Comparing the COVID-19 Responses in Cuba and the United States. Powell MA, Erwin PC, Mas Bermejo P. Am J Public Health. 2021 Dec 8;111(12):2186–93. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2021.306526

The purpose of this analytic essay is to contrast the COVID-19 responses in Cuba and the United States, and to understand the differences in outcomes between the 2 nations. With fundamental differences in health systems structure and organization, as well as in political philosophy and culture, it is not surprising that there are major differences in outcomes. The more coordinated, comprehensive response to COVID-19 in Cuba has resulted in significantly better outcomes compared with the United States. Through July 15, 2021, the US cumulative case rate is more than 4 times higher than Cuba’s, while the death rate and excess death rate are both approximately 12 times higher in the United States. In addition to the large differences in cumulative case and death rates between United States and Cuba, the COVID-19 pandemic has unmasked serious underlying health inequities in the United States. The vaccine rollout presents its own set of challenges for both countries, and future studies can examine the comparative successes to identify effective strategies for distribution and administration. (Am J Public Health. 2021;111(12):2186-2193. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2021.306526)

Conocimientos de los estomatólogos sobre bioseguridad en tiempos de COVID-19. Frómeta-Ortiz Y, González Espangler L, Valdés-Gómez Y, Romero-García LI. Arch Med. 2021 Jul–Dec;21(2). Spanish only.

Objetivo Describir el nivel de conocimientos de los estomatólogos sobre la bioseguridad ante la COVID-19 e identificar su relación con variables de interés. Las investigaciones sobre bioseguridad estomatológica en tiempos de COVID-19 han sido un tema recurrente en la actualidad y cobran una especial importancia, pues brindan pautas y permiten comparar el comportamiento de este fenómeno en diferentes centros. Materiales y métodos Es una investigación observacional descriptiva y transversal en los servicios estomatológicos cubanos del municipio Mella de la provincia Santiago de Cuba, en noviembre de 2020. La población estuvo constituida por estomatólogos, seleccionándose una muestra de 40. Se estudiaron variables como ocupación profesional, años de graduado y nivel de conocimientos sobre bioseguridad que se identificó como adecuado, medianamente adecuado e inadecuado según encuestas aplicadas. Resultados En los tres primeros ítems evaluados predominó el nivel de conocimientos inadecuado (en el 50,0 % sobre medidas generales, en el 47,5 % acerca de la higiene de las manos y 40,0 % en la protección personal); en grado medio el manejo de prendas y cuidado del medio ambiente con un 50,0 y 75,0 % respectivamente; además, no existieron diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre el nivel de conocimientos y la ocupación profesional y los años de graduado. Conclusiones El nivel de conocimientos de los estomatólogos sobre la bioseguridad ante la COVID-19 es medianamente adecuado y no depende ni del nivel de especialización ni de la experiencia profesional.

COVID-19 in Cuba, six months later. Beldarraín Chaple E. Hist Cienc Saude-Manguinhos. 2021 Oct–Dec;28(4).

Cuba has a long tradition of controlling epidemics. In Cuba, this occurred with covid-19 six months after it started. Different measures were taken to control the pandemic: various community interventions, the isolation of suspected cases and of people returning from overseas, the application of therapeutic strategies. The first phase of the epidemic peaked in late April and the highest number of cases was seen in May. The epidemic was under control in June and July. Cases began to de-escalate in mid-June. There was a rise in cases in the month of August, which was interpreted as another outbreak.

Indicadores demográficos en la incidencia de la COVID-19 en Santiago de Cuba. Zamora Matamoros L, Sagaró del Campo NM, Valdés García LE, Benítez Jiménez I. Rev Bras Estud Popul. 2021 Jul 26;38:0153. https://doi.org/10.20947/S0102-3098a0153 Spanish only.

Los indicadores demográficos han sido empleados por algunos investigadores para estimar el número de personas infectadas por la covid-19. El presente trabajo tiene como primer objetivo determinar en qué medida la incidencia de casos con covid-19 en los municipios de la provincia de Santiago de Cuba puede ser explicada a partir de determinados indicadores demográficos. El segundo objetivo es construir una jerarquía de grupos de municipios de acuerdo al comportamiento diferenciado de los indicadores demográficos seleccionados. Se desarrolló un estudio ecológico, exploratorio, de grupos múltiples, comparando los nueve municipios de la provincia Santiago de Cuba según variables del nivel global, supuestamente relacionadas con la cantidad de casos con covid-19 confirmados desde el 15 de octubre de 2020 hasta el 16 de enero de 2021. Se aplicó el análisis de regresión lineal múltiple para seleccionar el modelo que describiera mejor el comportamiento de los datos y el análisis de clúster para visualizar la agrupación de los municipios. Se evidenció una correlación significativa entre la cantidad de casos con covid-19, la densidad de población y el grado de urbanización. En cambio, en el modelo de regresión solo resultó significativa la densidad poblacional cuando se consideraron los nueve municipios y el índice de masculinidad, cuando se excluyó el municipio atípico, Santiago de Cuba. El índice de masculinidad resultó ser una variable espuria condicionada por la densidad poblacional como variable confusora. El análisis de clúster reveló la formación de tres grupos de municipios, quedando Santiago de Cuba aislado del resto de los municipios.

Perceived Stress by Students of the Medical Sciences in Cuba Toward the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results of an Online. Hernández-García F, Góngora Gómez O, González-Velázquez VE, Pedraza-Rodríguez EM, Zamora-Fung R, Lazo Herrera LA. Rev Colomb Psiquiatr (Engl Ed.). 2021 Jul–Sep;50(3):176–83. 

Introduction The aims of this study were to determine the usefulness of the Modified (10-item) Scale of Perceived Stress related to COVID-19 (EEP-10-C, for its acronym in Spanish) and to identify the levels of stress perceived by students of medical sciences in Cuba due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted, with self-reported data of students from 14 Cuban universities of medical sciences (n = 200), through an online survey. The EEP-10-C was used as an instrument to identify stress. Its validity was determined through a confirmatory factor analysis and its internal consistency and reliability was measured by the Cronbach’s alpha. A cluster analysis was performed to establish as the cut-off point the centre of the cluster with the highest values of stress perceived by the scale. Results The average age of the sample was 23.30 ± 1.91 years, with observed scores of the EEP-10-C between 0 and 29 points (13.25 ± 5.404). When applying the cut-off point ≥25, only two students had high rates of perceived stress. The confirmatory factor analysis supported the validity of the instrument (α = 0.755). The cut-off point ≥20 was proposed as a reference of high stress perceived for the study population, when applying this one, 14% of students presented high rates of stress. Conclusions In Cuba, students of the medical sciences have participated in research and healthcare support, despite which they have presented low levels of stress. The main contribution of the research was the validation of the EEP-10-C for its use in assessing levels of stress in Cuban medical students, proposing the cut-off point ≥20 as a reference of high stress perceived.

Recommendations for coastal planning and beach management in Caribbean insular states during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Milanes CB, Pérez Montero O, Cabrera JA, Cuker B. Ocean Costal Manag. 2021 Jul 1;208:105575.

The COVID-19 pandemic has implications for coastal planning and management. Rules for isolation and physical distancing, among other measures for human life protection, have led to the closure of most beaches around the world. The present critical situation has raised the following question: How can some recommendations be designed in sun, sea, and sand tourism-dependent-insular countries to face “the COVID-19 new normality?” We used the content analysis technique to analyze representative publications on a global level to ascertain information on best management practices. A survey of 58 experts provided additional information. We used inferential statistics for sample selection and produced a list of 43 practices and beach planning and management actions to face the COVID-19 pandemic. This led to 27 new recommendations designed for beach planning and management within insular contexts, some of which were tested in the Republic of Cuba. Recommendations aim to guarantee a culture of safety and improvement within the field of beach or coastal planning and management. These recommendations should prove useful for other insular countries, during the COVID-19 period, in the new normality that follows, and in other post-pandemic scenarios.

Sexually transmitted diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic: A focus on syphilis and gonorrhoea in Cuba. Rodríguez I, Hernández Y. Public Health Prac. 2021 Nov;2.

Objectives The implementation of social confinement measures to reduce the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has limited the clinical and laboratory diagnosis of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and their transmission. This study aims to explore the epidemiological behaviour of two notifiable STDs during the first 6 months of the COVID-19 pandemic in Cuba. Study design This is an exploratory study of the incidence rates of syphilis and gonorrhoea during the COVID-19 pandemic in Cuba. Methods This study compares national weekly surveillance data on syphilis and gonorrhoea incidence rates in Cuba with the timeline of implemented social confinement measures. Results Incidence rates for both STDs were declining before the first case of COVID-19 was identified in Cuba. Following the confirmation of COVID-19 in Cuba and the implementation of social confinement measures, the decreasing incidence rates of syphilis and gonorrhoea continued. When social measures were subsequently relaxed, there was an increase in the incidence of syphilis, but incidence levels of gonorrhoea remained at a plateau. Conclusions The results of this study suggest that the social measures introduced to curb the spread of COVID-19 influenced the sexual risk behaviours of individuals and subsequently modified the incidence of syphilis and gonorrhoea. It is necessary to continue epidemiological surveillance for longer periods of time and to explore it at the local, regional and national levels to better understand STDs in times of COVID-19.