COVID-19 Outbreak In Pakistan Research Articles

Adoption of M-Commerce Amongst Pakistani Consumers: By Using TAM with Effect of Social Influence and Mobile Self-Efficacy

M-commerce, or mobile commerce, has gained popularity due to its expanded possibilities over Electronic commerce, which has been growing at a far faster pace because to the Covid-19 outbreak in Pakistan. The utilization of wireless technologies has increased in the M-commerce sector. There are more mobile phone users than personal computer users. In spite of Pakistan's apparent interest in M-commerce as a means of trade, nothing is known about the country's citizens' desire to utilize this new wireless electronic platform. Thus, customers' behavioral intention to use m-commerce has been investigated using an improved technology acceptance model (TAM) that takes into account the consequences of social influence and mobile self-efficacy. The sample size for this study was 220 people from Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, and Multan, which is a statistically significant number. A variety of statistical techniques, including factor and reliability analysis as well as correlation and regression, were used to examine the data by using SPSS version 19. Customers' attitudes toward adopting M-commerce are positively influenced by their perceptions of its utility, ease of use, social influence, and personal efficacy on their mobile devices, according to this study, which also found a link between these factors and their behavioral intent to use M-commerce.

Exploring the Impact of Ownership Structure and CEO Power on CSR and Firm Performance in Pakistan: A Comparative Study of Pre, Post and Covid Era as an Emerging Economy

The primary purpose of this research is to acquire a profound comprehension of the impacts of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) on the operations of firms and on society as a whole, with Pakistan serving as the focal point of the research. This study's objective is to determine whether or not there is a moderating effect of CEO power on the relationships that exist between CSR, ownership concentration, and efficient business practices. In-depth research has been conducted on fifty different non-financial enterprises in Pakistan to see how well they performed before, during, and after the Covid-19 Pandemic. On the data that has been gathered, descriptive statistics and regression analysis have been carried out with the assistance of SPSS. The research found that in the middle of the Covid-19 outbreak in Pakistan, the degree of authority held by CEOs had a major impact on the dynamics of the economy. The authority of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) has a significant impact on the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the performance of an organization. Even in a developing country like Pakistan, the present study highlights the importance of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the positive influence it may have on the bottom line of a firm. The purpose of this study is to investigate the beneficial benefits that corporate social responsibility (CSR) has on society, with a particular emphasis on emerging countries such as Pakistan. This research serves as a useful guide by emphasising how important CSR is for linking together the success of businesses and the well-being of the society in which they operate.

Exploring the Impact of Ownership Structure and CEO Power on CSR and Firm Performance in Pakistan: A Comparative Study of Pre, Post and Covid Era as an Emerging Economy

The primary purpose of this research is to acquire a profound comprehension of the impacts of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) on the operations of firms and on society as a whole, with Pakistan serving as the focal point of the research. This study's objective is to determine whether or not there is a moderating effect of CEO power on the relationships that exist between CSR, ownership concentration, and efficient business practices. In-depth research has been conducted on fifty different non-financial enterprises in Pakistan to see how well they performed before, during, and after the Covid-19 Pandemic. On the data that has been gathered, descriptive statistics and regression analysis have been carried out with the assistance of SPSS. The research found that in the middle of the Covid-19 outbreak in Pakistan, the degree of authority held by CEOs had a major impact on the dynamics of the economy. The authority of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) has a significant impact on the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the performance of an organization. Even in a developing country like Pakistan, the present study highlights the importance of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the positive influence it may have on the bottom line of a firm. The purpose of this study is to investigate the beneficial benefits that corporate social responsibility (CSR) has on society, with a particular emphasis on emerging countries such as Pakistan. This research serves as a useful guide by emphasising how important CSR is for linking together the success of businesses and the well-being of the society in which they operate.

COVID-19 and Psychological Complications Among University Students in Islamabad: A Cross-sectional Survey

Background: Due to quarantine, mental health problems particularly depression and anxiety worsen in the general population. The psychological impact of COVID-19 on university students is more due to exaggerated stress levels and anxiety-related evidence as a result of transformed delivery and doubtfulness of university education, technological concerns of online courses of instruction, being far away from home, social separation and financial losses. Objective: To determine the post-COVID-19 psychological complications among university students in Islamabad. Methods: The study was carried out in various educational universities in Islamabad from March to August 2021. A questionnaire was distributed to obtain data about demographic characteristics and psychological complications during quarantine periods after the Covid-19 outbreak in Pakistan. The questionnaire used to collect data was DASS 21 questionnaire. The association between quarantine due to COVID-19 and students' psychological health was estimated through SPSS 23 analysis procedure with a p-value<0.001 Results: The study was completed by participation of 219 individuals, 54(24.7%) females and 165(75.3%) males. All students with age between 18-30 years who completed the questionnaire both physically and online. The results of the cross-sectional study showed that depression p-value=0.30, anxiety p=0.03 and stress p=0.01. Conclusion: The incidence of post-COVID-19 quarantine psychological complications was quite high among university students of Islamabad due to home-based and administrative quarantine during lockdown measures for conserving their physical and mental health and daily life activities. The current study concludes that stress, anxiety and depression were quite common in students of universities due to quarantine.

A memory effect model to predict COVID-19: analysis and simulation

On 19 September 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended that asymptomatic individuals, those who have close contact with infected person, be tested. Also, American society for biological clinical comments on testing of asymptomatic individuals. So, we proposed a new mathematical model for evaluating the population-level impact of contact rates (social-distancing) and the rate at which asymptomatic people are hospitalized (isolated) following testing due to close contact with documented infected people. The model is a deterministic system of nonlinear differential equations that is fitted and parameterized by least square curve fitting using COVID-19 pandemic data of Pakistan from 1 October 2020 to 30 April 2021. The fractional derivative is used to understand the biological process with crossover behavior and memory effect. The reproduction number and conditions for asymptotic stability are derived diligently. The most common non-integer Caputo derivative is used for deeper analysis and transmission dynamics of COVID-19 infection. The fractional-order Adams–Bashforth method is used for the solution of the model. In light of the dynamics of the COVID-19 outbreak in Pakistan, non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) in terms of social distancing and isolation are being investigated. The reduction in the baseline value of contact rates and enhancement in hospitalization rate of symptomatic can lead the elimination of the pandemic.

Impact of the Covid-19 Outbreak on the Dental Profession in Pakistan

The COVID-19 outbreak has affected dentists all over the world, including those in the Pakistan. It has had a huge impact on the practice of dental professionals as they are in direct contact with oral and nasal secretions of patients in the field. We conducted this study to find out how dental practitioners felt about the outbreak and how they believed it will affect the dental profession. To assess the impact of COVID-19 outbreak in Pakistan an exploratory cross-sectional study of dental professionals was conducted. Self-administered questionnaires were distributed to consenting participants between October and December 2021 via an online data collection platform (Google forms). These questionnaires were to collect the data about the understanding and awareness about the pandemics impact on respondent’s sociodemo graphics and psychological health. The data analysis in this study was done using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. The study included 118 dental practitioners from the Pakistan, with an average age of 39.25 years and a majority of the participants were males. COVID 19 was determined to be well-understood by nearly 91 (77.1 %) respondents. COVID-19 was of the grave concern for more than half of the participants, 64 (54.24%), with the danger of catching the virus in the dentistry clinic being the most concerning cause of concern 64 (54.24%). It is concluded that the dental practitioners had an excellent awareness about the epidemiology, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of COVID-19. Keywords: COVID-19, Pneumonia, Dental, Awareness, Psychology

How Does COVID-19 Affect Demographic, Administrative, and Social Economic Domain? Empirical Evidence from an Emerging Economy

Worldwide, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on social and economic conditions as well as mental and physical health. Pakistan is considered in high ranks on Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI). The people of Pakistan have already faced numerous obstacles in terms of food and housing prospects. Job security, inflated prices of food items, and financial distress are the foremost vital challenges of Pakistan’s people during the Pandemic. This study examines the people’s perception of social, economic, and psychological impact and explores the causes and trends of spreading the COVID-19 pandemic in Pakistan. A primary survey method was conducted to collect the data from all Punjab divisions via questionnaire, and 471 respondents were finally selected for data analysis. The data collection instrument was a questionnaire, and the data analysis tool was SPSS. Investors, analysts, business professionals, economists, business faculty staff, and civil society are the study’s populations. The findings show that the overall social and economic life has been affected (82% of respondents agree) by the COVID-19 pandemic. 60.5% of respondents manage their spending through salary (mean value = 4.45), while 45% use savings (mean value = 4.25). Moreover, Government support (mean value = 3.95) plays a vital role in managing expenditure in this COVID-19 outbreak in Pakistan. Consequently, this study confirms that the lock-down implementation measure (mean value = 2.20) is not considered useful in reducing COVID-19 due to Pakistan’s financial and economic uncertainty. This study concluded the social distance and testing measures are vital tools in reducing the COVID-19 pandemic in Pakistan. However, the study established that micro-smart lockdown, increased COVID-19 testing kits, and adequate medical equipment in the Hospital of Pakistan are the key mechanism to control the pandemic. Consequently, this study recommends that thorough long-term planning be undertaken to mitigate the pandemic’s worst effects and develop a comprehensive strategy with society as the primary focus.

Readiness of Medical Institutions, Academics and Practitioners for the Covid-19 Outbreak

Objective: To assess the readiness of medical institutions (academics and practitioners) to the COVID-19 outbreak in Pakistan.  Methods: It was a cross-sectional study. Two medical institutes were contacted in Sind and Punjab through the Vice Chancellors. Faculty members were asked to fill the questionnaire online. Convenience sampling was done, with no fixed sample size. Questionnaires were sent as google forms. Duration of the study was 4 months (Aug 2020 – Nov 2020).   Results: Out of 111 participants, there were 64 females and 47 males. Clinical faculty gave more correct answers on major warning signs of COVID-19 (35.6%) as compared to the basic science faculty (16.7%). Private sector is more prepared to deal with COVID in terms of availability of infection control materials and following of SOPs, however, public sector showed improved numbers (59.1%) for “Performing refresher training for HCP on infection control guidelines” as compared to private sector (33.7%). Total subjective score on IES range from 25 – 30 out of 75 in different groups which showed moderate stress.  The two most practiced life style modifications were avoiding crowded places and frequently washing the hands. The thought of passing on infection to the loved ones was found to be most worrisome for them.  Conclusion: The pandemic is a source of stress for healthcare workers. The institutional readiness for dealing with the pandemic needs consideration at institutional, government and policy level for better equipping the healthcare facilities with the infection control materials and PPEs.

Evaluating ICT utilization in education administration and management during the COVID-19 outbreak in Pakistan: An empirical review

This study aims to evaluate the utilization of ICT in education administration and management in a Pakistan context during the pandemic outbreak. Adoption of information and communication technologies (ICTs) has digitalized the learning process where education organizations were administrated by means of wireless-based instructions, electronic pedagogy, and online assessment in order to continue the educational activities while the government halted the physical appearance in education institutions. Data collection has been carried by three public universities in which teachers and general administration of these institutions participated to discover their intention to use the assigned technology to administrate organizations’ policies in the way to disseminate the respective service delivery. Survey questionnaires were used, and 178 respondents’ feedback was secured to analyze the study that was carried out via SPSS version 24 and validation OF hypotheses measured by means of regressions and correlations. Moreover, proposed factors like intention to use, perceived ease of ease, perceived usefulness, social influence, and Users’ expectations were used. A theoretical approach was inculcated to encircle the UTAUT and TAM model to determine the adoption of the innovative system education management during the pandemic outbreak in the country.

Self-Reported Compliance with Personal Preventive Measures among Office Workers After Work Resumption during the COVID-19 Outbreak in Pakistan.

ABSTRACT.As the lockdowns have been lifted to relieve pressure on the economy, strict adherence to personal preventive measures (PPMs) in offices is essential to control the COVID-19 pandemic. This study investigated self-reported compliance with three PPMs among a sample of office workers in Karachi, Pakistan. A cross-sectional survey with participants were adult office workers who had resumed work in Karachi, Pakistan. All full-time employees aged ≥ 18 years who had resumed work in the offices were invited to complete the survey. Of 487 workers who were invited, 411 (84.4%) completed the survey between March 1 and March 20, 2021. We examined the effects of sociodemographic factors, individual-level factors, interpersonal-level factors, and social-structural–level factors using logistic regression models. Of the total sample, 192 (46.7%) reported always wearing a face mask in the workplace. Self-reported sanitizing of hands (46.0%) was comparable to use of face masks, whereas avoiding crowded places (21.2%) was less common. Perceived effectiveness of individual preventive measures (adjusted odds ratios [AORs] from 1.19 to 1.42; confidence intervals (CIs) 1.04–1.37 to CI 1.18–1.71), perceived effectiveness of governmental preventive measures (AORs from 1.23 to 1.39 CI 1.02–1.47 to CI 1.12–1.72), and number of preventive measures implemented by the office (AORs from 1.20 to 1.26 CI 1.09–1.31 to CI 1.13–1.39) were associated with self-reported compliance with PPMs. Perceived preparedness of medical system in Karachi (AOR 1.44, CI 1.08–1.93) was only associated with self-reported sanitizing of hands. Reduced compliance to PPMs was observed; hence, efforts need to be made to ensure strict adherence to PPMs.

Infection Control Measures in Pakistani Dental Practices During COVID-19 Outbreak

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to assess infection control measures in dental practices during COVID-19 outbreak in Pakistan. METHODOLOGY: It was a cross-sectional web based survey conducted during COVID-19 outbreak from the period of June 2020 to August 2020. The study participants were the dental surgeons who were either working in hospital setup or running their own private practice or working in private dental setup. The survey consisted of sets of questions to assess whether dental practitioners have implemented strategies to combat novel corona virus infection in their practice. It also consists of questions that assess aerosol generating procedures are commencing with or without out any COVID-19 symptoms. RESULTS: About 39.1% participants reported that 75% of the number of patients in their clinic had been reduced and 52.2% of the participants reported that >50% of the patients came for endodontic procedures with pain. Eighty one percent of the participants were maintaining hand hygiene before touching all patients, 71.7% before any cleaning, 78.3% before any aseptic procedure, 81% after exposure to patient’s fluid and 80.4% after touching. There was low compliance regarding the use of personal protective equipment and almost 62.6% were using eye wear for all patients, 58.7% were disinfecting whole clinical room before new patient and 43.9% were using single use (disposable) examination set during COVID-19 outbreak. CONCLUSION: Majority of dentist in Pakistan were following the recommendations and guidelines of infection control practices related to COVID-19 pandemic. KEYWORDS: COVID-19, coronavirus, infection control measures, practices, dentistry

Impact on the Utilization of Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Care Services at Primary Health Care Level During First Wave of COVID-19 Outbreak in Pakistan.

Introduction: Very little is known and predictable on how long the COVID-19 pandemic will last, even though dramatic preventive measures to flatten the curve and stop its transmission have been taken worldwide periodically since its start. These preventive measures coupled with people’s fear of COVID-19, significantly altered people’s health-seeking behavior and healthcare accessibility. This study aims to measure the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the utilization of reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health (RMNCH) care services at primary health care (PHC) facilities in Pakistan. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted in 22 districts using data from 1169 primary health care facilities. The District Health Information System (DHIS) was used to retrieve district-wise services utilization data from January to April 2020 i.e. January to February 2020 (pre-COVID-19) and March to April 2020 (during COVID-19). The monthly difference (in percentage change) for selected RMNCH services indicators was calculated using the expected number of clients (January to February average) versus the actual number of clients for March and April 2020.Results: We observed a decrease of 12.5% for March and 33% for April 2020 in the total number of clients who availed of primary health care services in Sindh as compared to the pre-COVID-19 monthly average. A decrease in first antenatal care visits (15.6% and 16.3%), delivery coverage (12.8% and 17.9%) and family planning client visits (31.6% and 36.3%) were observed for March and April 2020 respectively. The pentavalent vaccine results revealed a decrease of 19.3% and 63.1%, while a decrease of 17.3% and 54.3% were observed for children receiving the first dose of measles vaccine in March and April, respectively. Conclusions: Our findings show that the number of clients who avail of routine care or RMNCH services at the primary health care level considerably declined during the initial phase of the first wave of the COVID-19 outbreak in Sindh, Pakistan. These results highlight a rising threat to poor RMNCH and outcomes.

The influence of illness perception, anxiety and depression disorders on students mental health during COVID-19 outbreak in Pakistan: a Web-based cross-sectional survey

PurposeSince the emergence of a coronavirus disease (2019-nCoV) in December 2019, the whole world is in a state of chaos. Isolation strategy with quarantine is a useful model in controlling transmission and rapid spread. As a result, people remained at home and disrupted their outside daily activities. It led to the closure of educational institutes, which is a source of many students to cope with numerous personal and familial issues. This study aims to focus on exploring the relationships and potential mediational pathways between mental health problems, illness perception, anxiety and depression disorders.Design/methodology/approachThe study incorporated snowball sampling techniques through a cross-sectional, Web-based survey and recruited 500 students from different universities of twin cities, Rawalpindi and Islamabad from March 23 to April 15, 2020, during the coronavirus outbreak lockdown. The study used four instruments, Beck Depression Scale, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire and The Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale for assessing depression, anxiety, illness perception and mental health disorders.FindingsThe findings indicated normal (43.2%), mild (20.5%), moderate (13.6%) and severe (22.7%) levels of anxiety prevalence in students. Results specified a normal (65.9%), mild (9.10%), moderate (9.12%) and severe (15.90%) depression prevalence and findings stipulated that anxiety disorder prevalence was higher than depression disorder. The correlational results specified a negative and significant relationship between mental health, illness perception, anxiety and depression symptoms. The multiple regression analysis stated that anxiety and depression disorders mediated the relationship between mental health and present illness perception. The perception of illness exhibited a relation to depression and anxiety disorders.Originality/valueThe study proposed a model to address mental health problems during the lockdown. The (2019-nCoV) illness perception developed mental disorders, including anxiety and depression, which has declined individuals’ mental health. There is an urgent need for ongoing clinical examination and management to address psychological disorders and findings suggest assessing mental health to combatting the pandemic worldwide. Findings recommend developing strategies to promote mental health-care facilities during COVID-19 wide-ranging disasters. These results highlight the impending importance of devising strategies to treat mental health problems.

Comprehensive evaluation of wheat operation during COVID-19 outbreak in Pakistan.

The whole world is confronting under extreme danger from COVID-19 pandemic. Which spread rapidly including an agro-based developing state like Pakistan. Right now this year "Rabi" crop season has safely ended during this pandemic. Wheat-crop operations are depended on environmental conditions and different operational safety measures. Farmworkers are the key individuals, as they are exposed to various environmental, health, safety, biological, and respiratory hazards. Due to COVID-19, there are about more than three thousand (3000) mortalities and one hundred eight thousand (18, 0000) plus persons have been effected, however this number increases further rapidly. The key purpose of this review-study is to highlight the timely adopted safe strategies and their impacts on the yield of wheat along with farmworkers under some Standard Operational Procedures (SOPs) during wheat operations, enabling food security, self-sustainably and securing of farmers in the context of COVID-19. Various actions have been taken worldwide, but a developing state like Pakistan with minimum resources, has made well-organized planning and strategies to sustain the production of wheat with public awareness. We highlighting government efforts to-combat this fatal pandemic, where it has directly impacted the crop yield and also the economy of the state. Whereas, especially during this period, uplifting of economy through agriculture sector, needs to overcome the same management deficiencies from other sectors. Pakistani Government has adopted and implemented different key steps for fighting against COVID-19 include: i. Government command along with incentive approach, ii. Mutual coordination among stakeholders, local governments, and farmers, iii. Continuous inspection setup, and iv. Provide adequate personal protective equipment (PPE).

Comprehensive evaluation of wheat operation during COVID-19 outbreak in Pakistan.

The whole world is confronting under extreme danger from COVID-19 pandemic. Which spread rapidly including an agro-based developing state like Pakistan. Right now this year "Rabi" crop season has safely ended during this pandemic. Wheat-crop operations are depended on environmental conditions and different operational safety measures. Farmworkers are the key individuals, as they are exposed to various environmental, health, safety, biological, and respiratory hazards. Due to COVID-19, there are about more than three thousand (3000) mortalities and one hundred eight thousand (18, 0000) plus persons have been effected, however this number increases further rapidly. The key purpose of this review-study is to highlight the timely adopted safe strategies and their impacts on the yield of wheat along with farmworkers under some Standard Operational Procedures (SOPs) during wheat operations, enabling food security, self-sustainably and securing of farmers in the context of COVID-19. Various actions have been taken worldwide, but a developing state like Pakistan with minimum resources, has made well-organized planning and strategies to sustain the production of wheat with public awareness. We highlighting government efforts to-combat this fatal pandemic, where it has directly impacted the crop yield and also the economy of the state. Whereas, especially during this period, uplifting of economy through agriculture sector, needs to overcome the same management deficiencies from other sectors. Pakistani Government has adopted and implemented different key steps for fighting against COVID-19 include: i. Government command along with incentive approach, ii. Mutual coordination among stakeholders, local governments, and farmers, iii. Continuous inspection setup, and iv. Provide adequate personal protective equipment (PPE).

Classification and Categorization of COVID-19 Outbreak in Pakistan

Coronavirus is a potentially fatal disease that normally occurs in mammals and birds. Generally, in humans, the virus spreads through aerial droplets of any type of fluid secreted from the body of an infected person. Coronavirus is a family of viruses that is more lethal than other unpremeditated viruses. In December 2019, a new variant, i.e., a novel coronavirus (COVID-19) developed in Wuhan province, China. Since January 23, 2020, the number of infected individuals has increased rapidly, affecting the health and economies of many countries, including Pakistan. The objective of this research is to provide a system to classify and categorize the COVID-19 outbreak in Pakistan based on the data collected every day from different regions of Pakistan. This research also compares the performance of machine learning classifiers (i.e., Decision Tree (DT), Naive Bayes (NB), Support Vector Machine, and Logistic Regression) on the COVID-19 dataset collected in Pakistan. According to the experimental results, DT and NB classifiers outperformed the other classifiers. In addition, the classified data is categorized by implementing a Bayesian Regularization Artificial Neural Network (BRANN) classifier. The results demonstrate that the BRANN classifier outperforms state-of-the-art classifiers.

Analysis and Forecasting COVID-19 Outbreak in Pakistan Using Decomposition and Ensemble Model

COVID-19 has caused severe health complications and produced a substantial adverse economic impact around the world. Forecasting the trend of COVID-19 infections could help in executing policies to effectively reduce the number of new cases. In this study, we apply the decomposition and ensemble model to forecast COVID-19 confirmed cases, deaths, and recoveries in Pakistan for the upcoming month until the end of July. For the decomposition of data, the Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition (EEMD) technique is applied. EEMD decomposes the data into small components, called Intrinsic Mode Functions (IMFs). For individual IMFs modelling, we use the Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) model. The data used in this study is obtained from the official website of Pakistan that is publicly available and designated for COVID-19 outbreak with daily updates. Our analyses reveal that the number of recoveries, new cases, and deaths are increasing in Pakistan exponentially. Based on the selected EEMD-ARIMA model, the new confirmed cases are expected to rise from 213,470 to 311,454 by 31 July 2020, which is an increase of almost 1.46 times with a 95% prediction interval of 246,529 to 376,379. The 95% prediction interval for recovery is 162,414 to 224,579, with an increase of almost two times in total from 100802 to 193495 by 31 July 2020. On the other hand, the deaths are expected to increase from 4395 to 6751, which is almost 1.54 times, with a 95% prediction interval of 5617 to 7885. Thus, the COVID-19 forecasting results of Pakistan are alarming for the next month until 31 July 2020. They also confirm that the EEMD-ARIMA model is useful for the short-term forecasting of COVID-19, and that it is capable of keeping track of the real COVID-19 data in nearly all scenarios. The decomposition and ensemble strategy can be useful to help decision-makers in developing short-term strategies about the current number of disease occurrences until an appropriate vaccine is developed.

An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of Challenges Faced by the University Teachers in Pakistan Amid Covid-19

Purpose- This study aimed to analyse the challenges faced by the university teachers during the transition towards purely online-based classes due to Covid-19 outbreak in Pakistan.
 Design/ methodology- A qualitative research design was used by employing an interpretative phenomenological analysis approach to capture the experience of university teachers. Interviews were conducted with the participants selected through snowball sampling technique.
 Findings- The findings showed that the university teachers in Pakistan had to cope up with many challenges. The specific factors such as infrastructural problems, student’s behavioural issues and difficulties in the assessment of student’s performance indicate that physical classrooms are a more effective mode of learning than the online mode of learning.
 Originality/ value- This is among the first studies in addressing the online learning challenges faced by university teachers in Pakistan during Covid-19 outbreak.

A Caputo power law model predicting the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak in Pakistan

This work is devoted to establish a modified population model of susceptible and infected (SI) compartments to predict the spread of the infectious disease COVID-19 in Pakistan. We have formulated the model and derived its boundedness and feasibility. By using next generation matrices method we have derived some results for the global and local stability of different kinds of equilibrium points. Also, by using fixed point approach some results of existence of at least one solution are studied. Furthermore, the numerical simulations for various values of isolation parameters corresponding to different fractional order are investigated by using modified Euler’s method.

Psychological impact of COVID-19 pandemic on postgraduate trainees: a cross-sectional survey

BackgroundThe present study aimed to evaluate psychological impact of COVID-19 outbreak on postgraduate trainees in Pakistan by quantifying the symptoms of depression, anxiety and acute stress disorder and by analysing...