Understanding the Relationship Between Antiviral Prescription Data and COVID-19 Incidence in New York City: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Open Forum Infect Dis. 2023 May 21;10(6):ofad281. doi: 10.1093/ofid/ofad281. eCollection 2023 Jun.

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused more than 675 million confirmed cases and nearly 7 million deaths worldwide [1]. While testing for COVID-19 was initially centered in health care facilities, with required reporting to health departments, it is increasingly being performed in the home with rapid antigen testing [2]. Most at-home tests are self-interpreted and not reported to a provider or health department, which could lead to delayed reporting or underreporting of cases [3]. As such, there is a strong possibility that reported cases may become a less reliable indicator of transmission over time.

Keywords: COVID-19; antivirals; modeling; public health.