Communicable Disease Outbreaks Research Articles

Penegakan Peraturan Gubernur Bali Nomor 10 Tahun 2021 dalam Tatanan Kehidupan Era Baru

The emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic has claimed many lives and has an impact on all aspects of the state, so the Indonesian Government issued Presidential Decree No. 11 of 2020 concerning Public Health Emergency as a serious warning of health threats. Dishonesty in conveying information about patients suspected of being infected with COVID-19 is categorized as hindering the prevention of outbreaks that can threaten the lives of those around them, including the health workers who handle them. The act of obstructing the handling of the epidemic can be punished. The purpose of this study is to analyze the legal regulation of health protocols in the new life order and to discuss sanctions for people who do not heed the governor's regulation no. 10 years 2021 in Bali. This research method uses a normative legal research type with an approach to the concept of legislation and the opinions of legal experts (doctrine). Data collection is done by collecting data and summarizing. The results of this study are that the application of strict sanctions to actions to prevent outbreaks is punishable by law number 4 of 1984 concerning Communicable Disease Outbreaks article 14 paragraphs (1) and (2). The government seeks to protect health workers as the vanguard of handling the threat of COVID-19 in a preventive and repressive manner. For this reason, it is necessary to disclose one's own health information by disclosing his health condition honestly to health workers to get the right treatment.

"Oxygen Pheriwala:" An innovative model for SARS-CoV-2 screening in resource-limited settings.

The second wave of SARS-CoV-2 infection came as a hypoxic emergency and situation became worse in rural India, where undiagnosed COVID-19 patients died without any diagnosis or intervention. The primary aim of this innovative model was the early diagnosis of suspected SARS-CoV-2 cases, providing empirical treatment and timely referral to appropriate COVID care facilities. Fever was measured with infrared thermometer and oxygen saturation level with pulse oximeter. A total of 8203 people were screened, of which 274 persons were febrile and 69 (25%) were hypoxic too. Sixty-four out of 69 (93%) patients turned COVID-19 positive on reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. At the end of 3 weeks, 48/64 (75%) patients were successfully discharged. This model can be easily implemented in resource-limited regions to identify and prioritize the patients not only in this pandemic but also in outbreak of other communicable diseases.

What is the Impact of COVID-19 on Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAS) in India from Top Fifteen Source Countries during 2019 & 2020- A Cross Sectional Study?

Due to novel disease, poor management and stringent steps taken by the government as well as sudden increase in admissions at emergency department of hospitals the mortality rate had increased significantly due to COVID-19. Such a catastrophic situation might have reduced the foreign tourist arrivals in India due to several factors like fear, lack of transportation etc. In this modern era geographical knowledge of pattern of distribution of disease is essential while detecting, surveillance, monitoring and responding to any communicable infectious disease outbreak or NCD (non-communicable diseases) or any pandemic situations. Geospatial data of COVID-19 infections per million population reported by countries, territories and areas are under surveillance by national and international agencies such as World Health Organization in various countries. This paper is to find out the impact of COVID-19 on Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) in India from top 15 Source Countries during 2019 &2020 with aim to assess the impact of COVID-19 pandemic era (2020 as discussed above) by comparing it with pre-pandemic era of 2019. To assess the impact of COVID-19 on Foreign Tourist Arrivals number and percentage share of tourists coming to India during pandemic era-2020 and pre-pandemic era 2019 were compared. The total numbers of FTAs in India during 2019 from all source countries were 10930355 which reduced to 2744766 during COVID-19 PANDEMIC ERA in 2020; a massive decline by 8185589 numbers of tourists and 25.11percent compared to pre-pandemic era of 2019. On the other hand the total numbers of FTAs in India during 2019 from Total Top 15 Countries were 8340551 which decreased to 2061161 during COVID-19 PANDEMIC ERA in 2020; a huge decline by 6279390 numbers of tourists and 24.71percent compared to pre-pandemic era of 2019 while FTAs in India during 2019 from Other Countries were 2589804 reduced to 683605 during Covid-era 2020 (26.40% decrease). Tourism is one of the significant resources to generate foreign revenue for India. COVID-19 pandemic era, have affected the tourism sector negatively and this novel research study revealed that the national and international FTAs and revenue income are adversely affected detrimental for Tourism industry. The COVID-19 induced lockdown had resulted in closure of hotels; resorts etc., as well as ships, cruises, flights had been halted to check the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic which has resulted in revenue loss of 1.25 trillion rupees for the Indian tourism industry by 2020.

Commissioning Clinical Spaces During a Pandemic: Merging Methodologies of Human Factors and Simulation.

The objective of this case study is to demonstrate the value of applying tabletop and simulation techniques to highlight high-risk, high-impact outcomes and organizational recommendations in the commissioning of a new clinical spaces. Generalizability of lessons learned from this case study aim to support other health organizations in commissioning of clinical spaces during communicable disease outbreaks. COVID-19 challenged our healthcare system, requiring teams to prepare in a short span of time. Bridging expertise of human factor and simulation teams provided a novel, interdisciplinary, and timely approach to evaluate and commission spaces. Human factors and simulation teams were enlisted to conduct an evaluation of a new space prior to readiness for delivery of safe patient care. An adapted tabletop evaluation and subsequent systems integration simulation was conducted. The goal of the tabletop exercise was to identify and define processes and risks to tested in the physical space using simulation. Applying both human factors science and systems simulation proactively identified the highest risk, highest impact outcomes, validated existing processes and allowed for refining of potential solutions and recommendations of the new space. A strong working relationship between teams fostered an opportunity to share information, debrief, evaluate, and adapt methods while applying timely changes based on emergent findings. These combined methodologies are important tools that can be learned and applied to healthcare commissioning of new clinical spaces in the identification of high-risk, high-impact outcomes affecting staff and organizational preparedness and safety.

SARS-CoV-2 Positivity in a Combat Sports Bubble.

The objective of this report is to describe a SARS-CoV-2 protocol and subsequent positivity rate for athletes and staff participating in combat sports events. Combat sports are among the most challenging to protect against the transmission of communicable diseases. Sports neurologists are often called on to take a leadership role in the safe management of these events. Our team was asked to provide a plan for pre-fight SARS-CoV-2 testing during the recent pandemic. As a result, we were able to successfully host 28 major combat sports events at a single venue with minimal exposure for staff and participants. Athletes and staff were tested for the SARS-CoV-2 virus with a PCR method. Samples were obtained via nasal swab upon arrival at the host hotel. All participants were then quarantined until the results were available. Those with negative tests were allowed to resume training in isolated pods. All participants were retested within 72 hours of the event. Those who were positive were quarantined off site for up to 2 weeks. Consultation was provided with an infectious disease specialist via telemedicine. A total of 8,135 tests were performed from July 1, 2020 until April 30, 2021 for the purpose of maintaining a safe venue. A total of 1,649 subjects were tested. There were 42 positive tests that resulted in an overall SARS-CoV-2 positivity rate of 0.516% for these events. Our sports neurology team was able to design and implement an effective plan to protect combat sports athletes and staff during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. This allowed the safe continuation of 28 events. This protocol design can be implemented when dealing with future outbreaks of communicable diseases.

Penegakan Peraturan Gubernur Bali Nomor 10 Tahun 2021 dalam Tatanan Kehidupan Era Baru

The emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic has claimed many lives and has an impact on all aspects of the state, the Indonesian Government issued Presidential Decree No. 11 of 2020 concerning Public Health Emergencies as a serious warning of health threats. Dishonesty in conveying information on patients suspected of being infected with COVID-19 is categorized as hindering the prevention of outbreaks that can threaten the lives of people around them, including the health workers who handle them. The act of obstructing the handling of the epidemic can be punished. The purposes of this study are to analyze the legal regulation of health protocols in the new life order and the sanctions for people who do not heed the Governor's Regulation No. 10 Year 2021 in Bali. This research method uses a normative legal research type with a statutory concept approach. Data collection techniques were carried out by examining existing library materials. The legal sources used are divided into two, namely primary and secondary legal sources which are then processed and analyzed systematically. The conclusion from the results of the research that has been carried out is that the application of strict sanctions to actions that hinder the prevention of epidemics is punishable by law number 4 of 1984 concerning Communicable Disease Outbreaks article 14 paragraphs (1) and (2). The government seeks to protect health workers as the vanguard of handling the threat of COVID-19 in a preventive and repressive manner. For this reason, it is necessary to disclose one's own health information by disclosing his health condition honestly to health workers to get the right treatment.

Prevalence and factors associated with post-traumatic stress disorder in healthcare workers exposed to COVID-19 in Wuhan, China: a cross-sectional survey

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has posed significant threats to both the physical and psychological health of healthcare workers working in the front-line combating COVID-19. However, studies regarding the medium to long term impact of COVID-19 on mental health among healthcare workers are limited. Therefore, we conducted this cross-sectional survey to investigate the prevalence, factors and impact of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in healthcare workers exposed to COVID-19 8 months after the end of the outbreak in Wuhan, China.MethodsA web-based questionnaire was delivered as a link via the communication application WeChat to those healthcare workers who worked at several COVID-19 units during the outbreak (from December 2019 to April 2020) in Wuhan, China. The questionnaire included questions on social-demographic data, the post-traumatic stress disorder checklist-5 (PCL-5), the family care index questionnaire (Adaptation, Partnership, Growth, Affection and Resolve, APGAR), and the quality-of-life scale (QOL). The prevalence, risk and protective factors, and impact of PTSD on healthcare workers were subsequently analyzed.ResultsAmong the 659 participants, 90 healthcare workers were still suffering from PTSD 8 months after the end of the outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, in which avoidance and negative impact were the most affected dimensions. Suffering from chronic disease, experiencing social isolation, and job dissatisfaction came up as independent risk factors for PTSD, while obtaining COVID-19 related information at an appropriate frequency, good family function, and working in well-prepared mobile cabin hospitals served as protective factors. The impact of PTSD on COVID-19 exposed healthcare workers was apparent by shortened sleeping time, feeling of loneliness, poorer quality of life and intention to resign.ConclusionsEight months after the end of the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan, the level of PTSD in healthcare workers exposed to COVID-19 was still high. Apart from the commonly recognized risk factors, comorbid chronic disease was identified as a new independent risk factor for developing PTSD. For countries where the pandemic is still ongoing or in case of future outbreaks of new communicable diseases, this study may contribute to preventing cases of PTSD in healthcare workers exposed to infectious diseases under such circumstances.

A Modern Perspective on Vaccinating Healthcare Service Providers in India: A Narrative Review.

Healthcare providers (HCPs) are at increased risk of acquisition and transmission of infectious disease. Vaccinating HCPs is an essential preventive measure to protect them and their patients against communicable diseases, while positively and directly impacting the functioning of the healthcare system. In India, healthcare represents one of the largest employment sectors with 3.8 million HCPs; however, there is limited awareness of national immunisation guidelines for the Indian HCP population. Data from communicable disease outbreaks across India suggest inadequate vaccination rates amongst HCPs; studies have reported influenza and varicella vaccination rates as low as 4.4% and 16%, respectively. In this review, we discuss data highlighting the impact of insufficient vaccination coverage, barriers to vaccination, and the lack of immunisation guidelines amongst HCPs in India. COVID-19 vaccination programmes for HCPs have been critical in slowing the pandemic in India. This provides an opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of vaccines amongst HCPs in India.

English

BACKGROUND India has been facing various challenges in the past decade, which include outbreaks of different communicable diseases and the rising of slow pandemics of non-communicable diseases. The current COVID 19 pandemic brings to light the need to revamp the training in public health during the internship. A standardized and outcome-based approach to internship training is the need of the hour for the Indian medical graduate (IMG). The internship program in community medicine should train the Indian medical graduate to develop patient management and administrative skills to promote health care through a health facility. The training provided is not standardized or evaluated across the medical colleges. Hence, it was aimed to study the effectiveness of educational interventions on internship training during the posting at the rural training health centre (RTHC). METHODS A quasi-experimental study was conducted among the interns posted in the rural training health centre using a validated semi-structured questionnaire as a pretest followed by a post-test after two weeks of training on the primary health care system. The perception of the students towards the training was assessed using the Likert 5 point scale. RESULTS The pre-test score was 5.30 (SD 2.105) and the post-test mean score was 9.35 (SD 2.033) [P < 0.01]. The gender-based analysis also showed significance within genders. Student perception revealed 80 % found the training useful, 90 % agreed that the guidance provided by the field staff helped them and 90 % agreed that the intervention changed their outlook towards the internship training in community medicine. CONCLUSIONS The study has brought a positive outlook towards giving adequate guidance to acquire knowledge and skills to interns by the active involvement of faculty. Rethinking and re-implementation of the existing internship training in the community is the need of the hour. KEYWORDS Internship Training, Community Medicine, Medical Education, Kerala, GMR 2019

Knowledge, Attitude, and Training of Health-Care Workers and Preparedness of Hospital Emergency Departments for the Threat of Communicable Diseases at Mass Gathering Events in Qatar: A Cross-Sectional Study.

This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and training of health-care workers (HCW), and their perception of the preparedness of hospitals for communicable disease (CD) threats during mass gathering (MG) events. This was a cross-sectional study conducted from June 1 to July 31, 2019, of doctors and registered nurses working in the emergency departments (EDs) of 5 main hospitals in Qatar. A self-administered online survey was used for data collection. The overall mean knowledge score about CD threat among study participants was 75.0% (SD ± 18.1). The majority of the participants had a favorable attitude toward CD preparedness during MG events. The participants achieved high scores in attending workshops on triaging, first aid, and infection control. Study participants as well had favorable perceptions about the current preparedness of their respective hospitals to respond to CD outbreaks in MG events. The participants were knowledgeable about the risk of CD outbreaks during MG events (eg, Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) World Cup games 2022) and had a favorable attitude and necessary training to respond to such outbreaks. Regular practice drills are necessary to ensure that all members of the workforce are knowledgeable of the necessary actions to take in emergent high-risk situations.

Recommended reporting items for epidemic forecasting and prediction research: The EPIFORGE 2020 guidelines.

BackgroundThe importance of infectious disease epidemic forecasting and prediction research is underscored by decades of communicable disease outbreaks, including COVID-19. Unlike other fields of medical research, such as clinical trials and systematic reviews, no reporting guidelines exist for reporting epidemic forecasting and prediction research despite their utility. We therefore developed the EPIFORGE checklist, a guideline for standardized reporting of epidemic forecasting research.Methods and findingsWe developed this checklist using a best-practice process for development of reporting guidelines, involving a Delphi process and broad consultation with an international panel of infectious disease modelers and model end users. The objectives of these guidelines are to improve the consistency, reproducibility, comparability, and quality of epidemic forecasting reporting. The guidelines are not designed to advise scientists on how to perform epidemic forecasting and prediction research, but rather to serve as a standard for reporting critical methodological details of such studies.ConclusionsThese guidelines have been submitted to the EQUATOR network, in addition to hosting by other dedicated webpages to facilitate feedback and journal endorsement.

The potential roles of pharmacy medication sales data to augment the syndromic surveillance system in response to COVID-19 and preparedness for other future infectious disease outbreaks in Indonesia.

BackgroundIndonesia faces a continuous threat from communicable disease outbreaks. The current COVID‐19 outbreak, the previous one of SARS, and many other infectious outbreaks encountered in the country warn of the need to develop comprehensive early warning systems to enable timely health responses in the long run. In this article, we argue that over the counter medication sales data at community pharmacies in Indonesia can potentially augment and increase the detection power of the current syndromic surveillance system, particularly in dealing with COVID‐19 and other future infectious disease outbreaks in the country.Main BodyThis article discusses the experience of other countries in employing pharmacy medication sales data to serve as potential syndromic surveillance platform and contribute to pandemic responses. We argue why it is worth considering utilising medication sales data from pharmacies in Indonesia to support the current surveillance system which enables the provision of early warnings of disease outbreaks. We then discuss the potential challenges of operationalising these data and suggest a way forward for the development and implementation of the syndromic surveillance system at community pharmacy settings in Indonesia.ConclusionWhile there are several challenges in developing a workable system in Indonesia that need to be addressed, introducing a syndromic surveillance system using pharmacy‐setting medication sales data is worth investigating in the country.

Measles outbreak, Montenegro January-July 2018: Lessons learned.

In 2017, the Regional Verification Commission for Measles and Rubella Elimination (RVC) of the World Health Organization confirmed that measles elimination was sustained in Montenegro, and the previous endemic transmission remained interrupted. However, the RVC was extremely concerned over the continuing low vaccination coverage reported for this country. In this study, we describe the most recent measles epidemic in Montenegro using the epidemiological data collected from January 1 to July 31, 2018. The outbreak is largely attributable to a dangerous accumulation of susceptible subjects across the country and represents a high‐risk factor for re‐establishing endemic transmission in the Balkan area. This study showed how a vaccine‐preventable communicable disease outbreak can have a dramatic impact and severe consequences on regional public health system performance in terms of the sanitary spending point of view. A detailed update is provided on the epidemiological situation in this Central European area, not available until now.

Minimizing psychological distress and promoting resilience during quarantine: Piloting the town hall model.

Quarantine and isolation are important public health strategies for containing highly hazardous communicable disease outbreaks, particularly when vaccines and effective treatments are unavailable. Despite their effectiveness in disease containment, both quarantine and isolation, whether home- or facility-based, can lead to negative psychological outcomes in the short and long term. This article describes a novel, evidence-informed pilot intervention to prevent psychological deterioration during facility-based quarantine and isolation. Designed for the National Quarantine Unit during the repatriation of 15 American passengers exposed to COVID-19 on a cruise ship, the model incorporates findings from several areas of research, including factors that increase stress during quarantine and isolation, resources and competencies thought to contribute to individual resilience, and the role of social support in buffering stress. The high participation rate, in connection with positive feedback from guests, suggests that the pilot intervention holds promise for mitigating the potentially damaging psychological effects of facility-based quarantine and isolation. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved) Impact Statement Public Significance Statement -This case study describes a novel, pilot intervention to prevent psychological deterioration in a group undergoing facility-based quarantine after exposure to COVID-19. The intervention addressed participants' basic needs and comfort, provided them with timely information about the disease, and introduced strategies believed to enhance resilience. Qualitative feedback suggests the model holds promise for mitigating the potentially negative psychological consequences of quarantine, though controlled research is necessary to test this hypothesis. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved)

Any Port in a Pandemic: International Law and Restrictions on Maritime Traffic during the COVID-19 Pandemic

AbstractThe current international framework that purports to regulate the spread of communicable disease in the context of maritime traffic is a fragmented, internally inconsistent, and inadequately enforced patchwork of treaties (including the International Health Regulations (2005)) and customary international law. The COVID-19 pandemic has tested the current framework and revealed it to be inadequate to deal with a major global health emergency. States have imposed or failed to impose varying control measures, the effects of which have been witnessed on board passenger vessels around the world. The cruise industry, in particular, has a significant global economic impact; therefore, appropriate, enforceable international regulation is necessary to ensure the adequate control of future communicable disease outbreaks.

COVID-19 Epidemic in Malaysia: Epidemic Progression, Challenges, and Response.

COVID-19 pandemic is the greatest communicable disease outbreak to have hit Malaysia since the 1918 Spanish Flu which killed 34,644 people or 1% of the population of the then British Malaya. In 1999, the Nipah virus outbreak killed 105 Malaysians, while the SARS outbreak of 2003 claimed only 2 lives. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has so far claimed over 100 Malaysian lives. There were two waves of the COVID-19 cases in Malaysia. First wave of 22 cases occurred from January 25 to February 15 with no death and full recovery of all cases. The ongoing second wave, which commenced on February 27, presented cases in several clusters, the biggest of which was the Sri Petaling Tabligh cluster with an infection rate of 6.5%, and making up 47% of all cases in Malaysia. Subsequently, other clusters appeared from local mass gatherings and imported cases of Malaysians returning from overseas. Healthcare workers carry high risks of infection due to the daily exposure and management of COVID-19 in the hospitals. However, 70% of them were infected through community transmission and not while handling patients. In vulnerable groups, the incidence of COVID-19 cases was highest among the age group 55 to 64 years. In terms of fatalities, 63% were reported to be aged above 60 years, and 81% had chronic comorbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart diseases. The predominant COVID-19 strain in Malaysia is strain B, which is found exclusively in East Asia. However, strain A, which is mostly found in the USA and Australia, and strain C in Europe were also present. To contain the epidemic, Malaysia implemented a Movement Control Order (MCO) beginning on March 18 in 4 phases over 2 months, ending on May 12. In terms of economic impacts, Malaysia lost RM2.4 billion a day during the MCO period, with an accumulated loss of RM63 billion up to the end of April. Since May 4, Malaysia has relaxed the MCO and opened up its economic sector to relieve its economic burden. Currently, the best approach to achieving herd immunity to COVID-19 is through vaccination rather than by acquiring it naturally. There are at least two candidate vaccines which have reached the final stage of human clinical trials. Malaysia's COVID-19 case fatality rate is lower than what it is globally; this is due to the successful implementation of early preparedness and planning, the public health and hospital system, comprehensive contact tracing, active case detection, and a strict enhanced MCO.

Web-Based Apps for Responding to Acute Infectious Disease Outbreaks in the Community: Systematic Review.

BackgroundWeb-based technology has dramatically improved our ability to detect communicable disease outbreaks, with the potential to reduce morbidity and mortality because of swift public health action. Apps accessible through the internet and on mobile devices create an opportunity to enhance our traditional indicator-based surveillance systems, which have high specificity but issues with timeliness.ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to describe the literature on web-based apps for indicator-based surveillance and response to acute communicable disease outbreaks in the community with regard to their design, implementation, and evaluation.MethodsWe conducted a systematic search of the published literature across four databases (MEDLINE via OVID, Web of Science Core Collection, ProQuest Science, and Google Scholar) for peer-reviewed journal papers from January 1998 to October 2019 using a keyword search. Papers with the full text available were extracted for review, and exclusion criteria were applied to identify eligible papers.ResultsOf the 6649 retrieved papers, 23 remained, describing 15 web-based apps. Apps were primarily designed to improve the early detection of disease outbreaks, targeted government settings, and comprised either complex algorithmic or statistical outbreak detection mechanisms or both. We identified a need for these apps to have more features to support secure information exchange and outbreak response actions, with a focus on outbreak verification processes and staff and resources to support app operations. Evaluation studies (6 out of 15 apps) were mostly cross-sectional, with some evidence of reduction in time to notification of outbreak; however, studies lacked user-based needs assessments and evaluation of implementation.ConclusionsPublic health officials designing new or improving existing disease outbreak web-based apps should ensure that outbreak detection is automatic and signals are verified by users, the app is easy to use, and staff and resources are available to support the operations of the app and conduct rigorous and holistic evaluations.

SCOPE OF AYURVEDA IN MODERN ERA: NEW HORIZONS

Health is elemental for good quality of life and a good healthcare system is a cornerstone of sustainable society. World health statistics 2019 summarises that, the global health status have been improved over the decades. Even though there are phenomenal achievements in global life expectancy and infectious disease management , the new outbreaks of communicable diseases and the additional burden of Non-communicable diseases stands as a flaw in the modern medical system that emerged in 18th century. It is at this point, there exists the need of bringing alternative system of medicine to the main stream for better disease prevention and management. In such a scenario- Ayurveda (the science of life) – the science coming under the umbrella of alternative system of medicine as well as the one focussing on mind ,health and spirituality becomes imperative. The current inclination for healthy diets, immunity enhancement ,rejuvenation and lifestyle management, calls for retroactive and proactive attempts to bring Ayurveda in the mainstream of health care. . In a modern era where the whole world is inclining for Ayurveda, India -the land rich for its traditions and heritage should step forward with its own indigenous system of medicine.

The impact of COVID-19 on alcohol and other drug nurses' provision of care: A qualitative descriptive study.

Aims and objectivesTo explore the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on alcohol and other drug nurses providing treatment for individuals presenting with problematic alcohol and other drug use.BackgroundCOVID‐19 has caused disruption to contemporary health service delivery, including alcohol and other drug treatment. Provisional research on drug and alcohol consumption patterns shows changes attributable to the pandemic, with implications for service delivery. Research also indicates the impact of the pandemic on healthcare staff is significant, leading to workforce challenges that threaten care provision.DesignQualitative descriptive study design.MethodsData were collected using semi‐structured, individual telephone interviews with practising alcohol and other drug nurses from Australia and New Zealand (n = 19). COREQ reporting guidelines were used.ResultsAfter thematic analysis, three key themes emerged: ‘No room at the inn: Changes to service delivery due to COVID‐19’, ‘We are providing care to a very vulnerable group of people: Consumer factors during COVID‐19’ and ‘Personally, we were very, very stressed: Workforce factors due to COVID‐19’.ConclusionsThe findings from this study indicate that the impact of the pandemic was felt by alcohol and other drug nurses, services and healthcare consumers alike. The experiences of alcohol and other drug nurses through the COVID‐19 pandemic need further exploration both to ensure workforce sustainability and that disruptions to alcohol and other drug services do not occur in future outbreaks of communicable disease.Relevance to clinical practiceCOVID‐19 has had a profound effect on nurses in all settings, and these effects are likely to be felt for some time after the pandemic: nursing specialties require support to ensure ongoing workforce sustainability and well‐being of nursing staff. All nurses need to be aware of changes to alcohol and other drug use during the pandemic and screen healthcare consumers accordingly.

Pandemic (Movies): A Pragmatic Analysis of a Nascent Genre

Fiction films representing outbreaks of communicable diseases can be tracked to at least And the Children Play (Jacques Tyrol, 1918) and Die Pest in Florenz (The Pest of Florence, Otto Rippert, 191...