Oral health care providers work in close proximity to patients' faces for prolonged periods of time, which increases their risk of contracting COVID-19.
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in North, Central, and South America has become the epicenter of the current pandemic. We have suggested previously that the infection rate of this virus might be lower in people living at high altitude (over 2,500 m) compared to that in the lowlands. Based on data from official sources, we performed a new epidemiological analysis of the development of the pandemic in 23 countries on the American continent as of May 23, 2020. Our results confirm our previous finding, further showing that the incidence of COVID-19 on the American continent decreases significantly starting at 1,000 m above sea level (masl). Moreover, epidemiological modeling indicates that the virus transmission rate capacity is lower in the highlands (>1,000 masl) than in the lowlands (<1,000 masl). Finally, evaluating the differences in the recovery percentage of patients, the death-to-case ratio, and the theoretical fraction of undiagnosed cases, we found that the severity of COVID-19 is also decreased above 1,000 m. We conclude that the impact of the COVID-19 decreases significantly with altitude.
The authors have declared no competing interest.
No external funds have been received for this work.
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The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below:
No experiments were performed
All necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived.
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Raw, normalized, and adjusted data of COVID-19 cases are available and registered at figshare. Raw epidemiological daily data of COVID-19 of Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru are available and registered at figshare.
A review of 172 studies on coronavirus transmission from 16 countries confirmed that wearing a face mask and maintaining physical distance significantly reduced the risk of spreading COVID-19. The first-of-its-kind study, funded by the World Health Organization and published Monday in the journal The Lancet, also attempted to quantify how much each measure cut transmission risks by itself.
The risk of transmitting the new coronavirus without a mask or respirator is 17.4 percent, but with a mask that falls to 3.1 percent, the study found, though the researchers noted there's a higher amount of uncertainty on mask wearing than physical distancing. Keeping a distance of less than 1 meter (3.3 feet) and no other protective measure carried a transmission risk of 12.8 percent, cut to 2.6 percent when the distance was more than 1 meter and even lower at 2 meters (6.6. feet). There was also a sharp cut in risk with eye protection.
'In all three questions, the evidence appears to support the measures,' Oxford University's Trish Greenhalgh, who wasn't involved in the study, tells CNN. 'For example, on average, staying 1 meter away from other people appears to reduce your chance of catching COVID-19 by 80 percent. Wearing a mask or face covering appears to reduce your risk by up to 85 percent. And wearing goggles or a face shield seems to reduce it by up to 78 percent.'
Still, the main takeaway is that 'no single intervention on its own made an individual completely impervious to transmission,' Dr. Derek Chu at Canada's McMaster University, who co-authored the study, told NBC Today. All three together seriously cuts the odds, and 'we can't neglect basic measures such as hand hygiene.' Peter Weber
Conclusions
DMB combination in older COVID-19 patients was associated with a significant reduction in proportion of patients with clinical deterioration requiring oxygen support and/or intensive care support. This study supports further larger randomized control trials to ascertain the full benefit of DMB in ameliorating COVID-19 severity.
It's unclear who's behind the surge in bot activity or whether they're originating from the US or abroad.
It's unclear who's behind the surge in bot activity or whether they're originating from the US or abroad.
It's unclear who's behind the surge in bot activity or whether they're originating from the US or abroad.
If a coffee shop is still open in your neighborhood, here's how to pick up a cup safely:
Opt for drive-thru over in-store ordering, if possible, to limit contact with other people.
Use hand sanitizer after exchanging money and your cup. Wash your hands when you get home.
If possible, pour the to-go coffee out of the takeout container and into a clean mug from your own kitchen. Try stashing a thermal mug like this Contigo Insulated Travel Mug ($11.99, target.com) in your cup holder, and remember to pour very carefully and only when you're in "park" to avoid hot coffee spills).
A USC professor of molecular microbiology and immunology explains why takeout is likely safe and how to make it even safer from COVID-19.
Found on the wilds of FB the credit is to Mrs. Anya Verheyens post below. It’s insanely smart to me. You can put a filter in the sleeve before you tie it on.
#wearamask Much of the confusion around masks stems from the conflation of two very different uses.
Hong Kong, only four confirmed deaths due to COVID-19 have been recorded since the beginning of the pandemic, despite high density, mass transportation, and proximity to Wuhan. Hong Kong’s health authorities credit their citizens’ near-universal mask-wearing as a key factor (surveys show almost 100 percent voluntary compliance).
Along with keeping our distance whenever possible and maintaining good hygiene, all of us wearing just a cloth mask could help stop this pandemic in its tracks.