Becker's Clinical Quality & Infection Control

12 INFECTION CONTROL Fauci: US can still hit 2030 target of ending HIV epidemic By Erica Carbajal W hile the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted testing for other diseases, the U.S. could still meet its goal of ending the HIV epidemic by 2030, according to the White House chief medical adviser. "Obviously, when you shut down society, the accessibility for testing and the chain for drug availability can be disrupted the same way everything is disrupted, including vaccinations for children," Anthony Fauci, MD, director of the National Insti- tute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said during a May 25 House Committee on Appropriations and the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, CNBC reported. The Trump administration in 2019 set the 2030 goal of end- ing the HIV epidemic, with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic spurring concerns over whether interruptions to testing and drug development would impede the effort. Despite the disruptions, the nation has not moved "back- ward" in its efforts to end the epidemic, Dr. Fauci said, cit- ing a number of strides made in managing and preventing HIV, including a prevention medication known as pre-expo- sure prophylaxis. "Pre-exposure prophylaxis is an important ingredient in our attempt over 10 years from 2020 to 2030 to end the epi- demic in the U.S.," Dr. Fauci said. "I believe, notwithstanding COVID-19, that we will achieve that goal." n Adult COVID-19 cases fell 69% after vaccine rollout, CDC finds By Mackenzie Bean T he COVID-19 vaccine rollout significantly cut cases, deaths, hospitalizations and emergency department visits among U.S. adults, according to the CDC's latest Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report published June 8. CDC researchers analyzed data on these metrics by age group for two time periods: Nov. 29 to Dec. 12, 2020 (the prevaccination period), and April 18 to May 1. Five findings: 1. By May 1, 82 percent of adults 85 and over had re- ceived at least one vaccine dose, along with 63 percent of those 50-64, and 42 percent of adults ages 18-49. 2. Between April 18 and May 1, COVID-19 incidence was 69 percent lower among all adults compared to the pre- vaccination period. 3. Emergency department visits for COVID-19 also de- creased 59 percent among all adults. 4. The rate ratio of COVID-19 hospital admissions among people ages 70 and up compared to those ages 18-49 was down 65 percent by May 1. 5. The rate ratio of deaths among adults age 65 and over compared to adults ages 18-49 declined 66 percent over the same time period. "These results suggest that tailored efforts by state and local jurisdictions to rapidly increase vaccine coverage among all eligible age groups could contribute to fur- ther reductions in COVID-19 cases and severe out- comes," the CDC said. n Few American adults have received all recommended vaccines: CDC By Gabrielle Masson A ge-appropriate vaccination rates among U.S. adults is low across all age groups, according to a May 14 CDC report. e agency analyzed National Health Interview Survey data from 2010- 18 that assessed 25,207 adults to see if they had received flu, pneumo- coccal, herpes zoster, tetanus and diphtheria and acellular pertussis, hepatitis A, hepatitis B and/or HPV vaccines. Seven findings: 1. Few adults had received all age-appropriate vaccines, including the flu shot. 2. Nonwhite adults had lower vaccination coverage for most vaccina- tions compared to non-Hispanic white adults. 3. Coverage for the flu shot during the 2017-18 season (46.1 percent) was similar to the 2016-17 estimate (45.4 percent). 4. Coverage for several vaccines was lower among adults without health insurance compared to those with insurance. 5. Adults who reported having a usual healthcare place generally report- ed receipt of recommended vaccinations more oen than those who didn't have such a place, regardless of insurance status. 6. Vaccination coverage among U.S.-born adults was significantly higher than that of foreign-born adults. 7. Modest coverage gains occurred in coverage for hepatitis B among both American adults and healthcare providers. Coverage gains were also reported in HPV vaccinations for men 19-26 years old and His- panic women 19-26 years. Coverage for other vaccines and groups with Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices vaccination indica- tions did not improve from 2017. n

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