Intent among Parents to Vaccinate Children before Pediatric COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations, Minnesota and Los Angeles County, California-May-September 2021.

Objectives: This study assessed the associations between parent intent to have their child receive the COVID-19 vaccination, and demographic factors and various child activities, including attendance at in-person education or childcare. Methods: Persons undergoing COVID-19 testing residing in Minnesota and Los Angeles County, California with children aged <12 years completed anonymous internet-based surveys between 10 May and 6 September 2021 to assess factors associated with intention to vaccinate their child. Factors influencing the parents' decision to have their child attend in-person school or childcare were examined. Estimated adjusted odds rations (AORs, 95% CI) were computed between parents' intentions regarding children's COVID-19 vaccination and participation in school and extra-curricular activities using multinomial logistic regression. Results: Compared to parents intending to vaccinate their children (n = 4686 [77.2%]), those undecided (n = 874 [14.4%]) or without intention to vaccinate (n = 508 [8.4%]) tended to be younger, non-White, less educated, and themselves not vaccinated against COVID-19. Their children more commonly participated in sports (aOR:1.51 1.17−1.95) and in-person faith or community activities (aOR:4.71 3.62−6.11). A greater proportion of parents without intention to vaccinate (52.5%) indicated that they required no more information to make their decision in comparison to undecided parents (13.2%). They further indicated that additional information regarding vaccine safety and effectiveness would influence their decision. COVID-19 mitigation measures were the most common factors influencing parents' decision to have their child attend in-person class or childcare. Conclusions: Several demographic and socioeconomic factors are associated with parents' decision whether to vaccinate their <12-year-old children for COVID-19. Child participation in in-person activities was associated with parents' intentions not to vaccinate. Tailored communications may be useful to inform parents' decisions regarding the safety and effectiveness of vaccination.

SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Hospitalization Among Adults Aged ≥18 Years, by Vaccination Status, Before and During SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.529 (Omicron) Variant Predominance - Los Angeles County, California, November 7, 2021-January 8, 2022.

COVID-19 vaccines are effective at preventing infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, as well as severe COVID-19-associated outcomes in real-world conditions (1,2). The risks for SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19-associated hospitalization are lower among fully vaccinated than among unvaccinated persons; this reduction is even more pronounced among those who have received additional or booster doses (boosters) (3,4). Although the B.1.1.529 (Omicron) variant spreads more rapidly than did earlier SARS-CoV-2 variants, recent studies suggest that disease severity is lower for Omicron compared with that associated with the B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant; but the high volume of infections is straining the health care system more than did previous waves (5).*,† The Los Angeles County (LAC) Department of Public Health (LACDPH) used COVID-19 surveillance and California Immunization Registry 2 (CAIR2) data to describe age-adjusted 14-day cumulative incidence and hospitalization rates during November 7, 2021-January 8, 2022, by COVID-19 vaccination status and variant predominance. For the 14-day period ending December 11, 2021, the last week of Delta predominance, the incidence and hospitalization rates among unvaccinated persons were 12.3 and 83.0 times, respectively, those of fully vaccinated persons with a booster and 3.8 and 12.9 times, respectively, those of fully vaccinated persons without a booster. These rate ratios were lower during Omicron predominance (week ending January 8, 2022), with unvaccinated persons having infection and hospitalization rates 3.6 and 23.0 times, respectively, those of fully vaccinated persons with a booster and 2.0 and 5.3 times, respectively, those of fully vaccinated persons without a booster. In addition, during the entire analytic period, admission to intensive care units (ICUs), intubation for mechanical ventilation, and death were more likely to occur among unvaccinated persons than among fully vaccinated persons without or with a booster (p<0.001). Incidence and hospitalization rates were consistently highest for unvaccinated persons and lowest for fully vaccinated persons with a booster. Being up to date with COVID-19 vaccination is critical to protecting against SARS-CoV-2 infection and associated hospitalization.

SARS-CoV-2 Infections and Hospitalizations Among Persons Aged ≥16 Years, by Vaccination Status - Los Angeles County, California, May 1-July 25, 2021.

COVID-19 vaccines fully approved or currently authorized for use through Emergency Use Authorization from the Food and Drug Administration are critical tools for controlling the COVID-19 pandemic; however, even with highly effective vaccines, a proportion of fully vaccinated persons will become infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 (1). To characterize postvaccination infections, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LACDPH) used COVID-19 surveillance and California Immunization Registry 2 (CAIR2) data to describe age-adjusted infection and hospitalization rates during May 1-July 25, 2021, by vaccination status. Whole genome sequencing (WGS)-based SARS-CoV-2 lineages and cycle threshold (Ct) values from qualitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for two SARS-CoV-2 gene targets, including the nucleocapsid (N) protein gene region and the open reading frame 1 ab (ORF1ab) polyprotein gene region,* were reported for a convenience sample of specimens. Among 43,127 reported SARS-CoV-2 infections in Los Angeles County residents aged ≥16 years, 10,895 (25.3%) were in fully vaccinated persons, 1,431 (3.3%) were in partially vaccinated persons, and 30,801 (71.4%) were in unvaccinated persons. Much lower percentages of fully vaccinated persons infected with SARS-CoV-2 were hospitalized (3.2%), were admitted to an intensive care unit (0.5%), and required mechanical ventilation (0.2%) compared with partially vaccinated persons (6.2%, 1.0%, and 0.3%, respectively) and unvaccinated persons (7.6%, 1.5%, and 0.5%, respectively) (p<0.001 for all comparisons). On July 25, the SARS-CoV-2 infection rate among unvaccinated persons was 4.9 times and the hospitalization rate was 29.2 times the rates among fully vaccinated persons. During May 1-July 25, the percentages of B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant infections estimated from 6,752 samples with lineage data increased among fully vaccinated persons (from 8.6% to 91.2%), partially vaccinated persons (from 0% to 88.1%), and unvaccinated persons (from 8.2% to 87.1%). In May, there were differences in median Ct values by vaccination status; however, by July, no differences were detected among specimens from fully vaccinated, partially vaccinated, and unvaccinated persons by gene targets. These infection and hospitalization rate data indicate that authorized vaccines were protective against SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe COVID-19 during a period when transmission of the Delta variant was increasing. Efforts to increase COVID-19 vaccination, in coordination with other prevention strategies, are critical to preventing COVID-19-related hospitalizations and deaths.

Incidentally Detected SARS-COV-2 Among Hospitalized Patients in Los Angeles County, August to October 2020.

We aimed to determine the percentage of COVID-19- associated hospitalizations reported to Los Angeles County (LAC) Public Health that might have been misclassified because of incidentally detected SARS-CoV-2. We retrospectively reviewed medical records from a randomly selected set of hospital discharges reported to LAC Public Health from August to October 2020 for a clinical diagnosis of COVID-19 or a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result. Among the 13,813 discharges from 85 hospitals reported to LAC Public Health as COVID-19-associated hospitalizations from August to October 2020, 346 were randomly selected and reviewed. SARS-CoV-2 detection was incidental to the reason for hospitalization in 12% (95% confidence limit, 9%-16%) of COVID-19 classified hospital discharges. Adjusting COVID-19-associated hospitalization rates to account for incidental SARS-CoV-2 detection could help public health policymakers and emergency preparedness personnel improve resource planning.

Excess Mortality Associated With the COVID-19 Pandemic-Los Angeles County, March-September 2020.

OBJECTIVE: To more comprehensively estimate COVID-19-related mortality in Los Angeles County by determining excess all-cause mortality and pneumonia, influenza, or COVID (PIC) mortality. DESIGN: We reviewed vital statistics data to identify deaths registered in Los Angeles County between March 15, 2020, and August 15, 2020. Deaths with an ICD-10 (International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision) code for pneumonia, influenza, or COVID-19 listed as an immediate or underlying cause of death were classified as PIC deaths. Expected deaths were calculated using negative binomial regression. Excess mortality was determined by subtracting the expected from the observed number of weekly deaths. The Department of Public Health conducts surveillance for COVID-19-associated deaths: persons who died of nontraumatic/nonaccidental causes within 60 days of a positive COVID-19 test result were classified as confirmed COVID-19 deaths. Deaths without a reported positive SARS-Cov-2 polymerase chain reaction result were classified as probable COVID-19 deaths if COVID-19 was listed on their death certificate or the death occurred 60 to 90 days of a positive test. We compared excess PIC deaths with the number of confirmed and probable COVID-19 deaths ascertained by surveillance. SETTING: Los Angeles County. PARTICIPANTS: Residents of Los Angeles County who died. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Excess mortality. RESULTS: There were 7208 excess all-cause and 5128 excess PIC deaths during the study period. The Department of Public Health also reported 5160 confirmed and 323 probable COVID-19-associated deaths. CONCLUSIONS: The number of excess PIC deaths estimated by our model was approximately equal to the number of confirmed and probable COVID-19 deaths identified by surveillance. This suggests our surveillance definition for confirmed and probable COVID-19 deaths might be sufficiently sensitive for capturing the true burden of deaths caused directly or indirectly by COVID-19.

Patients' perceived care needs whilst waiting for a heart or lung transplant.

AIM: To explore the perceptions of caring and expectations of nursing care in patients on a heart and/or lung transplant waiting list. BACKGROUND: The waiting period for a heart or lung transplant can be very stressful and demanding for patients and their families. Care during the waiting period needs to be aimed at treating the symptoms and complications of patients' underlying condition and also specific issues related to organ transplant candidacy. METHOD: A qualitative research design, using semi-structured interviews with 22 patients on a heart and/or lung transplant waiting list was used. Participants were interviewed on three separate occasions. FINDINGS: Qualitative analysis of the data revealed five major themes related to the nursing care needs of heart and lung transplant candidates. The themes were identified as information giving, maintenance of regular contact, familiarity, positive thinking and compassionate manner. These were five key aspects of communication within the nurse-patient relationship and formed the essence of caring as perceived by patients awaiting heart and/or lung transplantation. CONCLUSION: Transplant candidates often experience prolonged waiting times for a transplant which is often laden with uncertainties and stress. This study provided an in-depth description of patients' perceptions of caring and their nursing care needs whilst on a heart and lung transplant waiting list. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The findings provide useful advice to nurses about ways they can improve care and enhance caring for patients waiting for an organ transplant. Key elements of nursing care that foster the nurse-patient relationship that can be incorporated into nursing care pathways have been highlighted.