Strict Social Distancing Research Articles

COVID-19: a viewpoint from hepatic perspective.

Coronaviruses as such are known since last century. The name is derived from their shape which hascrown (corona) like radiating spikes. The recent one however is a different one from the Coronavirus involved inSARS (2002-2004) and MERS (2012) in being highly infectious. Initially COVID 19 had a high case fatality rate which has now decreased to a significant extent. Many cases of COVID 19 are asymptomatic with a significant number of positive cases developing a triad of fever, breathlessness and GI symptoms. Recent travel increases the probability of infection. The pathogenesis involves ACE 2 receptors. So, it has been found that there are more cases and mortality among hypertensive individuals. Even higher among the people who use ACE inhibitor in comparison to those who use other anti-hypertensive drugs. Treatment is usually symptomatic. Antiviral drugs and vaccines against COVID-19 are being used. Deranged liver enzymes are common in COVID-19, however, serious liver injury is not much documented. Liver injury is either due to disease itself or due to antiviral drugs. Extra care like strict social distancing, avoiding unnecessary contact is needed for those with autoimmune hepatitis, liver cancer and those who are in immunosuppression because of a scheduled oralready liver transplant. Further research is definitely needed in this field. The upcoming researches should also focus on liver injuries associated with disease course andderangements arising as side effects of treatment of COVID-19.

Psychological well-being in times of COVID-19: Associated factors and levels in the general population.

The COVID-19 pandemic and living under social distancing restrictions have been hypothesized to impact well-being and mental health in the general population. This study investigated the general Norwegian adult population's well-being after implementing and lifting strict social distancing restrictions. The study was conducted through digital surveys; during the implementation of strict social distancing restrictions in March 2020 (T1) and 3 months later, when the preponderance of strict distancing restrictions was discontinued (T2). Well-being was measured at T2. Four thousand nine hundred twenty-one individuals participated, and a sensitivity analysis was conducted to ensure that the sample reflects the true Norwegian adult population. Hierarchical regression analyses show that contemporaneous employment status and positive metacognitions at T2 were associated with higher well-being. Negative metacognitions and the use of unhelpful coping strategies at T2 had a contemporaneous association with lower mental well-being. Negative metacognitions at T1 were associated with lower well-being scores, while positive metacognitions at T1 were positively associated with higher well-being. An indirect association between social distancing and lower well-being was found through heightened depressive symptoms. These results contribute to understanding how social distancing restrictions relate to general well-being, which may further contribute to designing proper strategies to strengthen mental health and well-being during challenging and unavoidable societal conditions.

EARLY DESCRIPTIVE STUDY OF PEDIATRIC ED VISITS FOR COVID-19 DURING THE OMICRON WAVE IN QUEENS, NY

EARLY DESCRIPTIVE STUDY OF PEDIATRIC ED VISITS FOR COVID-19 DURING THE OMICRON WAVE IN QUEENS, NY

Precautions against COVID-19 reduce respiratory virus infections among children in Southwest China.

Acute respiratory tract infections pose a serious threat to the health of children worldwide, with viral infections representing a major etiology of this type of disease. Protective measures such as mask-wearing, social distancing, and hand hygiene can be effective in curbing the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. These precautions may also have an impact on the spread of other respiratory viruses. In this study, we retrospectively compared the respiratory virus infections of children in Southwest China before and after the outbreak of COVID-19. Nasopharyngeal swabs were collected from 1578 patients under 14 years old with acute respiratory tract infection symptoms before and after COVID-19 pandemic. Nine common respiratory viruses including human bocavirus, human rhinoviruses, human coronaviruses, human adenoviruses, human metapneumovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, influenza A virus, influenza B virus, and parainfluenza virus were measured by advanced fragment analysis. The respiratory virus infection rates among children of all ages and genders in Southwest China under the precautions against COVID-19 pandemic were significantly lower than that of the same period before the pandemic. Our findings indicate that public health measures implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic, including strict mask-wearing, social distancing, and hand hygiene, may be effective in preventing the transmission of other respiratory viruses in children, thereby controlling the spread of infections.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the severity and management of acute appendicitis.

BackgroundThe literature seems to indicate that the number of appendectomies dropped at the beginning of the coronavirus disease in 2019 (COVID-19 pandemic), while the number of complicated appendicitis increased due to late presentation. In addition, a longer delay before surgical treatment resulted in a higher morbidity. This study aims to compare the number of appendectomies, the severity, and the management of acute appendicitis during the first two pandemic peaks of COVID-19 with those observed during the same seasonal periods in the previous 2 years in a regional hospital in Switzerland.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed and compared the number of appendectomies, rate of complicated appendicitis, delay to consultation and to surgery, distribution of appendectomies over a 24-h schedule, postoperative outcomes, and rates of overall complications in 177 patients, that is, 66 during the COVID-19 pandemic and 111 before the pandemic.ResultsNo statistical difference was found in the number of appendectomies, duration of symptoms before consultation, median time to surgery, number of appendectomies performed outside the usual scheduled time for non-urgent surgery, length of postoperative stay, or the rates of overall complications. However, there was a trend in the rate of complicated appendicitis (p = .05).ConclusionIn spite of a high incidence rate of COVID-19 in our canton, the impact of COVID-19 on our population did not follow the pattern observed elsewhere. The reasons for this might be that people would still present to the emergency department due to less strict social distancing measures. Great availability of emergency operating room may also account for the unchanged delay preceding surgical treatment and complication rates.

Strict social distancing measures helped early control of SARS-CoV-2 spread in Duhok city, Iraq.

The aim of this letter is to discuss the pandemic management measures, including social distancing and community containment, taken in Duhok city in Northern Iraq, where a few patients were infected with COVID-19. During the first three months of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, 15 patients were diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 in Duhok city. All the patients were asymptomatic and were discharged to their home within 10 ± 3.2 days after throat swabs indicated a negative SARS-CoV-2 Real Time Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test. The social distancing and lockdown measures taken by the city were implemented in three stages. In the first stage, all educational institutions including schools, colleges and universities were closed. In the second stage, all gatherings were banned. Finally, state-imposed community-wide containment was declared. The social distancing measures helped control infections in the city. Gradual reopening is recommended to avoid the spread of infection.

Psychosocial Intervention in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic in Sarawak

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the world has been anticipating a greater need for mental health and psychosocial support with the rise in mental health issues when facing many struggles and uncertainties, testing the limits of our current health care system. In this paper, we aim to present a general view of the psychosocial support implemented in Sarawak during the COVID-19 pandemic from the lens of different socio-ecological systems in Sarawak which include the healthcare system, community organizations, and the policy makers. Firstly, this paper provides an overview of the COVID-19 situation in Sarawak in general for the past year. Worth to mention, Sarawak was the first state in Malaysia recorded fatality case resulted from COVID-19 and this inevitably triggered strong negative emotional response during the initial stage of the pandemic. Secondly, the combined efforts initiated by the local state government, the state health departments, several general hospitals and major health clinics were addressed. The delivery of health care service had to be modified according to the strict preventive and social distancing measures recommended by the public health system, including the shift of conventional service to the provision of tele-counselling and psychological first aid. Also, the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on mental health has brought the politicians’ attention. Lastly, the challenges faced in dealing with the mental health services during the COVID-19 pandemic and the potential paths of the mental health movement were discussed.

The COVID-19 Pandemic and Sexual Debut Among South Korean Adolescents

Objective: This study assesses the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic on the first time Korean adolescents have sex. Methods: The study examines 2017–2021 data from an annual, cross-sectional survey. Results: There is a significant drop in the percentages of male adolescents initiating sexual intercourse in 2020 and noticeable rebounds in 2021. However, the sexual debut among female students shows no significant change. Conclusions: We suggest that strict social distancing measures in 2020 and loosening of them in 2021, different orientations toward having sex by gender, and a strong sexual double standard are responsible for these findings.

A novel transfer deep learning model with reinforcement-learning-based hyperparameter optimization for short-term load forecasting during the COVID-19 pandemic

The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has significantly impacted the world. The sudden decline in electricity load demand caused by strict social distancing restrictions has made it difficult for traditional models to forecast the load demand during the pandemic. Therefore, in this study, a novel transfer deep learning model with reinforcement-learning-based hyperparameter optimization is proposed for short-term load forecasting during the pandemic. First, a knowledge base containing mobility data is constructed, which can reflect the changes in visitor volume in different regions and buildings based on mobile services. Therefore, the sudden decline in load can be analyzed according to the socioeconomic behavior changes during the pandemic. Furthermore, a new transfer deep learning model is proposed to address the problem of limited mobility data associated with the pandemic. Moreover, reinforcement learning is employed to optimize the hyperparameters of the proposed model automatically, which avoids the manual adjustment of the hyperparameters, thereby maximizing the forecasting accuracy. To enhance the hyperparameter optimization efficiency of the reinforcement-learning agents, a new advance forecasting method is proposed to forecast the state-action values of the state space that have not been traversed. The experimental results on 12 real-world datasets covering different countries and cities demonstrate that the proposed model achieves high forecasting accuracy during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

COVID 19: Are Our Green Areas Enough for People’s Well-being

Malaysians’ overall well-being, particularly in urban areas, has been seriously affected physically and emotionally due to the series of imposed lockdowns in the country. The number of mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, and loneliness has increased tremendously during the lockdown period. Various studies suggest that these mental health issues could be coped with if people are allowed to access urban greeneries and public green spaces during the pandemic. However, the degree to how adequate existing green areas are to fulfil an urban community’s needs with strict social distancing compliance is still vaguely interpreted in the literature. It is still arguable that the current 10 per cent green area requirement is still relevant to the current context of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to determine the sufficient amount of green areas for people’s well-being during the pandemic, based on the local population, accessibility to green areas, and compliance with the new norm of social distancing by a minimum of one meter. Therefore, an urban neighbourhood in Iskandar Puteri, Johor, Malaysia was selected and simulated using GIS spatial analysis based on the highlighted parameters. As a result, the study found that the current size of existing green areas in the neighbourhood is insufficient in terms of compliance with the parameters, especially Malaysia’s social distancing requirements. This study could provide a platform for future planning to include pandemic risk reduction into urban planning policies, especially in the context of Malaysia, to cater to future uncertainties

The Implementation of al-Mâ’ûn’s Theology in the Philanthropy of Muhammadiyah Citizens in Malaysia

The aim of this research is to describe the implementation of social solidarity from ‎the theological understanding of surah al-Mâ’ûn by the residents of ‎Muhammadiyah in Malaysia during the covid-19 pandemic. This research model is ‎a case study on the generosity behaviour of migrant workers or better known as the ‎Indonesian Migrant Workers (TKI) Muhammadiyah in Malaysia. This research ‎method uses a qualitative approach. The data collection technique is done by online ‎observation, interviews and documentation. This study applies an interactive ‎analysis through data collection, data reduction, presentation and conclusion ‎drawing. The purpose of this study is to determine the form of social activities ‎carried out by Muhammadiyah citizens in Malaysia who on the other hand are ‎migrant workers in response to the global covid-19 pandemic. The results of this ‎study can be concluded that the implementation of the value of social solidarity in ‎the Muhammadiyah community in Malaysia, especially for migrant workers, shows ‎that citizen philanthropy indirectly creates a cooperative activity, an activity of ‎mutual help and willingness to sacrifice for others. It is clear how some of ‎the residents participate in an unconditional way in trying to help other residents ‎who do not have basic needs due to the strict social distancing run by the ‎Malaysian Royal Government.

An exploration of psychological trauma and positive adaptation in adults with congenital heart disease during the COVID-19 pandemic

The growing population of adults with congenital heart disease (CHD) often have lifelong experience of dealing with potentially traumatic health crises and medical uncertainty whilst facing increased vulnerability to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The COVID-19 pandemic presents additional challenges for this population including increased risk of health complications, shielding and strict social distancing, changes to medical care provision and social stigma. Despite such challenges, adults with CHD have the potential to also experience positive changes, yet little is known as to what helps cultivate positive adaptation and post-traumatic growth (PTG) within this context. The current study comprised a cross-sectional, anonymous, online study exploring psychosocial measures of traumatic experiences as well as protective factors that mitigate the risks to the mental health of adults with CHD (n=236) during the pandemic. Closed and open-ended questions and a series of standardised psychosocial measures of traumatic experiences, coping mechanisms, emotional regulation and PTG were used. Findings suggest the CHD population are at increased risk of PTSD which may be exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, positive adaptation may promote post traumatic growth. In particular, emotional regulation is associated with post-traumatic growth. We recommend a growth-focused, psychologically and trauma-informed approach to medicine and public health, recognising the importance of supporting mental health and promoting living well with CHD during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. These findings are likely generalisable to other lifelong health conditions and shielding populations. Experience Framework This article is associated with the Quality & Clinical Excellence lens of The Beryl Institute Experience Framework (https://www.theberylinstitute.org/ExperienceFramework). Access other PXJ articles related to this lens. Access other resources related to this lens.

The Negative Impact of Routine, Dietary Pattern, and Physical Activity on Obesity and Dysglycemia During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) outbreak, has disrupted routines in education, work, exercise, and dining habits. To prevent viral spread, communal spaces including offices, schools, restaurants, and gyms have closed or drastically limited their capacity. Additionally, government-mandated lockdown orders have forced people to spend more time at home. Studies have shown that these COVID-19 restrictions have led to unhealthier eating patterns, increased sedentary behaviors, and decreased physical activity, leading to weight gain, dysglycemia, and increased metabolic risk. While strict social distancing measures have been necessary to curb the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, people have been forced to adapt by altering their daily routines. Based on existing literature, a model is proposed for intentionally creating daily routines to ensure healthy habits, minimize weight gain, and prevent worsening dysglycemia.

Survey of the patients' perspectives and preferences in adopting telepharmacy versus in-person visits to the pharmacy: a feasibility study during the COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundFollowing the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the health authorities recommended the implementation of strict social distancing and complete lockdown regulations to reduce disease spread. The pharmacists quickly adopted telemedicine (telepharmacy) as a solution against this crisis, but awareness about this technology is lacking. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to explore the patients' perspectives and preferences regarding telepharmacy instead of traditional in-person visits.MethodsAn electronic questionnaire was designed and sent to 313 patients who were eligible for the study (from March to April 2021). The questionnaire used five-point Likert scales to inquire about motivations for adopting telepharmacy and in-person visits, their perceived advantages and disadvantages, and the declining factors of telepharmacy. Finally, the results were descriptively analyzed using SPSS 22.ResultsOf all 313 respondents, a total of 241 (77%) preferred appointments via telepharmacy while 72 (23%) preferred in-person services. There was a significant difference between the selection percentage of telepharmacy and in-person services (chi-square 91.42; p < 0.0001). Preference bout the telepharmacy system versus in-person visits to the pharmacy was associated with factors such as "reducing the incidence of contagious disease" (4.41; ± 0.78), "spending less time receiving pharmaceutical services” (4.24; ± 0.86)), and “traveling a shorter distance for receiving pharmaceutical services" (4.25; ± 0.86). "Reducing costs" (90.87%), "saving time" (89.21%), and "reducing the incidence of contagious disease" (87.13%) were the most important reasons for choosing telepharmacy services. Also, “face-to-face communication with the pharmacist” (25%), “low internet bandwidth” (25%), and “reduction of patients' anxiety and the increase of their peace of mind” (23.61%) were the most important reasons for choosing in-person visits.ConclusionSurvey data indicate that most participants are likely to prefer the use of telepharmacy, especially during crises such as the current COVID-19 pandemic. Telepharmacy can be applied as an important means and a crucial service to lessen the load on healthcare organizations and expand drug supply shelters in pharmacies. However, there are still substantial hurdles to overcome in order to successfully implement the telemedicine platform as part of mainstream practice.

How Did the COVID-19 Pandemic Affect the Use of Emergency Medical Services by Patients Experiencing Mental Health Crises?

The COVID-19 pandemic and its resulting social restrictions have significant implications for mental health. The objective of this study was to determine the monthly trends and types of patients experiencing a mental health crisis (MHC) who used emergency medical services (EMSs) before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. A retrospective observational study was conducted using EMS data. During the study period, 8577 patients used EMSs for MHCs. EMS dispatches for MHCs and suicide completion after the COVID-19 pandemic were decreased by 12.4% and 12.7%, respectively, compared to those before the COVID-19 pandemic. Segmented regression analysis found that the number of patients per month was 6.79 before the COVID-19 pandemic. The number decreased to 4.52 patients per month during the COVID-19 pandemic, although the decrease was not statistically significant. The monthly number of patients experiencing an MHC decreased during strict social distancing measures but increased during relaxed social distancing measures. The percentage of hanging increased from 14.20% before the COVID-19 pandemic to 14.30% (p = 0.03) during the COVID-19 pandemic, whereas the percentages of jumping (from 15.55% to 15.28%, p = 0.01) and self-harm by smoke (from 4.59% to 3.84%, p < 0.001) during the COVID-19 pandemic were decreased compared to those before COVID-19. However, the effect size for the above findings was small (below 0.20). More than 25% of the patients experiencing an MHC who used EMSs refused to transfer to the ED over both study periods (26.49% in the pre-COVID-19 period and 28.53% in the COVID-19 period). The COVID-19 pandemic and social restrictions seemed to have some effects on the use of EMSs by MHC patients. Hanging is mainly performed indoors and is not found easily if social distancing persists, and a patient experiencing an MHC who refuses to be transferred could potentially attempt suicide. Subsequent studies should be performed to determine whether these findings are temporary during the COVID-19 pandemic or whether they will show different aspects after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Has the COVID-19 pandemic changed gender- and parental-status-specific differences in working from home? Panel evidence from Germany.

Has COVID‐19 changed gender‐ and parental‐status‐specific differences in working from home? To answer this question, we used data from the Institute for Employment Research High‐Frequency Online Personal Panel collected in Germany in the early stages of the pandemic (May–August 2020). Regression analyses revealed changes in pre‐pandemic gender‐ and parental‐status‐specific differences in remote working—not only when strict social distancing measures were in place, but also after they were lifted: Fathers were no longer more likely than childless men and women to work remotely, and women were no longer more likely than men to work more hours from home when using this arrangement. Further, the results suggest that cultural barriers in organizations to working from home—which were especially prevalent for mothers before the pandemic—have decreased.

Online Classrooms in the Digital Era - Online Presence Through Learners’ Perception

This research aims to evaluate learners’ experience of online presence (i.e., teaching, social, cognitive presence) on learning needs, outcomes and challenges in meeting those expectations at a Vietnam university, which offered an entire curriculum online during 2020 and 2021 in response to a strict social distancing mandate. This study provides the following contributions. First, it helps educational institutions understand online learners’ pressing needs using a well-studied framework and create a high-level, engaging online learning environment. Second, it complements other studies that examine the Community of Inquiry framework in the context of a university in Vietnam during COVID-19, whose findings can be generalizable to other institutions. Finally, it puts forward further challenges that educational institutions should consider balancing online learners’ needs and operational constraints to advance the effectiveness of online learning. The study shows that the students highly regarded teaching presence from the instructors and institution, which included online infrastructure, learning management system, and various online teaching modes. Lively online lectures, recorded sessions, and the use of social media made the learning experience satisfactory. However, cognitive and social presence was not found strongly present in students’ learning. Class sizes, workload, and lack of personal contacts were found to be the main reasons for instructors not promoting such aspects of the learning.

Influences of Dog Attachment and Dog Walking on Reducing Loneliness during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Korea.

Simple SummaryEven before the emergence of COVID-19, animal companionship was gaining popularity in Korea as a strategy to reduce loneliness and isolation caused by a rapidly aging population and an increase in one-person households. Many dog owners have experienced the emotional and physical benefits that dog ownership provides during the COVID-19 period. This study examined the relationship between dog attachment, dog walking and loneliness during times of widespread isolation. An online, cross-sectional survey for dog owners was conducted in the fall of 2020. Voluntary participants responded to questionnaires about their relationship with dogs, dog attachment, and dog walking during COVID-19. Our study suggests that dog walking has no direct effect on reducing loneliness but the relationship between dog walking and loneliness might be mediated by attachment. Due to the strict social distancing guidelines during the pandemic, dog walking would not allow opportunities for conversation with other people, but it seems that spending time outside with dogs strengthens the bonds between humans and companion dogs, alleviating loneliness.The COVID-19 pandemic has changed people’s lives and increased their vulnerability to physical and mental health hazards. While Korea has avoided nationwide lockdown measures since the COVID-19 outbreak, the prolonged restrictions and social isolation measures have resulted in detrimental psychological effects, such as increased anxiety, boredom, and loneliness. The present study investigated dog attachment and changes in dog walking during the COVID-19 pandemic and the effects of dog attachment and dog walking on the loneliness of Korean dog owners. An online, cross-sectional survey was conducted in the fall of 2021 in which 249 dog owners responded to questionnaires that asked questions about dog attachment, their perception of dog walking, and their feelings of loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most dog owners responded that they spent more time with their dogs and developed a stronger bond with them during the pandemic. Additionally, respondents stated that they walked their dogs more often than they did before COVID-19 and that their dogs aided in reducing loneliness. We found that dog walking directly affected attachment and indirectly influenced the loneliness of dog owners. Further research is required to determine how dog walking impacts positive psychological effects and promote dog walking.

A Review on Digitalization of CSR during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Indonesia: Opportunities and Challenges

The COVID-19 pandemic has become a global problem since first appearing in 2020. Not only does it heavily affect the health sector, but it also spreads to other sectors such as social, economic, and education. Studies have shown that many global companies, including those based in Indonesia, contribute to the global pandemic mitigation by implementing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs. So far, the implementation of CSR is mainly focused on providing food, medicines, and vitamins, as well as medical facilities and equipment. On the other hand, other reviewed studies showed that the pandemic has transformed the CSR implementation from offline to online, also known as CSR digitalization. The limitation in mobility and strict social distancing rules by the government have resulted in this emergence of CSR digitalization initiatives. Although CSR digitalization is still relatively rare, several technology companies have started implementing it. CSR digitalization practices aim to empower micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME) to master digital competencies and increase their economic condition affected by the pandemic. Companies implementing CSR digitalization reported a more efficient and effective CSR implementation. This article can potentially introduce a new paradigm to the industry players on the importance of CSR digitalization and future opportunities due to the changes in the behavior of society post-pandemic.

A "Ballpark" Assessment of Social Distancing Efficiency in the Early Stages of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

This paper presents an efficiency assessment of social distancing as an internationally adopted measure to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The simple framework adopted for the assessment accounts for two kinds of costs that a society may bear in a pandemic. The first is welfare loss due to infection and its consequences, and the second is welfare loss resulting from a slowdown in economic transactions. We call the first infection costs, and the second economic costs, for convenience in the paper. Efficient social distancing should minimize the sum of these costs. Infection costs are likely to decrease with social distancing at a decreasing rate as intensified social distancing eases pressure on scarce resources for intensive care. Economic costs on the other hand are likely to increase at an increasing rate as extreme slowdown in economic life may entail job losses and business failures. The resulting U-shaped total costs curve implies parity between infection costs and economic costs as a necessary condition for efficiency. In a simplified implementation of the framework, we approximate infection costs by the value of (statistical) lives lost, and economic costs by the gap between the actual gross domestic product (GDP) in 2020 and the potential GDP as predicted by the within-country growth trend during the preceding decade. The results for 158 countries suggest that the global community perhaps reacted with overly strict social distancing measures. The results for the subgroup of high-income countries, however, suggest that these countries were more successful in maintaining the parity between infection and economic costs.