COVID-19 public health measures: a reduction in hospital admissions for COPD exacerbations. Issue 5 (3rd December 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tan, Jing Yuan; Conceicao, Edwin Philip; Wee, Liang En; Sim, Xiang Ying Jean; Venkatachalam, Indumathi
• Is Part Of: Thorax. Volume 76:Issue 5(2021)
• Page Start: 512
• Page End: 513
• Publication Date: 2020-12-03
• Subjects: COPD exacerbations -- viral infection; Chest -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Thorax; Chest -- Diseases; Periodicals; Periodicals; 617.54
• DOI: 10.1136/thoraxjnl-2020-216083
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0040-6376

Abstract

Abstract : Hospitalisations for acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD) carry significant morbidity and mortality. Respiratory viral infections (RVIs) are the most common cause of AECOPD and are associated with worse clinical outcomes. During the COVID-19 pandemic, public health measures, such as social distancing and universal masking, were originally implemented to reduce transmission of SARS-CoV-2; these public health measures were subsequently also observed to reduce transmission of other common circulating RVIs. In this study, we report a significant and sustained decrease in hospital admissions for all AECOPD as well as RVI-associated AECOPD, which coincided with the introduction of public health measures during the COVID-19 pandemic.