COVID-19 Situation Research Articles

사교육비 불평등도에 대한 연구: 사교육비 지니 계수, 후버 지수, 팔마 비율을 중심으로

Objectives This study aims to find a way to measure the degree of inequality in private education expenditures in Korea and to analyze trends in inequality. Methods We analyzed the private education expenditures survey conducted by the Ministry of Education to find an index that indicates the inequality of private education expenditures, and obtained each index by year to under-stand the trend. Results The average private education expenditures per person is increasing, and the analysis of private education expenditures inequality using the Gini coefficient, the Hoover index, and the Palma ratio shows that inequality is increasing, especially in elementary schools. In 2020, during the COVID-19 situation, the private education Gini coefficient increased rapidly as the private education participation rate decreased in elementary and middle schools, but this phenomenon was not found in high schools. Conclusions The Gini coefficient, Hoover index, and Palma ratio, which indicate the degree of inequality in private education, can be obtained for the entire population and participants, but considering that the case where private education expenditures are 0 has a significant impact, it may be more appropriate to limit it to participants. The Gini coefficient, which indicates income inequality, is on the decline, but the Gini coefficient for private education expenditures for participants is increasing, and since private education is linked to the problems of low birth rate and local extinction that our society faces, special measures are needed to reduce private education.

Supervised Sentiment Analysis of COVID-19 Tweets: Insights into Public Reactions and Trends

In the modern digital era, social media platforms have experienced exponential growth, serving as a medium for individuals to share their emotions and opinions. Twitter, a prominent social media platform, hosts a substantial number of users who regularly express their thoughts through tweets. This research paper focuses on conducting sentiment analysis on tweets pertaining to the COVID-19 situation in India. By utilizing a lexicon-based approach using TextBlob, we determine sentiment scores for each tweet. These scores are then used to categorize the tweets into Positive, Negative, or Neutral sentiment categories. To further enhance the accuracy of sentiment classification, we employ the Naïve Bayes machine learning model, achieving an impressive accuracy rate of 87.65%. The sentiment analysis results obtained through this study provide valuable insights for governmental bodies and other organizations, enabling them to formulate effective policies in order to address similar issues in the future.

Studying the impact of profitability, bankruptcy risk, and pandemic on narrative tone in annual reports in an emerging market in the East

The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether the narrative tone of annual reports is influenced by profitability, bankruptcy risk, and pandemic in the context of Vietnam. The study applies the necessary regression analysis steps such as ordinary least squares (OLS), random effects model (REM), fixed effects model (FEM), and feasible generalized least squares (FGLS). Bootstrapping and System Generalized Method of Moments (SGMM) methods are used to test the robustness and address endogeneity and dynamic relationships in the data. The findings show that net tones increase while negative tones decrease in companies with high profitability. Companies at risk of bankruptcy use more negative tone and less net tone than companies that are not at risk of bankruptcy. The study also affirms that bankruptcy risk moderates the relationship between profitability and negative tone. During the COVID-19 pandemic, companies used more positive and negative tones than they did before the pandemic. After the COVID-19 situation stabilized, positive tones were used more, and negative tones were used less than during the outbreak. The research results also recognized that companies do not intend to hide information through impression management when faced with difficult economic conditions. This study has practical implications for investors and information users when considering management disclosures through the narrative tone of annual reports. To our knowledge, this is the first study (1) in an emerging market in the East—where there are fundamental cultural and linguistic differences compared to Western countries, (2) to build a list of Vietnamese words and phrases expressing emotional nuances used in finance and accounting, and (3) refers to the narrative tone of annual reports across different groups of companies.

Changes of lifestyle and mental health among COVID-19 situation: resident-centered health promotion

Abstract Background Yuzawa town, located in the Niigata prefecture of Japan, is famous for its hot springs and ski resorts. A sustainable action plan for resident-centered regional health promotion (Yuzawa family health plan) was initiated in 2002. Surveys have been conducted every five years. This study aims to evaluate changes of their habits and mental health status between in 2017 and in 2022. Methods The survey of Yuzawa family health plan was conducted in 2017 and in 2022. Questionnaires were composed with living alone, living with marriage partner, living with son or daughter, living with grandchildren, living with brother or sister, health consciousness, attention to health, health concern, awakening in a morning, clockwork life, fitness habits, smoking, taking alcohol, anxiety, loneliness, consultation, resolve suffering, economic problem, handle stress, taking a rest, risk breaching, communication, life satisfaction, talking with family, job at home, intercommunion with friends, greeting with neighbors, relationship with neighbors, occupations, good sleep, taking breakfast, nutritional balance, mastication status, confirmation of food compositions, exercise habits, yearly health check-up, dental check-up, brushing teeth habits, and sleep satisfactions. Chi square tests were used to evaluate changes between in 2017 and in 2022. This study was approved by the ethics committee of Tokyo Women’s Medical University. Results Passive smoking, intercommunions with neighborhood and friends, exercises, and Salt reduction awareness reduced in 2022. Talking with family, taking a rest, attention to health, clockwork life, and sleep satisfactions increased. Conclusions Many changes were shown between in 2017 and in 2022. Because elderly has been able to use a mobile phone, loneliness was not increased. But numbers of elderly living alone have been increased from 2002. Health promotion programs giving health information for elderly is needed. Key messages • Many lifestyle changes were shown between in 2017 and in 2022. • Passive smoking reduced. Taking a rest and attention to health increased.

Prevalence of COVID-19 Status among the People of Different Strata

Background: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an irresistible illness caused by the SARS-CoV-2 infection. Most individuals who drop wiped out with COVID-19 will involvement gentle to direct side effects and recoup without uncommon treatment. Some will become seriously ill and require medical attention. However, it is preventable through obeying some measures of personal hygiene. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted to determine COVID-19 status among people of different strata in Uttara and Savar. A total of 1200 conveniently selected respondents were interviewed face-to-face using a semi-structured questionnaire. Results: Mean age was 38.59 years with standard deviation ±14.117 years. Majority (63.33%) were male. Among them 20.7% were housewives, 11.5% were students, 15.3% were businessmen and 9.3% were service holders. Most (98.6%) of the respondents mentioned to know about pandemic situation of COVID-19. Among the respondents 207 (17.3%) suffered from COVID-19. Among those who suffered from COVID-19 (207), 157 performed test for COVID-19 and was positive. The other 50 did not perform test and only assumed to be suffering from COVID-19 as they had symptoms. On the other hand, 993 respondents mentioned of not suffering from COVID-19. Among them, 803 had no symptom and 190 underwent COVID-19 test and were negative. Proportion of suffering from COVID-19 was found high among the doctors (64.1%), service holders (22.5%), students (21.7%) and teachers (21.1%). Conclusion: Measures to be undertaken to create awareness among the people to abide by the health rules so that we can reduce the incidence of COVID 19. EWMCJ Vol. 12, No. 1&2, January-July 2024: 80-87

The effects of the changes in the depression on suicidal ideation among older adults aged 75 and above before and after the COVID-19

BackgroundThe unprecedented pandemic situation of COVID-19 has had a negative impact on the mental health of many people, especially among the "old-old" older adults who are aged 75 or older. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the changes in depression among "old-old" older adults before and after the onset of COVID-19, and the extent to which depression affects suicidal ideations.MethodThe 12th to 16th Korea Welfare Panel Study(KoWePS) conducted from 2017 to 2021 was used for analysis. For this study, 771 older individuals with complete data to estimate the degree of change of depression were selected as the final analysis subjects.ResultA Growth Mixture Modeling(GMM) analysis was conducted, resulting in the classification of two groups: an increasing group and a decreasing group. The study findings showed that "old-old" older individuals with high levels of depression, specifically those in the decreasing group, may be more susceptible to suicidal ideation. Despite this steep change slope, the decreasing group still exhibited a higher level of depression in 2021 compared to the increasing group. As per characteristics, the decreasing group, which showed a higher prevalence of suicidal ideation, had a higher proportion of women and individuals with lower levels of education, those living alone, and a lower household income compared to the increasing group.ConclusionIt is important to note that although the study emphasized the need to prioritize intervention for the decreasing group with consistently high levels of depression, the majority of individuals belong to the increasing group, which exhibited a gradual increase in depression levels over time. Therefore, intervention plans should be developed concurrently for both groups. Also, it is crucial to implement proactive efforts targeting groups with understandings of these characteristics when establishing preventative measures for depression and suicidal ideation among "old-old" older adults.

Nutritional habits and eating attitude in university students during the last wave of COVID-19 in Spain

Emotional Eating is eating in response to negative emotional states, such as boredom, loneliness, or anxiety. For some young people, both food and alcohol are a source of pleasure in their social life. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2022-23 in the Health Sciences Faculty. Mediterranean Diet Adherence Test, alcohol use disorders identification test (AUDIT), Emotional Eater Questionnaire (EEQ), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Yale Food Addiction, Perceived Stress Scale, and Anxiety Questionnaire STAI, were employed. Emotional eater (EE) regarding to no emotional eater (NEE) presented a mild food addiction, a significantly high intake of carbohydrates, fat, and alcohol. Energy intake is dependent on saturated fat, also they are not conscious of their intake of calories, had worse sleep quality, high perceived stress, and worse healthy eating index (HEI) due to their intake of sweets and soft drinks. The diet quality could be affected by the stress of the pandemic. The association of emotional eating with the intake of sweet foods and alcoholic drinks maybe is a remaining situation of COVID-19. We suppose that maladaptive eating behaviors have improved over time during this pandemic. Even though it is necessary to promote healthier eating among university students, it is also necessary to improve healthy habits.

Barriers and facilitators of healthcare access for long COVID-19 patients in a universal healthcare system: qualitative evidence from Austria

BackgroundLong COVID-19 challenges health and social systems globally. International research finds major inequalities in prevalence and healthcare utilization as patients describe difficulties with accessing health care. In order to improve long-term outcomes it is vital to understand any underlying access barriers, for which relevant evidence on long COVID-19 is thus far lacking in a universal healthcare system like Austria. This study aims to comprehensively identify access barriers and facilitators faced by long COVID-19 patients in Austria and explore potential socioeconomic and demographic drivers in health and social care access.MethodsApplying an exploratory qualitative approach, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 15 experts including medical professionals and senior health officials as well as focus groups with 18 patients with confirmed long COVID-19 diagnosis reflecting varying participant characteristics (age, gender, urbanicity, occupation, education, insurance status) (July-Nov 2023). Data were analysed following a thematic framework approach, drawing on a comprehensive ‘access to health care’ model.ResultsBased on expert and patient experiences, several access barriers and facilitators emerged along all dimensions of the model. Main themes included scepticism and stigma by medical professionals, difficulties in finding knowledgeable doctors, limited specialist capacities in the ambulatory care sector, long waiting times for specialist care, and limited statutory health insurance coverage of treatments resulting in high out-of-pocket payments. Patients experienced constant self-organization of their patient pathway as stressful, emphasizing the need for multidisciplinary care and centralized coordination. Facilitators included supportive social environments, telemedicine, and informal information provided by a nationwide patient-led support group. Differences in patient experiences emerged, among others, as women and younger patients faced gender- and age-based stigmatization. Complementary health insurance reduced the financial strain, however, did not ease capacity constraints, which were particularly challenging for those living in rural areas.ConclusionsThe findings of this study indicate a call for action to improve the long COVID-19 situation in Austria by empowering both providers and patients via increased information offerings, strengthened interdisciplinary treatment structures and telemedicine offerings as well as research funding. Our insights on potentially relevant socioeconomic and demographic drivers in access barriers lay the necessary foundation for future quantitative inequality research.

Spatiotemporal evolution and development path of healthcare services supply in China

ObjectPromoting the accessibility and equity of healthcare services, as well as enhancing service capacity, are crucial for building a sound healthcare system. Particularly in the past two years of the normalized COVID-19 situation, this issue has garnered widespread attention in the academic community. This study aims to investigate and analyze the characteristics and trends of the spatial-temporal evolution of healthcare service supply levels in China. It also seeks to explore the influencing factors and pathways for development, with the goal of optimizing the allocation of healthcare resources.MethodsThis article uses the entropy weight TOPSIS method combined with Dagum Gini coefficient and Kernel density to evaluate the supply level of healthcare services in 31 provinces and cities in China from 2012 to 2020, and explores its development and spatial pattern characteristics. Then, through Moran index, panel regression model and spatial econometric testing, the spatial correlation problem and its influencing factors are further analyzed, and targeted policy recommendations are proposed based on it, laying the foundation for further promoting the balanced development of healthcare service supply capacity.Results(1) Healthcare services supply levels in various provinces and cities in China have significantly increased, with a shift in spatial distribution from ‘higher in the east and lower in the west’ to ‘convergence between east and west, with lower levels in the central regions.’ (2) Relative differences among regions are narrowing annually, primarily due to interactions between the four regions rather than within each region, with expanding impact of overlapping regions. (3) Absolute differences among regions are also decreasing, moving towards uniformity with a contraction of extension and a restraint on the trend towards multipolarization. (4) Spatial correlation between adjacent regions is weakening, eventually becoming non-significant, with fading spatial effects. (5) The correlation between local economic development, population factors, institutional arrangements, and the current state of supply is significant, and the research design and conclusions remain robust even after thorough consideration of spatial effects. The study explores the development pathways based on the objective existence of regional development and the controllable government actions.ConclusionThe overall level of healthcare service supply in China has improved, but regional differences still exist. The objective level of regional development and the subjective behavior of local governments have a significant impact on the supply of healthcare services. Therefore, it is recommended that each region adapt to local conditions, identify its own strengths and weaknesses, coordinate resource supply and demand, consider the impact of key factors, and optimize the allocation of healthcare development resources.

An Exploratory Study on the Role of Trust as a Cue to Action in Inducing the Preventive Behaviors in COVID-19 Situation

An Exploratory Study on the Role of Trust as a Cue to Action in Inducing the Preventive Behaviors in COVID-19 Situation

Uncovering the coronavirus outbreak: present understanding and future research paths.

The review discusses the pathophysiological mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2, the modes of transmission, and the long-term health consequences of COVID-19, emphasizing the importance of research and successful public health initiatives. COVID-19 taxonomy, pathophysiology, symptomatology, and epidemiological importance are the key objects of this research paper. This review explains how COVID-19 affects different systems of the body, including respiratory, cardiovascular, and reproductive systems of the human body. It describes the modes of entry of the virus into the cell; more precisely, ACE2 and TMPRSS2 in viral entry. In addition, the present study analyzes the situation of COVID-19 in India regarding vaccine development and the transmission rate related to socioeconomic factors. The manifestation of COVID-19 presents a lot of symptoms and post-acute problems, issues which are seriously impacting mental health and physical health as well. The present review summarizes current research into pathogenicity and the mode of virus transmission, together with immunological responses. Coupled with strong vaccination programs, public health initiatives should hold the key to fighting this pandemic. Long-term effects and the development of treatment methods will need further study, as ambiguities on COVID-19 remain. Multidisciplinary collaboration across healthcare sectors in this respect is of paramount importance for the prevention of further spread and protection of public health.

Cost effectiveness analysis comparing varying booster intervals of vaccination policies to address COVID-19 situation in Thailand, 2023.

The COVID-19 booster immunization policy is cost-effective, but evidence on additional booster doses and appropriate strategies is scarce. This research compared the cost-effectiveness of annual, twice-a-year, and biennial booster dose policies. We performed stochastic modeling using compartmental susceptible-exposed-infectious-recovered models and a system dynamic model. We evaluated four policy scenarios: (1) hypothetical no-booster immunization policy; (2) twice-a-year vaccination policy; (3) annual vaccination policy; and (4) biennial vaccination policy. In addition, we conducted a one-way sensitivity analysis by adjusting R0 from 1.8 to 3.0 in all scenarios (epidemic stage) and by decreasing the vaccination cost by 50% at the end of the first year to reflect the current policy direction to enhance domestic vaccine production. Compared to non-booster policies, all three booster strategies reduced the number of cases, hospital admissions, and severe infections remarkably. Without a booster, total cases would reach 16,220,615 (95% confidence interval [CI] 6,726,550-29,661,112) by day 1,460, whereas, with a twice-a-year booster, the total cases would reach 597,901 (95% CI 526,230-694,458) in the same period. Even though the no booster scenario exhibited the lowest cost by approximately the first 500 days, by day 1,460 the biennial booster scenario demonstrated the lowest cost at 72.0 billion baht (95% CI 68.6-79.4 billion). The most cost-saving policy was the biennial booster scenario. The annual booster scenario also stood as a cost-effective option for most outcomes. In the epidemic stage and in an assumption where the vaccination costs dropped, all booster policies became more cost-effective or cost-saving compared with the main assumption. This study underscores the significance of the COVID-19 vaccine booster policy. Implementing policies should take into consideration cost-effectiveness, feasibility, and public communication.

Integrating the triple bottom line of sustainability, resilience strategies, and product perishability consideration to design a pharmaceutical supply chain network: A COVID-19 case study

This paper aims to design a resilient and sustainable pharmaceutical supply chain network under the perishability of medicine in which a multi-objective nonlinear mathematical model is formulated. To this end, four objective functions seek to minimize total cost, maximize the social indicators, minimize CO2 emission and minimize de-resilience measures. Moreover, the three main categories of resilience strategies are integrated to mitigate the severe impacts of disruption. In order to solve the model, lexicographic goal programming is applied for small-scale problems, and NSGA-II is utilized for large-scale problems. The applicability of the proposed model is demonstrated by implementing it in a real case study during the COVID-19 situation. Also, a set of sensitivity analyses is conducted to validate the model and show the behavior of the objective functions. The results reveal the superiority of the resilient model with integrated strategies. Eventually, the Pareto front solutions are provided to quantify the trade-offs in satisfying the conflicting objective functions.

The relevance of risk perception and coping strategies for COVID-19 situation reports

Introduction: Various measures have been implemented worldwide to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. In contrast to epidemiological data, psychosocial parameters such as coping strategies in the population were rarely considered in assessments of the course of the pandemic, a point that experts criticized. Based on the transactional model of stress and coping as well as the psychometric paradigm of risk perception, this paper addresses the relevance of psychosocial data for COVID-19 situation reports by highlighting the role of risk perception and coping within the German population. Method: We collected quantitative data on risk perception and coping strategies in four surveys conducted at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021 in Germany. We present descriptive as well as bivariate results to examine our research questions statistically. Results: Data contribute to psychosocial aspects of the general situation report such as variations of risk perception during the pandemic (e.g., declining risk perception) and by sociodemographic (e.g., age) as well as location. Furthermore, Germans characterize the COVID-19 pandemic as a crisis with catastrophic potential, but as easily reducible through behavior. Besides, coping strategies are more problem-focused and most respondents listen to experts’ advice and try to behave appropriately. Conclusion: These data are helpful and necessary to provide a complete and substantial situation report in crises and disasters and support crisis managers and public authorities to adequately address the public regarding their concerns.

Factors determining the expenditure of Lao tourist on Luang Prabang tourism during the epidemic situation of COVID-19

The purpose of this research was to study the factors that determine the expenditure of Lao tourist on Luang Prabang tourism during the epidemic situation of COVID-19. It was developed on a model based on Engel's law and applied Multiple Classification Analysis (MCA) to analyze the data to forecast tourist spending based on their personal attributes. The results showed that certain personal characteristics of tourists influenced what Lao tourists spent on tourism in Luang Prabang at a significant level of 0.01, with the highest spending on Luang Prabang tourism. This was found to be a tourist who earns more than of 601 USD per month or more, are male, aged 40 years and over, married, and from Vientiane Capital. They have an education level of a Bachelor's degree or higher, have a private business career, and traveling to Luang Prabang for the 5th time or more and will spend about than 150.49 USD per person per day on Luang Prabang tourism. Therefore, tourists with such characteristics are a marketing target that concerned parties must prioritize in marketing.

Continuation of Learning During COVID-19 Situation in Nepal

This study explored the obstacles and ways of continuation for learning faced by school teachers during and after the COVID-19 situation. The quantitative cross-sectional survey research design was adopted. All the school teachers of Nepal were the population for this study and the sample size was 226. The online survey method was adopted for the data collection tools. A set of closed and open-ended questionnaires were distributed to respondents and data was collected using Google Forms. The study seeks the relationship between the independent variables (age, experience of teaching, school location, teacher’s residence, access to the internet, access to digital devices, knowledge about ICTs interest in online teaching) and dependent variables (continuation of online teaching). It was found that the community teaching and homework/ assignment methods were applicable to the rural areas. Continuing online teaching would be inconvenient for the students who had no internet access. According to the teacher's response, it was found that about 90% of students had no access to the internet. Although online teaching was suitable for the COVID-19 situation, it was biased for the maximum number of students. The teacher's interest and the obstacles in the online class and continuation of learning are significantly co-related (0.003 and 0.000 respectively). There was no significant difference between male and female teachers in continuation for online learning but a greater percentage of males are involved in online classes than females. The experienced teachers equally continued their learning of digital skills. There was a problem with the internet/ wifi/ 3G/ 4G network in rural areas. Teacher adjusted their teaching and learning activities even if they had no access to a laptop. The study concludes that teachers are ready for online classes and they regularly update their digital skills with changing times but digital divides created a serious problem with conducting online classes. So, the Government of Nepal should pay attention to teacher training, integration of digital skills in the curriculum, and proper allocation of budget for infrastructure development.

A comprehensive survey on exploring and analyzing COVID-19 mobile apps: Meta and exploratory analysis

During the current COVID-19 pandemic, many digital solutions around the world have been proposed to cope with the deadly virus but the role of mobile-based applications is dominant one. In Pakistan, during the current COVID-19 pandemic, an array of mobile health applications (apps) and platforms have been launched to grapple with the impacts of the COVID-19 situation. In this survey, our major focus is to explore and analyze the starring role of mobile apps based on the features and functionalities to tackle the COVID-19 disease, particularly in Pakistan. In this study, over fifty (50) mobile apps have been scrapped from the well-known three different sources i.e. Google Play Store, iOS Play Store, and web source. We developed our own data set after searching through the different play stores. We have designed two criteria such that the first criteria are known as eligibility criteria, while the second one is known as assessment criteria. The features and functions of each mobile app are pinpointed and discussed against the parameters of the assessment criteria. The major parameters of assessment criteria are: (i) Home monitoring; (ii) COVID-19 awareness; (iii) contact tracing; (iv) telemedicine; (v) health education; (vi) COVID-19 surveillance; (vii) self-assessment; (viii) security; and (ix) accessibility. This study conducted exploratory analysis and quantitative meta-data analysis by adopting PRISMA guidelines. This survey article is not only discussing the function and features of each COVID-19-centered app in Pakistan, but it also sheds light on the limitations of every mobile app as well. The results of this survey might be helpful for the mobile developers to review the current app products and enhance the existing mobile platforms targeted towards the COVID-19 pandemic. This is the first attempt of its kind to present a state-of-the-art survey of the COVID-19-centered mobile health apps in Pakistan.

Interplay of Crises: Mapping the Scientific Landscape of Intersecting Themes in the Covid-19 Pandemic and the Russian-Ukraine War

Background: In February 2022, Russian Federation troops attacked Ukraine on several fronts, thereby starting a war that continues to this day. The invasion garnered worldwide opposition, leading to sanctions imposed on politicians and corporations in the Russian Federation. The war has also left its mark on art, culture, and science. Methods: In this study, we analyse the war in Ukraine and how scholars around the world have examined it. The analysis is divided into three parts: (1) a comprehensive review of the number of articles and conference proceedings related to the Russia-Ukraine war in the Web of Science (WoS) disciplines/categories; (2) the main topics and directions chosen by the authors; and (3) a summary of studies focused on COVID-19 during the war. The latter topic is particularly important, as the COVID-19 situation in Ukraine was already complex before the 2022 invasion, and the ongoing military actions have further exacerbated it. For the above analyses, we utilised a WoS database from 2014 (covering the first Russian attack on Crimea, Donetsk and Luhansk regions) through December 2022. Results and Conclusions: For academics, the war in Ukraine has become a significant subject of study. As it proliferated, culminating in a direct mass attack in February 2022, research efforts involved more and more scientific fields. These fields range from political science and sociology research to psychology and marketing to engineering science or supply chains.

Effects of physical inactivity behavior during COVID-19 pandemic on physical fitness, body composition, inflammatory cytokine, and immunocytes in older adults: A retrospective and prospective study

The prolonged period of COVID-19 has ingrained physical inactivity as a habit, leading to a reluctance to move. This has resulted in a decline in physical fitness and the loss of a healthy body composition. While this trend is particularly noticeable among the older adults, its impact on the immune cell defense system, which is crucial for minimizing viral infections, remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the physical fitness, body composition, cytokines and immunocytes of older adults who engaged in physical activity (PA) before the COVID-19 pandemic but had to stop it due to the lockdown. A total of 172 older adults aged 61 to 85 years participated in this study: 90 in non-PA group (NPAG, 34 men and 56 women), and 82 in PA group (PAG, 29 men and 53 women). Physical inactivity was 45.13 ± 5.67 weeks in the NPAG and 1.70 ± 0.43 weeks in the PAG. Although there was no significant difference in calorie intake, PA volume showed a significant decrease in NPGA (P < 0.001). VO₂max, strength, and sit-ups decreased in NPAG, whereas they maintained or increased in PAG (Ps < 0.001). NPAG experienced an increase in fat mass (∼33.0 %), along with a decrease in muscle mass (∼10.4 %), but PAG showed slight increases (∼1.1 % vs. ∼1.5 %, Ps < 0.001). Interleukin-6 (∼38.9 %), tumor necrosis factor-α (∼38.3 %), and C-reactive protein (∼33.6 %) increased, whereas immunocytes decreased in NPAG (Ps < 0.001). In contrast, those in PAG showed the opposite phenomenon. This study indicates that even during the COVID-19 situation, maintaining active PA in the older adults helps retain beneficial physical fitness and body composition, reduces inflammatory factors, and contributes to preserving or enhancing the function of immunocytes.

COVID-2019—A Personal Account of an Academic Institute’s Response to the Pandemic

The unprecedented introduction and spread of SARS-CoV-2, responsible for the COVID-19 epidemic, had many varied and unanticipated consequences for the United States and other countries. In addition to the direct effects of human infection, multiple industries, commodities, and jobs were impacted. This review describes the impact on an academic institution, with a chronological account of events related to constantly changing perceptions and understanding of the pandemic. Although a personal account, the objective is to document how leadership was able to adjust to circumstances in order to support research activities, student education, and the academic goals of our land grant university. It is hoped that these examples will inspire and better prepare us for a subsequent event and avoid what for the COVID-19 situation might be summarized as a progression from procrastination-pandemic-panic-pandemonium-endemic