Barocas JA, Savinkina A, Lodi S, et al. - In the US, disruptions in the access to and uptake of hepatitis C (HCV) care services have been observed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. These disruptions are estimated to impact the long-term HCV-related outcomes. To overcome the disruptions, researchers suggest necessity for a recommitment to the HCV epidemic involving further resources coupled with aggressive efforts to screen, link, and treat people with HCV.

• The 10-year impact of COVID-19 disruptions in healthcare delivery on HCV outcomes was estimated using a microsimulation.

• Relative to the ‘no pandemic’ scenario, the scenario with no return to pre pandemic levels of HCV care delivery is estimated to have 1,060 fewer identified cases, 21 additional cases of cirrhosis, and 16 additional liver-related deaths per 100,000 people.

• Treatment initiation is estimated to occur in only 3% of identified cases and sustained virologic response may achieve in < 1%.

• Relative to ‘no pandemic’, a return to pre pandemic levels after an 18-month of care disruption, which is the best-case scenario, is estimated to link with a smaller proportion of infections identified and achieving SVR.