摘要：The emergence SARS-CoV-2 in late 2019 and early 2020 has caused a pandemic of unprecedented proportions. Management of COVID-19 became emergent public health priorities, and the impact on other public health initiatives, such as expanded HIV screening and linkage to care, remain largely unknown. In this Single-Center retrospective observational study, we describe the characteristics and circumstance of the new HIV cases during 2020 compared to 2019. We observed a decrease of HIV diagnosis during this period. Interestingly, median age at HIV diagnosis decreased of one decade and percentage of female patients was higher. In addition, more patients received diagnosis during hospitalization and more AIDS-defining conditions, such as Pneumocystis pneumonia, were detected. We express our concern that HIV new diagnoses will increase as a result of people’s inability to get tested or treated in this period. More efforts are needed to improve local screening programs both during and after COVID-19 pandemic.
Significance for public health
Our experience highlights the importance of a resilient healthcare system ready to implement new strategies in order to guarantee the continuum of HIV care even in the context of emergency. Notwithstanding our efforts, we observed a decrease of HIV diagnosis during this period compared to 2019. We express our concern that HIV new diagnoses will increase as a result of people's inability to get tested or treated in this period. Our City, by signing the Paris Declaration on Fast-Track Cities in 2019 made the commitment to accelerate HIV responses to achieve end of AIDS epidemic by 2030. COVID-19 pandemic has slowed down this process around the world and in our city and in order not to lose ground, more efforts are needed to improve local screening programs both during and after COVID-19 pandemic.
