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- Title
Does In-Person Visiting Affect the Number of COVID-19 Cases in Prisons?
- Authors
Borges, Lysandro Pinto; Martins, Aline Fagundes; de Souza, Daniela Raguer Valadão; de Rezende Neto, José Melquiades; Santos, Aryanne Araujo; Oliveira, Brenda Morais; Matos, Igor Leonardo Santos; da Invenção, Grazielly Bispo; dos Santos, Kezia Alves; Souza, Nicolas Alessandro Alves; de Jesus, Pamela Chaves; dos Santos, Cliomar Alves; de Oliveira Goes, Marco Aurélio; de Souza, Mércia Simone Feitosa; de Carvalho Barreto, Ikaro Daniel; Guimarães, Adriana Gibara; Quintans-Júnior, Lucindo José
- Abstract
Even with the current advances that have been made in regard to COVID-19, such as a better understanding of the disease and the steady growth in the number of vaccinated individuals, it remains a challenge for humanity. Dealing with the disease in prison settings has been particularly difficult. This study sought to discover whether in-person visiting affected the number of cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the penitentiaries in the state of Sergipe (Brazil). We conducted a two-phase study (when visiting was suspended and after it recommenced) in seven penitentiaries in Sergipe using immunochromatography and nasopharyngeal swab testing to evaluate whether visiting affects the number of COVID-19 cases. In the first phase (n = 778), 57.6% of inmates reported risk factors and 32.5% were positive for COVID-19 (18.9% IgM, 24.2% IgG, 1% antigen). In the second phase, 19.6% tested positive (13.9% IgM, 7.9% IgG, 0.2% antigen). The occurrence of positive cases of COVID-19 and positive results (IgM and IgG) were significantly higher in the first phase. In the second phase, 56.7% of inmates had received visits and 18.7% were positive for COVID-19 (14% IgM, 7% IgG). Among those who had not received visits, 20.9% tested positive (13.8% IgM, 9.2% IgG, 0.5% antigen). There was no significant difference in positive cases/results between inmates that had and had not received visits. These findings suggest that, under the conditions assessed, visiting does not seem to affect the number of COVID-19 cases in prisons and reinforces the importance of sanitary measures to control dissemination.
- Subjects
SERGIPE (Brazil); COVID-19 pandemic; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; PRISONS; VACCINATION; IMMUNOGLOBULIN M
- Publication
Life (2075-1729), 2021, Vol 11, Issue 11, p1184
- ISSN
2075-1729
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.3390/life11111184