Pandemic Containment Measures Research Articles

Covid-19 and its Impact on Religiosity: Reflections on Religious Life and Practice in Uganda

The Coronavirus Disease of 2019 (Covid-19) has been a trending academic research topic since 2020. Globally, numerous treatises on the relation between religion and Covid-19 exist with scholars inclined on religious explanatory models of the disease and its impact on religious practices. This has been counterfactual for Uganda, with immense scholarly attention devoted to analyzing the impact of the pandemic on socio-economic variables. Uganda, being a highly religious nation, provides an ideal case study as classical theoretical postulations stand firm on a positive sustained correlation between religiosity and natural disasters. Using the postmodernist innovative qualitative approach and unconventional 'remote' research methods of data collection due to the bitingly restrictive Covid-19 measures, the study established that this virus variably impacted religiosity. Those hitherto religious became stauncher and more stalwart. The former religiously unenthusiastically forsook religious routines. The pandemic containment measures revolutionized the long-standing religious practices and traditions, which necessitated the adoption of and adapting to fresh forms of religious expression.

Covid-19 and its Impact on Religiosity: Reflections on Religious Life and Practice in Uganda

The Coronavirus Disease of 2019 (Covid-19) has been a trending academic research topic since 2020. Globally, numerous treatises on the relation between religion and Covid-19 exist with scholars inclined on religious explanatory models of the disease and its impact on religious practices. This has been counterfactual for Uganda, with immense scholarly attention devoted to analyzing the impact of the pandemic on socio-economic variables. Uganda, being a highly religious nation, provides an ideal case study as classical theoretical postulations stand firm on a positive sustained correlation between religiosity and natural disasters. Using the postmodernist innovative qualitative approach and unconventional 'remote' research methods of data collection due to the bitingly restrictive Covid-19 measures, the study established that this virus variably impacted religiosity. Those hitherto religious became stauncher and more stalwart. The former religiously unenthusiastically forsook religious routines. The pandemic containment measures revolutionized the long-standing religious practices and traditions, which necessitated the adoption of and adapting to fresh forms of religious expression.

Incidence of Type 1 Diabetes in Children and Adolescents During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Germany: Results From the DPV Registry.

The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of type 1 diabetes in children and adolescents during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Germany compared with previous years. Based on data from the multicenter German Diabetes Prospective Follow-up Registry, we analyzed the incidence of type 1 diabetes per 100,000 patient-years in children and adolescents from 1 January 2020 through 30 June 2021. Using Poisson regression models, expected incidences for 2020/21 were estimated based on the data from 2011 to 2019 and compared with observed incidences in 2020/21 by estimating incidence rate ratios (IRRs) with 95% CIs. From 1 January 2020 to 30 June 2021, 5,162 children and adolescents with new-onset type 1 diabetes in Germany were registered. The observed incidence in 2020/21 was significantly higher than the expected incidence (24.4 [95% CI 23.6-25.2] vs. 21.2 [20.5-21.9]; IRR 1.15 [1.10-1.20]; P < 0.001). IRRs were significantly elevated in June 2020 (IRR 1.43 [1.07-1.90]; P = 0.003), July 2020 (IRR 1.48 [1.12-1.96]; P < 0.001), March 2021 (IRR 1.29 [1.01-1.65]; P = 0.028), and June 2021 (IRR 1.39 [1.04-1.85]; P = 0.010). A significant increase in the incidence of type 1 diabetes in children was observed during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a delay in the peak incidence of type 1 diabetes by ∼3 months after the peak COVID-19 incidence and also after pandemic containment measures. The underlying causes are yet unknown. However, indirect rather than direct effects of the pandemic are more likely to be the cause.

Eating Problems in Youths with Type 1 Diabetes During and After Lockdown in Italy: An 8-Month Follow-Up Study

Eighty-five youths with T1D and 176 controls aged 8–19 years were asked to complete online questionnaires (ChEAT and EAT-26) measuring disordered eating behaviors (DEBs) during (baseline) and after (8-month follow-up) the lockdown. DEB symptoms in all participants (especially younger than 13 years), glycemic control, and zBMI were found unchanged from baseline to follow-up (all p > .05). After 8 months, the ChEAT/EAT-26 critical score frequency decreased significantly in controls (p = .004), as was the score for the ChEAT/EAT-26’s Oral Control subscale in both groups (T1D: p = .005; controls: p = .01). Participants with T1D, especially those older than 13 years, had higher ChEAT/EAT-26 Dieting scores (p = .037) and lower ChEAT/EAT-26 Oral Control scores (p = .046) than controls. Unchanged DEB symptoms suggest that the COVID-19 restrictions did not significantly affect participants’ eating behaviors and that a general adaptation to the challenges of lockdown and other pandemic containment measures occurred in both T1D and control participants.

Microfinance risk management, social mission and financial performance during the Covid-19 pandemic in Uganda

Introduction: Microfinance is an economic tool promoted to extend financial services to the vulnerable groups excluded from the formal financial institutions. The Covid-19 pandemic containment measures disrupted the economic activities of the poor and made it hard for microfinance institutions (MFIs) to reach out to poor.&#x0D; Purpose: This paper sets out to investigate the relationship between microfinance institutions risk management, social mission and financial performance of MFIs during the Covid-19 pandemic in Uganda. The study objectives were to investigate the relationship between risk management and financial performance of MFIs during the Covid-19 pandemic in Uganda and to investigate the relationship between the microfinance social mission and financial performance of MFIs during the Covid-19 pandemic in Uganda.&#x0D; Methodology: This was a cross sectional study that involved 53 respondents conveniently selected from six (6) MFIs from Central Uganda working in the area of credit. The data was collected during the late period of the year 2021 using a self –administered questionnaire and analysed using STATA 12 to generate both descriptive and inferential statistics.&#x0D; Results: The study findings revealed the existence of a significant positive relationship between risk management and the social mission (0.88; ); risk management and financial performance (0.91; ); the social mission and financial performance (0.88; ). Collectively, the predictor variables explain 85% of the variation in microfinance financial performance (Adjusted R-squared 0.85; p&lt;0.00).&#x0D; Recommendations: It is recommended that while designing risk management strategies, the focus be put on the social mission that will translate in the attainment of the financial objective. Attempts should be made by policy makers to help MFIs design strategies that integrate the dual bottom line with the triple bottom line.

Social alignment matters:\xa0Following pandemic guidelines is associated with better wellbeing

BackgroundIn response to the Covid-19 pandemic, most countries implemented physical distancing measures. Many mental health experts warned that through increasing social isolation and anxiety, these measures could negatively affect psychosocial wellbeing. However, socially aligning with others by adhering to these measures may also be beneficial for wellbeing.MethodsWe examined these two contrasting hypotheses using cross-national survey data (N = 6675) collected fortnightly from participants in 115 countries over 3 months at the beginning of the pandemic. Participants reported their wellbeing, perceptions of how vulnerable they were to Covid-19 (i.e., high risk of infection) and how much they, and others in their social circle and country, were adhering to the distancing measures.ResultsLinear mixed-effects models showed that being a woman, having lower educational attainment, living alone and perceived high vulnerability to Covid-19 were risk factors for poorer wellbeing. Being young (18–25) was associated with lower wellbeing, but longitudinal analyses showed that young people’s wellbeing improved over 3 months. In contrast to widespread views that physical distancing measures negatively affect wellbeing, results showed that following the guidelines was positively associated with wellbeing even for people in high-risk groups.ConclusionsThese findings provide an important counterpart to the idea that pandemic containment measures such as physical distancing negatively impacted wellbeing unequivocally. Despite the overall burden of the pandemic on psychosocial wellbeing, social alignment with others can still contribute to positive wellbeing. The pandemic has manifested our propensity to adapt to challenges, particularly highlighting how social alignment can forge resilience.

Living with Chronic Pain During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Analysis.

PurposeCOVID-19 pandemic containment measures have led to changes in various areas of life, including restrictions on health care. Patients with chronic pain may have faced an increased burden during pandemic and the resources of this vulnerable population are unknown. Therefore, a qualitative study was conducted to understand how people with chronic pain have experienced the course of the pandemic.Patients and MethodsTwenty semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted six months after the initial lockdown in Germany. The participants were patients with chronic pain who exhibited varying changes in their pain during the first German lockdown, recruited from a German outpatient pain clinic at a Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care. The semi-structured interview guidelines were designed to explore how patients with chronic pain experienced their pain during the pandemic, how they coped, and how they experienced pain management during this time. The interview recordings were transcribed verbatim and coded using the qualitative content analysis method.ResultsFour themes emerged from the results: differential impact on pain experience, difficulty coping with pain, supportive pain management, and endurance.ConclusionDuring this uncertain time, it was particularly important to maintain pain treatment in order to establish a sense of safety and stability. This underscores the special role of maintaining therapeutic contact during a pandemic and the potentially special role of telemedicine.

Laugh in Case of Emergency: Framing the Pandemic Through Memes in Italy and Russia

Abstract During the COVID-19 pandemic, meme culture prospered. New topics, styles and problems emerged from meme-sharing, resulting in a specific genre – quarantine memes. Although some of the possible causes could be linked to the lockdown boredom and consequent increase in screen-time among internet users; we argue that the other cause has to be sought in the complex role memes had (and still have) as instruments of symbolic framing. As De Rycker (2018) put forth, a crisis is a human activity carried out knowingly and intentionally. Understanding the COVID-19 pandemic as a crisis, we aim to analyse quarantine memes as a participatory practice of ‘doing crisis’ – in particular, by framing its meanings and making sense of changes in everyday life. Quarantine memes exist in the context of uncertainty, risks and fears about people’s health, restrictions of freedom, stress and changes in daily routines. The creation of memes that emerged from this context frames the pandemic and the virus in a variety of ways, not only suggesting different points of view but also establishing norms, encouraging (dis)belief and satirically or creatively commenting on new COVID-related practices. Using a combination of digital ethnography and content analysis, we observed the meme-related participatory practices of quarantine memes on the most popular webpages in two countries: Russia (VKontakte) and Italy (Facebook). Temporally covering the first wave and the subsequent pandemic containment measures (February-October 2020), we distinguished a set of framing strategies that are suggested via memes by online audiences: alienation, avoidance, awareness-raising, critique, domestication, subversion, escapism and acknowledgement of emotions. Comparing and contrasting the topics and symbolic strategies that emerged in those countries, we showed that symbolic framing via memes is not a straightforward phenomenon, but a long-nuanced process in which different perceptions of the virus overlapped each other and changed through time.

Prevalence and Risk Factors for Hypertension among Myanmar Migrant Workers in Thailand.

Background: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are showing an increasing trend worldwide, and the COVID-19 pandemic may interrupt or delay NCD care, the leading cause of mortality in Thailand, which is hosting 2–3 million migrant workers. The transition of epidemiological risk factors, limited access to health-promoting activities, and pandemic containment measures may adversely impact NCD risks. Therefore, hypertension and associated risk factors were determined among registered Myanmar migrant workers in Thailand. Methods: A cross-sectional survey with structured questionnaires was conducted in Thailand in 2017. Having hypertension was analyzed as a dependent variable, and the associated risk factors were explored by binary logistic regression analysis. Results: A total of 414 participants with a mean age of 29.45 ± 9.03 years were included, and 27.8 percent of the study participants were hypertensive, which was a rate higher than that in their host country (24.7%) and country of origin (26.4%). An older age, being male, current alcohol drinking, and being overweight and obese with reference to the body mass index (BMI) were significantly associated with hypertension. Conclusions: Our findings reaffirmed the idea that NCDs are important public health concerns, and a simple BMI measurement would be a valuable tool with which to determine hypertension risks. Targeted surveillance and an appropriate health policy are necessary for such a vulnerable population in Thailand.

The changing epidemiology of interpersonal firearm violence during the COVID-19 pandemic in Philadelphia, PA

Recent increases in firearm violence in U.S. cities are well-documented, however dynamic changes in the people, places and intensity of this public health threat during the COVID-19 pandemic are relatively unexplored. This descriptive epidemiologic study spanning from January 1, 2015 - March 31, 2021 utilizes the Philadelphia Police Department's registry of shooting victims, a database which includes all individuals shot and/or killed due to interpersonal firearm violence in the city of Philadelphia. We compared victim and event characteristics prior to the pandemic with those following implementation of pandemic containment measures. In this study, containment began on March 16, 2020, when non-essential businesses were ordered to close in Philadelphia. There were 331 (SE = 13.9) individuals shot/quarter pre-containment vs. 545 (SE = 66.4) individuals shot/quarter post-containment (p = 0.031). Post-containment, the proportion of women shot increased by 39% (95% CI: 1.21, 1.59), and the proportion of children shot increased by 17% (95% CI: 1.00, 1.35). Black women and children were more likely to be shot post-containment (RR 1.11, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.20 and RR 1.08, 95% CI: 1.03, 1.14, respectively). The proportion of mass shootings (≥4 individuals shot within 100 m within 1 h) increased by 53% post-containment (95% CI: 1.25, 1.88). Geographic analysis revealed relative increases in all shootings and mass shootings in specific city locations post-containment. The observed changes in firearm injury epidemiology following COVID-19 containment in Philadelphia demonstrate an intensification in firearm violence, which is increasingly impacting people who are likely made more vulnerable by existing social and structural disadvantage. These findings support existing knowledge about structural causes of interpersonal firearm violence and suggest structural solutions are required to address this public health threat.

Vehicle Routing Optimization for Pandemic Containment: A Systematic Review on Applications and Solution Approaches

The global spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has accounted for many deaths. The effective containment of the current COVID-19 epidemic calls for a fast and sustainable delivery strategy to minimize the impact of this crisis. As such, this study aimed to conduct a comprehensive review of research on the vehicle routing problem (VRP) from a sustainable viewpoint during the pandemic and explore viable delivery solutions that may aid in the containment of the COVID-19 pandemic. Through a systematic review of the selected articles, four broad themes of pandemic containment measures from the delivery aspect were identified: efficient pharmaceutical delivery strategy, contactless distribution, sustainable waste transportation strategy, and isolated and quarantine vehicle scheduling. Following that, the methodology utilized to execute the containment measures were analyzed, research gaps were hightlighted, and possibilities for future studies were suggested. In summary, the goal of this research is to provide an overview of the literature on the application of VRPs in pandemic control and to assist academics and practitioners in learning more about the performance metrics, models, and solution techniques utilized in pandemic control delivery operations.

Chinese–Russian distance interpreting landscape: a local perspective

This paper discusses the Chinese–Russian interpreters’ views on the adoption of distance interpreting (DI) technology in the local Russian context. From the intergovernmental to the people-topeople level, the Sino-Russian relationship has been developing as a strategic partnership. Due to travel restrictions and other pandemic containment measures, the demand for virtual communication technology and remote interpreting has been on the rise, which highlighted a variety of implications for the interpreting profession. We present the results of a series of interviews with Chinese–Russian interpreters from Moscow and Chelyabinsk, Russia (n=6), accompanied by a small-scale online survey (n=26). The exploratory study focuses on the interpreters’ experience with technology, and on their perception of DI in general and video remote interpreting in particular. The results suggest that the common DI scenarios in the local Chinese– Russian interpreting market (Chelyabinsk region) include video-mediated and over-the-phone consecutive interpreting in business and education settings. The study also reveals an overall positive attitude to the DI technology among the surveyed interpreters, despite such reported challenges as psychological discomfort, connection problems and technical difficulties on the clients’ part, which often lead to new responsibilities of an interpreter.

The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic Containment Measures on Families and Children with Moderate and High-Functioning ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder)

The present study focuses on the impact of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) transmission prevention measures and, in particular, home confinement of families with children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Greece. It is assumed that the implemented new measures during the pandemic constitute a profound change for children on the spectrum, considering that the core ASD symptoms include the persistence and adherence to routine and stability, a condition that also directly affects the children’s parents. Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted. Participants were 10 caregivers with a child diagnosed with ASD of medium or high functioning in Greece. The ages of the children range from 6.5 to 15 years old. The results of the thematic analysis revealed three main themes: (1) the educational framework, (2) the management of daily life, and (3) the construction of the new daily routine. These three themes represent the levels that have undergone a decisive transition, and the sub-themes recommend the areas, individual ways of dealing with this shift. So far, the impact of the pandemic mitigation measures cannot be described as generally positive or negative, as there have been advances and setbacks for children and families alike. Finally, governmental measures and technology-assisted teaching (distance learning) were considered necessary but not sufficient enough for full adaptation.

COVID-19 vulnerability and perceived norm violations predict loss of social trust: A pre-post study

While pandemic containment measures benefit public health, they may jeopardize the social structure of society. We hypothesize that lockdowns and prolonged social distancing measures hinder social support and invite norm violations, eroding social trust. We conducted a pre-registered pre-post study on a representative sample of the Dutch population (n = 2377; participation rate = 88.8%), measuring social trust reported by the same individuals before and after the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results show that social trust in the Netherlands suddenly dropped from its historically stable level, reaching one of its lowest points on record. The decline was stronger among residents belonging to official high-risk categories, especially if they perceived themselves as likely to become infected. Individuals who more strongly agreed with self-isolation norms or did not perceive a widespread compliance or agreement with such norms also reported a greater loss of trust.

Individual level lifestyle changes during the COVID-19 pandemic – A Finnish population-based study

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic containment measures may affect lifestyle. We aimed to examine the changes in key lifestyle factors based on the data from same individuals before (2017) and during (2020) the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsThe study is based on the FinHealth 2017 Study representing the Finnish adult population, and its follow-up questionnaire conducted in autumn 2020. A total of 4814 individuals aged 25 and older at baseline answered the same questions on lifestyle in both years. Regular leisure-time physical activity (LPA), daily use of vegetables and/or fruits, experience of adequate sleep, daily use of nicotine products and high-risk use of alcohol, were dichotomized (yes/no) for the analysis. Weighted prevalence (no/favorable/unfavorable change) for three age groups (25-49, 50-69, 70+ years) was analyzed using multinomial logistic regression, sampling design and non-response acknowledged.ResultsIn general, the prevalence of total changes observed varied 6 − 27% between lifestyle factors. The changes were both unfavorable and favorable for health. About 14% (95% CI 11,17) and 12% (95% CI 9,16) of older women and men, respectively, had LPA in 2017 but not in 2020. Corresponding prevalence for favorable change in LPA were smaller, 6% (95% CI 4,8) in older women and 7% (95% CI 4,9) in men. In older women, the results concerning daily use of vegetables and fruits were parallel. In contrast, in older women the changes observed in the experience of adequate sleep were mainly favorable. In all age groups, high-risk use of alcohol slightly decreased especially in men but the changes in use of nicotine products were minor.ConclusionsThe results highlight unfavorable changes in LPA and vegetable consumption especially in older women during the COVID-19 pandemic. Part of the unfavorable changes may be explained by aging, but the pandemic containment measures may have accelerated them indicating the need for health promotion actions among the elderly.Key messages The lifestyle changes observed during COVID-19 pandemic were complex, varying by sex and age groups and being both favorable and unfavorable for health.Special attention should be given to promotion of physical activity in the elderly during and after the pandemic.

The effect of COVID-19 epidemic on the incidence of community-acquired pneumonia in the elderly

BackgroundSince the outbreak of COVID-19 has raged, large-scale measures for prevent disease transmission have been implemented worldwide. If effectively implemented, these measures may have led to a reduction of the spread of other respiratory infectious diseases at community level. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the indirect impact of COVID-19 large-scale containment measures on the incidence of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in the elderly during the first epidemic wave of COVID-19 in Tuscany, Italy.MethodsA population based study was carried out on data from the Tuscany healthcare system. Hospitalization rate for CAP, severity of CAP hospitalizations, and outpatient consumptions of antibacterials for CAP in people aged 65 years and older were considered as outcome measures. Percentage changes in the outcome measures were calculated considering corresponding periods of the 2020 and 2017-19. 95% confidence intervals and the statistical significance of the percentage changes were calculated using the Poisson model.ResultsA total of 3,346 new CAP hospitalizations occurred in people aged 65 years and older in the whole study time-frame. Significant reductions in the weekly hospitalization rates for CAP were observed starting from the week in which the national containment measures were imposed, this negative deviation continued even after the lift of the national lock-down until the end of the first wave of COVID-19 in July (maximum weekly decrease of 46%). All the antibacterial classes for CAP showed a significant decrease in their outpatient consumptions during the COVID-19 epidemic period.ConclusionsThe implementation of large-scale COVID-19 containment measures likely reduced the incidence of CAP in the elderly during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, findings suggests that individual prevention measures that remained mandatory after the lift of the national lock-down also had a relevant role in the reducing CAP incidence.Key messages The potential benefits of pandemic containment measures can extend beyond the prevention of COVID-19 to include the reduction of the burden of respiratory infectious diseasesTaking into account the indirect impact of pandemic containment measures on respiratory tract infections may improve the planning of health services during a pandemic.

Preventive and risky health behavior of Swiss university students during the COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundYoung adults are not considered a risk group for contracting COVID-19, but they are disproportionately affected by pandemic containment measures compared to other age groups. University students were confronted with abrupt changes both in their personal and academic lives. The “Health in Students during the Corona pandemic” study (HES-C) investigated the health and health behavior, concerns and views in students of the Zurich University of Applied Sciences. In the current analyses, we focused on COVID-19 related preventive behaviors, alcohol and marijuana consumption during the pandemic.MethodsAll students of the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (N = 12,429) were invited to a voluntary repeated cross-sectional open cohort survey which took place from the April 3 2020 (T0) to January 25 (T5), covering two university semesters with overall 6 surveys. Participation rates varied from T0 20% to T5 13%.ResultsWhile overall adherence to containment measures was high, men yielded lower adjusted odds (OR; 95%-CI) of adherence regarding the following measures: social distancing (0.68; 0.53-0.87), non-utilization of public transport (0.74; 0.56-0.97), 5-person limit for social gatherings (0.47; 0.35-0.64) and the stay at home rule (0.64; 0.51-0.82). In addition to gender, factors associated with adherence were information source and perceived susceptibility to the virus. Out of 80% who reported having drunk alcohol during the last 30 days at T0, 31% engaged at least once in binge drinking (>5 beverages) and 18% consumed more than usual. Marijuana was consumed by 11%, of which 27% reported higher use during the lock-down than before. Longitudinal data on risk behavior and factors associated with risk behavior and changes in behavior are currently being analyzed and will be presented.ConclusionsPublic health communication targeting university students should not only address pandemic related preventive behavior but also risk behavior during the pandemic.Key messages The pandemic has led to increased risky health behavior among certain students.Public health communication targeting university students should not only address pandemic related preventive behavior but also risk behavior during the pandemic.

COVID-19 vaccination: what are the costs we should include?

As for previous communicable diseases, the vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 can be a truly “game-changing” factor to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic. A lot has been discussed about what is the less expensive vaccine and how health expenditures might be overrun with pandemic containment measures. There are interesting questions on cost estimation of this technology that should be discussed. The focus has been mainly on vaccine costs rather than on immunization delivery costs, which might also represent an important constraint. This includes human resources, equipment or maintenance which cannot be ignored. Such programs are highly dependent on labor supply, as well as on opportunity costs of reallocating an important share of health care workers for COVID-19 vaccination. On the other hand, costs regarding prevented health care use on COVID-19, from testing to intensive care unit, cannot be neglected, with associated opportunity costs as well. However, prevention of potentially needed measures such as lockdowns with effects in all spheres of society, such as economy and education, are of utmost relevance and are not commonly accounted for in health technology assessments. Furthermore, vaccines have important effects that are not commonly present in prescription drugs such as herd effect, protection against comorbidities or others to be explored in such a recent disease. Only a few efforts for COVID-19 vaccines' economic evaluations exist. However, at the same time, vaccines (and the rollout of vaccination programs) continue to be developed and improved. Therefore, such assessments will be important for studying boosters or revaccinations later on, but also for future pandemic preparedness. Moreover, such efforts on estimating vaccination cost-effectiveness, considering a wide range of costs, might be essential for sub-population prioritization.

COVID-19 and environment: a poignant reminder of sustainability in the new normal.

The nexus of COVID-19 and environment is conspicuously deep-rooted. The roles of environmental factors in the origin, transmission and spread of COVID-19 and the mutual impact of the pandemic on the global environment have been the two perspectives to view this nexus. The present paper attempts to systematically review the existing literature to understand and explore the linkages of COVID-19 with environment and proposes conceptual frameworks to underline this nexus. Our study indicates a critical role of meteorological factors, ambient air pollutants and wastewater in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2) transmission-spread dynamics. The study also focuses on the direct and indirect impacts of COVID-19 on the regional and global environment. Most of the indirect environmental effects of COVID-19 were attributed to global human confinement that resulted from the implementation of the pandemic containment measures. This worldwide anthropogenic ‘pause’ sent ripples to all environmental compartments and presented a unique test bed to identify anthropogenic impacts on the earth’s natural systems. The review further addresses emerging sustainability challenges in the new normal and their potential solutions. The situation warrants critical attention to the environment-COVID-19 nexus and innovative sustainable practices to address the ramifications of short- and long-term environmental impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.Graphical abstract

Community responses to COVID-19 pandemic first wave containment measures: a multinational study.

National strategies to control COVID-19 pandemic consisted mostly of social distancing measures such as lockdowns, curfews, and stay-home guidelines, personal protection such as hand hygiene and mask wearing, as well as contact tracing, isolation and quarantine. Whilst policy interventions were broadly similar across the globe, there were some differences in individual and community responses. This study explored community responses to COVID-19 containment measures in different countries and synthesized a model. This exaplains the community response to pandemic containment measures in the local context, so as to be suitably prepared for future interventions and research. A mutlinational study was conducted from April-June 2020 involving researchers from 12 countries (Japan, Austria, U.S., Taiwan, India, Sudan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand). Steps in this research consisted of carrying out open-ended questionnaires, qualitative analyses in NVivo, and a multinational meeting to reflect, exchange, and validate results. Lastly, a commuinty response model was synthesized from multinational experiences. Effective communication is key in promoting collective action for preventing virus transmission. Health literacy, habits and social norms in different populations are core components of public health interventions. To enable people to stay home while sustaining livelihoods, economic and social support are essential. Countries could benefit from previous pandemic experience in their community response. Whilst contact tracing and isolation are crucial intervention components, issues of privacy and human rights need to be considered. Understanding community responses to containment policies will help in ending current and future pandemics in the world.