Percorrer por autor "Faes, Christel"
A mostrar 1 - 2 de 2
Resultados por página
Opções de ordenação
- Assessing the role of children in the COVID-19 pandemic in Belgium using perturbation analysisPublication . Angeli, Leonardo; Caetano, Constantino Pereira; Franco, Nicolas; Coletti, Pietro; Faes, Christel; Molenberghs, Geert; Beutels, Philippe; Abrams, Steven; Willem, Lander; Hens, NielUnderstanding the evolving role of different age groups in virus transmission is essential for effective pandemic management. We investigated SARS-CoV-2 transmission in Belgium from November 2020 to February 2022, focusing on age-specific patterns. Using a next generation matrix approach integrating social contact data and simulating population susceptibility evolution, we performed a longitudinal perturbation analysis of the effective reproduction number to unravel age-specific transmission dynamics. From November to December 2020, adults in the [18, 60) age group were the main transmission drivers, while children contributed marginally. This pattern shifted between January and March 2021, when in-person education resumed, and the Alpha variant emerged: children aged under 12 years old were crucial in transmission. Stringent social distancing measures in March 2021 helped diminish the noticeable contribution of the [18, 30) age group. By June 2021, as the Delta variant became the predominant strain, adults aged [18, 40) years emerged as main contributors to transmission, with a resurgence in children’s contribution during September-October 2021. This study highlights the effectiveness of our methodology in identifying age-specific transmission patterns.
- Social contact patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic in 21 European countries - evidence from a two-year studyPublication . Wong, Kerry L.M.; Gimma, Amy; Coletti, Pietro; Paolotti, Daniela; Tizzani, Michele; Cattuto, Ciro; Schmidt, Andrea; Gredinger, Gerald; Stumpfl, Sophie; Baruch, Joaquin; Melillo, Tanya; Hudeckova, Henrieta; Zibolenova, Jana; Chladna, Zuzana; Rosinska, Magdalena; Niedzwiedzka-Stadnik, Marta; Fischer, Krista; Vorobjov, Sigrid; Sõnajalg, Hanna; Althaus, Christian; Low, Nicola; Reichmuth, Martina; Auranen, Kari; Nurhonen, Markku; Petrović, Goranka; Makaric, Zvjezdana Lovric; Namorado, Sónia; Caetano, Constantino; Santos, Ana João; Röst, Gergely; Oroszi, Beatrix; Karsai, Márton; Fafangel, Mario; Klepac, Petra; Kranjec, Natalija; Vilaplana, Cristina; Casabona, Jordi; Faes, Christel; Beutels, Philippe; Hens, Niel; Jaeger, Veronika K.; Karch, Andre; Johnson, Helen; Jarvis, Christopher I.Background: Most countries have enacted some restrictions to reduce social contacts to slow down disease transmission during the COVID-19 pandemic. For nearly two years, individuals likely also adopted new behaviours to avoid pathogen exposure based on personal circumstances. We aimed to understand the way in which different factors affect social contacts - a critical step to improving future pandemic responses. Methods: The analysis was based on repeated cross-sectional contact survey data collected in a standardized international study from 21 European countries between March 2020 and March 2022. We calculated the mean daily contacts reported using a clustered bootstrap by country and by settings (at home, at work, or in other settings). Where data were available, contact rates during the study period were compared with rates recorded prior to the pandemic. We fitted censored individual-level generalized additive mixed models to examine the effects of various factors on the number of social contacts. Results: The survey recorded 463,336 observations from 96,456 participants. In all countries where comparison data were available, contact rates over the previous two years were substantially lower than those seen prior to the pandemic (approximately from over 10 to < 5), predominantly due to fewer contacts outside the home. Government restrictions imposed immediate effect on contacts, and these effects lingered after the restrictions were lifted. Across countries, the relationships between national policy, individual perceptions, or personal circumstances determining contacts varied. Conclusions: Our study, coordinated at the regional level, provides important insights into the understanding of the factors associated with social contacts to support future infectious disease outbreak responses.