Comparison of control and transmission of COVID-19 across epidemic waves in Hong Kong: an observational studyResearch in context
Summary: Background: Hong Kong contained COVID-19 for two years but experienced a large epidemic of Omicron BA.2 in early 2022 and endemic transmission of Omicron subvariants thereafter. We reflected on pandemic preparedness and responses by assessing COVID-19 transmission and associated disease bu...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2024-02-01
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| Series: | The Lancet Regional Health. Western Pacific |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666606523002870 |
| _version_ | 1797506280634449920 |
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| author | Bingyi Yang Yun Lin Weijia Xiong Chang Liu Huizhi Gao Faith Ho Jiayi Zhou Ru Zhang Jessica Y. Wong Justin K. Cheung Eric H.Y. Lau Tim K. Tsang Jingyi Xiao Irene O.L. Wong Mario Martín-Sánchez Gabriel M. Leung Benjamin J. Cowling Peng Wu |
| author_facet | Bingyi Yang Yun Lin Weijia Xiong Chang Liu Huizhi Gao Faith Ho Jiayi Zhou Ru Zhang Jessica Y. Wong Justin K. Cheung Eric H.Y. Lau Tim K. Tsang Jingyi Xiao Irene O.L. Wong Mario Martín-Sánchez Gabriel M. Leung Benjamin J. Cowling Peng Wu |
| author_sort | Bingyi Yang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Summary: Background: Hong Kong contained COVID-19 for two years but experienced a large epidemic of Omicron BA.2 in early 2022 and endemic transmission of Omicron subvariants thereafter. We reflected on pandemic preparedness and responses by assessing COVID-19 transmission and associated disease burden in the context of implementation of various public health and social measures (PHSMs). Methods: We examined the use and impact of pandemic controls in Hong Kong by analysing data on more than 1.7 million confirmed COVID-19 cases and characterizing the temporal changes non-pharmaceutical and pharmaceutical interventions implemented from January 2020 through to 30 December 2022. We estimated the daily effective reproductive number (Rt) to track changes in transmissibility and effectiveness of community-based measures against infection over time. We examined the temporal changes of pharmaceutical interventions, mortality rate and case-fatality risks (CFRs), particularly among older adults. Findings: Hong Kong experienced four local epidemic waves predominated by the ancestral strain in 2020 and early 2021 and prevented multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants from spreading in the community before 2022. Strict travel-related, case-based, and community-based measures were increasingly tightened in Hong Kong over the first two years of the pandemic. However, even very stringent measures were unable to contain the spread of Omicron BA.2 in Hong Kong. Despite high overall vaccination uptake (>70% with at least two doses), high mortality was observed during the Omicron BA.2 wave due to lower vaccine coverage (42%) among adults ≥65 years of age. Increases in antiviral usage and vaccination uptake over time through 2022 was associated with decreased case fatality risks. Interpretation: Integrated strict measures were able to reduce importation risks and interrupt local transmission to contain COVID-19 transmission and disease burden while awaiting vaccine development and rollout. Increasing coverage of pharmaceutical interventions among high-risk groups reduced infection-related mortality and mitigated the adverse health impact of the pandemic. Funding: Health and Medical Research Fund. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T04:30:26Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-075d9ebf9616488c9bdf8e901782a4f6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2666-6065 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T04:30:26Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Lancet Regional Health. Western Pacific |
| spelling | doaj.art-075d9ebf9616488c9bdf8e901782a4f62023-11-23T04:29:11ZengElsevierThe Lancet Regional Health. Western Pacific2666-60652024-02-0143100969Comparison of control and transmission of COVID-19 across epidemic waves in Hong Kong: an observational studyResearch in contextBingyi Yang0Yun Lin1Weijia Xiong2Chang Liu3Huizhi Gao4Faith Ho5Jiayi Zhou6Ru Zhang7Jessica Y. Wong8Justin K. Cheung9Eric H.Y. Lau10Tim K. Tsang11Jingyi Xiao12Irene O.L. Wong13Mario Martín-Sánchez14Gabriel M. Leung15Benjamin J. Cowling16Peng Wu17WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, ChinaWHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, ChinaWHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, ChinaWHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, ChinaWHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, ChinaWHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, ChinaWHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, ChinaWHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, ChinaWHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, ChinaWHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, ChinaWHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China; Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health Limited, Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, New Territories, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, ChinaWHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, ChinaWHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, ChinaWHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, ChinaWHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, ChinaWHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China; Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health Limited, Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, New Territories, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, ChinaWHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China; Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health Limited, Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, New Territories, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China; Corresponding author. School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, 7 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China.WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China; Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health Limited, Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, New Territories, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, ChinaSummary: Background: Hong Kong contained COVID-19 for two years but experienced a large epidemic of Omicron BA.2 in early 2022 and endemic transmission of Omicron subvariants thereafter. We reflected on pandemic preparedness and responses by assessing COVID-19 transmission and associated disease burden in the context of implementation of various public health and social measures (PHSMs). Methods: We examined the use and impact of pandemic controls in Hong Kong by analysing data on more than 1.7 million confirmed COVID-19 cases and characterizing the temporal changes non-pharmaceutical and pharmaceutical interventions implemented from January 2020 through to 30 December 2022. We estimated the daily effective reproductive number (Rt) to track changes in transmissibility and effectiveness of community-based measures against infection over time. We examined the temporal changes of pharmaceutical interventions, mortality rate and case-fatality risks (CFRs), particularly among older adults. Findings: Hong Kong experienced four local epidemic waves predominated by the ancestral strain in 2020 and early 2021 and prevented multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants from spreading in the community before 2022. Strict travel-related, case-based, and community-based measures were increasingly tightened in Hong Kong over the first two years of the pandemic. However, even very stringent measures were unable to contain the spread of Omicron BA.2 in Hong Kong. Despite high overall vaccination uptake (>70% with at least two doses), high mortality was observed during the Omicron BA.2 wave due to lower vaccine coverage (42%) among adults ≥65 years of age. Increases in antiviral usage and vaccination uptake over time through 2022 was associated with decreased case fatality risks. Interpretation: Integrated strict measures were able to reduce importation risks and interrupt local transmission to contain COVID-19 transmission and disease burden while awaiting vaccine development and rollout. Increasing coverage of pharmaceutical interventions among high-risk groups reduced infection-related mortality and mitigated the adverse health impact of the pandemic. Funding: Health and Medical Research Fund.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666606523002870COVID-19SARS-CoV-2Pandemic preparednessPandemic responsesPublic healthControl |
| spellingShingle | Bingyi Yang Yun Lin Weijia Xiong Chang Liu Huizhi Gao Faith Ho Jiayi Zhou Ru Zhang Jessica Y. Wong Justin K. Cheung Eric H.Y. Lau Tim K. Tsang Jingyi Xiao Irene O.L. Wong Mario Martín-Sánchez Gabriel M. Leung Benjamin J. Cowling Peng Wu Comparison of control and transmission of COVID-19 across epidemic waves in Hong Kong: an observational studyResearch in context The Lancet Regional Health. Western Pacific COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic preparedness Pandemic responses Public health Control |
| title | Comparison of control and transmission of COVID-19 across epidemic waves in Hong Kong: an observational studyResearch in context |
| title_full | Comparison of control and transmission of COVID-19 across epidemic waves in Hong Kong: an observational studyResearch in context |
| title_fullStr | Comparison of control and transmission of COVID-19 across epidemic waves in Hong Kong: an observational studyResearch in context |
| title_full_unstemmed | Comparison of control and transmission of COVID-19 across epidemic waves in Hong Kong: an observational studyResearch in context |
| title_short | Comparison of control and transmission of COVID-19 across epidemic waves in Hong Kong: an observational studyResearch in context |
| title_sort | comparison of control and transmission of covid 19 across epidemic waves in hong kong an observational studyresearch in context |
| topic | COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic preparedness Pandemic responses Public health Control |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666606523002870 |
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