italy, this is due to the rapid increase of knowledge and the high levels of skill and economic investment initially necessary. The fields of human genetics and public health have highlighted the relevance of an implementation strategy at a national level in Italy, including integration in sanitary regulations and governance instruments. In this review, the emerging field of public health genomics is discussed, including the polygenic scores approach, epigenetic modulation, nutrigenomics, and microbiomes implications. Moreover, the Italian state of implementation is presented. The omics sciences have important implications for the prevention of both communicable and noncommunicable diseases, especially because they can be used to assess the health status during the whole course of life. An effective population health gain is possible if omics tools are implemented for each person after a preliminary assessment of effectiveness in the medium to long term.

Prognostic Value of Lung Ultrasonography in Older Nursing Home Residents Affected by COVID-19.

OBJECTIVES: Lung ultrasonographic (LUS) imaging may play an important role in the management of patients with COVID-19-associated lung injury, particularly in some special populations. However, data regarding the prognostic role of the LUS in nursing home residents, one of the populations most affected by COVID-19, are not still available. DESIGN: Retrospective. SETTINGS AND PARTICIPANTS: Nursing home residents affected by COVID-19 were followed up with an LUS from April 8 to May 14, 2020, in Chioggia, Venice. METHODS: COVID-19 was diagnosed through a nasopharyngeal swab. LUS results were scored using a 12-zone method. For each of the 12 zones (2 posterior, 2 anterior, 2 lateral, for both left and right lungs), the possible score ranged from 0 to 3 (1 = presence of B lines, separated, with <50% of space from the pleural line; 2 = presence of B lines, separated, with >50% of space from the pleural line; 3 = lung thickening with tissuelike aspect). The total score ranged from 0 to 36. Mortality was assessed using administrative data. Data regarding accuracy (and related parameters) were reported. RESULTS: Among 175 nursing home residents, 48 (mean age: 84.1 years; mainly female) were affected by COVID-19. Twelve died during the follow-up period. The mean LUS score was 3. The area under the curve of LUS in predicting mortality was 0.603 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.419-0.787], and it increased to 0.725 (95% CI: 0.41-0.99) after including follow-up LUS controls. Taking an LUS score ≥4 as exposure variable and mortality as outcome, the sensitivity was 58.33% and specificity 63.89%, with a positive likelihood ratio of 1.62 and a negative of 0.65. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: LUS is able to significantly predict mortality in nursing home residents affected by COVID-19, suggesting that this simple tool can be routinely used in this setting instead of more invasive techniques available only in hospital.

Italian Public Health Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Case Report from the Field, Insights and Challenges for the Department of Prevention.

: The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak is rapidly progressing globally, and Italy, as one of the main pandemic hotspots, may provide some hard lessons for other countries. In this paper, we summarize the current organizational capacity and provide a pragmatic and narrative account of strategies and activities implemented by the Department of Prevention (Dipartimento di Prevenzione)-the regional entity of the Local Health Authority of the Italian National Health Service in charge of public health-since the beginning of the outbreak. We conduct a preliminary analysis of general strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) of the response strategies from a local perspective. Furthermore, we provide firsthand insights on future directions and priorities to manage this unprecedented pandemic. Our case report gives a qualitative view of the healthcare response, based on the experience of frontline professionals, with the aim to generate hypotheses about factors which may promote or hinder the prevention and management of a pandemic locally. We highlight the importance of a public health approach for responding to COVID-19 and reshaping healthcare systems.

Management of women at high risk of hereditary breast cancer in the Veneto Regional Program for Prevention.

INTRODUCTION: Today it is well-known that high risk of genetic breast cancer concerns a very limited part of the population: no more than 2-3 women are affected every thousand and this condition as a whole accounts for no more than 3%-5% of all breast cancers. OBJECTIVES AND METHODS: Following the directions contained in the 2014-2018 National Prevention Plan, Veneto's 2014-2018 Regional Program of Prevention (PRP), approved by Regional Council Resolution (DGR) No. 749 of 14.5.2015, consolidation of a pathway of diagnosis, observation, and prophylaxis for women at high risk of hereditary breast carcinoma is thus proposed. The principal activities of this policy will be the following: creation of a regional working group, survey of currently existing pathways for the identification of women at risk of hereditary breast cancer and adoption of the same, approval and consolidation of a structured regional pathway for women at high risk of hereditary breast and/or ovarian cancer, from paths of oncogenetic consultation and genetic testing to management of disease risk. Subsequent to the recognition of the pathway of diagnosis, observation, and prophylaxis for women at high risk of hereditary breast carcinoma, the Veneto region undertakes to develop a co-ordinated program of information and training on this pathway directed at the population and healthcare workers. CONCLUSIONS: It is firmly hoped that with the inclusion of a program for the management of women at high risk of hereditary breast cancer within the Veneto PRP this topic may become more defined and structured in terms of sustainability, integration with the existing regional networks (mammography network, Breast Unit), contrasting inequality, monitoring and evaluation, in this way pursuing the objectives of a reduction of cause-specific mortality and improvement of quality of life.