Objectives: Seroprevalence studies to assess the spread of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the general population and subgroups are key for evaluating mitigation and vaccination policies and for understanding the spread of the disease both on the national level and for comparison with the international community.
Methods: Corona Immunitas is a research program of coordinated, population-based, seroprevalence studies implemented by Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+). Over 28,340 participants, randomly selected and age-stratified, with some regional specificities will be included. Additional studies in vulnerable and highly exposed subpopulations are also planned. The studies will assess population immunological status during the pandemic.
Results: Phase one (first wave of pandemic) estimates from Geneva showed a steady increase in seroprevalence up to 10.8% (95% CI 8.2-13.9, n = 775) by May 9, 2020. Since June, Zurich, Lausanne, Basel City/Land, Ticino, and Fribourg recruited a total of 5973 participants for phase two thus far.
Conclusions: Corona Immunitas will generate reliable, comparable, and high-quality serological and epidemiological data with extensive coverage of Switzerland and of several subpopulations, informing health policies and decision making in both economic and societal sectors. ISRCTN Registry: https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN18181860 .
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7584867 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00038-020-01494-0 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
(Fear of) SARS-CoV-2 infection and psychological distress: a population-based cohort study in southern Switzerland.
Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci
November 2024
Institute of Public Health, Università della Svizzera Italiana, Lugano, Switzerland.
Aims: It is widely recognized that the COVID-19 pandemic exerted an impact on the mental health of the general population, but epidemiological evidence is surprisingly sparse. We aimed to explore the association between serologically confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and psychological distress - assessed by symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress - in the general adult population in southern Switzerland, a region widely affected by the pandemic. We also investigated whether this association varied over time and between pandemic waves from late 2020 through 2021.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSexual behaviours and risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection among MSM during the first COVID-19 lockdown.
BMC Public Health
November 2024
Department of Public Health & Global Health, Division of Infectious Diseases, Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, University of Zurich, Hirschengraben 84, Zurich, 8001, Switzerland.
Background: The social distancing measures associated with the COVID-19 pandemic had far reaching effects on sexual behavior worldwide. However, it remains unclear whether sexual contact with non-steady partners was a contributor to the spread of SARS-CoV-2. The aim of this study was to (i) describe risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity after the first pandemic wave among people using HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) in Zurich, Switzerland, including sexual contact with non-steady partners, and (ii) assess whether the SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity among PrEP users in this time period differed from that of a demographic matched population level comparison group.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLong-term trajectories of densely reported depressive symptoms during an extended period of the COVID-19 pandemic in Switzerland: Social worries matter.
Compr Psychiatry
April 2024
Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland; Department of Public Health, University of Basel, Switzerland.
Previous mental health trajectory studies were mostly limited to the months before access to vaccination. They are not informing on whether public mental health has adapted to the pandemic. The aim of this analysis was to 1) investigate trajectories of monthly reported depressive symptoms from July 2020 to December 2021 in Switzerland, 2) compare average growth trajectories across regions with different stringency phases, and 3) explore the relative impact of self-reported worries related to health, economic and social domains as well as socio-economic indicators on growth trajectories.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFChanges in Healthcare Utilization During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Potential Causes-A Cohort Study From Switzerland.
Int J Public Health
September 2023
Institute of Primary Health Care (BIHAM), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
To describe the frequency of and reasons for changes in healthcare utilization in those requiring ongoing treatment, and to assess characteristics associated with change, during the second wave of the pandemic. Corona Immunitas e-cohort study (age ≥20 years) participants completed monthly questionnaires. We compared participants reporting a change in healthcare utilization with those who did not using descriptive and bivariate statistics.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOlder adults' experiences of restrictive measures during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in Southern Switzerland: Evidence from the Corona Immunitas Ticino study.
J Aging Soc Policy
November 2024
Centre of Competence on Ageing, Department of Business Economics, Health & Social Care, University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI), Manno, Switzerland.
From the outset of the pandemic, Swiss federal authorities implemented numerous public health measures to contain the spread of SARS-CoV-2. In southern Switzerland, Canton Ticino legislated additional measures, some of which specifically targeted people aged 65 and over. We assessed how older adults perceived and experienced the introduction of these age-specific measures using data from a large, randomized sample of community-dwelling older adults aged 65+ collected between October 2020 and February 2021.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!