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SARS-CoV-2 Infections and Serologic Responses from a Sample of U.S. Navy Service Members — USS Theodore Roosevelt, April 2020

Authors :
Payne, Daniel C.
Smith-Jeffcoat, Sarah E.
Nowak, Gosia
Chukwuma, Uzo
Geibe, Jesse R.
Hawkins, Robert J.
Johnson, Jeffrey A.
Thornburg, Natalie J.
Schiffer, Jarad
Weiner, Zachary
Bankamp, Bettina
Bowen, Michael D.
MacNeil, Adam
Patel, Monita R.
Deussing, Eric
Gillingham, Bruce L.
Tiller, Rebekah
Galloway, Rene
Rogers, Shannon
Whitaker, Brett
Kondas, Ashley
Smith, Peyton
Lee, Christopher
Graziano, James
Source :
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
Publication Year :
2020
Publisher :
Centers for Disease Control MMWR Office, 2020.

Abstract

Compared with the volume of data on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreaks among older adults, relatively few data are available concerning COVID-19 in younger, healthy persons in the United States (1,2). In late March 2020, the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt arrived at port in Guam after numerous U.S. service members onboard developed COVID-19. In April, the U.S. Navy and CDC investigated this outbreak, and the demographic, epidemiologic, and laboratory findings among a convenience sample of 382 service members serving aboard the aircraft carrier are reported in this study. The outbreak was characterized by widespread transmission with relatively mild symptoms and asymptomatic infection among this sample of mostly young, healthy adults with close, congregate exposures. Service members who reported taking preventive measures had a lower infection rate than did those who did not report taking these measures (e.g., wearing a face covering, 55.8% versus 80.8%; avoiding common areas, 53.8% versus 67.5%; and observing social distancing, 54.7% versus 70.0%, respectively). The presence of neutralizing antibodies, which represent antibodies that inhibit SARS-CoV-2, among the majority (59.2%) of those with antibody responses is a promising indicator of at least short-term immunity. This report improves the understanding of COVID-19 in the U.S. military and among young adults in congregate settings and reinforces the importance of preventive measures to lower risk for infection in similar environments.

Details

ISSN :
1545861X and 01492195
Volume :
69
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
Accession number :
edsair.doi.dedup.....2400332e1fccfb17d4f639bcff0d5dfe
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6923e4