COVID-19 Lockdown Research Articles

Perceptions of Indian dental students about online training on preclinical orthodontics during the COVID pandemic: A qualitative study

The objective of the study was to determine students’ perceptions about online training in preclinical orthodontics during the COVID lockdown. After obtaining ethical approval this phenomenological descriptive qualitative study was conducted for sixty minutes on two different days. It reported students’ experiences during the pandemic through focus group discussions. These were recorded on audio and video platforms. The researchers then transcribed and analyzed the recordings and codified the answers into categories to determine the emerging topics until a saturation point was reached. The core emerging themes were (1) Angst and apprehensions (2) Perception about the learning experience (3) Challenges encountered. Even though online learning has been a useful tool for delivering didactic (theoretical) concepts, we attempted to teach preclinical orthodontics to students of final year BDS. Students reported being skeptical and worried at first, but they soon were able to overcome the initial apprehensions and perform well.

During and after COVID-19: understanding entertainment consumption shifts through habit and customer value perspectives

Purpose As situational changes result in changing consumption patterns, this study aims to understand the entertainment consumption shifts during and after the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. Particularly, how users’ habits and use behavior have changed and how these constructs subsequently impact their continuance intention has been investigated. The study proposes a research model based on customer value and habit theory. Design/methodology/approach The study proposes a research model based on customer value and habit theory. The data collected during (n = 192) and after (n = 138) COVID-19 situation in the over-the-top (OTT) platforms setting through purposive sampling was analyzed using partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Findings The study elucidates that customer perceived value (utilitarian and hedonic values) impacts habit and continuance intention in different situations: during and after COVID-19. It was also shown that habit partially mediates the influence of utilitarian and hedonic values on continuance intention. Further, the extent of use had a negative moderation effect on the habit-continuance intention relationship during COVID-19 but did not moderate the relationship in the post-COVID-19 situation. Finally, it was demonstrated that the effect of utilitarian value increased, whereas that of hedonic value decreased on the continuance intention of OTT platforms in the after-COVID-19 situation compared to during COVID-19. Practical implications Although set up in the OTT context, the practitioners from other online entertainment services, and any online service in general, may utilize the study findings to reinforce habit and continuance intentions to address unwanted consequences due to situational changes. The study suggests to the OTT service providers ways to facilitate the habit formation of OTT users. The study recommends constant monitoring of the extent of the use of OTT consumers and user engagement tactics for nurturing the OTT consumption habits of heavy users. The recommendations for maintaining and strengthening the perceived value-continuance intention relationship were also made, which would help the OTT service providers immensely. Originality/value The study establishes the mediation effect of habit and the robustness of perceived value in determining continuance intention in varying situations. The results also highlighted the changes in the impact of perceived value and habit on the continuance intention of OTT platforms. The study also advances the literature by demonstrating the differential influence of the extent of use on the habit-continuance intention relationship during and after COVID-19.

Coming out of isolation: impacts of COVID-19 on physical activity, diet, mental well-being, and sleep over time

IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic lockdown significantly disrupted daily routines and impacted physical activity, diet, mental well-being, and sleep. This mixed-methods study investigates these changes over three periods—pre-pandemic, pandemic onset, and one-year post-onset—to understand their causes and inform public health policy for improved resilience during future crises.MethodsA mixed-methods study was conducted with 34 US participants who completed open-ended qualitative questions and quantitative assessments in May 2020 and May 2021. Participants were recruited via social media from 10 states with high COVID-19 cases. Quantitative data categorized health changes (positive, negative, or no change), while qualitative data were analyzed thematically to explore reasons for these changes and uncover interrelationships among health behaviors.ResultsQuantitative results showed that, during the pandemic onset, most participants experienced negative changes in diet, mental well-being, and sleep, while physical activity varied. By one-year post-onset, improvements were noted across all health pillars, with mental well-being and sleep showing the most significant positive changes. Thematic analysis of qualitative data revealed stress, anxiety, and personal motivations as key drivers of health behaviors. Participants’ narratives provided a deeper understanding of these shifts that a Likert-style survey alone could not capture, highlighting the interconnectedness of health pillars.DiscussionThe findings demonstrate the importance of addressing mental well-being to improve overall health resilience. Public health interventions should prioritize mental health and consider the interrelated nature of health behaviors. The mixed-methods approach combined quantitative trends with qualitative insights, offering a comprehensive understanding of why health changes occurred, providing actionable guidance for future public health policy.

The COVID-19 lockdown paradox: democratic support during democratic restrictions

Abstract Previous research has shown that positive perceptions of government performance are linked to higher levels of citizens’ support for democracy. However, the policy response to the COVID-19 crisis presented a unique paradox as relative success in preventing the virus spread depended on expanding executive powers, often at the cost of individual freedoms. Exploring this paradox, we investigate whether the link between perceptions of government performance and support for democracy holds in a situation where positive performance essentially means a restriction of freedoms. Using original survey data from seven European countries, we show that notwithstanding the democratic sacrifices, people with positive evaluations of the government’s response are more likely to maintain support for the democratic system. Nevertheless, people weighed responses to the health domain more heavily than to the economic domain, suggesting that the output legitimacy – democratic support link varies across domain-specific evaluations.

Waste reduction decreases rat activity from peri-urban environment

Globally, species in the genus Rattus (specifically Rattus rattus and Rattus norvegicus), are some of the most influential invasive taxa due to their high rates of competitive exclusion and large dietary breadth. However, the specific foraging strategies of urban-adjacent populations remain largely unknown. We examined Rattus spp. dependency on human food supplementation in a population on adjacent non-developed (or peri-urban) land. Via linear regression modeling, we measured rodent activity changes between native and invasive species before and after a decrease in human supplementation due to the COVID-19 lockdown in Santa Cruz, California, USA. We documented invasive rat activity via camera traps in normal (pre-COVID lockdown) conditions near dining halls and similar waste sources, and again under COVID lockdown conditions when sources of human supplementation were drastically decreased. After 120 trap nights we found a significant decrease (p < 0.001) in Rattus activity after the removal of human refuse, while native small mammal activity remained unchanged (p = 0.1). These results have strong conservation implications, as they support the hypothesis that proper waste management is an effective, less-invasive form of population control over conventional rodenticides.

Use of mobile phones to collect data on COVID-19: phone access and participation rates, in Rakai, Uganda

ABSTRACT During the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, we deployed a rapid, mobile phone-based survey to assess access and participation rates when using mobile phones to collect data on COVID-19 in Rakai, south-central Uganda. We sampled prior Rakai Community Cohort Study (RCCS) participants based on HIV status using mobile phone contacts. We administered a 30-minute phone-based interview to consenting participants to assess their knowledge about different aspects of COVID-19 and their access to care. Our analysis compares the mobile phone survey participation rates with historic participation rates in regular RCCS face-to-face interviews. We supplemented phone survey data with demographic, behavioral, and HIV status data from prior face-to-face RCCS surveys. Phone access in Round 19 of the RCCS was found to be 90.2%, with lower access among older people, and people living with HIV. When including only individuals who participated in the previous RCCS survey round, participation in the face-to-face survey (81.9%) was higher than participation in our phone survey (74.8%, p < .001). Survey participation was higher among people living with HIV compared to HIV-negative individuals (84.0% vs 81.4%, p < .001) in the face-to-face survey, but in the phone survey the reverse was found, with participation rates being higher among HIV-negative individuals compared to people living with HIV (78.0% vs 71.6%, p < .001). It was possible to collect data from an existing population cohort during the lockdown using phones. Phone access was high. Overall participation rates were somewhat lower in the phone survey, notably in people living with HIV, compared to the face-to-face survey.

Retraction: Exploring rural inhabitants’ perceptions towards food wastage during COVID-19 lockdowns: Implications for food security in Pakistan

Retraction: Exploring rural inhabitants’ perceptions towards food wastage during COVID-19 lockdowns: Implications for food security in Pakistan

Children’s digital practices and family dynamics during the COVID-19 lockdown: contrasting children’s and parents’ perspectives

ABSTRACT Since 2020, research has continued to grow on children’s digital practices during the COVID-19 lockdown, but the child’s perspective has commonly been ignored. This article aims to depict how the COVID-19 lockdown altered family dynamics regarding the use of technology, focusing on screen media. In particular, it illustrates how parents and children acted upon these changes, managing and negotiating children’s digital practices during the circumstances. As part of a larger European study, we have carried out online interviews with 10 Spanish families with children between 6 and 12 years of age. We conducted interviews both with children and adults, complementing and dynamizing them with other instruments (questionnaires and activity sheets). The study demonstrates that both children and parents are active agents in the family dynamics around the use of technology. Children have their own perspectives and expectations about technology, which do not necessarily coincide with their parents’. Furthermore, this study shows the diversity of strategies devised by the families to manage children’s digital practices, as well as to deal with the tensions that arose through the differences in perspectives and expectations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Critical roles of leadership and management to the suffocation of tertiary education sector during the Covid-19 pandemic: A critique of human migration

This research explores the coping mechanisms of the tertiary education sector during the Covid-19 pandemic from the point of view of the restricted human migration. The research is conceptual and empirical in nature within the qualitative research paradigm. Interviewing technique and narrative enquiry were employed to generate data pertaining to the restricted human mobility during the Covid-19 pandemic. Out of the population of 25 public higher education institutions, in South Africa, only 2 were conveniently sampled for intensive study on restricted human migration of their employees during the Covid-19 lockdown. This paper is therefore, a case study of 2 public higher education institutions. Research findings revealed that firstly, organisational efficacy took a nosedive during the Covid-19 pandemic. Secondly, there was a controversy of the mandatory immunizations within the migrants. Thirdly, the application of migration segregation aggravated the state of affairs. Fourthly, inhibition of the already planned face-to-face conference attendance crippled the education sector. Lastly, compromising of quality assessment practices particularly at institutions of higher learning was a disservice and disruptions to the education sector. Exemption of the education sector from the suffocation of restrictive health protocols in case of similar Covid-19 pandemics in future is recommended.

Family Social Capital and Sustainable Well-Being: Navigating Chinese Adolescents’ Well-Being During COVID-19 Lockdown

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic caused widespread disruption as governments took actions to limit the spread of the virus. Measures such as physical distancing and lockdowns changed living conditions, leading to challenges such as social isolation and reduced connectedness. This study explores COVID-19’s impact on adolescents’ well-being, emphasising family social capital, which refers to supportive adult-child relationships that foster well-being and enhance remote learning. Quantitative data was collected through an online survey from August 2022 to August 2023, involving 4008 students and 3511 parents. Semi-structured interviews with six students and their parents (either the mother or the father) provided in-depth insights into the perceived role of family social capital in shaping adolescents’ well-being during quarantine. Quantitative data revealed that parental education level significantly influenced adolescents’ self-reported well-being and resilience, and family income influenced parents’ perceptions of their children’s well-being. Qualitative data highlighted the importance of strong family bonds, effective parent-child relationships, and robust family support in mitigating the adverse effects of prolonged home quarantine. The research also discovered the role of adolescents’ agency in building social capital through web-based communities. The study contributes to understanding Chinese adolescents’ well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic, providing implications for supporting their well-being in the post-pandemic era.

Challenges, coping strategies, and sources of support available to South African parents with children with autism spectrum disorder during the COVID-19 lockdown: a qualitative study

Parenting a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is known to be complex and challenging and likely to be exacerbated under conditions of stress and uncertainty. We aimed to explore how parents experienced parenting their child with ASD during the initial COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. We also aimed to identify the coping strategies and sources of support available to them during this time. Using an exploratory qualitative design within an interpretivist paradigm, we interviewed 23 parents of children with ASD between the ages of 6 and 12 years. Parents were recruited from an online support group for ASD in South Africa. Interviews were semi-structured and transcribed verbatim for thematic analysis, using ATLAS.ti. We identified five themes: (1) The experience of communicating lockdown rules and disease containment measures to children, (2) Consequences of disruption to routine, (3) Parenting and interpersonal relationships in conditions of confinement, (4) Help-seeking and sources of support, and (5) Finding ways to cope amid a crisis. The findings demonstrate that the initial COVID-19 lockdown placed parents of children with ASD under considerable stress. Disrupted routines and interrupted access to financial, psychological, social, and educational support during the initial lockdown period exacerbated parenting experiences. This study highlights the importance of providing parents of children with ASD strategies to communicate significant change and various forms of support to navigate the negative effects of routine disruptions during conditions of uncertainty and crisis.

Mental health disorders before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic: a nationwide study.

The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns prompted a major concern for mental health effects. Comprehensive nationwide studies are lacking on the indirect effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the population's mental health. We aimed to determine whether the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns affected mental health service usage, suicide attempts, and suicides. This comprehensive nationwide register-linked study followed all individuals in Denmark from 1990. The main outcomes were rates of psychiatric admissions, use of psychotropic medication, suicide attempts, suicides, patients in community-based private psychiatry or psychology practices, and referrals to psychiatric hospitals. The impact of the pandemic (March 11, 2020-June 30, 2023) and lockdowns was assessed with log-normal models adjusted for pre-pandemic trends (January 1, 2017-March 10, 2020). We reported Rate Ratios (RR) of the observed and counterfactual rates. We identified the 5 807 714 (50.3% females) individuals living in Denmark on March 1, 2020. The rates of psychiatric admissions (RR: 0.95, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.91 to 0.99, p-value: 0.017) and suicide attempts (RR: 0.85, 95% CI: 0.76 to 0.95, p-value: 0.007) were lower during the pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic trend. The rates of suicides (RR: 0.89, 95% CI: 0.75-1.05, p-value: 0.173), patients in private practices (RR: 1.00, 95% CI: 0.96-1.04, p-value: 0.986), and referrals (RR: 1.06, 95% CI: 0.95-1.18, p-value: 0.307) were not significantly different during the pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic trend. During the first lockdown, rates were lower for psychiatric admissions (RR: 0.85, 95% CI: 0.80 to 0.90, p-value <0.001), suicide attempts (RR: 0.80, 95% CI: 0.69 to 0.94, p-value: 0.007), suicides (RR: 0.67, 95% CI: 0.52 to 0.86, p-value: 0.002), patients in private practices (RR: 0.88, 95% CI: 0.82 to 0.93, p-value <0.001), and referrals (RR: 0.69, 95% CI: 0.60 to 0.81, p-value < 0.001) compared to the pre-pandemic trend. However, during the pandemic, the rate of psychotropic medication users increased by 6% compared to the pre-pandemic trend (RR: 1.06, 95% CI: 1.05 to 1.06, p-value < 0.001). The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns did not severely influence pre-pandemic trends of the mental health burden in Denmark's population on a nationwide level.

Comparing the psychological impact of the Shanghai lockdown on local and non-local college students: an explanatory sequential mixed method approach.

In 2022, the Shanghai municipal government enforced strict COVID-19 lockdown measures. Lockdown experiences for college students varied. Local students normally returned home and had familial support while non-local students relied more on institutional support when quarantining in dormitories. The difference could profoundly impact their access to necessary material resources and emotional support, affecting their mental health. This study compared the psychological effects of the Shanghai Lockdown on local and non-local college students using an explanatory-sequential mixed methods design. Quantitative analyses of data from 327 college students examined local and non-local students' mental health outcomes during the lockdown. Follow-up qualitative interviews (N = 12) contextualized their sources of stress and group differences. Higher prevalences of probable anxiety (34.6%), depression (45.1%), and poor subjective mental well-being (65.4%) are found among non-local students compared to local students (23.7% anxiety, 29.4% depressive symptoms, and 47.9% poor well-being). Suicidal ideation was higher among local students (8.6% prevalence difference). Being a non-local college student was associated with increased odds of probable anxiety, depression, and poor well-being. Interviews identified group differences such that non-local students received more school support (i.e., food and financial) and perceived emotional support but faced poorer quarantine living environments compared to local peers. Non-local college students were more vulnerable to the impact of lockdown. Our findings also provide insights into the impact of familial versus institutional support on student mental health during times of crisis.

Public perceptions of the Hippocratic Oath in the U.K. 2023

This paper explores public perceptions of the Hippocratic Oath (Physician’s Oath) in the U.K. Results of a questionnaire administered online to 106 adults indicated that the majority were of the opinion that their primary and secondary health care doctors had taken the Oath (88% and 86% respectively). A majority thought that nurses, paramedics, psychotherapists and graduate scientists and researchers should also take some form of professional oath. Elements of the Oath which were deemed most important included that it is a sworn oath, that doctors should not harm patients, act in the best interests of patients, abide by the principles of autonomy and informed consent and maintain patient confidentiality. A significant proportion - about 20% - of the UK public felt that doctors had forgotten their Hippocratic Oath during COVID-19 lockdowns and associated vaccination programme, suggesting that recent history may have damaged the public faith in the medical profession.

Sexual behaviours and risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection among MSM during the first COVID-19 lockdown

BackgroundThe social distancing measures associated with the COVID-19 pandemic had far reaching effects on sexual behavior worldwide. However, it remains unclear whether sexual contact with non-steady partners was a contributor to the spread of SARS-CoV-2. The aim of this study was to (i) describe risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity after the first pandemic wave among people using HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) in Zurich, Switzerland, including sexual contact with non-steady partners, and (ii) assess whether the SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity among PrEP users in this time period differed from that of a demographic matched population level comparison group.MethodsThe study was conducted between July 2020 and October 2020 as a nested cross-sectional study within two ongoing cohort studies, SwissPrEPared (all eligible PrEP users in Switzerland ≥ 18 years old) and Corona Immunitas (a series of cross-sectional and longitudinal studies measuring the SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence across Switzerland, beginning in April 2020). All SwissPrEPared participants were recruited from Checkpoint Zurich (the main PrEP clinic in Zurich) and were men having sex with men or transgender women. Data were collected on participants’ SARS-CoV-2 antibody status, social characteristics and behavioral data after the first wave of the pandemic in Switzerland, and seroprevalence was compared with a propensity score-matched sample from the general Zurich population.ResultsOf the 218 participants enrolled, 8.7% (n = 19, 95% CI: 5.5–13.5%) were seropositive for SARS-CoV-2 during the first pandemic wave, higher than that of the general male population in Zurich aged 20–65 (5.5%, 95% CI: 3.8–8.2%). Participants on average reduced their social outings, but the seronegative were more socially active before, during, and after the first lockdown period. In a logistic model, increasing mean sexual partner count was not associated with seropositivity (OR: 1.02, 95% CI: 0.95, 1.07). The estimated risk ratio for seropositivity for the participants compared to the general Zurich population after propensity score matching was 1.46 (95% CI: 0.53, 3.99).ConclusionsOur study suggests that SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity was slightly elevated among people taking PrEP in Zurich during the first wave of the pandemic, but that socializing and sexual activity were less important than other factors in contributing to risk.

Research on Ozone Pollution Characteristics and Source Apportionment During the COVID-19 Lockdown in Jilin City in 2022

The increasing Ozone (O3) concentration in various regions of China has garnered significant attention, highlighting the need to understand the mechanisms of O3 formation. This study focuses on the source apportionment of O3 in Jilin City during and after the COVID-19 lockdown countermeasure, and also the influence of anthropogenic emissions on O3 concentration. The contributions of different O3 emission sources were quantified using the Weather Research and Forecasting Community Multi-Scale Air Quality (WRF-CMAQ) model in conjunction with the Integrated Source Apportionment Method (ISAM). The results indicate a significant increase in O3 concentrations during the lockdown in Jilin City, which were particularly characterized by long-distance transportation. Transportation is identified as the primary direct source of O3 in Jilin City, with Yongji County contributing the most among the six designated regions. This study highlights variations in the causes and sources of O3 pollution among the different regions of Jilin City. Simply controlling anthropogenic emissions is inadequate for effectively managing O3 pollution and may even worsen the situation. It is more effective to focus on controlling O3’s precursors. These findings improve the understanding of O3 pollution in Jilin City and provide valuable insights for developing O3 control policies. Similarly, this research is applicable to other countries and regions.

Changes in source contribution to particle number concentrations during the 2022 COVID-19 Lockdown on southern edge of North China Plain

The COVID-19 lockdown was a typical example of extreme emission reduction, providing an opportunity to study the impact of lockdown measures on air pollution. Particle number concentrations (PNC) originate from direct emissions or through new particle formation events. However, their variations during the lockdown period are under investigation. This study focuses on Luohe, a city on the southern edge of the North China Plain, analyzing the changes in PNC and its sources before, during, and after the COVID-19 lockdown. From March 25th to May 31st, 2022, real-time PNC measurements were conducted using a Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer for particle size. Results showed an 11.2 % decrease in PNC during the lockdown compared to pre-lockdown and a 3.6 % decrease compared to post-lockdown, indicating reduced local emissions and weakened regional transportation during the lockdown. Positive Matrix Factorization analysis identified six sources contributing to the total PNC, including photochemical nucleation, aged photochemical nucleation, gasoline vehicle emissions, diesel vehicle emissions, coal and biomass combustion, and secondary aerosols. The significant changes in source emissions indicate a substantially reduced traffic volume after the implementation of lockdown measures (2644.8 #/cm³, 2202.2 #/cm³, 2792.7#/cm³). Concurrently, photochemical nucleation (310.1 #/cm³, 306.3 #/cm³, 393.1 #/cm³) and photochemical nucleation aging (592.8 #/cm³, 744.1 #/cm³, 810.7 #/cm³) exhibited increasing trends, while coal/biomass combustion (1656.6 #/cm³, 1586.2 #/cm³, 980.0 #/cm³) and secondary sources (999.4 #/cm³, 791.1 #/cm³, 804.1 #/cm³) showed decreasing trends. In summary, the contributions of traffic emissions to PNC highlight the potential for targeted traffic management strategies to improve urban air quality.

Evaluating the effects of meteorology and emission changes on ozone in different regions over China based on machine learning

Systematically understanding the impact of meteorological conditions on regional ozone pollution helps to retrieve ozone dataset and evaluate emission changes on ozone variation. Here, more air-quality observation sites were collected, and Random Forest algorithm was applied to retrieve daily maximum 8 h average (MDA8) O3 concentrations at 1 km resolution in 2019-2020 in China. The region-season model and whole-retrieved model were established to compare the contributions of meteorological variables to ozone variations on spatiotemporal scale. The former model outperformed the latter for retrieval capability, but the predictive ability of the latter was slight stronger. This may be associated with the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of meteorological influence. Daily ozone variability in China was mainly influenced by meteorology, especially in North China Plain in autumn. The key factors were temperature, ultraviolet radiation and relative humidity over the whole country, but varied significantly in different regions and seasons. The effects of meteorology and emission sources on ozone were separated by weather normalization technique. Meteorological conditions were particularly favorable for increasing ozone concentrations in spring, but particularly unfavorable in winter. During the COVID-19 lockdown, the increases in ozone in spring and winter of 2020 were the contribution of the combination of meteorology and emissions; while the decreases in ozone in summer and autumn of 2020 were mainly due to the changes of emission sources, although meteorological conditions were unfavorable to ozone mitigation in heavily polluted areas. Our findings provide scientific basis for the prevention and control of ozone pollution for the regional scale in China.

Changes in global NO2 pollution by shipping during the COVID-19 lockdown: Implication for sustainable marine operations

Changes in global NO2 pollution by shipping during the COVID-19 lockdown: Implication for sustainable marine operations

Perceived effects of covid-19 lockdown on take-off of farming activities in Enugu State, Nigeria

Perceived effects of covid-19 lockdown on take-off of farming activities in Enugu State, Nigeria