Spread Of COVID-19 Research Articles

The Experience of Observational Departments’ Functioning for Treatment of Patients with Tuberculosis from COVID-19 Contact and Convalescents after COVID-19

Relevance. To control COVID-19, a net of special infection hospitals and departments was created, a system of medicaments and protective means’ supply was set up, necessary normative and regulatory documentation was developed and overall vaccination of population was performed in Moscow. Within frames of work for prophylaxis of COVID-19 spread in patients with tuberculosis at in-patient units of the State Budgetary Healthcare Institution of Moscow city «The Moscow Research and Clinical Center for Tuberculosis Control of the Moscow Government Department of Health” (hereinafter referred as the Center), observational departments for treatment of patients with tuberculosis from COVID-19 contact and convalescents after COVID-19. Aims. To evaluate specialized observational departments’ work as part of general anti-epidemic control measure system for COVID- 19 at tuberculosis hospitals. Materials and methods. The observational departments’ work within the period of 2020–2022 with 1075 patients treated including 400 patients from COVID-19 contact areas (37.2%) and 675 convalescent patients after COVID-19 (62.8%), was analyzed. The results obtained during the study were statistically treated by means of application program package Microsoft Office 2007. The quantitative parameters with presumably normal distribution were described with mean arithmetic values (M) and standard deviations (SD), and 95% confidence interval (CI 95%). The estimation of significance of differences between outcomes was evaluated with the Pearson χ2 test. The differences were considered to be statistically significant with p < 0,05. Results and discussion. The evaluation data on functioning efficacy of observational departments for patients with tuberculosis from COVID-19 contact and convalescent patients with tuberculosis after COVID-19 within the large medical institution hospital of physiatry profile. Among all patients, 153 of patients who fell ill with COVID-19 (14.2%; 95% CI [12.21–16.38%]) were determined, which lowered the number of COVID-19 areas at in-patient departments of the Center by 11.8%. The mean timeframes of COVID- 19 determination in general were 8.0 days: 5.4 days among contacts from new coronavirus infection areas and 12.4 days among convalescents at the department for the treatment of patients with tuberculosis and new coronavirus infection. The comparative analysis showed that COVID-19 was more frequently determined in tuberculosis patients from the contact with those who fell ill with COVID-19 (p < 0.001) than in convalescents. Conclusions. During medical care for patients of physiatry profile in Moscow city, a wide range of management decisions consisting in the change of routing system in specialized medical care, was taken. Among them, creation and functioning of observational departments for contact persons from COVID-19 areas and convalescents after COVID-19 play a particular role.Creation of such departments within a large medical institution enabled the contemporary isolation of contact persons from COVID- 19 areas and convalescents after COVID-19 and allowed the additional control of nosocomial infection spread

Spatio-temporal clustering using generalized lasso to identify the spread of Covid-19 in Indonesia according to provincial flight route-based connections

Indonesia is a country that has been greatly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. In the almost three years that the pandemic has been going on, the spread of Covid-19 has penetrated almost all regions of Indonesia. One of the causes of the rapid spread of Covid-19 confirmed cases in Indonesia is the existence of domestic flights between regions within the archipelago. This research is aimed to identify patterns of Covid-19 transmission cases between provinces in Indonesia using spatio-temporal clustering. The method used a generalized lasso approach based on flight connections and proximity between provinces. The results suggested that clustering based on flight connections between provinces obtained more reasonable results, namely that there were three clusters of provinces formed with different patterns of spread of Covid-19 cases over time.

IN SILICO IDENTIFICATION OF BREADFRUIT PLAN COMPOUNDS (Artocarpus atilis) AGAINST ANGIOTENSIN-CONVERTING ENZYME 2 AS A CANDIDATE MODEL OF COVID-19 INHIBITORS

The spread of COVID-19 has continued to grow rapidly worldwide. This disease is characterized by the presence of severe respiratory syndrome disorders in humans. The ACE2 receptor is the gateway for the COVID-19 virus to target cells, where it is expressed in airway epithelial and vascular endothelial cells. Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) contains active flavonoids. Flavonoid derivatives found in breadfruit include artonin-E, cycloaltilisin-7, cycloaltilisin, isocyclomorusin, cyclomorusin, cyclomulberrin, isocyclomulberrin, cyclocommunal, morusin, quercetin and artocarpin. This study aimed to determine the flavonoid derivative of breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis), which has the most effective potential against the ACE2 receptor, as a candidate inhibitor of the COVID-19 virus in silico. The results showed that of the eleven flavonoid derivatives of breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) tested, 3 compounds gave the lowest binding affinity value, namely cycloaltilisin -8.79 kcal/mol, cyclomulberrin -8.95 kcal/mol, and artocarpin -9.30. kcal/mol compared to Chloroquine -7.67 kcal/mol and Hydroxychloroquine -7.22 kcal/mol. The predicted results of the Lipinski Rule of Five showed that the 3 compounds and the comparison drug met the Ro5 rule. The compounds cycloaltilisin, cyclomulberin, and artocarpine have antiviral activity, as indicated by the Pa value in the range of 0.5<Pa<0.7. Cycloaltilisin, cyclomulberin and artocarpine are the most effective compounds to be developed as candidates for COVID-19 inhibitors. Keywords: Breadfruit, ACE-2, Covid-19, In Silico

Romantic bias in judging the attractiveness of faces wearing masks.

The spread of COVID-19 has drastically increased the number of people wearing masks in public areas and the opportunities to evaluate others' faces based on limited information. This study investigates the cognitive bias in judging the attractiveness of faces partially hidden by sanitary masks. Experiment 1 revealed that men rated women's faces as more attractive when wearing masks, specifically in the context of rating women as romantic partners; however, this mask bias was absent when men rated women as friends. On the other hand, women did not show the mask bias irrespective of the assumed social relationship. Experiment 2 demonstrated that the mask bias among elderly men was less affected by the assumed social relationship (or the possibility of reproduction), compared to young men, though they showed the bias itself. These results suggest that the cognitive strategies related to reproduction underlie the attractiveness judgment of the partial faces.

Public health infrastructure and COVID-19 spread: An air transportation network analysis

This study examines the effectiveness of public health infrastructure, specifically hospital and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) capacities, in mitigating the spread of COVID-19 in various US counties. We use the air transportation network to quantify the risk of importing COVID-19-infected passengers to a given county in the United States. Utilizing a dataset that encompasses COVID-19 case rates, healthcare resources, and socioeconomic and transportation-related variables across multiple destination counties, we found that increased availability of hospital and ICU beds is statistically significantly associated with a reduced risk of COVID-19 spread, after controlling for origin county infection rates, travel patterns, and socioeconomic factors. These findings underline the critical role of robust healthcare infrastructure in public health crisis management and suggest targeted policy interventions to bolster healthcare capacity as a viable strategy for mitigating pandemic impacts.

Influence of Cardiovascular Risk Factors Among Patients with Covid 19 Infection and its Association with In-Hospital Outcome – A Multicentre Prospective Observational Study

Introduction: The global spread of COVID-19, first identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, has ignited an unprecedented ongoing global pandemic. Risk stratification of these patients is crucial to optimize the use of hospital resources. Several associations with adverse outcomes in COVID-19 patients have been identified, including factors that also predispose to cardiovascular disease (CVD), such as older age, male sex, hypertension, overweight and diabetes. In this context we designed this study to observe Association of Cardiovascular risk factors with patients infected with Covid 19 and it’s in-hospital outcome. Materials and Methods: In this prospective observational study total 408 adult patients who were reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (Rt-PCR) positive for COVID-19 were included. They were admitted in Sarkari Karmachari Hospital, Kuwait Bangladesh Friendship Government Hospital and Dr. Sirajul Islam Medical College between June 2020 to June 2022. Patients with severe comorbidities like Acute myocardial infarction, Stroke, Acute kidney injury, malignancy and pregnant women were excluded from the study. Appropriate informed written consent was obtained. Demographic and clinical data were correlated with outcome. The statistical analysis was carried out using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 22.0 for Windows (SPSS Inc., Chicago, Illinois, USA). Qualitative variables were expressed as frequency and percentage. Quantitative variables were expressed as mean ± standard deviation and median. Test of significance was performed by unpaired t-test for quantitative variable and Chi square test for qualitative variables. In addition, multivariate logistic regression analysis of possible risk factors was done to determine the association with outcome by calculating odds ratio with 95% confidence intervals. A p value <0.05 was be considered as significant. Results: The mean age of participants was 45.2±13.4 years among them 263 (64.5%) were male and 145 (35.5%)were female. According to BMI maximum male 126 (47.9%) were normal weight group whereas maximum female 63(43.4%) were obese. Considering cardiovascular risk factors among male and female Smoking were 160 (60.8%) vs. 38 (26.2%), Hypertension were 105 (39.9%) vs. 65 (44.8%), Diabetes Mellitus were 71 (27.0%) vs 55 (37.9%), Dyslipidemia were 69 (26.2%) vs. 36 (24.8%), Family history of CVD were 55 (20.9%) vs.20 (13.8%) and Clustering of risk factors (≥2 factors) were 117 (44.5%) vs. 74 (51.0%). Among the study population 81 (19.9%) needed oxygen therapy , 50 (12.3%) needed Non-invasive ventilation, 34 (8.3%) patients needed Mechanical Ventilation, Among the study subjects total 27 (6.61%) expired and maximum number of patients 15 (55.6%) were in 61-80 years age group. Regression analysis for the predictors of adverse in hospital outcome among the Cardiovascular risk factors showed Age (>60yrs) (p= 0.034), BMI (>25) (p= 0.026), Smoking (p= 0.041), Hypertension (p= 0.037) Diabetes Mellitus (p= 0.013), Dyslipidemia (p= 0.021) and Clustering of risk factors (≥2) (p= 0.012) were statistically significant contributors. Conclusion: In conclusion, this study shows that Age (>60yrs), BMI (>25), Smoking, Hypertension, Diabetes Mellitus, Dyslipidemia, clustering of risk factors (≥2) have greater risk of adverse outcomes including death from COVID-19. It is recommended that individuals with cardiovascular risk factors, especially older men and women, should be focus of public health measures and must be informed regarding increased risk of death in COVID-19. It is likely that with proper preventive and therapeutic interventions the higher risk of adverse outcomes in COVIDF-19 patients with cardiovascular risk factors can be mitigated. We need to be more vigilant in controlling CVD risk factors since it not only increases the morbidity of non-communicable diseases, but also poses to and worsens the outcome of communicable diseases. Bangladesh Heart Journal 2024; 39(2): 85–92

Examining the Schooling Desires of Youth During the COVID-19 Crisis

As schools across the US and around the world closed their physical buildings to stop the spread of COVID-19, students, teachers, families, and communities grappled with the shift to online learning. While emerging research examines how educators navigated this shift, little is known about how students experienced schooling as the pandemic unfolded and how their experiences may contribute to emerging calls for reimagining education. In this essay, Joanne E. Marciano, Lee Melvin M. Peralta, and Ji Soo Lee look at how youth navigated online learning in the sixteen months after their schools closed. Using weekly interviews with youth conducted between March 2020 and June 2021, they center the voices of black, Lebanese American, and white students who experienced limited access to economic resources and call attention to the (post)pandemic schooling experiences they needed and desired.

Basotho learners’ challenges affect effective learning in a rural high school during the COVID-19 era

The learning process depends on decisions and constant assessments obtained from what is learned and how it is learned, the support given to access knowledge or concepts, and whether what is remembered by learners is correct. However, this process was disrupted in the COVID-19 era as there was rapid spread of COVID-19. This study investigates the challenges influencing effective learning among Basotho learners in a rural high school in the Mofutsanyane District. This study used a qualitative approach through a case study design. Participants were chosen purposefully, including the learners, parents or guardians, teachers, school governing body, school-based support team, and school management team members. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews. The narrative results indicated that Basotho learners encountered various challenges, including failure of learners to attend online classes, absenteeism, poor internet connection, and declining performance. They experienced academic pressure, inadequate curriculum coverage, a knowledge gap in the next grade, and the learners transitioning to virtual learning. All these challenges affected learners' learning process due to transiting, which had to happen and did not favour all the learners’ family backgrounds.

Changes in entire acute bronchiolitis seasons before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain

Paediatric acute bronchiolitis normally occurs from October to April in the temperate northern hemisphere, peaking in January. Nonpharmacological measures to control the spread of COVID-19 resulted in a decrease in the number of cases of bronchiolitis during the 2020-21 season. The discontinuation of these measures created an uncertain scenario. To describe the epidemiological evolution of acute bronchiolitis seasons and the changes in the demographics of the affected population before, during, and after the implementation of nonpharmacological interventions for COVID-19 in Spain. This was a multicentre and descriptive study. A total of 6,334 infants aged up to 12 months who were diagnosed with acute bronchiolitis were recruited from sixteen Spanish hospitals. We collected data from participants from September 1st, 2021, through August 31st, 2023, as part of the ECEALHBA research project. The study periods were before (P1), during (P2), and after (P3) the COVID-19 pandemic. In P2 and after the discontinuation of nonpharmacological interventions, an unexpected increase in the number of acute bronchiolitis cases was observed from June-August 2021, resulting in an out-of-season peak. A subsequent peak was observed in November 2021, earlier than expected for the 2021-22 season. In the 2022-23 season, admissions followed a historical trend, with a greater number of cases than in the two previous seasons. Statistically significant differences in the length of stay (p<0.001), number of RSV infections (p=0.021), and number of paediatric intensive care unit admissions (p<0.001) were observed among the periods. Two out-of-season peaks in the number of acute bronchiolitis cases were observed in 2020-2021 and 2021-2022. However, following the relaxation of nonpharmacological intervention measures, the peak observed in 2022-2023, although occurring 2-6 weeks earlier, was more similar to the peaks observed in the prepandemic seasons. Additionally, increased case severity was observed during these periods.

Quarantine Order Violators System using Face Recognition (FACID)

Face recognition technology is commonly utilized for user authentication and verification by analysing a digital image of a person's face and matching it against a database of faces for identification purposes. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to mandatory quarantines and the use of quarantine bracelets for some individuals, which can be time-consuming and require a lot of effort. Face recognition technology can help raise awareness about the current situation and alleviate some of the burden associated with quarantine measures. The aim of this research is to concentrate on the face recognition of individuals with a history of quarantine, as a measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in educational institutions like universities, colleges, and schools. This research study concentrates on individuals with a history of quarantine orders. The system will employ the Histograms of Oriented Gradients (HOG) algorithm for face detection. Additionally, the system will utilize the Face Landmark Algorithm to compare the 128-d vector with images stored locally. The system will make use of the Helen face collection dataset for its data requirements. The aim of this study is to explore and identify techniques for detecting individuals who violate quarantine measures and issuing notifications through the proposed system. By implementing this system, it could contribute to creating a more secure environment within the educational institution and potentially reduce the spread of the virus.

Reconstructing SARS-CoV-2 lineages from mixed wastewater sequencing data

Wastewater surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 has emerged as a critical tool for tracking the spread of COVID-19. In addition to estimating the relative case numbers using quantitative PCR, SARS-CoV-2 genomic RNA can be extracted from wastewater and sequenced. There are many existing techniques for using the sequenced RNA to determine the relative abundance of known lineages in a sample. However, it is very challenging to predict novel lineages from wastewater data due to its mixed composition and unreliable genomic coverage. In this work, we present a novel technique based on non-negative matrix factorization which is able to reconstruct lineage definitions by analyzing data from across different samples. We test the method both on synthetic and real wastewater sequencing data. We show that the technique is able to determine major lineages such as Omicron and Delta as well as sub-lineages such as BA.5.2.1. We provide a method for determining emerging lineages in wastewater without the need for genomic data from clinical samples. This could be used for routine monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 as well as other emerging viral pathogens in wastewater. Additionally, it may be used to determine more full-genome sequences for viruses with fewer available genomes.

Research rivers: Flows of agency through crisis

From early 2020, as the spread of COVID-19 and related restrictions intersected with everyday lives and, inevitably, social research practices, the ability to act and continue research was a significant concern in the social research community. In a project aimed at supporting methodological responses to the pandemic context the authors ran a series of online knowledge exchange workshops. The invitation to participate suggested researchers convey recent times of their research experiences by drawing and presenting a river sketch. The paper critically engages with the research rivers by creating a new interference pattern of a new materialist approach combined with experiences and project artefacts. The compatibility of new materialism and qualitative inquiry is discussed. Through an analysis focussed on two of the rivers, the ways the research river activity entangled matter and meaning is examined and the paper shows how a new materialist understanding of exclusion transforms the ethical dimensions of researchers’ methodological decisions. We conclude that research rivers produce particular forms of retrospective agency that highlighted affect throughout the pandemic and reframes the ethics for choosing and developing methods along an axis of inclusion and exclusion.

Features of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the prevalence of certain respiratory diseases of infections etiology

The aim of the study was to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the incidence of respiratory infections of the population of Penza region in different age groups. Material and methods. The analysis of statistical reporting data (Form 12) on the number of diseases in the service area of the medical organization in Penza region was carried out. Information was sampled on respiratory diseases of infectious etiology for the period from 2015 to 2022 and on COVID-19 morbidity in the period from 2020 to 2022 among patients of different age periods. The data is presented as a calculation per 100 thousand population. Results. In 2020, compared to 2019, there was a pronounced increase in the number of respiratory diseases (p = 0.000) in adults; in 2021, the incidence decreased slightly, being higher until 2022 than in the period before the pandemic (p = 0.000). Among children and adults, there was an increase in the incidence of acute respiratory infections in 2022 compared to 2015 (p &lt; 0.001). Peak incidence of croup and epiglottitis among children and adolescents was observed in 2020. The incidence of COVID-19 among adolescents (8339.6) and adults (7678.5) was significantly higher than the incidence among children (5949.9) (p = 0.000). Discussion. Respiratory diseases of infectious etiology have an acute course, so primary morbidity predominates. In adults, the proportion of primary morbidity is decreasing, which may be related to an increase in chronic diseases of the respiratory system. The weak impact of the pandemic on pediatric respiratory diseases incidence is supported by the low pediatric incidence of COVID-19. The increased incidence of COVID-19 among adolescents is alarming; it supports the assumption that child and young adult populations have proven to be major gateways for the spread of COVID-19 to adults. The high incidence of croup and epiglottitis in 2020 among children (p = 0.024) and adolescents could be one of the symptoms of COVID-19 characteristic of younger age. Conclusions. COVID-19 had no effect on the increase in respiratory disease among children, but children contributed to the spread of infection among adults. There is a trend towards an increase in chronic respiratory disease in adults. RBD of infectious etiology is almost impossible to predict, except for acute laryngitis and tracheitis among adults. In adolescents and children against the background of COVID-19 infection, a large number of more severe symptoms may appear.

Vaccination Status, Vaccine Awareness and Attitudes, and Infection Control Behaviors of Japanese College Students: A Comparison of 2021 and 2023.

Background: Now that the spread of COVID-19 has been controlled, it is important to investigate changes in young people's perceptions of the vaccine and their behavior toward infection. The objectives of this study were as follows: (1) to investigate the association between Omicron strain vaccination rates among college students, their perceptions of the vaccine, and past adverse reactions to the vaccine; (2) to compare 2021 (when COVID-19 was spreading) and 2023 (when COVID-19 was strained) to identify changes in attitudes toward vaccination and motivations for vaccination and changes in infection prevention behavior. Methods: This cross-sectional survey was conducted via e-mail from 5 January to 30 January 2023. All students at Hiroshima University were sent an e-mail, which provided them access to the survey form and requested their cooperation. The questionnaire consisted of 33 items related to attributes, vaccination status, adverse reactions after vaccination, motivation for vaccination, perception of the vaccine, presence of coronavirus infection, sequelae, and infection prevention measures. Results: A total of 1083 students responded to the survey. Over 50% of the students were vaccinated with the Omicron booster. Regarding trust in vaccines, the majority of both male and female respondents said they had some trust in vaccines, although this was less than that observed in the 2021 survey. As for infection control measures, only 2% of males and 0.3% of females answered that they did not take any infection control measures. The most common response was "wear a mask", as in the 2021 survey, with 476 men (96.6%) and 575 women (99.5%). Conclusions: The survey showed a high Omicron-responsive vaccination rate of more than 50%. In addition, more than 99% of the students were found to be taking measures to prevent infection, such as wearing masks.

Implementation of Rapid COVID-19 Testing in Criminal Justice Residential Reentry Sites.

The goal was to study the implementation of rapid BINAX COVID-19 testing at criminal justice reentry sites, focusing on framework-guided implementation outcomes. We implemented rapid COVID-19 testing at nine reentry sites in four states (Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and New York) and collected test results to measure the (1) adoptability and (2) implementability of COVID-19 testing at reentry sites. We collected data on the acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility of the implementation of COVID-19 testing using an anonymous employee Qualtrics survey. Testing was available to symptomatic and exposed residents and employees. COVID-19 testing results were collected from October 2021 to March 2022. Guided by the Expert Recommendations in Implementing Change (ERIC) framework, we chose nine implementation strategies to address barriers during the implementation process. Acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility outcomes were captured from employees using validated measures. A total of 302 BINAX COVID-19 tests were used and 26 positive cases were identified. Forty-seven percent of employees participated in the survey. More than half of respondents either agreed or completely agreed with statements about the acceptability, appropriateness, or feasibility of COVID-19 testing. Funding and attention toward COVID-19 testing at reentry sites should be provided to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in these sites.

Stroke but no hospital admission: Lost opportunity for whom?

To counter the spread of COVID-19, the French government imposed several stringent social and political measures across its entire population. We hereto assess the impact of these political decisions on healthcare access in 2020, focusing on patients who suffered from an ischemic stroke. We divide our analysis into four distinct periods: the pre-COVID-19 pandemic period, the lockdown period, the "in-between" or transitional period, and the shutdown period. Our methodology involves utilizing a retrospective dataset spanning 2019-2020, an exhaustive French national hospital discharge diagnosis database for stroke inpatients, integrated with income information from the reference year of 2019. The results reveal that the most affluent were more likely to forgo medical care, particularly in heavily affected areas. Moreover, the most disadvantaged exhibited even greater reluctance to seek care, especially in the most severely impacted regions. The data suggest a loss of opportunity for less severely affected patients to benefit from healthcares during this lockdown period, regardless of demographic, location, and socioeconomic determinants. Furthermore, our analysis reveals a notable discrepancy in healthcare-seeking behavior, with less affluent patients and seniors (over 75 years old) experiencing slower rates of return to healthcare access compared to pre-pandemic levels. This highlights a persistent gap in healthcare accessibility, particularly among socioeconomically disadvantaged groups, despite the easing of COVID-19 restrictions.

Public perception on face mask wearing during COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia: A cross sectional study.

Since the emergence of COVID-19, the Malaysian government has made wearing a face mask in public mandatory since August 1, 2020, as an effort by the government to control the transmission of COVID-19. However, Malaysians' willingness to wear face masks in public is unknown. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate their perception of face mask wearing during COVID-19 and its contributing factors. A total of 1024 respondents, aged ≥ 18 years, participated in this online cross-sectional survey from October 2021 to December 2021. The Face Mask Perception Scale (FMPS) was used to measure their perceptions. Most of the respondents perceived wearing a face mask as uncomfortable. Our findings also revealed statistically significant differences and a small effect (f2 = 0.04) in which respondents who were concerned about being infected by the virus perceived face mask wearing appearance positively (B = - 0.09 units of log-transformed, 95% CI = - 0.15, - 0.04), whereas married respondents perceived it negatively (B = 0.07 units of log-transformed, 95% CI = 0.03, 0.09). There were no statistically significant differences in other domains of FMPS. In conclusion, discomfort was a major complaint. Marital status and fear of COVID-19 infection affected their perceptions. The public health implications of these findings highlight the importance of addressing discomfort and societal perceptions, particularly those influenced by factors such as marital status and COVID-19 experience, to promote widespread acceptance and consistent usage of face masks, which is crucial in mitigating the spread of COVID-19.

Dampak Pandemi Covid-19 terhadap Pelaksanaan Akad Perkawinan di Kantor Urusan Agama Kecamatan Kabanjahe

After the enactment of Presidential Decree no. 12 of 2020 and PP no. 21 of 2020 regarding Covid-19 and PSBB, many public services experienced disruption, including marriage services. To avoid crowds at the District KUA, the number of marriage ceremonies is limited to eight couples per day. However, the Kabanjahe District KUA reported an increase in marriage requests in recent times, especially during the pandemic. Therefore, researchers are interested in examining the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on marriage contracts at the KUA Kabanjahe District in 2022, with a focus on the implementation of Presidential Decree no. 12 of 2020 and PP no. 21 of 2020, especially the principle of mashlahah murlahah, is considered impermissible because it can cause harm or damage to humanity. This legal determination is based on the principle of ushul fiqh which states that "rejecting damage must take precedence over bringing benefit". In this context, the damage referred to is the risk of spreading Covid-19 among the Walimatul 'Ursy participants. Meanwhile, bringing benefit means continuing to carry out walimatul 'ursy as a form of notification to the public about the existence of a bond between the bride and groom's families. Supporting factors for this include good coordination between the KUA and assistants such as the Covid-19 officer unit, health educators and community leaders who are aware of social restrictions. Meanwhile, the inhibiting factor is the lack of public awareness regarding the importance of complying with regulations.

HOPE IN CONTEMPORARY PHOTOGRAPHY: THE PORTRAIT OF SELLERS OF GOODS AND SERVICES DURING A PANDEMIC

It has been more than 2 years since the covid-19 pandemic struck the world, affecting many aspects ranging from economics to education. As time went on, new habits began to be implemented in people's daily activities, or what is known as the New Normal, such as the obligation to wear masks and wash hands during activities. Departing from here, there is a feeling of longing that arises when communicating and interacting with the community. The mandatory use of masks during the New Normal era makes it difficult to guess the expressions or facial expressions of the other person. The media, which is rife with reports about the spread of covid-19, is also a factor that makes people wary of one another, which makes caring for others not like it used to be. In this case, the worker makes the seller of goods and services an object of work, which is the party that has been negatively affected by the covid-19 pandemic in the economic sector. Portrait photography is a representation of the similarity of human figures in a two-dimensional form. Portrait photography provides a personal indication of both the portrait owner and the portrait subject. Portrait photography is used as a media approach in the cultivation of works for sellers of goods and services in Bukittinggi. With the medium of portrait photography, it brings the artist closer and lets him know how life and problems are felt by sellers of goods and services in Bukittinggi, which are then presented in the form of contemporary photography works. Contemporary photography is part of art photography that is influenced by modernization and is not bound by conventional rules.

The effect of school closures on standardized test scores: Evidence under zero-COVID policies

We study the effect of school closures on learning loss under Australia’s zero-COVID policies. School closures occurred together with preemptive shelter-in-place and non-essential workplace closures that successfully eliminated the spread of COVID. We exploit variation in the duration of school closures across Australian regions of 9-157 school days and student-level test score data from a national standardized test with high participation to estimate learning loss. Learning loss was substantially smaller than comparable estimates from the literature, which has almost exclusively studied COVID mitigation (rather than elimination) policy environments. Learning loss was minimal for disadvantaged socioeconomic groups.