Effective Protection Measures Research Articles

Experiences and views on SHS exposure prevention in Middle Eastern countries: a systematic review

Abstract Background More than 50% of non-smoking women and children are exposed to second-hand smoke (SHS) in Middle Eastern countries. This review aims to synthesize the evidence on experiences and views of parents, children, and professionals towards SHS exposure prevention in Middle Eastern countries. Methods We included qualitative studies exploring experiences and views on prevention of SHS exposure among women and children in all settings in Middle Eastern countries. A systematic review was undertaken according to the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) guidelines for qualitative systematic reviews. Nine databases were searched from inception to January 2021. Meta-aggregation was used to synthesize the findings. Results Out of 5229 records identified, two qualitative studies reported in three publications met the eligibility criteria and were included. Using the JBI checklist for qualitative research, the critical appraisal scores of all papers were high. One study was conducted in Turkey and the other one in Israel, and study participants were parents of children. A total of 49 findings were extracted and aggregated into 8 categories, based on the similarity of meaning. Parents were aware that SHS is harmful, although the hazards of SHS exposure were not commonly discussed during pregnancy. However, there were conflicting views on ways of SHS exposure and approaches to minimise it. Parents implemented rules to decrease SHS exposure among children. While some parents were uncertain about the effectiveness of protective measures. Most common perceived barriers to reducing SHS exposure were beliefs about traditional values and personal psychological factors. Conclusions Parents in Middle Eastern countries knew that children's SHS exposure is harmful, though knowledge was not comprehensive and did not translate into actions to protect children. Health education program is essential to improve parental knowledge on hazards of SHS and effective preventive measures. Key messages Parents’ risk-awareness of SHS exposure is inadequate. Health education program is essential to improve parental knowledge on hazards of SHS and effective preventive measures in Middle Eastern countries.

Assessment of the Relationship between Religious Officials' Vaccine Acceptance and Health Literacy

Abstract Background Vaccination, which is the most effective protective measure from infectious diseases, has not been able to achieve the desired success in recent years.Religious officials, who have an important effect on the community, can play an important role for the vaccine acceptance. The study was aimed to assesment of vaccine acceptance and health literacy(HL) among religious officials. Methods This cross-sectional study, 72%(n = 328) of the religious officials in the city were reached. The questionnaire consisted of sociodemographic characteristics, Vaccine Acceptance Instrument (VAI) and Chew Health Literacy Scale(CHLS) which was developed by Sarathchandra et al. The instrument,which language validity and reliability were made by the researchers, consisted of 16 items and one dimension. The Cronbach alpha coefficient was 0.841. The cut off score the scale was determined by ROC analysis according to the variable of getting vaccinated. Those who scored above 54 points were determined as those who accepted the vaccine. It is accepted that HL decreases as the score on the CHLS increases. Results The mean age(SD) study group was 41.9(9.2), and the 76.8% were male. The vaccine acceptance frequency of religious officials was 58.8%. The CHLS score was lower in those who accepted the vaccine(p = 0.001). The HL level of 43.9% was below the mean score. 33.8% of the study group reported that they were advising the community about vaccination. According to multiple logistic regression analysis, vaccine acceptance was 2.16(OR;95% CI,1.15-4.08) higher in males, 3.01(1.73-5.25) higher who had information, 6.14 times(1.57-23.94) higher who had their children vaccinated, and 0.8 times(0.74-0.91) lower with who had low HL. Conclusions Vaccine acceptance among religious officials was found to be insufficient. The frequency of vaccination acceptance was higher in male, those who had high knowledge about the vaccine, those who had their children vaccinated, and those with high HL. Key messages Increasing the acceptance of vaccines among religious officials is an important issue as it affects the community. It would be beneficial to increase their knowledge level on this issue. Health literacy is important in increasing the acceptance of vaccines among religious officials as it affects the community.

Exploring the factors associated with the mental health of frontline healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Cyprus.

The spread of COVID-19 into a global pandemic has negatively affected the mental health of frontline healthcare-workers. This study is a multi-centre, cross-sectional epidemiological study that uses nationwide data to assess the prevalence of stress, anxiety, depression and burnout among health care workers managing COVID-19 patients in Cyprus. The study also investigates the mechanism behind the manifestation of these pathologies, as to allow for the design of more effective protective measures. Data on the mental health status of the healthcare workers were collected from healthcare professionals from all over the nation, who worked directly with Covid patients. This was done via the use of 64-item, self-administered questionnaire, which was comprised of the DASS21 questionnaire, the Maslach Burnout Inventory and a number of original questions. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to investigate factors associated with each of the mental health measures. The sample population was comprised of 381 healthcare professionals, out of which 72.7% were nursing staff, 12.9% were medical doctors and 14.4% belonged to other occupations. The prevalence of anxiety, stress and depression among the sample population were 28.6%, 18.11% and 15% respectively. The prevalence of burnout was 12.3%. This was in parallel with several changes in the lives of the healthcare professionals, including; working longer hours, spending time in isolation and being separated from family. This study indicates that the mental health of a significant portion of the nation's workforce is compromised and, therefore, highlights the need for an urgent intervention particularly since many countries, including Cyprus, are suffering a second wave of the pandemic. The identified risk factors should offer guidance for employers aiming to protect their frontline healthcare workers from the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Source Apportionment of PM2.5, PAH and Arsenic Air Pollution in Central Bohemia

The results of air quality monitoring show significantly increased concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and arsenic in the area located near the town of Kladno in Central Bohemia, Czech Republic. The region of interest is historically associated with coal mines and steelworks. Source apportionment using the method of Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) at three sites has been used to try to explain the reasons of the increased PM2.5, benzo[a]pyrene, and arsenic concentrations in the ambient air. Based on the PMF analysis, nine factors explaining the atmospheric aerosol mass have been identified. The PMF results showed that most of the aerosol mass originated from residential heating (about one third of PM2.5), both primary particles and secondary organic aerosols induced by road traffic (up to approximately 25%), soil and other mineral dust (about 15%), secondary inorganic aerosol ammonium sulfate (up to 16%), ammonium nitrate (up to 14%) and other sulfates (up to 9%). The main source of arsenic and benzo[a]pyrene was residential heating, which accounted for two-thirds and 80% of their total mass, respectively. The results have pointed to the most important measures for effective air quality protection in the area of interest: replacing coal fuel and old boilers used for residential heating in order to reduce arsenic and PAH emissions and mitigate sources of secondary particles precursors to decrease PM concentrations.

Ácido hipocloroso como antiséptico en la atención al paciente con sospecha de infección por COVID-19

PurposeThe SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19 disease, is transmitted by aerosols or by contact with infected surfaces. The route of entry to the body is through the nasal, oral or conjunctival mucosa. Health workers must use effective protection measures against the entry of the virus into mucous membranes, both physical and antiseptic filters. There is an antiseptic used in Ophthalmology that we believe could have virucidal action against the SARS-CoV-2 virus, formulated based on 0.01% hypochlorous acid. MethodsAn exhaustive search has been carried out in the databases of Pubmed and Web of Science to identify relevant articles on the virucidal activity of hypochlorous acid in different concentrations until October 4, 2020. ResultsThere is evidence of the virucidal efficacy of 0.01% hypochlorous acid against SARS-CoV-2. According to the different scientific publications reviewed, hypochlorous acid has virucidal efficacy against different viruses, among them, SARS-CoV-2. ConclusionsThe 0.01% hypochlorous acid could act as an effective antiseptic against SARS-CoV-2, exerting a barrier on the mucosa to prevent COVID-19 infection. It can be used on the eyes, nose and mouth. We consider it necessary to assess its use in the protocol for patient health care in ophthalmology consultations, as well as to recommend its use to the general population to reduce viral load and / or prevent transmission of infection. Additional in vivo studies would be required to confirm its antiseptic action.

Temporal activity patterns suggesting niche partitioning of sympatric carnivores in Borneo, Malaysia

To propose proper conservation measures and to elucidate coexistence mechanisms of sympatric carnivore species, we assessed temporal activity patterns of the sympatric carnivore species using 37,379 photos collected for more than 3 years at three study sites in Borneo. We categorized activity patterns of nine carnivore species (one bear, three civets, two felids, one skunk, one mustelid, one linsang) by calculating the photo-capturing proportions at each time period (day, night, twilight). We then evaluated temporal activity overlaps by calculating the overlap coefficients. We identified six nocturnal (three civets, one felid, one skunk, one linsang), two diurnal (one felid, one mustelid), and one cathemeral (bear) species. Temporal activity overlaps were high among the nocturnal species. The two felid species possessing morphological and ecological similarities exhibited clear temporal niche segregation, but the three civet species with similar morphology and ecology did not. Broad dietary breadth may compensate for the high temporal niche overlaps among the nocturnal species. Despite the high species richness of Bornean carnivores, almost half are threatened with extinction. By comparing individual radio-tracking and our data, we propose that a long-term study of at least 2 or 3 years is necessary to understand animals’ temporal activity patterns, especially for sun bears and civets, by camera-trapping and to establish effective protection measures.

How to Reduce the Exposure of Welders to an Acceptable Level: Results of the InterWeld Study.

Workplace measurements in the past have shown that the applicable occupational exposure limits (OELs) are regularly exceeded in practice when high-emission welding processes are applied. The InterWeld pilot study was planned as part of an intervention study to show under which conditions compliance with the OEL is achievable in gas metal arc welding (GMAW) with solid wire. The investigation focussed on local exhaust ventilation, i.e. captor hoods and welding torches with integrated fume extraction. Forty tests with hand-guided GMAW were configured by experts with regard to all technical parameters and carried out by a professional welder. Effects of protective measures and process parameters on the exposure to respirable welding fumes and airborne manganese (Mn), chromium, nickel, and hexavalent chromium were investigated. Personal sampling was carried out in the welder's breathing zone outside the face shield at high flow rates (10 l min-1) in order to achieve sufficient filter loading. Particle masses and welding fume concentrations were determined by weighing the sampling filters. Metal concentrations were analysed by inductive coupled plasma mass spectrometry. In order to evaluate the effects on exposure, the measurements were performed under similar conditions. The data were analysed descriptively and with mixed linear models. For measurements below the limit of detection, the exposure level was estimated using multiple imputation. Two to five times higher exposures to respirable welding fumes and airborne metals were observed during welding of 10 mm sheets than during welding of 2- or 3-mm sheets. Welding fume and Mn exposure were reduced by 70 and 90% when on-torch extraction or a captor hood was applied. Other airborne metals were reduced to a similar extent. Modifications on welding parameters led to a reduction of exposure against respirable particles by 51 up to 54%. Although proper extraction at the point of origin and lower-emitting process variants ensure a drastic reduction in exposure, compliance with current OELs is not guaranteed. In order to ensure adequate health protection, especially at workplaces where thick sheets with long relative arc times are processed, there is a need for technical development.

The palaeontological heritage of Ribeira de Cacela (Algarve, Portugal). Its preservation in the Portuguese context

The protection of palaeontological heritage is justified by its own specificity, which results from its limited visibility, spatial variability, irreproducibility and importance as a record of past biodiversity. Until the present in Portugal the laws concerning the preservation of natural areas are focused mainly on the protection of threatened living species and their habitats, neglecting any geological aspect, and even less the concept of palaeontological heritage. The present analysis refers to the fossil-site of Ribeira de Cacela, included in the Natural Park of Ria Formosa (Algarve, southern Portugal), which represents a site of great paleontological interest. No particular palaeontological inventory being still available, and no any effective protective measures having yet been applied, the result is a continuous dilapidation of the palaeontological heritage, caused by sediment removal and, especially, by the continuous exploitation of sites by uncontrolled fossil collectors. The obvious consequence is the loss of important scientific information. Considering the palaeontological importance of this area, as well as its scientific, educational and cultural interest, a formal proposal will be made to the lnstituto da Conservaçao da Natureza (the Portuguese Nature Conservation Institute), in order to nominate this outcrop as a Natural Monument and to promote its protection. Although the proposed legal protection is expected to be a long and difficult process, they will be rewarded by the resulting benefits.

What (general/abdominal) surgeons should know about occupational medicine? : General vaccine recommendations and postexposure prophylaxis of hepatitisB, C and HIV

In dieser Arbeit geht um die allgemeinen Impfempfehlungen und postexpositionelle Prophylaxe, die bei Schnitt- und Nadelstichverletzungen infrage kommen können. Schnitt- und Nadelstichverletzungen gehören zu häufigen Arbeitsunfällen bei chirurgisch bzw. operativ und interventionell tätigen Ärzten. Diese sind als Akut- bzw. Notfälle zu deuten, vor allem wenn Kontakt zu infektiösen Indexpatienten bestand bzw. die Infektionsgefährdung nicht auszuschließen ist. Folgend entstehen hohe volkswirtschaftliche Kosten, aber auch die individuelle Konfrontation mit einer durchaus nicht heilbaren Infektionskrankheit. Ziel dieser Übersichtsarbeit ist es, auf die allgemeinen und berufsbedingten Impfempfehlungen für Chirurgen hinzuweisen. Darüber hinaus werden Hintergründe und rechtliche Grundlagen dargestellt, denn auch für jeden Chirurgen besteht eine Hol- und Bringschuld im Rahmen effektiver Schutzmaßnahmen gegen Infektionskrankheiten durch Schnitt- und Nadelstichverletzungen. Ergänzend werden Primärprophylaxe, Impfempfehlungen und Postexpositionsprophylaxe nach stattgehabten Stich- oder Schnittverletzungen sowie das TOP-Prinzip aufgezeigt. Das TOP-Prinzip umfasst technische, organisatorische und personenbezogene Schutzmaßnahmen.

Home Tobacco Use Policies and Exposure to Secondhand Tobacco Smoke: Findings from Waves 1 through 4 of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study.

Background: The 2006 Surgeon General’s Report recommended the elimination of smoking in homes as an effective protective measure against the harmful effects of secondhand tobacco smoke exposure. This study aims to examine trends in the prevalence and levels of the adoption of home tobacco use policies specifically for cigarettes, e-cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, and the relationships between home tobacco use policies and self-reported exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke. Methods: This study utilizes data from Wave 1 (2013–2014) through Wave 4 (2016–2018) of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study, a large prospective cohort study of youths and adults in the United States which collected information about both smoke-free and tobacco-free home policies. We present the weighted, population-based, self-reported prevalence of home tobacco use policies overall and by product, and the average number of self-reported hours of secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure by levels of home tobacco policy and by survey wave. In addition, we examine the characteristics of those who adopted (by yes or no) a home tobacco use ban between survey waves. Results: We found a high prevalence of completely tobacco-free home policies (69.5%). However, 10.6% of adults allow the use of any type of tobacco product inside their homes, and 19.8% have a policy allowing the use of some types of tobacco products and banning the use of others. Adults with a complete tobacco use ban inside their homes were more likely to be nonusers of tobacco (79.9%); living with children in the home (71.8%); at or above the poverty level (70.8%); non-white (76.0%); Hispanic (82.7%); and aged 45 or older (71.9%). The adoption of 100% tobacco-free home policies is associated with a 64% decrease in secondhand smoke exposure among youths and a 69% decrease in exposure among adults. Conclusions: Most US adults have implemented tobacco-free home policies; however, there is still exposure to SHS in the home, for both adults and children, particularly in the homes of tobacco users. Additional research should investigate tobacco-free home policies for different types of products and what effect they have on future tobacco use behaviors.

P–764 Risks of oocyte donation for third-party donors: a systematic literature review

Abstract Study question What are the risks of oocyte donation? Which risks should be prioritised in policies aiming to improve the protection of third-party oocyte donors? Summary answer The risks for third-party oocyte donors are of a diverse nature, including physical risks, psychological risks, iatrogenic risks, and social risks. What is known already Oocyte donation involves ovarian stimulation and oocyte pick-up, which represent burdensome procedures for the donor. In a recent evaluation of the EU legislation on blood, tissue and cells, the European Commission highlighted that oocyte donors are currently not adequately protected. For effective oocyte donor protection measures to be developed and implemented, it is important to understand the risks that oocyte donors are exposed to. To date, there is no comprehensive overview of the existing knowledge on the physical and psychosocial risks of oocyte donation. Study design, size, duration A systematic literature review of the publications on PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO and the Notify Library was carried out. The search was conducted in May 2020. All empirical studies, including case reports, that reported or investigated negative experiences of oocyte donors and/or negative consequences of the donation on the donors’ physical health, mental health, or other aspects of their lives were included. No restriction was made with regard to the year of publication. Participants/materials, setting, methods In total, 88 empirical studies conducted in oocyte donors were reviewed. All reported information on oocyte donor risks was extracted and summarised. The identified risks were clustered into categories according to common themes and analysed with regard to their frequency of occurrence, severity, and imputability to the donation. A prioritisation of risks was carried out based on these three criteria, classifying each risk as a “priority risk” or a “non-priority risk”. Main results and the role of chance Nineteen priority risks were identified across the following six categories: short-term physical risks, long-term physical risks, short-term psychological risks, long-term psychological risks, iatrogenic risks, and social risks. The most frequently reported priority risks were moderate to severe Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS) and having lasting worries or concerns about the donation. While the findings confirmed the relevance of certain immediate physical risks for oocyte donors, no cases of death or permanent physical damage as a direct consequence of the donation could be detected. The results showed that donating oocytes can profoundly impact the donors’ psychological well-being in the short-term and in the long-term. Furthermore, the donation can have a strong effect on the donor’s social and family life, for instance, through the risk of unintended pregnancy. Moreover, it was found that oocyte donors are at risk of experiencing mistreatment or inadequate care during the donation procedure. Most studies included in the review reported on short-term risks of the donation. There is a high degree of uncertainty about the long-term health effects of oocyte donation. Due to the scarcity of large observational studies, the conclusions are mostly based on small studies and case reports, which limits the strength of any conclusion. Limitations, reasons for caution The literature search was limited to common databases for published data. Grey literature was not searched. Due to the heterogeneous nature of the relevant publications, it is possible that the search strategy was not able to detect all eligible articles. Wider implications of the findings: The findings emphasise the importance of implementing effective donor protection policies that address not only the physical, but also the psychological, social, and iatrogenic risks of oocyte donation. Moreover, the findings call for a systematic follow-up of oocyte donors to gain insight into the long-term consequences of the donation. Trial registration number Not applicable

Effects of Protective Measures against COVID-19 on Auditory Communication for People with Hearing Loss.

WHO has recommended various measures to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, including mask-wearing and physical distancing. However, these changes impair communication for individuals with hearing loss. We investigated the changes in auditory communication associated with COVID-19 measures in 269 patients (male: 45.7%, female: 54.3%, median age: 54 y.o.). Most patients with hearing loss had difficulty engaging in auditory communication with people wearing masks, especially in noisy surroundings or with physical distanc-ing. These difficulties were noticeable in patients with severe hearing loss. Developing communication support strategies for people with hearing loss is an urgent need while COVID-19 measures are in place.

Multivariate Flood Frequency Analysis in Large River Basins Considering Tributary Impacts and Flood Types

AbstractIn contrast to the basic assumption of a homogeneous population underlying common approaches to flood frequency analysis, flood events often arise from different runoff‐generating processes. In many large river basins, the diversity of these processes within tributary basins and the superposition of their flood waves increase the complexity of statistical flood modeling. Under these circumstances, the allocation of the most effective flood protection measures requires a spatially explicit analysis of flood‐generating processes and the determination of the probability of downstream flood scenarios. For large basins, flood scenarios are often derived using individual historical floods along with model‐based simulations. We, instead, performed hydrograph‐based flood‐type classification and volume‐based runoff analyses for the Upper Danube River to estimate the contributions of subbasins to floods at downstream locations. Using this information, we generated long synthetic samples of peak‐volume‐pairs to apply a multivariate statistical flood‐frequency model that yields a conditional probability of a flood peak given the peaks in tributary stations. The results show that only certain combinations of flood types may result in extreme peaks downstream of confluences. They also highlight the need to distinguish runoff‐generation mechanisms for the larger floods from ones that drive smaller, more frequent events. Through an example with the Rhine River, we demonstrate how the statistical model can be generalized for complex river networks featuring several tributary confluences. Finally, design floods for different scenarios of flood‐type combinations and assigned probabilities are derived, an approach that can be used to possible climate impacts to flood frequency.

Garden Plant Landscape Evaluation Method Based on Adaptive Algorithm And Its Application

Plant planting design in landscape plant landscape is not only an effective environmental protection measure, but also has a certain aesthetic appearance. In the process of garden landscape design, the designer has paid attention to the original growth form of the plant and will not deliberately transform it. However, in the garden design, there are many unreasonable landscape designs that destroy the original national characteristics of the city. These garden landscape designs do not really understand their concepts, ignoring the adaptability of plant design to the city. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct a detailed analysis of the spatial image and structure of the landscape of landscape plants. This paper combines quantitative evaluation with qualitative evaluation through adaptive algorithm, which has certain guiding significance for the construction of landscape plant landscape, and provides a method for garden plant landscape evaluation.

SSD Model Selection Method Based on Machine Learning Algorithm

The chemical pollutants produced by human activities often lead to the risk of ecological species diversity destruction by affecting the physiological activities of organisms in nature. Ecological risk assessment (ERA) can be used to evaluate the degree of adverse effects of external factors on the ecological environment, provide the basis for taking effective ecological protection measures and formulating reasonable environmental policies, and also an important means to understand the possible adverse effects of ecological health and pollutants on the ecological environment. The species sensitivity distribution (SSD) method is a widely used evaluation method, and its core step is to select the appropriate species toxicity data for curve fitting. In this paper, the basic concept of ecological risk assessment is briefly introduced, and the basic principle and implementation steps of species sensitivity distribution method are described in detail. Aiming at the problem of SSD model selection in water environment, machine learning algorithm is introduced, and corresponding neural network is constructed. Taking the root mean square (RMSE) and sum of squared error (SSE) were as the index, the optimal SSD model suitable for water environment is determined, The SSD model selection method based on machine learning algorithm is obtained. At last, the application of machine learning algorithm in SSD model selection is prospected, and the shortcomings of the existing research and the future research direction are pointed out.

Application of Computer Network Security Information Encryption Technology

With the continuous development of information technology, computers have been widely used in various fields of society, filled with rich information in the network, network security has been widely concerned. In view of the problem of insufficient network security, we must strengthen the application of security measures, among which information encryption technology is one of the important means to ensure network information security at the present stage. This paper mainly summarizes the information encryption technology, analyzes the factors affecting network security, and puts forward effective protective measures to ensure the security of computer network.

Synthesis of silver nanoparticles using living electroactive biofilm protected by polydopamine

SummaryThe biosynthesis of metal nanoparticles from precious metals has been of wide concern. Their antibacterial activity is a main bottleneck restricting the bacterial activity and reduction performance. Here, bio-electrochemical systems were used to harvest electroactive biofilms (EABs), where bacteria were naturally protected by extracellular polymeric substances to keep activity. The biofilm was further encapsulated with polydopamine (PDA) as additional shield. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were biosynthesized on EABs, whose electroactivity could be fully recovered after Ag+ reduction. The PDA increased bacterial viability by 90%–105%, confirmed as an effective protection against antibacterial activity of Ag+/AgNPs. The biosynthetic process changed the component and function of the microbial community, shifting from bacterial Fe reduction to archaeal methanogenesis. These results demonstrated that the electrochemical acclimation of EABs and encapsulation with PDA were effective protective measures during the biosynthesis of AgNPs. These approaches have a bright future in the green synthesis of nanomaterials, biotoxic wastewater treatment, and sustainable bio-catalysis.

Examining Social Media Crisis Communication during Early COVID-19 from Public Health and News Media for Quality, Content, and Corresponding Public Sentiment.

Rising COVID-19 cases in Canada in early 2021, coupled with pervasive mis- and disinformation, demonstrate the critical relationship between effective crisis communication, trust, and risk protective measure adherence by the public. Trust in crisis communication is affected by the communication’s characteristics including transparency, timeliness, empathy, and clarity, as well as the source and communication channels used. Crisis communication occurs in a rhetorical arena where various actors, including public health, news media, and the public, are co-producing and responding to messages. Rhetorical arenas must be monitored to assess the acceptance of messaging. The quality and content of Canadian public health and news media crisis communication on Facebook were evaluated to understand the use of key guiding principles of effective crisis communication, the focus of the communication, and subsequent public emotional response to included posts. Four hundred and thirty-eight posts and 26,774 anonymized comments were collected and analyzed. Overall, the guiding principles for effective crisis communication were inconsistently applied and combined. A limited combination of guiding principles, especially those that demonstrate trustworthiness, was likely driving the negative sentiment uncovered in the comments. Public health and news media should use the guiding principles consistently to increase positive sentiment and build trust among followers.

Urological practice in the corona pandemic

The Corona-Pandemic is an additional challenge for urological practice, as most urological patients are in the high-risk group for a severe course of COVID19 disease due to their age and accompanying illnesses. The most effective protective measures are prioritised reduction in patient contacts with the help of telemedical contacts and the consistent wearing of FFP2-masks during direct contact. Further measures such as access controls, protective walls and air-filtering can further reduce the risk of infection. Ultimately, only a nationwide vaccination programm will result in the removal of pandemic-related restrictions for further urological treatment.

View of Military Epidemiologists on the Problem of Global Spread of a New Coronavirus Infection

Relevance. Despite the successes achieved in the fight against COVID-19 and the beginning of mass vaccination, the epidemiological situation remains quite tense, especially in foreign countries. Therefore, there is still a need to maintain the imposed restrictive and anti-epidemic measures, which may increase depending on changes in the epidemiological situation. As the experience of working in the context of a pandemic shows, it is advisable to use the principles of military epidemiology in the practical activities of various specialists in the national health system. They are based on a grouping of medical and non-medical measures aimed at preventing infection drifts, its spread in groups of people and in specific territories, and its removal outside of epidemic foci. Specific immunization of the population against the new coronavirus infection is important, which will ensure the stabilization and smooth out the course of the epidemic process.Aims. To analyze the current state of the global spread of the new coronavirus infection and to consider the possibility of applying the principles of military epidemiology in the fight against the new coronavirus infection.Conclusions. Based on the results of the analysis of literature sources and personal practical experience in the fight against COVID-19, the most effective measures of anti-epidemic protection of the population to date are summarized. Approaches to the organization of sanitary and anti-epidemic (preventive) measures based on the principles of military epidemiology are proposed: the separation of medical care for infectious patients and their sorting according to the severity of the disease; the maximum approach to the served contingents of anti-epidemic forces and means, taking into account the current sanitary and epidemiological situation; continuous implementation of sanitary and anti-epidemic measures until the elimination of epidemic foci; ensuring the mobility and constant readiness of the forces and means involved in carrying out sanitary and anti-epidemic measures.