The impact of COVID-19 on TB: a review of the data

• Published in: The international journal of tuberculosis and lung disease Vol. 25; no. 6; pp. 436 - 446
• Main Authors: McQuaid, C. F., Vassall, A., Cohen, T., Fiekert, K., COVID/TB Modelling Working Group, White, R. G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: France International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease 01.06.2021; International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (IUATLD)
• Subjects: Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Disease transmission; Health Services; Humans; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Pandemics; Public health; Resource; Review; SARS-CoV-2; Transmission; Tuberculosis; Tuberculosis - epidemiology; Vulnerability
• ISSN: 1027-3719; 1815-7920; 1815-7920
• DOI: 10.5588/ijtld.21.0148

Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, models predicted hundreds of thousands of additional TB deaths as a result of health service disruption. To date, empirical evidence on the effects of COVID-19 on TB outcomes has been limited. Here we summarise the evidence available at a country level, identifying broad mechanisms by which COVID-19 may modify TB burden and mitigation efforts. From the data, it is clear that there have been substantial disruptions to TB health services and an increase in vulnerability to TB. Evidence for changes in Mycobacterium tuberculosis transmission is limited, and it remains unclear how the resources required and available for the TB response have changed. To advocate for additional funding to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on the global TB burden, and to efficiently allocate resources for the TB response, requires a significant improvement in the TB data available.