COVID-19 Countermeasures Research Articles

Newcomer perceptions of COVID-19 countermeasures in Canada.

Newcomers to Canada have been disproportionally affected by COVID-19, with higher rates of infection and severity of illness. Determinants of higher rates may relate to social and structural inequities that impact newcomers' capacity to follow countermeasures. Our aim was to describe and document factors shaping newcomers' acceptance of COVID-19 countermeasures. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with individuals living in Canada for <5 years. Participants were asked to discuss their pandemic experiences, and perceptions and acceptance of measures. Five themes were identified: (i) belief in the necessity and efficacy of countermeasures; (ii) negative impact of measures on health/wellbeing; (iii) existing barriers to newcomer settlement exacerbated by pandemic measures; (iv) countermeasure adherence related to immigration status and (v) past experiences shaping countermeasure acceptance. Government should continue to provide messaging regarding the importance of measures for individual and population heath and continue to demonstrate a commitment to the interests of citizens. Importantly, newcomer trust in government should not be taken for granted, as this trust is critical for the acceptance of government interventions now and moving forward. It will be important to ensure that newcomers are given support to overcome challenges to settlement that were intensified during the pandemic.

An assessment of organizational well-being, organizational health, and work-related stress: A cross-sectional study of nurses involved with COVID-19 interventions.

Nurses have been affected by stress, developing many related consequences during the health emergency caused by the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic. It is essential for healthcare organizations to protect their human resources because there is a strong correlation between the health status of healthcare workers and the quality of care provided. The aim of the study was to measure the perception of the organizational health level of the workplace among COVID-19 nurses (i.e. nurses who directly dealt with COVID-19 countermeasures) as an influence on work quality and work-related stress. A cross-sectional study was carried out by administering the Nursing Questionnaire on Organizational Health (QISO) to nurses in contact with COVID-19 patients. The search period ranged between August and September 2021 with nurses who work and/or worked in Lazio. 123 questionnaires were collected. The scores with a value below the recommended level (2,6) are: "Comfort of the working environment" (mean = 2.57; SD = 0.66); "Valorization of skills" (mean = 2.40; SD = 0.62); "Openness to innovation" (mean = 2.46; SD = 0.77); "Satisfaction with top management" (mean = 2.48; SD = 0.81); and the inverse scale "Fatigue" (mean = 2.94; SD = 0.55). Management of healthcare organizations should define action strategies to promote and increase organizational well-being and reduce work-related stress risk factors. Some action strategies that could be used include improving the elements of the work environment to make it more comfortable for workers; strengthening and improving communication; improving the relationship between nurses and senior management; and establishing a team of experts for psychological assistance.

Statistical Analysis of Counter-Covid-19 Policies Adequacy and Effectiveness in Croatia

Countries around the world have imposed various counter-measures at national level, adjusting societal and economic activities to constrain the Covid-19 pandemic. Here we report the research results of assessment of adequacy and effectiveness of the Covid-19 pandemic counter-measures in the case study of the Republic of Croatia. Statistical analysis and inference methods are applied to identify the adequate national-level Covid-19 counter-measures, and their effective intensity levels, as a lessons-learnt evidence with potential use for policy and strategy development support, in potential similar future situations.

Issues in Psychiatric Hospitals that were Revealed Through COVID-19 Infection Countermeasures

Introduction:Infection countermeasures that consider patient characteristics are needed at psychiatric hospitals.Method:Based on the experience of implementing countermeasures against infection by COVID-19, which has become a pandemic disaster over the past few years. This report is on the current situation and issues of infection countermeasures in psychiatric hospitals.Results:Reasons for why it is difficult to take COVID-19 countermeasures in psychiatric hospitals included the following: for patient predispositions–it is difficult to promote understanding and practice of infection countermeasures such as proper wearing of masks, hand hygiene enforcement, zoning, etc. For environmental predispositions–it is difficult to ventilate because windows and doors cannot be opened, and it is difficult to isolate infected individuals as there are few private rooms. Countermeasures included the following: recreation should be limited to that which does not involve speaking and having everybody face the same direction, ensuring sufficient space between people during meals, installing ventilation equipment in hospital wards, handle care in private rooms until the hospitalized patient is judged to be not infectious, and conducting zoning and isolation on a hospital ward level. Results showed that although COVID-19 outbreaks occasionally occurred in hospital wards, this did not result in spread throughout the hospital.Conclusion:Future challenges include improving the quality of infection countermeasures in hospitals through thoroughly educating hospital personnel who are unaccustomed to taking infection countermeasures.

Worse sleep and increased energy expenditure yet no movement changes in sub-urban wild boar experiencing an influx of human visitors (anthropulse) during the COVID-19 pandemic

Expansion of urban areas, landscape transformation and increasing human outdoor activities strongly affect wildlife behaviour. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in particular led to drastic changes in human behaviour, exposing wildlife around the world to either reduced or increased human presence, potentially altering animal behaviour. Here, we investigate behavioural responses of wild boar (Sus scrofa) to changing numbers of human visitors to a suburban forest near Prague, Czech Republic, during the first 2.5 years of the COVID-19 epidemic (April 2019–November 2021). We used bio-logging and movement data of 63 GPS-collared wild boar and human visitation data based on an automatic counter installed in the field. We hypothesised that higher levels of human leisure activity will have a disturbing effect on wild boar behaviour manifested in increased movements and ranging, energy spent, and disrupted sleep patterns. Interestingly, whilst the number of people visiting the forest varied by two orders of magnitude (from 36 to 3431 people weekly), even high levels of human presence (>2000 visitors per week) did not affect weekly distance travelled, home range size, and maximum displacement of wild boar. Instead, individuals spent 41 % more energy at high levels of human presence (>2000 visitors per week), with more erratic sleep patterns, characterised by shorter and more frequent sleeping bouts. Our results highlight multifaceted effects of increased human activities (‘anthropulses’), such as those related to COVID-19 countermeasures, on animal behaviour. High human pressure may not affect animal movements or habitat use, especially in highly adaptable species such as wild boar, but may disrupt animal activity rhythms, with potentially detrimental fitness consequences. Such subtle behavioural responses can be overlooked if using only standard tracking technology.

IoT-Based Bi-Cluster Forecasting Using Automated ML-Model Optimization for COVID-19

The current COVID-19 pandemic has raised huge concerns about outdoor air quality due to the expected lung deterioration. These concerns include the challenges associated with an increase of harmful gases like carbon dioxide, the iterative/repetitive inhalation due to mask usage, and harsh environmental temperatures. Even in the presence of air quality sensing devices, these challenges can hinder the prevention and treatment of respiratory diseases, epidemics, and pandemics in severe cases. In this research, a dual time series with a bi-cluster sensor data-stream-based novel optimized regression algorithm was proposed with optimization predictors and responses that use an automated iterative optimization of the model based on the similarity coefficient index. The algorithm was implemented over SeReNoV2 sensor nodes data, i.e., a multi-variate dual time-series sensor, of the environmental and US Environmental Protection Agency standard, which measures variables for the air quality index using air quality sensors with geospatial profiling. The SeReNoV2 systems were placed at four locations that were 3 km apart to monitor the air quality and their data was collected at Ubidots IoT platform over GSM. The results have shown that the proposed technique achieved a root mean square error (RMSE) of 1.0042 with a training time of 469.28 s for the control and an RMSE of 1.646 in a training time of 28.53 s when optimized. The estimated R-Squared error was 0.03, with the Mean-Square Error for temperature being 1.0084 °C, and 293.98 ppm for CO2. Furthermore, the Mean-Absolute Error (MAE) for temperature was 0.66226 °C and 10.252 ppm for the correlated-CO2 at a predicted speed of ~5100 observations/s. In the sample cluster for temperature, 45,000 observations/s for CO2 was achieved due to the iterative optimization of the training time (469.28 s). The correlated temperature and a time of 28.53 s for CO2 were very promising in forecasting COVID-19 countermeasures before time.

Analisis Sistem Pengendalian Intern Pemerintah (SPIP) terhadap Pendistribusian Bantuan Sosial Covid-19 di Dinas Sosial Provinsi DKI Jakarta Tahun 2020

&#x0D; The aim of the study was to find out how the Government Internal Control System (SPIP) performs in the implementation of Covid-19 income assistance at the DKI Jakarta Provincial Social Service according to the Elements of Internal Control based on PP No. 60 of 2008 concerning the Government Internal Control System (SPIP). This study uses a qualitative method with an interpretive paradigm and an ethnomethodological approach. Data collection techniques for this study were through interviewing key informants and supporting informants, observation and documentation. Based on the results of this study, the implementation of the SPIP in the implementation of income assistance in the implementation of the Covid-19 countermeasures has generally been effective and sufficient in accordance with Government Regulation No. 60 of 2008. Therefore, additional and evaluation is still needed. Implementation, such as discussing ethics and ethics training, assessing the role of assistants and social workers and identifying risks, was not carried out due to the risk of delays in the distribution schedule.&#x0D; Keywords: Government Internal Control System, Covid-19 Social Assistance, SPIP

Description of the Utilization of Village Funds for Covid-19 Countermeasures in Wee Paboba Village, North Wewewa Subdistrict

Pada tahun 2021, muncul 5 kasus COVID-19 di Desa Wee Paboba dan meningkat menjadi 35 kasus di tahun 2022. Desa juga tidak menyediakan ruangan isolasi sesuai dengan kebijakan yang ditetapkan pemerintah. Tujuan penelitian ini untuk mengetahui pemanfaatan dana desa untuk penanggulangan COVID-19 di Desa Wee Paboba, meliputi pemanfaatan dana desa untuk desa tanggap COVID-19, dan hambatan dalam pemanfaatan dana desa untuk penanggulangan COVID-19. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode kualitatif. Pengumpulan data dilakukan dengan wawancara mendalam dan dokumentasi. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan adanya penggunaan dana desa untuk penanggulangan COVID-19 di Desa Wee Paboba sebesar 4,19% pada tahun 2020 dan 8% pada tahun 2021, sedangkan untuk tahun 2022 targetnya 8% tapi yang terealisasi sampai bulan Juni adalah 2,52%. Pemanfaatan dana desa untuk BLT pada tahun 2020 sebesar Rp.561.600.000, tahun 2021 sebesar Rp.583.200.000 dan untuk tahun 2022 sampai dengan bulan Juni sebesar Rp.298.800.000. Hambatan yang dialami pemerintah desa dalam penanggulangan COVID-19 dari tahun 2020 hingga tahun 2022 adalah jalan yang belum bisa dilalui kendaraan. Tim relawan harus berjalan kaki untuk melakukan pendataan dan pembagian masker ke rumah masyarakat.

Examining factors impacting acceptance of COVID-19 countermeasures among structurally marginalised Canadians

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted and exacerbated inequities in health for structurally marginalised Canadians. Their location on society's hierarchies constrained their ability to access healthcare and follow recommended health behaviours. The aim of this article is to identify, from the perspective of marginalised populations, factors influencing the acceptance or rejection of COVID-19 countermeasures by structurally marginalised Canadians. Interviews were conducted with Canadians 18 + who identified as Black (n = 8), First Nations, Métis, or Inuit (n = 7) and low-income (<40,000 annual household income) (n = 8) between August and December 2021. Measures were said to impact well-being and interfere with revenue generating activities. Longstanding unfavourable living and environmental conditions as they relate to structural marginalisation was said to fuel anger toward the government and lead to a greater reluctance to accept countermeasures. Participants described concerns about government decisions being made without considering their unique contexts, or knowledge of the experiences of the population for whom these decisions were being made. Effective proactive action from government is important to foster trust with marginalised populations to support acceptance of health information and address growing inequities. Action that demonstrates government competence and commitment to the interests of marginalised populations is critical.

COVID-19 Countermeasures and Sanitation Co-creation through Women’s Agricultural Activities (Mutcare Reports)

COVID-19 Countermeasures and Sanitation Co-creation through Women’s Agricultural Activities (Mutcare Reports)

Perceptions of the Impact of COVID-19 Countermeasures on Safe Foodservice Provision at International Sporting Competitions: A Qualitative Study

Over the past 2 years, the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a pronounced impact on the foodservice sector, including compliance to new food provision guidelines. International sporting events’ over-crowded communal eating areas are considered to be high-risk areas for contracting infectious disease. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions, level of preparedness and perceived challenges of key stakeholders when providing food at major athletic competition events during a global pandemic. A qualitative methodology was employed using semi-structure interviews and data was analyzed using interpretive phenomenology. Inductive thematic analysis identified six major themes of COVID-19′s impact on foodservice systems. Adapting foodservice models to pandemic planning is pre-determined and dictated by settings and environments. There were common heightened concerns over sustainability practices, increase in waste management, costs and negative impact on social dining experience, which were all perceived to be impacted by the changes relevant to COVID-19. There was a renewed attention to improving food safety and quality control measures. The outcomes of this study suggest that International organizing committees of major competitions must now be tasked with updated guidelines, including supporting adequate budgets and communication, if stakeholders are to adapt their operations to control the spread of viruses, such as COVID-19, within all foodservice operations at major competitions. Attention should be directed to determine whether food provision changes continue to be recommended and how this will impact foodservice delivery, sustainability and the social dining experience at future sporting events.

Analisis Kualitas Website Resmi Penanggulangan Covid-19 di Indonesia Dengan Menggunakan Metode Pieces

The existence of the internet is inseparable from the life of modern society that relies on it as the primary source for information, such as websites. The use of the website is one of the government's efforts to disseminate information about Covid-19. Then Indonesia Government has covid19.go.id, an official website that becomes the major source for Covid-19 information. One of the determinants for the information quality is the website quality as a medium for that information. Thus, this study aims to analyze the quality of the Covid-19 countermeasures website. This study used descriptive qualitative method and collected data through interviews, observation, and documentation. The approach used to analyze the website quality is PIECES which consists of 6 indicators, namely: Performance, Information, Economy, Control, Efficiency, and Service. The resource person for this research is a system analyst working for National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) and for the Covid-19 Task Force to manage the Covid-19 website. The results of the study using the 6 PIECES indicators show that: 1) the website has a performance with a value of C or average because the size of the website is quite large and the loading time is 3.7 seconds, however, no errors are found; 2) the information presented is complete, useful, and in line with the visitors needs; 3) economically, the website has a positive impact on society and for entrepeneur to adapt their business to the existing regulations; 4) control of the website is carried out by several parties and the website has also achieved three international certificates from three different institutions; 5) in terms of efficiency, the website functions properly, but there are several features that cannot be used; 6) the website service is good since it provides a comfortable browsing experience. To improve the quality of the website, it is necessary to increase performance and improve several features.

Identification of a pharmacological approach to reduce ACE2 expression and development of an in vitro COVID-19 viral entry model

Because of rapid emergence and circulation of the SARS-CoV-2 variants, especially Omicron which shows increased transmissibility and resistant to antibodies, there is an urgent need to develop novel therapeutic drugs to treat COVID-19. In this study we developed an in vitro cellular model to explore the regulation of ACE2 expression and its correlation with ACE2-mediated viral entry. We examined ACE2 expression in a variety of human cell lines, some of which are commonly used to study SARS-CoV-2. Using the developed model, we identified a number of inhibitors which reduced ACE2 protein expression. The greatest reduction of ACE2 expression was observed when CK869, an inhibitor of the actin-related protein 2/3 (ARP2/3) complex, was combined with 5-(N-ethyl-N-isopropyl)-amiloride (EIPA), an inhibitor of sodium-hydrogen exchangers (NHEs), after treatment for 24 h. Using pseudotyped lentivirus expressing the SARS-CoV-2 full-length spike protein, we found that ACE2-dependent viral entry was inhibited in CK869 + EIPA-treated Calu-3 and MDA-MB-468 cells. This study provides an in vitro model that can be used for the screening of novel therapeutic candidates that may be warranted for further pre-clinical and clinical studies on COVID-19 countermeasures.

Current status and issues of oral and maxillofacial surgery during the infection epidemic period −COVID-19 countermeasures at Kobe City Medical Center General Hospital−

Current status and issues of oral and maxillofacial surgery during the infection epidemic period −COVID-19 countermeasures at Kobe City Medical Center General Hospital−

Covid-19 Countermeasure Policy in the Province of Jakarta Capital City

Jakarta is the highest province of positive Covid-19 cases nationally and the epicenter region in Indonesia. This study aims to analyze the development of the number of cases and Covid-19 countermeasure policy in the Province of Jakarta Capital City. This study uses a qualitative method with in-depth interviews and document review. Primary data was collected from selected informants, namely the Head of Jakarta Health Office and Assistant to the Provincial Secretary for Governmental. Secondary data is taken from legal and policy documents, reports, websites, and press releases. The fluctuation of Covid-19 cases in Jakarta depends on the capacity of the examining laboratory and the capacity of contact tracing. Until April 30, 2020, The Provincial Government of Jakarta Capital City has made 74 policies. They made Covid-19 as a serious policy agenda and collaborates with the whole of government, privates, professional/community/ religious organizations, and society. Situational factors are the most influential factors in the policymaking process. The Provincial Government of Jakarta Capital City concerns early since the Wuhan Pneumonia case with the epidemiological surveillance system of the Health Office, which has been running regularly monitoring infectious diseases from the community health center level. Policy formulation is based on research and scientific studies. Monitoring and evaluation are carried out both formatively and summatively to address problems and obstacles in policy implementation. The Provincial Government of Jakarta Capital City took the early response to collaborates with the whole of government, privates, and society in policymaking and implementation.

Pharmacist and patient experiences of primary care during the COVID-19 pandemic: An interview study

IntroductionA number of significant changes designed to reduce the spread of COVID-19 were introduced in primary care during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Ireland, these included fundamental legislative and practice changes such as permitting electronic transfer of prescriptions, extending duration of prescription validity, and encouraging virtual consultations. Although such interventions served an important role in preventing the spread of infection, their impact on practice and patient care is not yet clear. The aim of this study was to investigate patient and healthcare professional (pharmacist and general practitioner) experiences to understand the impact of COVID-19 on primary care and medication safety during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ireland. MethodsA qualitative study using semi-structured interviews was undertaken between October 2021 and January 2022. Participants included twelve patients, ten community pharmacists, and one general practitioner. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis. Only patient and pharmacist interviews were included. FindingsThemes from the interviews included: 1) Access to care, 2) Technological changes, 3) Experiences of care, and 4) Patient safety. Particular challenges identified included the difficulty faced by patients when accessing care, impacts on experiences of patient care, and extensive changes to pharmacy practice during the pandemic. ConclusionsThis study found that COVID-19 countermeasures considerably impacted patient and pharmacist experiences of primary care in terms of care and medication safety. While many changes were welcomed, others such as virtual consultations were received more cautiously likely due to the rapid and unplanned nature of their introduction. Further research is needed to identify how to optimise these changes to improve pharmacist and patient experience, and to understand the impact on patient safety.

The Significance of Pets for Vulnerable Older Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Explorative Qualitative Study.

Simple SummaryPets may reduce the negative impact of COVID-19 countermeasures, such as social isolation in older adults receiving long-term care at home. To better understand the significance of pets for older adults in long-term care during the pandemic, we conducted interviews with five older adults in long-term care at home and with four family caregivers. All participants reported having negative experiences during COVID-19 countermeasures. The results suggest that pets were a source of structure and stability for pet owners. The study showed that pets played an important role in the lives of older adults in long-term care at home both before and during the pandemic.Older adults receiving long-term care at home (LTCH-clients) were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and its countermeasures. Previous research suggests that pets can mitigate some of the pandemic’s impacts for older adults but results are contradictory. Our aim was to investigate experiences of LTCH-clients and the significance of their pets during the pandemic. Accounting for saturation, semi-structured interviews were conducted with five LTCH-clients and four family caregivers of LTCH-clients with dementia. Participants were asked about their experiences with COVID-19 and the significance of LTCH-clients’ pets during the pandemic. Two researchers performed thematic analyses in ATLAS.ti using open coding and an iterative–inductive approach. All participants reported negative experiences as a result of COVID-19 countermeasures. Results suggested that caring for pets provided pet owners with structure, which may have contributed to a sense of stability and continuity. Our outcomes underlined an important role of pets for LTCH-clients both before and during the pandemic.

Evaluating the impact of COVID-19 countermeasures on alcohol consumption through wastewater-based epidemiology: A case study in Belgium

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is a complementary approach to monitor alcohol consumption in the general population. This method measures concentrations of xenobiotic biomarkers (e.g., ethyl sulphate) in influent wastewater (IWW) and converts these to population-normalized mass loads (PNML, in g/day/1000 inhabitants) by multiplying with the flow rate and dividing by the catchment population. The aims of this case study were to: (i) investigate temporal trends in alcohol use during the COVID-19 pandemic; and (ii) measure the effect of policy measures on alcohol consumption. Daily 24-h composite IWW samples (n = 735) were collected in the wastewater treatment plant of the university city of Leuven (Belgium) starting from September 2019 to September 2021. This is the first study that investigates alcohol use through WBE for a continuous period of two years on a daily basis. Mobile phone data was used to accurately capture population fluxes in the catchment area. Data was evaluated using a time series based statistical framework to graphically and quantitatively assess temporal differences in the measured PNML. Different WBE studies observed temporal changes in alcohol use during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this study, the PNML of ethyl sulphate decreased during the first lockdown phase, potentially indicating that less alcohol was consumed at the Leuven area during home confinement. Contrastingly, alcohol use increased after the re-opening of the catering industry. Additionally, a decrease in alcohol use was observed during the exam periods at the University of Leuven and an increase during the holiday periods. The present study shows the potential of WBE to rapidly assess the impact of some policy measures on alcohol consumption in Belgium. This study also indicates that WBE could be employed as a complementary data source to fill in some of the current knowledge gaps linked to lifestyle behavior.

Impact of COVID-19 Countermeasures on Pediatric Infections.

(1) Background: General infection control measures have been implemented at the societal level against COVID-19 since the middle of 2020, namely, hand hygiene, universal masking, and social distancing. The suppressive effect of the social implementation of general infection control measures on pediatric infections has not been systematically assessed. (2) Methods: We addressed this issue based on publicly available data on 11 pediatric infections reported weekly by sentinel sites in Osaka and Iwate prefectures in Japan since 2010. We obtained the 5-year average for 2015–2019 and compared it to the weekly report for 2020–2021. (3) Results: The rate of 6 of the 11 pediatric infections decreased significantly during 2020–2021, regardless of the magnitude of the prevalence of COVID-19 in both areas. However, only RSV infection, one of the six infections, was endemic in 2021. Exanthem subitum was not as affected by COVID-19 countermeasures as other diseases. (4) Conclusions: The social implementation of infectious disease control measures was effective in controling certain infectious diseases in younger age groups, where compliance with the countermeasures should not be as high as that of adults.

Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and state of emergency declarations on the relative incidence of legionellosis and invasive pneumococcal disease in Japan

IntroductionDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, the incidence of many droplet-transmitted infections decreased due to increased mask-wearing and social distancing. Contrastingly, there has been concern that COVID-19 countermeasures, such as lockdowns, may increase legionellosis incidence via water stagnation. During the pandemic in Japan, four state of emergency declarations were imposed between 2020 and 2021, which makes it particularly suitable to test this hypothesis. MethodsWe use country-level surveillance data from the National Institute of Infectious Diseases to track the relative incidence of legionellosis compared to invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan, with a focus on the periods just after state of emergency declarations were lifted. ResultsThe absolute number of legionellosis and IPD cases decreased in 2020 and 2021 compared to previous years. The average relative incidence of legionellosis as well as the variance of the relative incidence significantly increased during the pandemic compared to previous years. There were no increases in the relative incidence of legionellosis during the periods immediately following emergency declaration liftings, but the relative incidence did increase considerably during the first two states of emergency. ConclusionsCOVID-19 countermeasures appear more effective at decreasing the incidence of human-to-human transmitted infections, such as IPD, compared to environmentally-transmitted infections, such as legionellosis. Though no evidence was found to suggest that legionellosis cases increased after state of emergency declarations, public health efforts should continue to emphasize the importance of routine sanitation and water system maintenance to prevent water stagnation and Legionella spp. contamination.