In 2020, the Canadian Co-infection Cohort developed a sub-study to measure the impact of COVID-19 on people living with HIV in collaboration with the University Health Network in Toronto. To slow the spread of the virus, people were advised to adopt new behaviors and public health measures that included social distancing, confinement, avoiding non-essential travel, and non-emergency services. While these measures were evidence-based, COVID-19 has presented specific challenges for marginalized communities. As HIV and HIV/HCV co-infection disproportionately affect marginalized groups, COVID-19 may have presented unique challenges for people living with HIV (PLWH) and HIV/HCV co-infection that are likely to include: HIV treatment and care interruptions (e.g. cancellation of medical appointments), delays in HCV treatment initiation, lack of access to telehealth services changes to substance use patterns (e.g. from lack of availability of usual supplies or increased use to deal with isolation) and the double effect of confinement on aging PLWH for whom loneliness and isolation is often part of their everyday reality.
The aim of this sub-study is to measure the impact of COVID-19 on PLWH from a clinical, psychosocial, and economic perspective to understand how the pandemic has impacted their routine HIV and HCV care including regular laboratory monitoring and medication management, and their overall well-being.
This observational prospective sub-study was implemented in 2021 in both the Canadian Co-infection Cohort (CTN222) and the HIV Aging Cohort (CTN314) and is collecting data from participants at participating sites using a questionnaire. The spectrum of COVID-19 infections in PLHW will be investigated by determining the frequency and severity of symptomatic disease and by storing plasma to enable future batch testing of COVID-19 antibodies.