The Frequency and Characteristics of Facial Injury Following COVID-19 Social Distancing Laws: Newcastle, (Australia) Observations

Abstract

The imposition of COVID-19 social distancing laws serendipitously decreased the frequency and altered the characteristics of facial injury presentation. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the devolution of social distancing laws had the opposite effect. Materials and methods: The authors undertook a retrospective study of the clinical records of a cohort of patients who sustained a facial injury during COVID-19 social distancing devolution. The primary predictor valuable was the 8 week devolution of social distancing. Other variables consisted of a heterogeneous set of factors grouped into logical categories: demographic, injury specifics, and treatment. A descriptive statistical analysis was undertaken on the assembled results. Results: The study found that the absolute numbers of facial injury presentation rose from 73 to 120; a 64% increase. The study also found that there was an alteration to the characteristics of facial injury presentation across the study variables. Conclusion: The initial imposition and subsequent devolution of COVID-19 social distancing measures had a serendipitous public health benefit. Initially there was a decrease in the frequency of facial injury presentation followed by an increase upon cessation of social distancing restrictions

The Epidemiology of Facial Injury on the Far Side of the COVID-19 Pandemic Curve: What Happened After the Repeal of Social Distancing Laws?

“…The last of the 4 studies was undertaken by Qiu and Hoffman. 21 They investigated 2020 lockdown / post-lockdown periods. The 8-week figure for 2019 (control) was n = 103, which reduced to n = 73 (30% reduction) for the 2020 lockdown and then rose to n = 120 (64% increase) in the post lockdown period.…”

The Epidemiology of Facial Trauma Presentations during and after the Implementation of COVID-19 Social Distancing Measures—The Coventry-Warwickshire (UK) Experience

“…[3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10] In this current study we have shown that the rapid changes in incidence and characteristics of maxillofacial trauma that were observed during the 8 weeks of COVID-19 lockdown have not been mirrored by an equally rapid return to seasonal baseline with the dissolution of major lockdown legislation as was seen in the previously published Australian cohort. 2 In actual fact, the UK has displayed persistent deviations from baseline incidence and patterns despite a 110% increase in maxillofacial trauma admissions between the periods during and post strict COVID-19 lockdown. This increase, although still below baseline, suggests a slow but apparent move toward normality.…”

“…[12][13][14] A review of the literature on maxillofacial trauma revealed a total of 9 studies conducted across 6 countries during the peak of COVID-19. [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10] These studies are summarized in Table 3. The 6 studies that included data from previous years (to establish seasonal baseline) found a significant reduction in the incidence of maxillofacial trauma of between 26% and 72.5%.…”

“…As the social distancing measures were relaxed, the frequency and characteristics of facial injury presentations appeared to revert to seasonal expectations. A recent study by Qiu and Hoffman 2 of an Australian tertiary referral hospital patient cohort showed that following an initial 30% decrease in facial injury presentations that coincided with the FACE 00(0) imposition of COVID-19 social distancing, there was a subsequent 64% increase and return to seasonal expectation that followed the relaxation of COVID-19 social distancing.…”

“…These are raw numbers and are not normalized to the populations from which they are drawn-950 000 in Hunter New England, NSW, Australia and 1 000 000 in University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire, UK. The comparative Australian data for this figure was obtained from Qiu and Hoffman 2.…”