TABLE 1.
Impact of COVID-19 on STD Programs, March to October 2020
| Total No. Staff Reassignments Reported (%) | |
|---|---|
| Reassignment from STD work to COVID-19 duties | |
| STD program director or manager | 40 (6.5) |
| STD DIS staff | 252 (40.6) |
| STD epidemiology staff | 57 (9.2) |
| STD surveillance staff | 48 (7.7) |
| STD informatics staff | 21 (3.4) |
| Other STD program staff | 202 (32.6) |
| Total staff reassigned | 620 (100) |
| No. Respondents Reporting Issue/No. Respondents (%) | |
| STD testing prioritization and telemedicine | |
| Guidance on patient or testing prioritization | |
| Yes | 43/55 (78.2) |
| No | 12/55 (21.8) |
| Telemedicine implemented | |
| Yes | 26/55 (47.3) |
| No | 21/55 (38.2) |
| Not sure | 8/55 (14.5) |
| STD testing and treatment shortages | |
| GC/CT NAAT shortages in April 2020 | |
| Yes | 27/53 (50.9) |
| No | 24/53 (45.3) |
| Not sure | 2/53 (3.8) |
| DIS field work | |
| DIS field work continued | |
| Yes | 25/53 (47.2) |
| No | 28/53 (52.8) |
| Virtual partner services | |
| Extent DIS partner services conduct virtually | |
| A great deal | 31/54 (57.4) |
| Considerably | 12/54 (22.2) |
| Moderately | 6/54 (11.1) |
| Slightly | 1/54 (1.9) |
| Not at all | 4/54 (7.4) |
| Laboratory disruptions | |
| High-volume STD laboratories reported disruptions to laboratory testing for STDs | |
| Yes | 24/53 (45.3) |
| No | 29/53 (54.7) |
| Decreased STD case reports (comparing April 2019 with April 2020) | |
| Chlamydia | |
| Yes | 43/53 (81.1) |
| No | 6/53 (11.3) |
| Not sure | 4/53 (7.6) |
| Gonorrhea | |
| Yes | 34/53 (64.1) |
| No | 16/53 (30.2) |
| Not sure | 3/53 (5.7) |
| P&S syphilis | |
| Yes | 35/53 (66.0) |
| No | 16/53 (30.2) |
| Not sure | 2/53 (3.8) |