Epidemic surveillance of Covid-19: considering uncertainty and under-ascertainment

ABSTRACT - Epidemic surveillance is a fundamental part of public health practice. Addressing under-ascertainment of cases is relevant in most surveillance systems, especially in pandemics of new diseases with a large spectrum of clinical presentations as it may influence timings of policy implementa...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Peixoto, Vasco Ricoca (author)
Other Authors: Nunes, Carla (author), Abrantes, Alexandre (author)
Format: article
Language:eng
Published: 2021
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10362/113418
Country:Portugal
Oai:oai:run.unl.pt:10362/113418
Description
Summary:ABSTRACT - Epidemic surveillance is a fundamental part of public health practice. Addressing under-ascertainment of cases is relevant in most surveillance systems, especially in pandemics of new diseases with a large spectrum of clinical presentations as it may influence timings of policy implementation and public risk perception. From this perspective, this article presents and discusses early evidence on under-ascertainment of COVID-19 and its motifs, options for surveillance, and reflections around their importance to tailor public health measures. In the case of COVID-19, systematically addressing and estimating under-ascertainment of cases is essential to tailor timely public health measures, and communicating these findings is of the utmost importance for policy making and public perception.