Wastewater-Based Surveillance Reveals the Effectiveness of the First COVID-19 Vaccination Campaigns in Assisted Living Facilities.

The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected vulnerable populations, including residents of assisted living facilities (ALFs). This study investigates the impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) and mass vaccination campaigns on SARS-CoV-2 transmission dynamics within four ALFs in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States from January to April 2021. Initial observations reveal a significant SARS-CoV-2 prevalence in Maricopa County, with 7452 new COVID-19 cases reported on 4 January 2021.

Economic evaluation of using a genetic test to direct breast cancer chemoprevention in white women with a previous breast biopsy.

Background: Tamoxifen therapy reduces the risk of breast cancer but increases the risk of serious adverse events including endometrial cancer and thromboembolic events.

Objectives: The cost effectiveness of using a commercially available breast cancer risk assessment test (BREVAGen™) to inform the decision of which women should undergo chemoprevention by tamoxifen was modeled in a simulated population of women who had undergone biopsies but had no diagnosis of cancer.

Methods: A continuous time, discrete event, mathematical model was used to simulate a population of white women aged 40-69 years, who were at elevated risk for breast cancer because of a history of benign breast biopsy.