COVID-19 Social Distancing Measures Research Articles

Older Adults' Continuance Intentions for Online Physical Exercise Classes.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, lockdowns and social distancing measures drove the shift from in-person to online physical exercise classes, leading individuals to explore these digital alternatives. Guided by the Expectation-Confirmation Model, this article examines older adults' intentions to continue using online physical exercise classes. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 adults aged 65 and older who had participated in online physical exercise classes during the pandemic. Transcripts were subject to thematic analysis using the NVivo software program. The results indicate that older adults recognize the usefulness of online physical exercise classes because of their ability to enhance their health and well-being. Their initial expectations were surpassed, and they were generally satisfied with the experience. However, in-person classes remained preferred due to their enhanced benefits. They also felt that the adoption of online classes was involuntary; instead of an autonomous decision guided by their needs and preferences, this was a viable solution imposed by the lockdown. Therefore, their continuance intentions are limited to specific conditions, namely a new lockdown or other physical impediments. Still, considering the flexibility that online physical exercise classes offer, accommodating time and physical constraints, participants highlighted the advantages of a hybrid approach for those who may face challenges attending in-person classes. Based on the findings, this article proposes that ECM provides a relevant, yet insufficient, framework for explaining older adults' continuance intentions for online physical exercise classes, suggesting the inclusion of additional explaining factors: perceived usefulness of non-technological alternatives, necessary conditions, and self-determination.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health and viral suppression among persons living with HIV in western Washington

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing measures elevated stress levels globally, exacerbating mental health challenges for people with HIV (PWH). We examined the effect of COVID-19-related stress on mental health among PWH in western Washington, exploring whether social support and coping self-efficacy were protective. Data on COVID-19-related stress, mental health, social support, and coping self-efficacy were collected using online surveys during the pandemic. Pre-COVID-19 mental health data were available for a subset of participants and were linked with the survey data. In the total sample (N = 373), COVID-19-stress was associated with elevated depression (PHQ-8, β = 0.21, 95%CI [0.10, 0.32]) and anxiety (GAD-7, β = 0.28, 95%CI [0.17, 0.39]). Among the subset of respondents with pre-pandemic mental health data (N = 103), COVID-19-related stress was associated with elevated PHQ-8 scores (β = 0.35, 95%CI [0.15, 0.56]) and GAD-7 scores (β = 0.35, 95%CI [0.16, 0.54]), adjusted for baseline mental health and other confounders. Coping self-efficacy was negatively associated with GAD-7 scores (β = −0.01, 95%CI [−0.01, 0.00]), while social support was negatively associated with PHQ-8 scores (β = −0.06, 95%CI [−0.12, −0.01]). Viral suppression before and during the pandemic did not differ among participants with available data. While COVID-19-related stress predicted elevated depression and anxiety symptoms among PWH, social support and coping self-efficacy were protective.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the physical activity environment in English primary schools: a multi-perspective qualitative analysis.

The COVID-19 lockdowns and social distancing measures, including school closures, had a major impact on children's physical activity in England, with data showing an initial reduction in activity in the short-term post-lockdown phase of the pandemic followed by a recovery on average in the medium-term post-lockdown period. The school environment is an important context for child physical activity. The purpose of this study is to understand the changes that took place to school physical activity environments once schools reopened after lockdowns. This information will improve understanding of why changes to children's physical activity have occurred over the course of the pandemic and the implications for future promotion of physical activity in schools. Interviews with parents (n = 43), school staff (n = 18) and focus groups with 10- to 11-year-old children (participant n = 92) were conducted at two time points: between September-December 2021 and February-July 2022. Interview and focus group guides covered the impact of the pandemic on child physical activity and changes to this over time. The framework method was used for analysis. Three themes and three subthemes were generated: (1) the return to school; (2) over-pressured staff and environment and (3) the uneven impact of the pandemic. Theme 3 consists of three subthemes: (a) retained pandemic policies, (b) impact on physical activity culture and (c) different children need different things. Conducting this research in schools during ongoing COVID-19 disruptions was a challenge and may have limited school and participant participation, particularly school staff. The parent interview sample is predominantly female, active and of higher socioeconomic status, so the experiences of male, less active and lower socioeconomic parents are limited. This study suggests that the impact of COVID-19 on child physical activity is uneven, affecting some children more than others. Future work is therefore needed to explore the details of this potential diverging experience. The COVID-19 pandemic, school closures and post-lockdown school policies have impacted upon primary school physical activity environments. The post-lockdown school environment is highly pressured, impacting the extent to which schools can support and encourage child physical activity. Future research is needed to further explore the impact of post-lockdown changes on physical activity environments in schools, particularly over the longer term, as schools continue to adapt post lockdowns. Strategies required to support school physical activity environments must be context specific and sensitive to these changes, pressures and needs. This article presents independent research funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Public Health Research programme as award number NIHR131847.

COVID-19 사회적 거리두기 전후 추나요법 이용 현황 연구

Objectives : This study aimed to investigate the status of Chuna manual ther- apy(CMT) usage before and after COVID-19 social distancing measures.
 Methods : This study utilized Health Insurance data from April 2019 to May 2023. Quarterly data were collected for Simple Chuna (code 40710), Complex Chuna (code 40720;50% patient expense), Complex Chuna (code 40721;80% patient expense), and Special Chuna (code 40730).
 Results : During the period covered by health insurance, the number of CMT patients was 8,315,838, with 19,332,786 instances of CMT, and a total cost of 544,651,407 won. Due to COVID-19, the application of CMT decreased in the first quarter of 2020, but recovered from 2021, showing an increase in usage by the first quarter of 2023. The decline in the use of all medical institutions in the fourth quarter is believed to be due to restrictions on health insurance coverage for CMT.
 Conclusions : Further research on CMT health insurance is necessary. This research should inform discussions on policies aimed at expanding health insurance coverage for CMT

Awareness, Knowledge and Attitudes of the Brussels and Flemish-Brabant Population towards Paternal Perinatal Depression in Belgium

Introduction: Paternal perinatal depression (PPND) occurs in 10% of fathers, which implies an important burden for families and public health services. A better understanding of the population awareness on the topic is essential to adequately identify and adequately support these cases.
 Objective: This study aims to investigate the awareness, knowledge, and attitudes of the Brussels and Flemish-Brabant population in Belgium towards PPND, using the validated Depression in Dads (DDads) questionnaire.
 Methods: A two-strands descriptive study was conducted in the Brussels’ Capital Region and in the province of Flemish Brabant, Belgium between March-May 2020 and March-May 2021. The sample included 314 adults, aged 18-65 years, Flemish speaking, and living in the previously cited provinces. The DDads Questionnaire was administered online via LimeSurvey© (an encrypted and secured online data collection service) due to the COVID-19 social distancing measures. Data were analysed using IBM SPSS 28.0 SPSS© Statistics for Windows©. Ethical approval was obtained from the Brussels’ University Hospital and the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) committees.
 Results: In the case of respondents, anxiousness was the most frequently cited mental health problem as experienced by men during their partners’ pregnancy (82.4%) and during the postnatal period (68.4%). Although well recognized as mental health issue, and as a general health concern, paternal depression had low recognition by respondents, and it was considered by 37.3% of them as being “normal” during the process of fatherhood. New personality traits such as (withdrawal, avoidance, isolation, indecision, or irritability, amongst others) were regarded as a common symptom of PPND by 64.6% of respondents. When asked about best ways of coping -in the case of paternal depression- non-pharmacological approaches were mostly preferred. In the case of experiencing PPND, the main advice was to ask for support from informal networks (family or friends) whilst professional support from the mental health services was suggested only as a secondary option. Over 70% of respondents believed that paternal depression requires from a specialized treatment though. Only 39.2% of the respondents agreed that all men should be screened for depression symptoms during pregnancy, and 43.0% of participants agreed that those symptoms should also be checked after delivery.
 Conclusion: Attitudes towards PPND appeared to be diverse. PPND and perinatal mental health terms seem to be poorly understood. A clear need to increase awareness concerning men’s mental health during pregnancy (of their partners) and PPND is patent. Better awareness may help fathers in difficulty to be identified earlier, for them to be better attended during this process, and to decrease PPND rates and ultimately improve perinatal mental health. 

The Biophysical and Emotional Effects of Dancing with a Partner

The research on dance's emotional and biophysical effects on a person has expanded to include numerous studies. However, little evidence presents the correlation between dance partner-work – involving both proximal and physical interaction – and the body's response. Recently, the limitations of engaging in partner-work due to COVID-19's social distancing measures created a heightened interest in this area of research. With this, an experimental study was conducted to explore potential correlations between partner dancing and the body. The main research question of this study asked how a dancer’s anxiety correlates with the degree of human connection throughout a choreographed duet. The methodology included recording biophysical data from two dancers as they performed a choreographed duet. Wearable technology measured each dancer's temperature, muscle contraction, heartbeat, electromyography, and spatial information. Brain function was also measured via a fourteen-channel EEG headset that allowed for whole-brain sensing. This data was recorded as the dancers moved together and independently from each other to compare the effects of varying degrees of contact on the body. To generate additional data, the anxiety levels of each subject were quantified through survey responses after they danced. Preliminary results support the assumption that proximal and physical interaction levels during dance directly impact a person's physical and emotional state. This study highlights the need and potential implications for additional research on brain-body responses to partner movement in dance.

Why most youth comply with the social distancing measures: a qualitative study

Abstract Aim To examine what makes youth comply with COVID-19 social distancing measures. Subject and methods This qualitative interview study explored to what extent and why Dutch youth comply with social distancing measures during the first wave of COVID-19. All 35 participants were between 16 and 25 years old. Results Results showed that participants complied very well with social distancing measures, and that feeling solidarity with others and feeling responsible for others were most important for compliance. The participants experienced mental health issues during the COVID-19 pandemic, but also mentioned positive outcomes, such as more time for hobbies. Lastly, having a natural mentor seems to be positively associated with compliance. Conclusion Most youth complied with the COVID-19 measures, but the participants also discussed the impact on their mental health of the COVID-19 pandemic. These results shed light on the reasons for compliance of youth, but also stress that the mental health of youth should be monitored when these measures are in place.

When Lockdowns Force “Everyone” to Work From Home: Inequalities in Telework During COVID-19 in Uruguay

Working from home (WFH) arrangements have been on the rise globally throughout the 21st century. Despite this trajectory, developing economies have trailed developed countries in adopting such arrangements. However, because of COVID-19 lockdowns and social distancing measures, countries such as Uruguay, where teleworking was scarce and unregulated, were forced to adopt this practice to ensure business continuity. Under such conditions, preexisting organizational and individual disparities stratified the likelihood of WFH during the pandemic. Conventional wisdom holds that the main determinants potential-to-telework stems almost exclusively from the nature of jobs themselves. This article expands the traditional understanding of telework determinants by showing that during the first stages of the pandemic, individual features of the worker, and organizational and managerial features of the employer, were both determinative of the likelihood that a given worker would work from home. We conducted a secondary data analysis of the March 2020 wave of the Work Monitor, a web-based survey of 847 employed Uruguayan adults. We fitted several multivariate regression models predicting (a) the odds of working for a company which adopted COVID-19-related teleworking policies at least for some workers and (b) the odds of WFH as a consequence of COVID-19. As the adoption of telework was largely unplanned and abrupt, results show that disparities on organizational adoption of teleworking policies were related to pre-pandemic differences across organizations in terms of preparedness, technological investment, and management practices. Results also show that employers’ willingness to enable WFH policies was the strongest predictor, at any level, of the likelihood of individuals to telework during the national emergency. Individual disparities in terms of human capital also have a great impact on the likelihood of teleworking during lockdowns, but their effect depends on the existence of organizational teleworking policies. Findings’ implications for the present and future of telework in developing countries are discussed.

Measuring the impact of COVID-19 social distancing measures on sexual health behaviours and access to HIV and sexual and reproductive health services for people living with HIV in Botswana.

Uninterrupted access to HIV and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services is essential, particularly in high HIV prevalence settings, to prevent unintended pregnancy and vertical HIV transmission. Understanding the challenges that COVID-19 and associated social distancing measures (SDMs) posed on health service access is imperative for future planning. This cross-sectional study was conducted in Botswana between January-February 2021. A web-based questionnaire was disseminated on social media as part of the International Sexual Health and REproductive Health (I-SHARE) Survey. Respondents answered questions on SRH, before and during COVID-19 SDMs. Subgroup analysis and comparison of descriptive data was performed for people living with HIV (PLWH). Of 409 participants, 65 were PLWH (80% female, 20% male). During SDMs, PLWH found it more difficult to access condoms and treatment for HIV and STIs; attend HIV appointments; and maintain adherence to antiretroviral therapy. Compared to HIV-negative women, a higher proportion of women living with HIV used condoms as their primary method of contraception (54% vs. 48%), and had lower use of long-acting reversible contraception (8% vs. 14%) and dual contraception (8% vs. 16%). Mirroring global trends, COVID-19 disrupted HIV and SRH service access in Botswana. However, in high HIV-prevalence settings, disruption may more severely impact population health with disproportionate effects on women. Integration of HIV and SRH services could build health system capacity and resilience, reduce missed opportunities for delivering SRH services to PLWH and limit the consequences of future restrictions that may cause health system disruption.

“COVID gave him an opportunity to tighten the reins around my throat”: perceptions of COVID-19 movement restrictions among survivors of intimate partner violence

BackgroundIntimate Partner Violence (IPV) poses a serious public health threat globally and within the United States. Preliminary evidence highlighted surges in IPV during the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic offers a unique context, with many states and countries enacting movement-restrictions (i.e., shelter-in-place orders) that exacerbated IPV. Although these movement restrictions and other infection control methods (i.e., isolation, quarantine orders) have proven successful in reducing the spread of COVID-19, their impacts on IPV have not been thoroughly investigated. Specifically, public health measures restricting movement reinforce and socially legitimize isolation and coercive control tactics enacted by perpetrators of abuse. The purpose of this study was to understand the impacts of COVID-19, including the impacts of movement restrictions (i.e., shelter in place orders, quarantine, isolation orders) on experiences of IPV from the perspective of survivors.MethodsIn-depth interviews were conducted with ten survivors who presented at a large, public hospital or sought community IPV resources (i.e., domestic violence shelter, therapy services) in Atlanta, Georgia between March and December 2020. Thematic analysis was carried out to describe the impact of COVID-19 movement restrictions on IPV and help-seeking behaviors among survivors, in addition to identifying resources to improve IPV response during pandemics.ResultsThrough discussion of their experiences, survivors indicated how movement restrictions, social distancing measures, and the repercussions of the pandemic influenced their relationship challenges, including the occurrence of new or a higher frequency and/or severity of IPV episodes. Survivors cited relationship challenges that were amplified by either movement restrictions or consequences of COVID-19, including reinforced control tactics, and increased financial or life stressors resulting from the pandemic. COVID-19 movement restrictions catalyzed new relationships quickly and sparked new or intensified violence in existing relationships, revealing gaps in IPV support services.ConclusionThese findings suggest COVID-19 movement restrictions and social distancing measures amplify IPV and experiences of trauma due to new or exacerbated relationship challenges. Further, results highlight how partners cited COVID-19 movement restrictions to justify methods of coercive control. Public health professionals engaged in pandemic preparedness must give serious consideration to how social distancing measures may amplify trauma in those experiencing IPV.

Expectations, reference points, and compliance with COVID-19 social distancing measures

We study the behavioral impact of announcements about the duration of a policy and their relationship with people's expectations in the context of the COVID-19 lockdowns. We surveyed representative samples of Italian residents at three moments of the first wave of the pandemic to test how intentions to comply with social-isolation measures depend on the duration of their possible extension. Individuals were more likely to reduce, and less likely to increase, their compliance effort if the hypothetical extension was longer than they expected, whereas positive surprises had a lesser impact. The behavioral response to the (mis)match between expected versus hypothesized extensions is consistent with expectations acting as reference points and can help explain the increase in observed physical proximity in Italy following lockdown extension announcements. Our findings suggest that public authorities should consider citizens’ expectations when announcing policy changes.

The role of regular engagement with non-companion animals and proximity to green and blue space for mental health, wellbeing, and loneliness during Covid-19 social-distancing measures: findings from a UK survey study

Context The Covid-19 pandemic led to increased use of green/blue space as indoor spaces became frequently inaccessible. These changes affected the direct interactions between humans and nature. Aims To investigate the links between mental health, loneliness, wellbeing, and interaction with non-companion animals, proximity to and use of green/blue space. Methods A cross-sectional online survey of adult UK residents was conducted between April and June 2020. The questionnaire included validated and bespoke items measuring demographics and exposures and outcomes related to mental health, wellbeing, loneliness, human–animal interactions with non-companion animals (wildlife/farm animals), and proximity to and use of green/blue space before and since the first UK Covid-19 lockdown. Key results Of 5926 participants, 4408 (74.4%) reported interacting with non-companion animals at least every other day. Frequent engagement with non-companion animals was significantly associated with smaller decreases in mental health scores (b = 0.131, 95% CI [0.007–0.256], P = 0.038) and smaller increases in loneliness scores (b = −0.135, 95% CI [−0.241–0.030], P = 0.012). Just under half (48.4%, n = 2867) reported living directly next to a green/blue space, and over half (52.3%; n = 3097) reported using such space at least every day since lockdown. Regular use of green/blue space since lockdown was significantly associated with higher mental health (b = 0.154, 95% CI [0.037–0.272], P = 0.010), lower loneliness (b = −0.334, 95% CI [−0.430 – −0.238], P = 0.001), and higher wellbeing (b = 0.810, 95% CI [0.572–1.047], P = 0.001). Closer proximity to such space was significantly associated with lower loneliness scores (b = −0.224, 95% CI [−0.319 – −0.130], P = 0.001), and higher wellbeing scores (b = 0.632, 95% CI [0.391–0.873], P = 0.001). Conclusion The multi-faceted human–nature relationship may promote key human health benefits in the context of the lockdown. Implications These findings have highlighted the importance of green/blue space and the human–animal relationship, and how they might play a critical role in maintaining people’s mental health within a pandemic context. Further targeted investigations relating to these areas and links with human health are important within both pandemic and non-pandemic contexts.

Medical dosimetry virtual clinical education: Mentors' perspectives.

The COVID-19 pandemic affected the United States in early 2020, and many universities began offering their curriculum remotely. The majority of medical dosimetry programs started to offer both didactic and clinical education in a virtual setting. With COVID-19 social distancing and patient protective measures, many clinical medical dosimetrists also began to work in a remote or hybrid setting. Medical dosimetry students interact and learn from their clinical mentors in this remote clinical environment. The purpose of this study was to investigate the perspective of medical dosimetry mentors concerning the effectiveness of virtual clinical education for medical dosimetry students as a result of COVID-19. The Medical Dosimetry Mentor Perspective on Virtual Clinical Education (MedDos_VCE) survey measured medical dosimetry mentors' perceptions of the students' virtual clinical experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. The subject of the study was medical dosimetry mentors who participated in a remote clinic due to the COVID-19 pandemic since March 2020. The MedDos_VCE questionnaire measured (1) the mentors' assessment of instructional quality in remote clinical education; (2) opportunities for and quality of interaction between students and medical dosimetry mentors; and (3) suggestions for success from medical dosimetry mentors for students and other mentors who are participating in virtual clinical education. The majority of the clinical mentors were satisfied with the quality of virtual clinical education and students' learning outcomes. They felt that students experienced a good mix of patients, problems, and clinical experience and engaged in the day-to-day activities of a medical dosimetrist. Challenges exist and mentors offered practical suggestions for success for students and mentors in the virtual clinical environment.

Rethinking social interaction in English first additional language classrooms during the post Covid-19 era

Social interaction among peers and teachers in English First Additional Language (EFAL) classrooms is a more significant predictor of communicative competence, which is the goal of any language program. During the Covid-19, there was a decline in social interaction among learners due to the sudden change from onsite to remote teaching and learning. This paper aimed to explore the effects of lack of social interaction in EFAL classrooms and how it can be enhanced during the 'New Normal'. This study was underpinned by Long's (1981) Interaction Hypothesis Theory, which emphasizes social interaction as an essential component of language learning. This study adopted a qualitative approach embedded in an interpretive paradigm. Semi-structured face-to-face interviews were utilized to gather data from 32 conveniently selected participants. Data were analyzed through content analysis. The findings of this paper indicated that the effects of lack of social interaction were; the inability to solicit information from learners, lack of direct contact, and lack of immediate feedback, which were caused by the COVID-19 social distancing measures. This negatively affected the quality of education. Furthermore, the lack of interactive social activities in EFAL classrooms threatens the acquisition of language proficiency skills, which are key to academic literacy. Therefore, the authors recommend that language teachers receive training on how language lessons should be planned during blended learning to engage learners in interactive social activities like role-playing, storytelling, debates, and group discussions.

COVID-19 and related social distancing measures induce significant metabolic complications without prominent weight gain in Korean adults.

BackgroundThis study using multi-center health examination data from Korean adults was conducted to confirm changes in weight, and their related cardiometabolic parameters, before and after strengthening of social distancing regulations.MethodsA retrospective cohort study was conducted using health check-up data from 13 university hospitals. The study period was from January 2018 to July 2020. To examine the effect of systematic social distancing measures, participants who underwent a health check-up (Visit 3) between July 2020 and July 2021 (during full scale social distancing), and had undergone two previous health check-ups (Visits 1 and 2) between January 2018 and June 2020 (before social distancing), were selected. In total, data from 7,875 participants were analyzed. Linear mixed-effect models were used to calculate estimates of anthropometric indices and metabolic markers measured on Visits 2 and 3, compared with measurements from Visit 1.ResultsThere were no significant differences in body weight, body mass index, waist circumference, and body composition on Visit 3 than on Visits 1 and 2. However, the odds of metabolic syndrome and its components, including hypertension, high glucose, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, hyper-non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterolemia, and dyslipidemia were significantly higher on Visit 3 than on Visits 1 and 2. The increase in metabolic complications was marked, particularly in relatively young adults who visited health check-up centers located in the capital area.ConclusionMetabolic syndrome and its components were significantly worse after high level social distancing, although there were no significant increases in anthropometric indices and body fat levels. Healthcare providers need to prevent and manage worsening of metabolic parameters in subpopulations prone to be more sedentary and eat unhealthy food during the COVID-19 pandemic and associated social distancing measures.

Intelligent Edge-Based Recommender System for Internet of Energy Applications

Preserving energy in households and office buildings is a significant challenge, mainly due to the recent shortage of energy resources, the uprising of the current environmental problems, and the global lack of utilizing energy-saving technologies. Not to mention, within some regions, COVID-19 social distancing measures have led to a temporary transfer of energy demand from commercial and urban centers to residential areas, causing an increased use and higher charges, and in turn, creating economic impacts on customers. Therefore, the marketplace could benefit from developing an Internet of Things ecosystem that monitors energy consumption habits and promptly recommends action to facilitate energy efficiency. This article aims to present the full integration of a proposed energy efficiency framework into the Home-Assistant platform using an edge-based architecture. End users can visualize their consumption patterns as well as ambient environmental data using the Home-Assistant user interface. More notably, explainable energy-saving recommendations are delivered to end users in the form of notifications via the mobile application to facilitate habit change. In this context, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first attempt to develop and implement an energy-saving recommender system on edge devices. Thus, ensuring better privacy preservation since data are processed locally on the edge, without the need to transmit them to remote servers, as is the case with cloudlet platforms.

Social Distancing and Quality of Life Among Candidates for the Sports Science Degree During the Covid-19 Pandemic

This study aimed to examine the relationship between the level of compliance with COVID-19 social distancing measures and the COVID-19 impact on the quality of life of the candidate students in the Faculty of Sports Sciences, based on their gender, whether they are athletes or non-athletes, and whether they are individual athletes or team athletes. The study included 1083 candidate students, including 364 females and 719 males. The Social Distancing Scale and the COVID-19 Impact on Quality of Life Scale were used to collect data. The results showed that the degree of compliance with COVID-19 social distancing measures between athletes and non-athletes was also discovered to differ in favor of non-athletes; and the COVID-19 impact on the quality of life of athletes and non-athletes was similar, being below the average. The level of compliance with COVID-19 social distancing measures in individual or team athletes was higher, and the negative impact of COVID-19 on the quality of life of both groups was below the average. There was no relationship between the level of compliance with COVID-19 social distancing measures and the COVID-19 impact on the quality of life of athletes, and there was a weak negative relationship between the level of compliance with COVID-19 social distancing measures and the quality of life of non-athletes. Because these findings show that people who engage in movement and sports are less affected by COVID-19-related negatives, it is essential not to restrict people's movement and sports activities while taking precautions for COVID-19 and similar emergencies.

Impact of COVID-19 social distancing measures on lung transplant recipients: decline in overall respiratory virus infections is associated with stabilisation of lung function.

BackgroundCOVID-19 social distancing measures led to a dramatic decline in non-COVID respiratory virus (RV) infections, providing a unique opportunity to study their impact on annual FEV1 decline, episodes of temporary drop in lung function (TDLF) suggestive of infection and chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD) in lung transplant recipients (LTR).MethodsAll FEV1 values of LTR transplanted between 2009-April 2020 were included. Annual FEV1 change was estimated with separate estimates for pre- social distancing (2009/2020) and the year with social distancing measures (2020/2021). Patients were grouped by individual TDLF frequency (frequent/infrequent). RV circulation was derived from weekly hospital-wide RV infection rates. Effect modification by TDLF frequency and RV circulation was assessed. CLAD and TDLF rates were analyzed over time.Results479 LTR (12 775 FEV1 values) were included. Pre- social distancing annual change in FEV1 was −114 mL [95%CI; −133; −94], while during social distancing FEV1 did not decline: +5 mL [−38; 48] (difference pre- versus during social distancing: p<0.001). The frequent TDLF subgroup showed faster annual FEV1 decline compared to infrequent TDLF (−150 mL [−181; −120] versus −90 mL [−115; −65] p=0.003). During social distancing, we found significantly lower odds for any TDLF (OR 0.53 [0.33; 0.85], p=0.008) and severe TDLF (OR 0.34 [0.16; 0.71] p=0.005) as well as lower CLAD incidence (OR 0.53 [0.27; 1.02] p=0.060). Effect modification by RV circulation indicated a significant association between TDLF/CLAD and RVs.ConclusionDuring social distancing the strong reduction in RV circulation coincided with markedly less FEV1 decline, fewer TDLFs and possibly less CLAD. Effect modification by RV circulation suggests an important role for RVs in lung function decline in LTR.

COVID-19, Government Policies and their effects on Latin American Capital Markets

The COVID-19 pandemic has led governments to implement policies that affect households and companies. In this study, we analyze the impacts of government policies and COVID contagion rates on stock market returns for the countries that belong to the Latin America Integrated Market through robust OLS regressions. We find evidence that the daily growth rate of confirmed COVID-19 cases and social distancing measures negatively influence the financial performance of stock indexes, while public awareness campaigns and contact tracking test policies are seen to have had positive effects. These findings are helpful for evaluating government policy impacts and portfolio performances.

욜로(YOLO)족의 체험관광이 관광만족과 행동의도에 미치는 영향: 실존적 진정성 조절효과를 중심으로

The purpose of this study is to conduct an empirical analysis regarding the effect of experiential tourism on tourism satisfaction and behavioral intention, and the effect of controlling existential authenticity. In order to collect the data of this study, a survey was conducted on those who have traveled domestically and abroad for the past year, and thought of themselves to be YOLO even amongst COVID-19 social distancing measures. As a result of this study, experiential tourism was found to have a significant effect on tourism satisfaction. However, that deviant factors did not have a significant effect. In addition, as a result of verifying the effect of experiential tourism on behavioral intention and the effect of tourism satisfaction on behavioral intention, significant results were found. Finally, according to the results of the analysis of the authenticity control effect, it was found that all experiential tourism had a statistically significant effect on tourism satisfaction.