Trends in assault-related hospitalizations during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

During SARS-CoV-2, we saw an overall reduction in assault related hospitalization, however, findings demonstrated an increase in serious injuries which may be associated with social and economic stressors of the pandemic, increased gun-violence while decrease in less serious injuries may be linked to hospital avoidance for non-lethal injuries during the peak waves of the pandemic. Our findings have implications for ongoing surveillance, service planning and management of the increased gunshot and penetrating assault cases and further demonstrate the need for public health input into the violence epidemic in the US.