Lockdown Measures Research Articles

Sleep Patterns, Social Media Usage, and Dietary Habits during COVID-19 Lockdown in Mexico: A Cross-Sectional Study.

During the COVID-19 lockdown, a high prevalence of disruption in lifestyle habits was reported, especially concerning sleep habits. The present study aimed to explore the relationship between lifestyles and the COVID-19 lockdown on subjects living in Mexico. A cross-sectional survey was conducted. An online questionnaire was administered to survey participants. A clustering procedure was performed to identify groups of survey respondents with similar characteristics. There were 155 survey respondents. Most of them were women (83%) of young age. The clustering identified two distinct groups of subjects, i.e., Cluster 1 and 2. The subjects in Cluster 2 were younger, more likely to use social media, and spent much more time watching TV/surfing the internet than subjects in Cluster 1. Furthermore, the prevalence of problems with falling and staying asleep during the lockdown was higher in Cluster 2 than in Cluster 1 (14% in Cluster 2 vs. 4% in Cluster 1) even though nobody from Cluster 2 had sleep problems before the lockdown. The study showed that younger respondents were those more affected by lockdown measures.

How did the COVID-19 lockdown affect leisure-time exercise patterns? The case of Spain

This paper explores the effects of the lockdown measures on the population’s exercise patterns and aims to answer three questions: Were lockdown exercise patterns different from the ordinary patterns? What are the variables that explain the difference between ordinary habits and lockdown exercise frequency of participants? What are the correlates of the changes in post-lockdown exercise habits among people who exercised during lockdown? We estimated binary logits for participation and ordered logits to analyse frequency and the changes in sporting habits using the 2020 Spanish Survey of Sporting Habits. Our sample consisted of 5,154 observations, of which 3,060 people exercised at least once a month (59.4%) and 2,178 exercised during lockdown (42.3%). The results show that some determinants of the probability and frequency of exercising lost significance during lockdown. Moreover, women and higher-educated people exercised more frequently during lockdown –comparing to their ordinary habits– and women physically active during lockdown exercised less once mobility restrictions were lifted. According to our results, policy makers should focus their attention on men and lower-educated people in the event of future stay-at-home restrictions. Keywords: Exercise, participation, frequency, lockdown, COVID-19

Impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on mother and child health - the case of Ghana.

The lockdown measures in response to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) have led to a wide range of unintended consequences for women and children. Until the outbreak of COVID-19, attention was on reducing maternal and infant mortality due to pregnancy and delivery complications. The aim of this study was to interrogate the impact of lockdown measures on women and children in two contrasting districts in Ghana - Krobo Odumase and Ayawaso West Wuogon. This study adopted the mixed-method approach using both qualitative and quantitative data. The qualitative study relied on two data collection methods to explore the impacts of COVID-19 control measures on women and children in Ghana. These were: Focus Group Discussions (FGDs; n = 12) and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs; n = 18). The study complemented the qualitative data with survey data - household surveys (n = 78) which were used to support the nutrition and school closure data; and policy data gathered from government websites consisting of government responses to COVID-19. The qualitative data was analysed using the thematic approach with codes generated apriori with the NVIVO software. The quantitative data used percentages and frequencies. Engagements with participants in the study revealed that the lockdown measures implemented in Ghana had consequences on child and maternal health, and the health care system as a whole. Our study revealed, for example, that there was a decrease in antenatal and postnatal attendance in hospitals. Childhood vaccinations also came to a halt. Obesity and malnutrition were found to be common among children depending on the location of our study participants (urban and rural areas respectively). Our study also revealed that TB, Malaria and HIV treatment seeking reduced due to the fear of going to health facilities since those ailments manifest similar symptoms as COVID 19. Government responded to COVID-19 using different strategies however the policy response resulted in both intended and unintended consequences especially for women and children in Ghana. It is recommended that national policy directions should ensure the continuous provision of child and maternal healthcare services which are essential health services during lockdowns.

Lockdown Limbo: Reviving Marx’s ‘Dead Labor’ for Queer and Trans Mental Distress During COVID-19

Lockdown measures against the spread of COVID-19 unleashed a mental health crisis in which queer and trans people faced particular difficulties. This paper argues that mental distress resulting from pandemic lockdowns was for these groups to be considered as a particular relation to death, which is encapsulated by Marx’s notion of ‘dead labor’ – past, living labor and labor that cannot be exploited. Using dead labor as a prism for understanding the necropolitics of mental health under contemporary capitalism, this paper outlines how pandemic lockdowns induced a failure in the reproduction of queer and trans lives which structurally produced mental distress for these groups, and it analyzes how such discapacitation due to mental distress constructed a dead laborer who could temporarily be set aside. In theorizing the concept of dead labor in relation to mental health, this study situates lockdown distress within capitalist quests for profitability and contributes to an emerging scholarship that situates queer and trans struggles within and against capitalist social forms, notably the relation between production and reproduction and the exclusionary figure of the human.

Exploring Crisis Mitigating Measures of Micro and Small Enterprises during the Coronavirus Pandemic Crisis in Indonesia

This study examines the crisis mitigation measures (CMMs) implemented by micro and small enterprises (MSEs) during the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia. The research has three main goals: (i) to assess the impact of COVID-19 on MSMEs; (ii) to identify the business risks encountered by MSMEs during the crisis; and (iii) to investigate the most frequently adopted CMMs by MSMEs during the pandemic. The analysis utilizes secondary data from the 2020 national survey on MSEs in the manufacturing sector and primary data from a field survey of 137 MSEs across various cities and industries in Indonesia, conducted between May and September 2020. The findings indicate that the primary business risks during the crisis were (i) market risk (decreased domestic demand); and (ii) production risk (production stoppages due to lockdown measures). Consequently, many MSEs had to temporarily cease, shut down entirely, or pivot to different industries to remain operational, which was a common CMM among the affected MSEs. The study’s limitation is its small sample size, which prevents comprehensive survival analyses that could reveal significant differences in the development trajectories of MSEs during the crisis. Despite this, the study adds valuable insights to the literature on MSEs during economic crises.

Changes in biopsychosocial factors based on transportation independence among older adults: A one-year study post-COVID-19 movement restrictions

IntroductionThe global COVID-19 pandemic prompted widespread lockdown measures, impacting transportation systems and specifically affecting the mobility of older adults, which could result in changes to their biophysical, psychological and social health, or better known as biopsychosocial health. However, limited information exists regarding the alterations in the biopsychosocial aspects of older adults during and after the COVID-19 movement restrictions, as well as their association. The objective of this study is to investigate the biopsychosocial dynamics associated with navigating transportation during and after the recovery phase of COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, it aims to determine the association between transportation independence status and various biopsychosocial factors. MethodsA sub-sample of 100 individuals aged 60 years and above (mean age ± SD: 68.4 ± 5.3), from earlier cross-sectional study were recruited in a one year follow up study. Face-to-face interviews were conducted by the same researcher from baseline to obtain older adults’ sociodemographic health status, anthropometric measurements, functional status, depressive symptoms, nutritional status, cognitive status, visual assessment, physical activity and physical performance and transportation independence. Bivariate logistic regression was performed to examine the association. ResultsWhile there were no significant changes in transportation independence among older adults during and after the COVID-19 movement restriction, there were noticeable increases in outdoor mobility and certain changes in biopsychosocial factors. Results revealed higher fat mass (Adj OR = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.03–1.41, p < 0.05), poorer performance in Timed up and Go (TUG) (Adj OR = 1.40, 95% CI: 1.03–1.88, p < 0.05) test, poorer Hand Grip Strength (HGS) (Adj OR = .85, 95% CI: .74–.98, p < 0.05) and changes in Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) (p < 0.05) are associated with restricted transportation in older adults. ConclusionThe findings of this study highlight the importance of biopsychosocial health factors, such as body composition, physical performance, and function, which may be influenced by transportation independence among older adults.

Consumption Habits in Revenge-Buying: A Conceptual Model Integrating Protection Motivation Theory and the Concept of Attitudes

Upon lifting lockdown measures, pent-up consumer demand resulted in a phenomenon known as “revenge-buying” that was influenced by cognitive and habitual factors. This study collected 629 samples from Beijing consumers using straightforward online random sampling methods, ensuring the sample’s representativeness. Structural equation modeling was employed to investigate the impact of cognitive factors on revenge-buying after lockdowns and explain this phenomenon from the consumers’ habitual behavior perspective. Specifically, we developed a novel model that incorporates insights from the concept of attitudes and habits literature within the framework of the protection motivation theory to address this research question. The results reveal that habit significantly affects all cognitive factors, except response cost. Cognitive factors such as perceived severity, perceived vulnerability, response efficacy, self-efficacy, and response cost all play a role in shaping consumers’ attitudes and driving revenge-buying behavior. Furthermore, consumers’ habits contribute significantly to their likelihood of revenge-buying. This study provides empirical evidence for revenge-buying, and the proposed theoretical model offers a more complete understanding of the cognitive factors and habits that drive this behavior. These findings can help businesses to attract consumers, improve satisfaction, and better compete in the context of revenge-buying, ultimately benefiting both consumers and businesses involved in this behavior.

MobCovid: Confirmed Cases Dynamics Driven Time Series Prediction of Crowd in Urban Hotspot.

Monitoring the crowd in urban hot spot has been an important research topic in the field of urban management and has high social impact. It can allow more flexible allocation of public resources such as public transportation schedule adjustment and arrangement of police force. After 2020, because of the epidemic of COVID-19 virus, the public mobility pattern is deeply affected by the situation of epidemic as the physical close contact is the dominant way of infection. In this study, we propose a confirmed case-driven time-series prediction of crowd in urban hot spot named MobCovid. The model is a deviation of Informer, a popular time-serial prediction model proposed in 2021. The model takes both the number of nighttime staying people in downtown and confirmed cases of COVID-19 as input and predicts both the targets. In the current period of COVID, many areas and countries have relaxed the lockdown measures on public mobility. The outdoor travel of public is based on individual decision. Report of large amount of confirmed cases would restrict the public visitation of crowded downtown. But, still, government would publish some policies to try to intervene in the public mobility and control the spread of virus. For example, in Japan, there are no compulsory measures to force people to stay at home, but measures to persuade people to stay away from downtown area. Therefore, we also merge the encoding of policies on measures of mobility restriction made by government in the model to improve the precision. We use historical data of nighttime staying people in crowded downtown and confirmed cases of Tokyo and Osaka area as study case. Multiple times of comparison with other baselines including the original Informer model prove the effectiveness of our proposed method. We believe our work can make contribution to the current knowledge on forecasting the number of crowd in urban downtown during the Covid epidemic.

Distance education support services: Sensemaking amidst the COVID-19 pandemic

In this article, we explore the notion of sensemaking during the COVID-19 pandemic. Exploring sensemaking in periods of disruption and uncertainty can provide a deeper understanding of how distance education institutions can navigate future disruptions. We focus on support staff employed at one institution and their experience during remote work as a result of lockdown measures. Support staff are essential for the effective functioning and success of distance institutions. We use sensemaking as a conceptual and theoretical framework to understand staff experience of how their roles changed because of lockdown measures. Four participants were interviewed on digital platforms. All were involved in sensemaking by exploring the wider system, creating a map of their new work environment, acting to change their work system, and subsequently learning from it. It was also found that their sensemaking includes both affective and cognitive elements. We recommend that sensemaking theories and conceptual frameworks be used to further understand sensemaking in distance education support services during times of change.

Temporal Volatility of Brent Oil Prices and Interrelation With Maritime Traffic Density in the Turkish Straits During COVID-19 Crisis

This research evaluated variations in Brent oil prices and the interrelation with maritime traffic density in the Turkish Straits during the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of commercial ships that made non-stop over passage through the Turkish Straits in the last 5 years, covering the COVID-19 -and post-pandemic periods with economic instabilities was investigated along with variables of vessel characteristics such as; gross tonnage, size and type of vessel loads. Results of the present study reveal that the maritime traffic density between 2019 and 2023, was influenced by the pandemic crisis, when harsh quarantine measures of lockdown and curfews in the first shock wave. In the aftermath, conflicts between Ukraine and Russia led to economic recession or upheaval with instabilities in Brent oil prices. For the period examined in this study, the number of non-stop over passage vessels and gross tonnages used the Turkish Straits were affected by the pandemic outbreak and Brent oil price variations. The number of vessels decreased by 5.22% from 84,871 to 80,440 during the epidemic in 2020, and by 5.38% from 43.342 to 42.340 during the global recession in 2022. Overall, the number of non-stop over passage vessels using the Turkish Straits between 2019 and 2023 declined by 1.15%, while the gross tonnage and ship length increased by 3.44% and 13.24%, respectively. In total, the number of non-specific tankers (TTA) and those carrying chemicals (TCH) increased by 2.92% and 10.97%, respectively, but a 13.25% decrease was noted for the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tankers over the 5 years. Considering that the world trade network is largely dependent on maritime transportation, identifying the changes in maritime transportation with the interrelation of Brent oil during global crises may provide important data for strategy building of best trade management with foresights to world economic crises.

Weight change and lifestyle modifications implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown are associated with the development of gastrointestinal symptoms

Introduction and aimsPandemic lockdown measures are a cause of concern, regarding their negative impact on the mental health of individuals. The results of numerous studies have associated the appearance of gastrointestinal symptoms with different psychologic disorders, such as stress, depression, and anxiety, due to gut-brain axis interaction. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of, and factors associated with, gastrointestinal symptom onset related to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown and various lifestyle modifications. MethodsAn analytic, observational, and cross-sectional study was conducted on an open population that agreed to participate within the time frame of January to May 2021. ResultsA total of 298 subjects, 165 of whom were women (55.4%), agreed to participate and the mean patient age was 36.1 ± 12.6 years. There was a significant increase in the frequency of several gastrointestinal symptoms: epigastric burning, early satiety, heartburn, regurgitation, constipation, and diarrhea. Changes in weight and modifications in lifestyle were found to be associated variables. ConclusionsThe results of this study showed a significant increase in a wide variety of gastrointestinal symptoms related to lifestyle changes due to the pandemic lockdown. Weight change, supplement and multivitamin intake, and reduced physical activity were the main associated risk factors. Public healthcare systems should take a multidisciplinary approach into consideration for the care of affected individuals.

“I would have to walk around to find the best Wi-Fi connection…”: qualitatively exploring challenges associated with rapid rollout of telehealth in Canadian long-term care homes

BackgroundEarly in the COVID-19 pandemic, long-term care (LTC) homes in British Columbia, Canada, restricted visitation to ensure the safety of their residents against transmission of the novel coronavirus. As such, these LTC homes had to quickly implement a rapid rollout of telehealth services to maintain physician care for residents while avoiding the infection risk of in-person visits amidst lockdown measures. The abrupt transition from traditional in-person physician care to telehealth presented significant challenges. Investigating these challenges is pivotal to the development of strategies for sustained telehealth use for physician services in LTC homes. This analysis is part of a broader qualitative, utilization-focused evaluation study of telehealth services rapidly implemented for physician care in LTC homes within the Fraser Health Authority region of British Columbia. The evaluation has aimed to consider integral factors such as telehealth challenges, facilitators, preferences, and continued use. Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were conducted with 70 physicians, staff, residents, and family caregivers across 27 different LTC homes in the region. All interviews and focus groups were transcribed verbatim and were analyzed using a thematic approach to identify common barriers surrounding the rapid rollout of telehealth in LTC across relevant groups.ResultsFrom the data, four challenges were identified: connectivity challenges (e.g., inconsistent or no Wi-Fi or cellular connectivity), device challenges (e.g., lack of accessible devices and software issues), privacy challenges (e.g., lack of private space to support telehealth use), and informational challenges (e.g., lack of electronic medical record access). All challenges posed barriers to telehealth access for both care provider and recipient groups in LTC settings.ConclusionsThe challenges identified in this analysis are supported by existing literature, which is significant given the different contexts within which such research has been undertaken. Collectively, this knowledge base can support evidence-informed improvements to telehealth for physician care in LTC settings. Future research should capture the perspectives of diverse cultural groups, LTC residents with cognitive impairments, and those who provide and receive care in rural settings.

Transnational lives interrupted: The Canadian state and Indian international student experiences during the COVID‐19 pandemic

AbstractCanada has emerged as a major education destination for international students from across the world. International students are understood to significantly contribute towards the labour market and economic growth of Canada including the higher education sector that has come to financially rely on international students. India has emerged as the largest source of international students to Canada in recent years making them a significant category of migrants impacted by the covid‐19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown measures implemented by the Canadian state. This paper looks at the experiences of Indian international students already in Canada and prospective students in India planning to pursue their studies in Canada. The pandemic delayed international education plans for many students in India while causing significant disruption to the studies, employment, and living arrangements of international students in Canada. Such disruptions created considerable uncertainty over their financial situation including meeting various eligibility requirements for work permit after graduation. This paper reveals the deeply embodied and personalised consequences for students in the face of state responses to balancing pandemic control and retaining financial and economic contribution during the pandemic.

Towards a safe haven: Students from post‐Soviet countries pursuing education in Sweden during the COVID‐19 pandemic

AbstractThis article delves into the motivations and aspirations of students from post‐Soviet countries who opted for education in Sweden amid the COVID‐19 pandemic. In stark contrast to most nations which enforced stringent lockdown measures to curb the transmission of the coronavirus, Sweden adopted a relatively laissez‐faire approach, keeping significant sectors of society operational. While Sweden's strategy garnered considerable global scrutiny and critique, the students in this study exhibited a notable lack of apprehension regarding the global health crisis or Sweden's controversial approach to the pandemic. For these students, the COVID‐19 pandemic primarily manifested as a practical impediment to their forthcoming academic endeavours. Conversely, they perceived various enduring societal challenges in their countries of origin–such as unemployment, anxiety and distrust towards governmental authorities, and even armed conflict–as possessing a more entrenched and formidable nature, posing a greater threat to their overall well‐being. Against this backdrop, Sweden emerged as a perceived sanctuary capable of reinstating a state of ontological security, especially for the students identifying as members of the LGBTQ+ community and with political convictions frowned upon by the government of their home country. By focusing on the narratives of these individuals and adopting a conceptual framework that views ‘crisis’ as a relational construct, this study sheds light on the divergent experiences and perceptions of the COVID‐19 pandemic among international student cohorts. This approach underscores the nuanced and context‐dependent nature of their responses to the pandemic, emphasising the imperative of empirically accounting for these variations.

Machine Learning Analysis of Radio Data to Uncover Community Perceptions on the Ebola Outbreak in Uganda

Radio is vital for people, especially in rural areas, to share their concerns through interactive talk shows. Understanding public perceptions of pandemics is crucial because they influence people’s attitudes and health-seeking behaviors. This study used machine learning to analyze English and Luganda radio broadcast data to understand public perceptions and perspectives on the Ebola outbreak in Uganda. Our findings revealed three main speaker categories: media personalities, community guests and listeners, and government officials. The government made the most significant effort to educate the public about the Ebola outbreak. The analysis showed that the community was hesitant to use Ebola vaccines, believing that they had not been tested on other populations where the Ebola virus had originated. The community was also concerned about the effects of the lockdown measures imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The analysis of the radio broadcast data revealed differences in the timing and content of the conversations between male and female speakers. These experiences can inform population-specific policies for handling ongoing and future pandemics.

The government intervention effects on panic buying behavior based on online comment data mining: a case study of COVID-19 in Hubei Province, China

At the end of 2019, the world grappled with an unparalleled public health crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which also precipitated a global economic downturn. Concurrently, material panic buying occurred frequently. To restore benign market order, the government instituted a series of interventions to stabilize the market. This scholarly exploration dives deep into evaluating the tangible impact of these governmental measures in Hubei, China, a region which found itself at the very epicenter of the epidemic in its onset phase. Existing papers often employ structured questionnaires and structural equation methods, with small samples and limited effective information. In contrast, we used a dataset of tens of thousands of entries and employed text analysis to maximize the extraction of valid information. Through a meticulous analysis of public feedback, our findings unveil several pivotal insights: (1) The news measures of materials have the best effect. Their effectiveness, in descending order, is ranked as: material sufficiency > authority effect > market supervision > appeal and guidance; (2) Government measures during the epidemic’s initial phase exhibited a delay. After the lockdown measures, the phenomenon of large-scale buying has been formed, and the relevant material news was released later; (3) A dual approach combining authority influence with material sufficiency yielded the most favorable results. In light of these findings, the paper concludes with tailored recommendations aimed at amplifying the efficacy of government-led public opinion interventions in future crises.

Family Courts in England &amp; Wales: A population-level evidence base about court users who experience domestic abuse

ObjectivesThe caseload of family courts in England and Wales includes a growing share of domestic abuse cases. To increase knowledge about such cases, the research uses new administrative datasets and linkages. Trends between 2011-2021 are examined in the context of policy and operational changes. MethodThe complete set of family court cases is held in HM Courts &amp; Tribunals Services (HMCTS) systems. Some family court data are collected by the Children and Families Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), insofar as courts refer the case to Cafcass. Using their new linkage, we conduct a descriptive analysis of domestic abuse cases in England and Wales over the ten years from 2011. This project is one of the first to gain approval from HMCTS to use their de-identified family court data. ResultsThe data linkage allows to describe how court users approach domestic abuse matters, drawing distinctions between: emergency cases; lack of legal representation in court (litigants in person); repeat applications; presence of children in the household. Furthermore, the data show how courts respond through case management, timeliness of decisions and legal outcomes made. The policy context reveals how court users adapted to changes in eligibility for civil legal aid and to changes over how courts operated under lockdown measures. ConclusionData linkage research is providing an evidence base at population level about court users in England and Wales who experience domestic abuse. This can help inform practice to support families, and policies to ease overburdened courts and avoid returns to court.

Global Impacts of Extended COVID-19 Lockdowns: Intersecting Perspectives on Environmental Quality, Food Security, Human Health, and Societal Dynamics

The COVID-19 pandemic, an unprecedented global health crisis, prompted widespread implementation of prolonged lockdown measures. This study presents a multifaceted analysis of the extensive impacts of these lockdowns on environmental quality, food security, human health, and societal dynamics. Using a mixed-methods approach, the research synthesizes data from various sources, including environmental assessments, public health records, food supply chain analyses, and social surveys, to construct a comprehensive picture of the pandemic's repercussions. In the environmental domain, our analysis reveals a dual nature of impacts. Reduced industrial activity and transportation led to temporary improvements in air quality and lower greenhouse gas emissions in several regions. Wildlife sightings in urban areas increased, indicating temporary relief for particular ecosystems. Conversely, the pandemic exacerbated challenges like increased medical waste generation and heightened pressure on natural resources due to shifts in consumption patterns. Concerning food security, the study identifies a complex interplay of disrupted supply chains, altered agricultural practices, and varying government policies that led to both short-term scarcities and long-term concerns about food sustainability. While essential for controlling the virus spread, the lockdowns inadvertently created food production and distribution bottlenecks, disproportionately affecting vulnerable communities. The impact on human health extends beyond the direct effects of the COVID-19 virus. Our findings highlight increased mental health issues, including anxiety and depression, mainly attributable to prolonged isolation and economic uncertainties. Additionally, the disruption of routine healthcare services emerged as a critical concern, affecting non-COVID health issues. Societal dynamics underwent significant transformations. The study explores shifts in work culture, with remote working becoming a new norm, and examines the pandemic's impact on education, revealing a swift transition to online learning platforms. These changes, while innovative, also widened the digital divide and raised concerns about the long-term implications for social inequality. The study's overarching theme is the interconnectivity of these domains. Environmental changes influence food security, affecting human health and societal structures. The pandemic's multidimensional impacts necessitate a holistic response, integrating environmental, health, social, and economic strategies. In conclusion, this comprehensive analysis underscores the need for adaptive, resilient, and sustainable systems to mitigate future global crises. The COVID-19 pandemic, while presenting significant challenges, also offers a unique opportunity to rethink and redesign our approach to global health, environmental stewardship, food security, and societal well-being.

Shifts in Paediatric Road Trauma Dynamics Pre- vs. Post-COVID-19 Lockdown: Insights from a Major Trauma Centre.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented changes globally, significantly affecting public health sectors, including paediatric road trauma. This study aims to explore the changes in paediatric road trauma presentations and outcomes before and after the COVID-19 lockdown. This retrospective study analysed paediatric trauma data from the Saudi TraumA Registry (STAR) from August 2017 to December 2022, comparing pre- and post-COVID-19 lockdown periods (August 2017-March 2020 and July 2020-December 2022, respectively). The study analysed demographic data, mechanism of injury, severity, ICU admissions, and mortality rates using multivariate logistic regression models. Out of 950 paediatric trauma cases analysed, there was an 44.2 [561/389 = 1.442] % increase in the number of cases post-lockdown. A significant shift was noted in the age group of 5-9 years, with cases increasing from post-lockdown. Head injuries were the most prevalent type of injury, with their proportion slightly increasing from 163 (20.5%) pre-lockdown to 248 (23.2%) post-lockdown. The ICU admission were consistent across both periods, while the definitive care mode of arrival post-lockdown showed a notable shift towards private or government ambulances. Our study provides critical insights into the significant impact of the COVID-19 on paediatric road trauma. The observed increase in trauma cases post-pandemic, particularly among younger children and a notable rise in driver-related injuries among adolescents, underscores the profound effect of lockdown measures and subsequent societal changes on paediatric health. Efforts to reduce paediatric traffic injuries require collaboration among parents, educators, healthcare professionals, policymakers, and the community at large.

Comparative Assessment of the Impact of COVID-19 Lockdown on Air Quality: A Multinational Study of SARS-CoV-2 Hotspots.

In response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, nations implemented lockdown measures to contain the virus. This study assessed air pollution levels during and after lockdowns, focusing on the following heavily affected locations: Oulu and Helsinki in Finland, Paris in France, Madrid in Spain, Milan in Italy, and Wuhan in China. Air Quality Index (AQI) data from these locations over two years were analyzed to understand the effects of lockdowns. The study compared COVID-19 lockdowns in these six cities with SARS-CoV-2 measurements using statistical methods. Variations in outdoor pollutants were evaluated through tests, revealing significant differences. Parametric analyses and regression were employed to study the impacts of lockdown measures on pollution and their relationships. The study comprehensively analyzed the effects of COVID-19 lockdowns on air quality, identifying differences, quantifying changes, and exploring patterns in each city. Pollutant correlations varied among cities during the lockdowns. Regression analysis highlighted the impact of independent variables on pollutants. Decreases in NO2 were observed in Helsinki, Madrid, Oulu, Paris, and Milan, reflecting reduced traffic and industrial activities. Reductions in PM2.5 and PM10 were noted in these cities and in Wuhan, except for O3 levels, which increased. The reduction in human activities improved air quality, particularly for NO2 and PM10. Regional variations underscore the need for tailored interventions. The study observed a substantial decrease in both PM2.5 and NO2 levels during the COVID-19 lockdowns, indicating a direct correlation between reduced human activities, such as transportation and industrial operations, and improved air quality. This underscores the potential impact of environmental measures and suggests the need for sustainable practices to mitigate urban pollution.