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Abstract Details
Hepatitis C Elimination During a Global Pandemic: A Case Study of Resilience in Action
Public Health Rep. 2022 Jul-Aug;137(4):649-654. doi: 10.1177/00333549221083741.Epub 2022 Apr 9.
1School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
2Facente Consulting, Richmond, CA, USA.
3San Francisco Department of Public Health, San Francisco, CA, USA.
4San Francisco AIDS Foundation, San Francisco, CA, USA.
5San Francisco Health Plan, San Francisco, CA, USA.
6University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
7Opiate Treatment Outpatient Program, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, San Francisco, CA, USA.
8Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Abstract
Until the COVID-19 pandemic, San Francisco's hepatitis C virus (HCV) elimination initiative, End Hep C SF, was expanding and refining HCV testing and treatment strategies citywide, making progress toward local HCV elimination goals. Although a shelter-in-place health order issued in March 2020 categorized HCV testing as an "essential service," most HCV testing and treatment immediately stopped until COVID-19-safe protocols could be implemented. During the 14 months of pandemic-related organizational closures, End Hep C SF transitioned to a 100% virtual model, maintaining regularly scheduled meetings. Community-based HCV antibody testing decreased 80% from February to April 2020, and HCV treatment initiation also decreased, although both services started to rebound in mid-to-late 2020, partially as a result of End Hep C SF collaborations. End Hep C SF service providers, clinicians, and advocates reported that the continuous communication and common agenda of End Hep C SF-2 principles of the collective impact initiative-served as a familiar touchpoint and helpful source of information during this isolating and uncertain time. Ultimately, End Hep C SF allowed us to continue HCV elimination strategies through 6 lessons learned: maintaining HCV treatment access through telehealth and mobile services; leveraging research studies that provided HCV testing and treatment; offering HCV screening and linkage to care in tandem with COVID-19-related initiatives; being flexible and inventive, such as administering HCV treatment to residents of shelter-in-place hotels; establishing a data dashboard to track HCV testing and treatment; and relying on partnerships to solve problems and avoid burnout.