The following is a summary of “Creation of a pandemic memory by tracing COVID-19 infections and immunity in Luxembourg (CON-VINCE),” published in the February 2024 issue of Infectious Diseases by Tsurkalenko et al.
Rapidly establishing research cohorts during the COVID-19 pandemic was crucial, with a particular need for population-based studies to comprehensively assess the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on public health.
Researchers conducted a CON-VINCE cohort study to determine the point and period prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection, analyze its spread within the Luxembourgish population, investigate immune responses to infection and vaccination, and assess the pandemic’s impact on nationwide psychological well-being.
They enrolled a representative sample of the adult Luxembourgish population and conducted a twelve-month follow-up. At each sampling visit, SARS-CoV-2 RT-qPCR and serology tests were performed alongside surveys capturing comprehensive epidemiological, clinical, socio-economic, and psychological data.
The results showed that 1,865 individuals were tracked across seven visits (April 2020 to June 2021), with a final weighted period prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection reaching 15%. Participants exhibited comparable infection risks regardless of gender, age, employment status, or education level. Vaccination correlated with higher likelihoods of IgG-S positivity among infected individuals. The levels of depression, anxiety, loneliness, and stress surged during a period of stringent containment measures but returned to baseline afterward.
Investigators concluded that the CON-VINCE study provided valuable insights into Luxembourg’s pandemic experience, offering the potential for future research through its biobank and self-reported data.
Source: bmcinfectdis.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12879-024-09055-z
