Impact Of COVID-19 Lockdown Measures Research Articles

Machine learning insights into PM2.5 changes during COVID-19 lockdown: LSTM and RF analysis in Mashhad.

This study seeks to investigate the impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on air quality in the city of Mashhad employing two strategies. We initiated our research using basic statistical methods such as paired sample t-tests to compare hourly PM2.5 data in two scenarios: before and during quarantine, and pre- and post-lockdown. This initial analysis provided a broad understanding of potential changes in air quality. Notably, a low reduction of 2.40% in PM2.5 was recorded when compared to air quality prior to the lockdown period. This finding highlights the wide range of factors that impact the levels of particulate matter in urban settings, with the transportation sector often being widely recognized as one of the principal causes of this issue. Nevertheless, throughout the period after the quarantine, a remarkable decrease in air quality was observed characterized by distinct seasonal patterns, in contrast to previous years. This finding demonstrates a significant correlation between changes in human mobility patterns and their influence on the air quality of urban areas. It also emphasizes the need to use air pollution modeling as a fundamental tool to evaluate and understand these linkages to support long-term plans for reducing air pollution. To obtain a more quantitative understanding, we then employed cutting-edge machine learning methods, such as random forest and long short-term memory algorithms, to accurately determine the effect of the lockdown on PM2.5 levels. Our models' results demonstrated remarkable efficacy in assessing the pollutant concentration in Mashhad during lockdown measures. The test set yielded an R-squared value of 0.82 for the long short-term memory network model, whereas the random forest model showed a calculated cross-validation R-squared of 0.78. The required computational cost for training the LSTM and the RF models across all data was 25min and 3s, respectively. In summary, through the integration of statistical methods and machine learning, this research attempts to provide a comprehensive understanding of the impact of human interventions on air quality dynamics.

Impact of COVID-19 lockdowns on NOx emissions: A sector-specific analysis of transportation and power generation

To limit the transmission of COVID-19, a series of rigorous lockdown measures were implemented worldwide. These measures have caused a massive impact on the socio-economic conditions, especially on traffic flow as well as the demand for electricity. This study designs an integrated approach that incorporating an atmospheric dispersion model into a state-of-the-art traffic flow and power consumptions models to simulate the dispersion of the resultant emissions of NOx, considering the changes during the full and partial lockdown periods in comparison to the corresponding pre-pandemic period. This study is geographically focused on Kuwait, examining the impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on NOx emissions within its transportation and power generation sectors. The results show that hourly averaged electricity generating decreased by 5.6% and 4.5% as a result of the partial lockdown and full lockdown respectively. Crude oil consumption increased from 12% to 27% during the partial lockdown, and rose to represent 20% as a result of the full lockdown. This is because power plants had to act quickly to secure supply chains and manage fuel inventory. More natural gas was consumed as a result of the partial lockdown, raising its share of total energy consumption to 57%. This resulted in a decrease of 14% and 36% in NOx emissions. Hotspots for NOx concentrations were observed over densely populated residential areas during the full lockdown period, since transportation-related emissions accounted for the bulk of NOx emissions during the full lockdown. In contrast, maximum NOx concentration hotspot for the partial lockdown period was observed in the vicinity of power plants. This sector-specific analysis provides insights into sustaining air quality gains by targeting interventions for transportation and energy use.

An Unprecedented Experience: Personal and Socio-Political Impacts of the COVID-19 Lockdown in Saudi Arabia.

The COVID-19 pandemic provided an opportunity to understand the experiences of different cultures and the application of preventive measures during a pandemic. That understanding can lead to the development of important evidence to grasp the global situation and prepare for future health crises. This qualitative study explores the impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on individuals in Saudi Arabia, focusing on personal and socio-political effects. Employing semi-structured interviews with 28 participants, the research delves into the lived experiences during the early stages of the pandemic, highlighting emotional coping mechanisms, behavioral changes, role responsibility adaptations, and perceptions of governmental actions. The findings reveal a spectrum of emotional responses, from worry and fear to acceptance and contentment, and significant shifts in behavior and societal norms. The study underscores the importance of understanding cultural contexts in pandemic responses and offers insights into the resilience and adaptability of the Saudi community. It suggests the need for tailored interventions that consider the complex interplay of emotional, behavioral, and socio-political factors in managing future health crises.

Assessment of the impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on electricity consumption – Evidence from Portugal and Spain

The COVID-19 pandemic caused unheard-of shifts in socioeconomic norms and interpersonal connections. Governments were compelled to place limitations on the way of life of residents and companies in order to stem the virus' spread in order to deal with this new threat. These led to stay-at-home orders in many nations and reduced industry activities to their bare minimum, which had an immediate impact on the electricity systems.This article investigates the influence of COVID-19 on electricity consumption in Portugal and Spain, with the goal of shedding light on consumption shifts and how these are related to the stringency degree of government-imposed measures, as well as providing an overview of the first post-pandemic data. We cross information between observed electricity consumption data and numerous factors, including the Stringency Index (SI) given by the Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker (OxCGRT), using an econometric model. We also investigate how government-issued alert levels influenced electricity use.We concluded that, although Spain only felt the repercussions in 2020, Portugal saw a negative and considerable impact from restriction measures and lockdowns in 2020 and 2021. The decision to close schools was found to be the specific step that significantly reduced electricity consumption in both countries.

The impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on gendered mobility patterns in France

The COVID-19 crisis has upset the way of life of our society. The objective of this study was to apprehend the consequences of public health policies on mobility through the lens of gender. The analyses are based on a representative sample of 3000 people living in France. Travel behaviour was quantified using three mobility indicators (number of daily trips, daily distance travelled and daily travel time) that we regressed on individual and contextual explanatory variables. Two periods were studied: lockdown (March 17, 2020 until May 11, 2020), and post-lockdown (a curfew period: January–February 2021). For the lockdown period, our results show: (i) a statistically significant gender difference for the three mobility indicators. On average, women made 1.19 daily trips versus 1.46 for men, travelled 12 km whereas versus 17 km for men and spent less time on travel (23 min) than men (30 min); (ii) the degree of mobility was particularly sensitive to access to a car, according to a gender difference. For the post-lockdown period, our results reveal that: (i) women were more likely than men to make a higher number of daily trips (OR = 1.10, 95% CI = [1.04–1.17]); (ii) having only one or no car in the household impacted the mobility of women during the post-lockdown period; (iii) women regained some mobility but without reaching the pre-lockdown level. A better understanding of the factors influencing mobility behaviour, in lockdown and curfew periods, can provide some pathways to improve transport planning and help public authorities while tackling gender inequalites.

The Impact of COVID-19 Lockdown on Ambient Air Quality in Shanghai, 2022

The COVID-19 lockdown contributes to the improvement of air quality. Most previous studies have attributed this to the reduction of human activity while ignoring the meteorological changes, this may lead to an overestimation or underestimation of the impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on air pollution levels. To investigate this issue, we propose an XGBoost-based model to predict the concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 during the COVID-19 lockdown period in 2022, Shanghai, and thus explore the limits of anthropogenic emission on air pollution levels by comprehensively employing the meteorological factors and the concentrations of other air pollutants. Results demonstrate that actual observations of PM2.5 and PM10 during the COVID-19 lockdown period were reduced by 60.81% and 43.12% compared with the predicted values (regarded as the period without the lockdown measures). In addition, by comparing with the time series prediction results without considering meteorological factors, the actual observations of PM2.5 and PM10 during the lockdown period were reduced by 50.20% and 19.06%, respectively, against the predicted values during the non-lockdown period. The analysis results indicate that ignoring meteorological factors will underestimate the positive impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on air quality.

The Impact of COVID-19 Lockdown Measures and COVID-19 Infection on Cognitive Functions: A Review in Healthy and Neurological Populations

The COVID-19 pandemic severely affected people's mental health all over the world. This review aims to present a comprehensive overview of the literature related to the effects of COVID-19 lockdown measures and COVID-19 infection on cognitive functioning in both healthy people and people with neurological conditions by considering only standardized tests. We performed a narrative review of the literature via two databases, PUBMED and SCOPUS, from December 2019 to December 2022. In total, 62 out of 1356 articles were selected and organized into three time periods: short-term (1-4 months), medium-term (5-8 months), and long-term (9-12 months), according to the time in which the tests were performed. Regardless of the time period, most studies showed a general worsening in cognitive performance in people with neurological conditions due to COVID-19 lockdown measures and in healthy individuals recovered from COVID-19 infection. Our review is the first to highlight the importance of considering standardized tests as reliable measures to quantify the presence of cognitive deficits due to COVID-19. Indeed, we believe that they provide an objective measure of the cognitive difficulties encountered in the different populations, while allowing clinicians to plan rehabilitation treatments that can be of great help to many patients who still, nowadays, experience post-COVID-19 symptoms.

The impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on older residents' social connections and everyday wellbeing within housing schemes that provide care and support in England and Wales

The COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown measures imposed as a result affected the lives of people in all parts of society across the world. In 2020, during the first UK national lockdown, older adults (aged 70 years and over) were told to ‘shield’ within their homes, as they were regarded as being at higher risk of serious COVID-19 infection compared to other age groups. This paper explores older adults' experiences of COVID-19 lockdown measures whilst living in housing with care schemes for older people. The purpose is to examine the impact of the lockdown measures on scheme life including social connections amongst residents and their general everyday wellbeing during this time. We present qualitative findings based on interviews with 72 residents who took part in longitudinal and cross-sectional interviews across 26 housing with care schemes. Data were analysed using a thematic framework approach to examine specifically their experiences of living in housing with care schemes during the 2020 UK lockdown. The paper highlights that COVID-19 restrictions had a detrimental impact on the social connections and interactions of older residents living in housing with care schemes, as well as on their feelings of autonomy and independence. Despite this, residents adapted and coped with self-isolation restrictions and sought out positive ways to maintain social contact with others inside and outside to the scheme. We further highlight the tensions that providers of housing for older adults faced in promoting residents' autonomy and connectedness whilst also trying to provide a safe living environment and protect residents from risk of COVID-19 infection. Our findings apply not only to a pandemic situation but to the broader understanding of how housing with care for older adults must navigate between autonomy and support.

Queering Public Health: A Critical Examination of Healthcare Access and Gender Expression among Trans, Nonbinary, and Other Gender Nonconforming People during COVID-19

Research documenting the impact of COVID-19 on Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (2SLGBTQ+) populations in Canada is limited. Our objectives were to investigate the impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on the lives of trans, nonbinary, and other gender nonconforming (TGNC) people. Engage COVID-19 is a mixed methods study examining the impact of COVID-19 on gay, bisexual, queer, and other men who have sex with men (GBQM) living in Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal, Canada. Using purposive sampling, we conducted in-depth qualitative interviews (between November 2020–February 2021 and June–October 2021) with 93 participants who discussed the impact of COVID-19 on their lives. Seventeen participants were identified as TGNC. TGNC participants reported barriers to trans healthcare during the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Several participants indicated that some public health interventions during COVID-19 (i.e., lockdowns) eased the pressure to “perform” gender due to fewer in-person interactions. During lockdowns, TGNC participants increasingly cultivated community networks online. Nevertheless, participants reported longing for the social support that was available to them during pre-COVID. Lack of access to community spaces during lockdowns had a negative impact on participants’ mental health, despite reduced pressure to perform gender and opportunities for social engagement in online spaces.

An assessment of the experiences, and perceptions of the collateral effects of the COVID-19 lockdown measures in Southeast Nigeria: implications for policy and action.

there is limited evidence from developing countries including Nigeria on the collateral effects of the COVID-19 lockdown on the socioeconomic lives of citizens. The aim of this study was to explore citizens´ experiences and perceptions of the impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on daily living in Southeast Nigeria. this was a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted among policymakers, researchers, non-governmental organizations (NGO) officials, and health practitioners in Southeast Nigeria. Data were collected using short message sending (SMS), emails, and key informant interviews. although the COVID-19 lockdown measures had both positive and negative effects, it was largely negative. Some of the effects on family and social life were more quality time with family and improved family ties, increased social vices, reduced social and religious interaction, and disrupted academic calendars and educational pursuits. On economic life, the lockdown provided an additional source of income for those involved in the sales of facemasks and related commodities, while for others it reduced income and increased expenditures. Regarding work/career, the lockdown promoted the use of new technologies and skill acquisition, while remote work relieved work-related stress. The health effects were mostly negative including loneliness, depression, and anxiety, however, it improved health consciousness and personal hygiene. Other systemic effects stated were reduced air pollution and poor patronage at health facilities. without intending to, the COVID-19 lockdown in Nigeria had mixed effects on family and socioeconomic life, negatively impacting mental health but improving work-related life among others. These findings are a call to policy action to mitigate the negative effects whilst sustaining the positive gains from the lockdown.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on birth, neonatal and child health and developmental outcomes in Scotland.

ObjectivesThis presentation will detail results from an initial study using linked administrative health data to explore the impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on birth and neonatal outcomes in Scotland. It will further outline a funded longer-term follow-up study of child health and developmental outcomes using administrative health data.
 ApproachTo combat the wide-spread transmission of COVID-19 Scotland imposed a nationwide lockdown. Little is known about how lockdown measures affected pregnant mothers and their offspring. Using routinely collected health data on pregnancy and birth in Scotland, the initial study compares births (N = 11220) between March and May 2020 to births in the same period in 2018 (N = 12428) to investigate the effects of lockdown measures, using descriptive statistics (Mann-Whitney U tests/Chi-squared tests). A 5-year follow-up study will track child health and developmental outcomes for the 99,000 children born in Scotland during the pandemic up to age five.
 ResultsResults of the initial study indicated that mothers giving birth during the pandemic demonstrated significant differences in feeding methods on discharge (χ2(3) = 19.09, p <.001), and analgesia during labour and delivery (χ2(6) = 104.68, p <.001), and stayed in hospital for fewer days (Z = -10.90, p <.001) compared with women who gave birth in 2018. Post-hoc tests revealed that women were more likely to combine breastfeeding with formula-feeding than to exclusively breastfeed (P <.001) or exclusively formula-feed (P <.001). They were also more likely to require spinal anaesthetics compared to using no pain relief air (P =.035), gas and air (P <.001) or opioids (P < .001).
 ConclusionFindings of the current study suggest that lockdown measures implemented in Scotland as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic had limited effects on maternal and neonatal outcomes. The CHILDS study will provide robust evidence on the longer-term impacts of the pandemic on child development, which may have long-lasting consequences for this generation.

"Living in Confinement, Stopped in Time": Migrant Social Vulnerability, Coping and Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown in France.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed health and social inequities among migrant populations. Less empirical evidence exists about the impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on migrants. This study aimed to investigate the impact of the first lockdown in France between March and May 2020 on migrants’ lives and livelihoods. We adopted a social vulnerability framework to conceptualize how the pandemic and the consequential lockdown in France contributed to a ‘compounded crisis’ for asylum seekers and undocumented migrants. This crisis encompassed health, protection, and socio-economic challenges for migrants and exposed the shortcomings of existing government policies that exclude migrants and do not address the root causes of health inequities. The study draws on in-depth qualitative interviews conducted with 75 asylum seekers and undocumented migrants during the pandemic lockdown in the French regions of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Île-de-France. The findings of this paper highlight the importance of implementing a cohesive pandemic response approach that views health as a fundamental inclusive right for all human beings and all policies as health policies to promote well-being for all.

A toxic mix: the impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on the post-separation experiences of domestic abuse survivors

Reports of an intensification of domestic abuse under COVID-19 restrictions has been described by the UN as a ‘shadow pandemic’. Drawing upon interviews with domestic abuse survivors (n=11), plus interviews (n=18) and surveys (n=22) with support service providers in Scotland, this article develops a nuanced understanding of how the conditions created by the pandemic interacted with existing experiences of domestic abuse, highlighting the relatively overlooked experiences of survivors who have separated from their abusers. The findings reveal how pandemic conditions triggered, mirrored and amplified experiences and impacts of domestic abuse through the complex interplay between isolation, anxiety, lone-parenting, financial concerns and protective requirements such as mask wearing. Participants described an increase in economic abuse, abuse online and the manipulation of child contact arrangements as the restrictions imposed by the pandemic facilitated perpetrator behaviours. However, survivors’ resilience, coping mechanisms, and in some cases enhanced feelings of safety, were also notable. These findings generate insights into the evolving but persistent nature and dynamics of domestic abuse though the pandemic, including how domestic abuse interacts with, creates, and is compounded by gendered inequalities irrespective of whether survivors have separated from their abuser.

The impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on rates of febrile neutropenia in a cohort of Irish patients receiving chemotherapy.

e18784 Background: Febrile neutropenia in patients receiving chemotherapy is a life-threatening condition requiring prompt attention. This condition may also result in dose reductions, delays, or discontinuations of chemotherapy which compromise patient outcomes. This study seeks to evaluate the impact of COVID19 “lockdown” public health measures in Ireland on the incidence of febrile neutropenia in patients who were receiving cytotoxic chemotherapy regimens. Methods: All patients receiving chemotherapy at the Bon Secours Hospital Cork who were admitted with neutropenia and fever during two separate time periods were included in the study: 1st April 2018 to 31st March 2019 (“pre-pandemic year”) and 1st April 2020 to 31st March 2021 (“pandemic year”). The pandemic year selected equates to a period of heightened infection control measures in Irish society, featuring public health advice re social distancing, routine mask wearing in public and successive lockdown waves. Retrospective chart review was performed on all patients admitted to the oncology inpatient ward who had blood cultures on admission to determine the number of these patients who were neutropenic at the time of blood culture draw. Similarly, pharmacy records were accessed to determine the number of unique chemotherapy items dispensed in each year in order to establish a rate of febrile neutropenia episodes per 100 chemotherapy items dispensed for each period. The incident rate ratio was calculated using the Exact Poisson Test. Results: During the pre-pandemic year there were 57 individual admissions with febrile neutropenia compared with 32 admissions during the pandemic year. There were 4581 chemotherapy units dispensed during the pre-pandemic year compared to 4628 during the pandemic year. The rate of febrile neutropenia episodes per 100 chemotherapy units dispensed was 1.24 (95% CI 0.94, 1.61) in the pre-pandemic year and 0.69 (95% CI 0.47, 0.98) in the pandemic year. The incident rate ratio is 1.80 (95% CI 1.14, 2.87, two-sided P = 0.007). 9 of 57 (16%) admissions in the pre-pandemic year were associated with positive blood cultures compared with 4 of 32 (13%) in the pandemic year (not significant by Fisher's exact test). Conclusions: Increased precautionary infection control measures during the COVID19 pandemic public health restrictions correlated with a significant reduction in the rate of febrile neutropenia amongst patients receiving cytotoxic chemotherapy. This suggests that there may be a role for similar measures for this patient cohort in the post-pandemic period. Options which patients may consider to employ include social distancing, wearing face-coverings and restricting social contacts while at risk of neutropenia from cytotoxic chemotherapy regimens.

What Impact Have SARS-CoV-2/Covid-19 Pandemic induced lockdown on the number of OPD patients of Diabetes, Hypertension, Stroke (CVA), Acute Heart Disease, Mental Illness, Epilepsy, Ophthalmic, Dental and oncology in India during the lockdown months (April-May-2020)–Observational Research Analysis?

The First human case of the covid-19 global pandemic was reported from Wuhan city of China in December 2019. On 27th January 2020, India found a suspected case of covid-19 in Kerala with a recent travel history of Wuhan; china. The suspected case was reported as positive by the National Institute of Virology located at Pune in Maharashtra, India on January 30, 2020 as positive for COVID-19 infection. This was the first documented COVID-19 case in India. The government of India responded to this novel disease by enforcing nationwide lockdown starting on 25/03/2020 and ending on 31/05/2020. In this retrospective observational quantitative and qualitative study I have done assessment of the impact of covid-19 lockdown measures on OPD health services for some important non communicable diseases. The data is collected, observed, analyzed for the years 2020 and 2019 and the lockdown period of April-May 2020 is compared with the same duration of 2019 (excluding period of 7 days of lockdown in march) . The OPD (outpatient Department) services for the patients of Diabetes, Hypertension, Stroke (CVA), Acute Heart Disease, Mental Illness, Epilepsy, Ophthalmic, Dental and oncology were selected for this observational retrospective study-analysis. In version 2 time series analysis (longer period) will be applied to test the significance of difference between pre and post intervention (lockdown). The study found as compared to 2019 when lockdown and pandemic was not in existence, 2020 lockdown period have notable reduction in various OPD health services. The study have derived conclusion that lockdown reduced number of OPD patients and hence reduced access to the health services for non-communicable disease which is the major burden of disease in India as well as at global levels. In the final conclusion the author feel the need of more emphasis and priority for NCDs care in any situations of emergency like pandemic and natural calamities, lockdowns etc which usually disrupt routine healthcare. Routine healthcare is very essential in context of chronic diseases which can be converted to acute emergency conditions like CVA.

Impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on waste production behavior in Lisbon.

The recent restrictions on mobility and economic activities imposed by governments due to the COVID-19 pandemic have significantly affected waste production and recycling patterns in cities worldwide. This effect differed both between cities and within cities as the measures of confinement adopted by governments had diverse impacts in different areas of cities, depending on their characteristics (e.g., touristic, or residential). In the present work, mixed waste collection areas were created, based on waste collection points, that define spatial units in which contextual data such as tourism and residential characteristics were aggregated. The difference in mixed waste collected compared with previous years was analyzed along with the impacts on recycling due to the modification in operations regarding waste collection during the lockdown. The results showed that despite the suspension of the door-to-door recycling system during the lockdown, this did not translate into an increase in the production of mixed waste, and the recycling levels of previous years have not been reached after the lockdown, indicating a possible change in recycling habits in Lisbon. The touristic and non-residential mixed waste circuits presented significantly reduced mixed waste production compared to the non-pandemic context. Also, tourist, mobility, and economic activity were measured to understand which factors contributed to waste production changes during the COVID-19 pandemic. While little evidence of a relationship with these exogenous variables was found at the citywide level, evidence was found at the waste collection circuit level.

Provocation of dry eye disease symptoms during COVID-19 lockdown

To assess the impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on dry-eye symptoms in a community-based population, a cross-sectional study was conducted during the first wave of the COVID-19 outbreak in Thailand. An online survey was distributed via social media between June and July 2020. The questionnaire elicited information on demographics, dry-eye symptoms, use of visual display terminals, and mental health status. There were 535 respondents. Thirty-seven percent reported having been diagnosed with dry-eye disease (DED). During the lockdown, the mean dry-eye symptom score (DESS) of overall participants dropped significantly from 81.6 ± 15.9 to 79.8 ± 17.4 (P < 0.001). The mean, daily, visual display terminal (VDT) usage increased from 10.55 ± 5.16 to 13.08 ± 5.65 h (P < 0.001). A negative correlation between age and VDT usage was observed in both the normal and lockdown situations. One-quarter of all participants had an abnormal mental health status. The female gender (OR 1.86; 95% CI 1.14–3.04) and increased VDT usage during the lockdown (OR 5.68; 95% CI 3.49–9.23) were independently associated with worsening dry-eye symptoms. The lockdown measures abruptly altered the behaviors and lifestyles of the overall population. Excessive exposure to VDTs were associated with deteriorated dry-eye symptoms, and it possibly contributed to the increased DED incidence in the surveyed population.

Social Inequities in the Impact of COVID-19 Lockdown Measures on the Mental Health of a Large Sample of the Colombian Population (PSY-COVID Study).

The identification of general population groups particularly vulnerable to the impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on mental health and the development of healthcare policies are priority challenges in the current and future pandemics. This study aimed to identify the personal and social determinants of the impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on mental health in a large sample of the Colombian population. In this cross-sectional study, an anonymous online survey was answered by 18,061 participants from the general population residing in Colombia during the first wave of the COVID-19 outbreak (from 20 May to 20 June 2020). The risk of depression, anxiety, and somatization disorders were measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2), Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-2), and Somatic Symptom Questionnaire (SSQ-5), respectively. Overall, 35% of participants showed risk of depression, 29% of anxiety, and 31% of somatization. According to the analysis of social determinants of health, the most affected groups were people with low incomes, students, and young adults (18–29 years). Specifically, low-income young females were the most at-risk population group. These findings show how the lockdown measures affected the general population’s mental health in Colombia and highlight some social risk factors in health.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Related Lockdown Measures on Lifestyle Behaviors and Well-Being in Children and Adolescents with Severe Obesity

Introduction: COVID-19 lockdown measures have large impact on lifestyle behaviors and well-being of children. The aim of this mixed-methods study was to investigate the impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on eating styles and behaviors, physical activity (PA), screen time, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in children (0–18 years) with severe obesity. Methods: During the first COVID-19 wave (April 2020), validated questionnaires were completed and semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with parents of children with severe obesity (adult body mass index [BMI]-equivalent ≥35 kg/m²) and/or with the children themselves. Changes in pre-pandemic versus lockdown scores of the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire Children, Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory, and Dutch PA Questionnaire were assessed. Qualitative analyses were performed according to the Grounded Theory. Results: Ninety families were approached of which 83 families were included. Characteristics of the included children were: mean age 11.2 ± 4.6 years, 52% female, mean BMI SD-score +3.8 ± 1.0. Emotional, restrained, and external eating styles, HRQoL, and (noneducational) screen time did not change on group level (all p > 0.05). However, weekly PA decreased (mean difference −1.9 h/week, p = 0.02) mostly in adolescents. In the majority of children, mean weekly PA decreased to ≤2 h/week. Children with high emotional or external eating scores during lockdown or pre-existent psychosocial problems had the lowest HRQoL (p < 0.01). Qualitative analyses revealed an increased demand for food in a significant proportion of children (n = 21), mostly in children <10 years (19/21). This was often attributed to loss of daily structure and perceived stress. Families who reported no changes (n = 15) or improved eating behaviors (n = 11) attributed this to already existing strict eating schemes that they kept adhering to during lockdown. Conclusion: This study shows differing responses to COVID-19 lockdown measures in children with severe obesity. On group level, PA significantly decreased and in substantial minorities eating styles and HRQoL deteriorated. Children with pre-existent psychosocial problems or pre-pandemic high external or emotional eating scores were most at risk. These children and their families should be targeted by health care professionals to minimize negative physical and mental health consequences.

The impact of lockdown on nitrogen dioxide (NO2) over Central Asian countries during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is one of the main air pollutants, formed due to both natural and anthropogenic processes, which has a significant negative impact on human health. The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted countries to take various measures, including social distancing or stay-at-home orders. This study analyzes the impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on nitrogen dioxide (NO2) changes in Central Asian countries. Data from TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) on the Sentinel-5 Precursor satellite, as well as meteorological data, make it possible to assess changes in NO2 concentration in countries and major cities in the region. In particular, the obtained satellite data show a decreased tropospheric column of NO2. Its decrease during the lockdown (March 19–April 14) ranged from − 5.1% (Tajikistan) to − 11.6% (Turkmenistan). Based on the obtained results, it can be concluded that limitations in anthropogenic activities have led to improvements in air quality. The possible influence of meteorology is not assessed in this study, and the implied uncertainties cannot be quantified. In this way, the level of air pollution is expected to decrease as long as partial or complete lockdown continues.