Time Of Lockdown Research Articles

To Answer or Not to Answer: What Determines Telephone Survey Response Rates in Times of Lockdown?

Surveys in low- and middle-income countries evoke much higher response than those in richer countries. This has led to a situation wherein there is much less interest by researchers on various factors that might be impacting survey response in the former. However, many factors, including increasing urbanisation and industrialisation and accompanying demographic and socio-economic changes in countries of the global South, may lead to a situation where the survey response is no longer high warranting researchers to pay greater attention to it. In this article, the authors undertake this exercise by drawing on the panel the Delhi Metropolitan Area Telephonic Survey (DMAS-T) that was conducted in the National Capital Region during the pandemic from April 2019 to June 2021 (this includes periods of the COVID-induced lockdown). The results indicate that underneath the initial high response to the survey, there is much heterogeneity by the lockdown phase, survey month, and other individual and socio-economic background characteristics of the respondents. The results reinforce the argument for paying greater attention to survey response as a means of understanding survey data as also of designing better surveys with the intention to reduce non-response and/or bias. JEL Code: C830

TEACHING LEARNING METHODS’ SHIFT AND ITS IMPACT DURING PANDEMIC

Abstract: The entire instructive framework from rudimentary to tertiary level has been imploded during the lockdown time of the novel Covid 2019 (COVID-19) in India as well as the entire world. This investigation is a depiction of online learning modes implemented by the Thakur College of Engineering and Technology for the measurement of learning and examination assessments. It anticipates a mentally enhanced chance for additional future scholastic dynamic during any affliction. The planned motivation behind this paper looks to address the necessary essentialities of internet/online instructing in training in the midst of the pandemic and how might existing assets of instructive foundations adequately change formal schooling into online schooling with the assistance of virtual classes and other significant online devices in this constantly moving instructive scene. The paper utilizes both quantitative and subjective way to deal with study the impression of instructors and understudies on web based educating learning modes and furthermore featured the execution cycle of web based educating learning modes. The estimation of this paper is to draw an all encompassing image of progressingmidst of the pandemic flare-up in order to beat the persevering scholastic aggravation and thus guarantee the resumption of instructive exercises and talks as an ordinary course of method in the schooling framework. Keywords: Covid 19; Pandemic; Online Teaching; Teaching Learning Methods

Internet addiction among students of selected schools of South Delhi

In the time of lockdown and home confinement, internet use is expected to rise. Recognizing this, we did this study to find the prevalence of internet addiction in school-going adolescents from South Delhi. Employing systematic random sampling, we selected 509 students, who had used/been using the internet in the last 30 days. Data collection was done using a self-administered questionnaire assessing internet addiction utilized Young’s Internet Addiction Test (IAT). The study observed prevalence of 51.3%, which was significantly associated with students in high school, parents’ education, upper socioeconomic class, and access to an internet at home. Additionally, we observed that students primarily used the internet for nonessential purposes (movies, online shopping, social networking, online games, chatting, cyber- sex/pornography) rather than for academic purposes. The increasing trend of internet use, that too for entertainment, may be attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic and can lead to a significant problem.

Solidarity and support in Belgian residential linguistic landscapes during the Covid-19 outbreak

Abstract This article examines the role played by signs in the public space of two socio-economically stratified residential neighbourhoods of Ghent (Belgium) during the first Covid-19 outbreak in 2020. On the basis of fieldwork, we explore the potential of public signs as a resourceful strategy for communicating solidarity and support and the discursive construction of a community affected by this crisis. We show that in times of lockdown and social distancing, the residential linguistic landscape in both neighbourhoods became strategically appropriated by local inhabitants to communicate with neighbours and strangers and was operationalised as a vehicle to serve new communicative functions such as the conveying of solidarity and support as well as gratitude, and collective belonging. Some differences related to emplacement, language use and quantity of signs were also observed. Overall, the article documents the affective appropriation of space through Covid-19 signs during the Covid-19 outbreak and periods of lockdown in Flanders, Belgium.

A Cross-Sectional Survey Analysis of the Human Olfactory Senses for Perfumes and its Alternations due to COVID-19

Perfumes are created by a fine blend of fragrant compounds, essential oils, various fixatives, and liquid solvents. They bestow a pleasant smell on the human body, animals, objects, and surroundings. In today’s environment, people wear perfume to conceal or enhance their natural odour. Some people even wear perfume to be unique or special and have a characteristic aroma. Perfumes can also increase one’s self-confidence and self-esteem. Following this context, this study aims to evaluate the odour families preferred by males and females and the odour families they find appealing to the opposite sex. This paper and its findings scrupulously define the odour families and raw materials used in perfumery and pose a question to neuroscientists about the further scope in areas of brain development and unravel the mysteries behind the preference of gender-based division of odour families. It also shows the statistics of how the COVID-19 global pandemic had decreased the usage of perfume during the trying times of lockdowns and restrictions.

A comparative study for mental health challenges of students: Online versus on-campus education

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way instructors teach and students learn. Rather than receiving education face-to-face on-campus, remote online education emerged as an alternative solution. If implemented properly though, online education can have its positive impact on the teaching and learning processes. Online education, however, may have its deficiencies, especially in terms of mental health. This paper is a follow-on study comparing students’ perceptions towards remote online education versus their perceptions towards on-campus education as regards mental health specifically. Involving sixty-two engineering students at a private university in Dubai, where this study was implemented, the researchers utilized a questionnaire focusing on both online and on campus education models, which was conducted during the COVID-19 lockdown time and on-campus education following the lockdown period. Based on the study’s findings, most respondents were in favor of on-campus education, particularly in relation to its impact on student mental health.

Remote Interpreting in Criminal Proceedings

Court interpreting is a form of community interpreting looking back at a long history. Indeed, the age of modern conference interpeting dates from the launch of simultaneous interpreting at the Nuremberg Trials following World War II. – Interpreting in court proceedings, in particular, in criminal law cases is indispensable for observing the right to a fair trial, enabling the defendant or applicants to understand the proceedings and make claims. Remote interpreting in court proceedings was employed predominantly in combination with remote hearings in the framework of legal aid procedures, however, with the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, courts scrambled to continue operations in the uncertain times of lockdown. – This paper examines the fundamental rights backdrop (Article 6 ECHR and Article 47 Charter of Fundamental Rights) and legal basis of court interpreting in Europe (Directive 2010/64/EU) as the legal context of remote court interpreting. Is also examines the European (EU and CoE) policy papers and actions supporting remote hearing and remote interpreting in judicial procedures. It then continues with the case study on remote interpreting at the Hungarian criminal judicial system in the era of the Pandemic. Finally, in light of these findings, the following question is tackled: Does the accused have the same opportunity in the proceedings? In essence: does remote hearing and interpreting guarantee a fair trial?

Video Calls as a Replacement for Family Visits During Lockdowns in Aged Care: Interview Study With Family Members.

Lockdowns have been used to prevent the spread of transmissible illnesses such as influenza, norovirus, and COVID-19 in care homes. However, lockdowns deny care home residents supplemental care and the socioemotional enrichment that comes from seeing family members. Video calling has the potential to enable ongoing contact between residents and family members during lockdowns. However, video calls can be considered by some as a poor substitute for in-person visits. It is important to understand family members' experiences with video calling during lockdowns to ensure the effective use of this technology in the future. This study aimed to understand how family members use video calls to communicate with relatives living in aged care during lockdowns. We focused on experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, which involved extensive lockdowns in aged care homes. We conducted semistructured interviews with 18 adults who had been using video calls with relatives living in aged care during pandemic lockdowns. The interviews focused on how participants had been using video calls, what benefits they gained from video-based interactions, and what challenges they encountered when using the technology. We analyzed the data using the 6-phase reflexive approach to thematic analysis by Braun and Clarke. We developed 4 themes through our analysis. Theme 1 interprets video calling as a medium for the continuation of care during lockdowns. Using video calls, family members were able to provide social enrichment for residents and engaged in health monitoring to uphold residents' welfare. Theme 2 highlights how video calling extended care by supporting frequent contact, transmitting nonverbal cues that were essential for communication, and negating the need for face masks. Theme 3 interprets organizational issues such as the lack of technology and staff time as impediments to the continuation of familial care through video. Finally, theme 4 highlights the need for 2-way communication, interpreting residents' unfamiliarity with video calling and their health conditions as further barriers to the continuation of care. This study suggests that, during restrictions arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, video calls became a medium for enabling family members to continue participating in the care of their relatives. The use of video calls to continue care illustrates their value for families during times of mandatory lockdown and supports the use of video to complement face-to-face visits at other times. However, better support is needed for video calling in aged care homes. This study also revealed a need for video calling systems that are designed for the aged care context.

Prolonged Grief in Times of Lockdown During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of prolonged grief (PG) during the COVID-19 pandemic and to analyze associated variables. 142 family members of patients who died during the lockdown at a hospital were surveyed 6months after the death. Prolonged grief, depression and anxiety, grief rumination, and loss-related variables were captured. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to detect the associated variables of PG symptoms. Prolonged grief was present in 44.4% of the bereaved. 76.2% of the relatives reported feeling distressed due to visitor restrictions, and the majority of them were unable to bid farewell to their family member at the time of death. Pastoral or psychological care was also lacking. Low education (p < 0.001), emotional closeness (p = 0.007), loss of a spouse (p < 0.001), inability to bid farewell after death (p = 0.024), feeling of threat due to the pandemic (p < 0.001), depression (p = 0.014), and anxiety (p = 0.028) were significantly associated with prolonged grief.

The lockdown and vaccination distribution in Thailand's COVID-19 epidemic: A model study.

Several countries used varied degrees of social isolation measures in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. In 2021, the lockdown in Thailand began on July 20 and lasted for the following six weeks. The lockdown has extremely detrimental effects on the economy and society, even though it may reduce the number of COVID-19 instances. Our goals are to assess the impact of the lockdown policy, the commencement time of lockdown, and the vaccination rate on the number of COVID-19 cases in Thailand in 2021. We modeled the dynamics of COVID-19 in Thailand throughout 2021 using the SEIR model. The Google Mobility Index, vaccine distribution rate, and lockdown were added to the model. The Google Mobility Index represents the movement of individuals during a pandemic and shows how people react to lockdown. The model also examines the effect of vaccination rate on the incidence of COVID-19. The modeling approach demonstrates that a 6-week lockdown decreases the incidence number of COVID-19 by approximately 15.49-18.17%, depending on the timing of the lockdown compared to a non-lockdown scenario. An increasing vaccination rate potentially reduce the incidence number of COVID-19 by 5.12-18.35% without launching a lockdown. Lockdowns can be an effective method to slow down the spread of COVID-19 when the vaccination program is not fully functional. When the vaccines are easily accessible on a large scale, the lockdown may terminated.

Affectionate touch and diurnal oxytocin levels: An ecological momentary assessment study.

Affectionate touch, which is vital for mental and physical health, was restricted during the Covid-19 pandemic. This study investigated the association between momentary affectionate touch and subjective well-being, as well as salivary oxytocin and cortisol in everyday life during the pandemic. In the first step, we measured anxiety and depression symptoms, loneliness and attitudes toward social touch in a large cross-sectional online survey (N = 1050). From this sample, N = 247 participants completed ecological momentary assessments over 2 days with six daily assessments by answering smartphone-based questions on affectionate touch and momentary mental state, and providing concomitant saliva samples for cortisol and oxytocin assessment. Multilevel models showed that on a within-person level, affectionate touch was associated with decreased self-reported anxiety, general burden, stress, and increased oxytocin levels. On a between-person level, affectionate touch was associated with decreased cortisol levels and higher happiness. Moreover, individuals with a positive attitude toward social touch experiencing loneliness reported more mental health problems. Our results suggest that affectionate touch is linked to higher endogenous oxytocin in times of pandemic and lockdown and might buffer stress on a subjective and hormonal level. These findings might have implications for preventing mental burden during social contact restrictions. The study was funded by the German Research Foundation, the German Psychological Society, and German Academic Exchange Service.

Sport and academic engagement of 1,387 Slovenian dual-career athletes before and during COVID-19 lockdown-what did we learn?

Since the coronavirus disease outbreak in 2019, there have been several preventive measures and restrictions applied to minimize the transmission of the virus. While lockdown has affected our everyday lives, it has negatively impacted sport and athletes as well. 1,387 Slovenian dual-career (DC) athletes (47.4% females, 52.6% males) participated in the 22-item questionnaire to gather information on their sports and academic engagement before and during COVID-19 lockdown period. Half of the athletes were enrolled in education at the secondary level (n = 819, aged 15-18 years), while the others were enrolled in primary (n = 301, 8-14 years) and tertiary (n = 267, 19-36 years) education. All participants in the current study have a valid athlete categorization by the Slovenian Olympic Committee and are competing at either junior (31.7%), national (26.9%), prospective (29.5%), international (8.5%), world (2.3%) or Olympic (1.2%) level. DC athletes spent less time on training (-4.7 h; p < 0.001), learning (-1.0 h; p < 0.001), exams (-0.9 h; p < 0.001), laboratory work (-0.6 h; p < 0.001), and other educational activities (-0.3 h; p < 0.001) during COVID-19 lockdown compared to period before the lockdown. Their training environment was changed so they trained either at home or outdoors. Results showed that indoor (-3.7 h; p < 0.001) and team sport athletes (-1.3 h; p < 0.001) trained less than outdoor and individual sports. Male athletes spent more time on training both before (1.3 h; p < 0.001) and during lockdown (1.3 h; p < 0.001) and other sport-related activities (1.3 h; p < 0.001). On the other hand, female athletes spent more time on studying both before (1.5 h; p < 0.001) and during lockdown (2.6 h; p < 0.001). Both sport and educational activities were influenced by athletes' age (p ≤ 0.017). Indoor and team sport athletes were more affected by the governmental measures than outdoor and individual sport athletes. Male athletes experienced a greater decline in learning time compared to female athletes. DC is shown to be beneficial for athletes even in times of COVID-19 lockdown, as DC athletes report smaller decline in motivation, shifting attention from sport to study and having fewer mental problems due to uncertain sports future. The feedback of the preventive measures could serve to assist policy makers and athlete's support staff to form and apply preventive measures that are more effective for DC athletes' training and education.

Le compagnon idéal par Isabelle Minière

Reviewed by: Le compagnon idéal par Isabelle Minière Eilene Hoft-March MiniÈre, Isabelle. Le compagnon idéal. Serge Safran, 2022. ISBN 979-10-90175-97-6. Pp. 176. "Love in the time of lockdown" could arguably serve as this novel's subtitle. Readers are hauled back to the inauspicious spring of 2020, confronted with our shared pandemic history, especially its European version: le grand confinement with its circumscribed mobility, restaurant closures, télétravail, and runs on toilet paper and pasta. "Comme si c'était la guerre" (34) observes the narrator of the world's resigned conformity to a common misfortune. While recent history undergirds almost every page, title, and cover suggest a different, less realistic story. Its vintage image straight from an early 50s romance novel illustrates the title's "ideal companion," a suited young man in the driver's seat of a convertible, arms in a proprietary embrace of a young woman. The image's outmoded romanticism constitutes a conspiratorial wink at readers. The narrator, Eva, certainly seems an unlikely proponent of such archaic claptrap. Clear-eyed and self-aware, she knows herself to be mildly unhappy, socially inept, and constitutionally timid. Eva traces her self-diagnosed behaviors to unhealthy family dynamics: a cold and critical mother, a sister who ranks as Mother 2.0, and a father who, she fantasizes, might be affectionate, though she has no proof of his disposition toward her. Eva prefers, in family or social gatherings alike, to withdraw from events undetected ("s'éclipser" 9). Equipped with just such a strategy, Eva attends her boss's birthday party, positioning herself on the periphery preparatory to her usual discreet exit. Enter the fortuitous "companion," her boss's brother, Jimmy (or perhaps Jeff, hesitates the narrator). A very brisk courtship ensues—texts, flowers, dinner, lovemaking, and a hasty decision to live together in Eva's apartment. That these events are all compressed into a few days speaks to those peculiar times when many were propelled by the decree of quarantining to choose almost irrevocably between virtual exile and overly cozy cohabitation. But Jimmy proves indeed to be the title's ideal companion. His personality conforms snugly to Eva's own, matching her every mood and supporting her every decision; there is no daylight between them. Here is where the plot begins to thicken and where the reviewer needs to hold back to avoid spoiling readerly pleasure. The narrative obliges attention to clues scattered throughout the text, further obliging a reassessment of characters and plot. Beyond reviving the history of a global pandemic most likely seared into this generation's memory, Minière projects the psychological wages of isolation that may be with us for years to come. Her novel is a quick, enjoyable read, but nowhere near as lightweight as its cover illustration projects. [End Page 243] Eilene Hoft-March Lawrence University (WI) Copyright © 2023 American Association of Teachers of French

Estimating time-dependent contact: a multi-strain epidemiological model of SARS-CoV-2 on the island of Ireland

Mathematical modelling plays a key role in understanding and predicting the epidemiological dynamics of infectious diseases. We construct a flexible discrete-time model that incorporates multiple viral strains with different transmissibilities to estimate the changing patterns of human contact that generates new infections. Using a Bayesian approach, we fit the model to longitudinal data on hospitalisation with COVID-19 from the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland during the first year of the pandemic. We describe the estimated change in human contact in the context of government-mandated non-pharmaceutical interventions in the two jurisdictions on the island of Ireland. We take advantage of the fitted model to conduct counterfactual analyses exploring the impact of lockdown timing and introducing a novel, more transmissible variant. We found substantial differences in human contact between the two jurisdictions during periods of varied restriction easing and December holidays. Our counterfactual analyses reveal that implementing lockdowns earlier would have decreased subsequent hospitalisation substantially in most, but not all cases, and that an introduction of a more transmissible variant - without necessarily being more severe - can cause a large impact on the health care burden.

Socioeconomic inequalities in times of COVID-19 lockdown: prevalence and related-differences in measures of anxiety and stress in Palestine

Socioeconomic inequalities in times of COVID-19 lockdown: prevalence and related-differences in measures of anxiety and stress in Palestine

COVID-19 Contact Tracing as an Indicator for Evaluating a Pandemic Situation: Simulation Study

Contact tracing is a fundamental intervention in public health. When systematically applied, it enables the breaking of chains of transmission, which is important for controlling COVID-19 transmission. In theoretically perfect contact tracing, all new cases should occur among quarantined individuals, and an epidemic should vanish. However, the availability of resources influences the capacity to perform contact tracing. Therefore, it is necessary to estimate its effectiveness threshold. We propose that this effectiveness threshold may be indirectly estimated using the ratio of COVID-19 cases arising from quarantined high-risk contacts, where higher ratios indicate better control and, under a threshold, contact tracing may fail and other restrictions become necessary. This study assessed the ratio of COVID-19 cases in high-risk contacts quarantined through contact tracing and its potential use as an ancillary pandemic control indicator. We built a 6-compartment epidemiological model to emulate COVID-19 infection flow according to publicly available data from Portuguese authorities. Our model extended the usual susceptible-exposed-infected-recovered model by adding a compartment Q with individuals in mandated quarantine who could develop infection or return to the susceptible pool and a compartment P with individuals protected from infection because of vaccination. To model infection dynamics, data on SARS-CoV-2 infection risk (IR), time until infection, and vaccine efficacy were collected. Estimation was needed for vaccine data to reflect the timing of inoculation and booster efficacy. In total, 2 simulations were built: one adjusting for the presence and absence of variants or vaccination and another maximizing IR in quarantined individuals. Both simulations were based on a set of 100 unique parameterizations. The daily ratio of infected cases arising from high-risk contacts (q estimate) was calculated. A theoretical effectiveness threshold of contact tracing was defined for 14-day average q estimates based on the classification of COVID-19 daily cases according to the pandemic phases and was compared with the timing of population lockdowns in Portugal. A sensitivity analysis was performed to understand the relationship between different parameter values and the threshold obtained. An inverse relationship was found between the q estimate and daily cases in both simulations (correlations >0.70). The theoretical effectiveness thresholds for both simulations attained an alert phase positive predictive value of >70% and could have anticipated the need for additional measures in at least 4 days for the second and fourth lockdowns. Sensitivity analysis showed that only the IR and booster dose efficacy at inoculation significantly affected the q estimates. We demonstrated the impact of applying an effectiveness threshold for contact tracing on decision-making. Although only theoretical thresholds could be provided, their relationship with the number of confirmed cases and the prediction of pandemic phases shows the role as an indirect indicator of the efficacy of contact tracing.

Lockdown time, time loops, and the crisis of the future

Amidst the Covid-19 lockdowns of 2020 and 2021 in the United States and United Kingdom, a fantasy took hold that life under lockdown was like living in a time loop. The time loop quickly became the genre of the moment. And yet, however “timely” they appeared, most of the time-loop films and series du jour had been conceived and produced before the pandemic. Why and how did they become retrofitted to the temporality of the pandemic? To answer this question, we delve into the split time of the time-loop film. We argue that, in its deferred arrival, the time loop became a fantastical solution to the problems of loneliness, stuckness, and the future that the pandemic stoked but did not originate.

"Picturing a Way Forward": Strategies to Manage the Effects of COVID-19-Related Isolation on Long-Term Care Residents and Their Informal Caregivers.

Strategies to manage the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic included widespread use of physical distancing measures. These well-intended strategies adversely affected long-term care (LTC) residents' socialization and their caregiving arrangements, leading to exacerbation of social isolation and emotional distress for both residents and their caregivers. This study aimed to understand how these measures affected informal caregivers of people living in LTC homes in Ontario. Strategies to increase socialization and promote social connection during and post-COVID-19 were also explored. This qualitative study used descriptive and photovoice approaches. Of the 9 potential caregivers identified, 6 participated in the study and shared their experiences and photographic reflections in virtual focus group sessions. Findings highlighted the increased social isolation experienced by people living in LTC and their caregivers during COVID-19. Caregivers reported pronounced declines in residents' well-being and were frustrated by challenges connecting with their family members during quarantine. Attempts made by LTC homes to maintain social connections, such as window visits and video calls, did not fulfill the social needs of residents and their caregivers. Findings underscore a need for better social support and resources for both LTC residents and their caregivers going forward to prevent further isolation and disengagement. Even in times of lockdown, LTC homes must implement policies, services, and programs that promote meaningful engagement for older adults and their families.

Effectiveness of lockdown to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 pandemic during its first wave in India

Background: Countries across the globe had adopted various prevention and control measures ranging from social distancing and isolation, to shutting down of nonessential services and countrywide lockdowns. The objective of the study was to assess the effectiveness of the nation-wide lockdown to prevent or delay the spread of COVID-19 in India. Methods: This was a cross sectional and descriptive study. We used the secondary data from WHO website, from 01 January to 30 October 2020. We calculated mean, median number of new cases, deaths reported per day and case fatality rate, using Microsoft excel spreadsheet. Results: There was a steady rise in number of cases and deaths in India, during the lockdown and unlock period from phase-1 to phase-4. Approximately 10-fold increase in death was reported in the duration of 68 days of lockdown from phase-1 to Phase 4. The number of cases reported in unlock phase-4 were approximately 6 times more compared to unlock phase 1. The case fatality rate per day had declined during the lockdown period, from 3 .4% to 2 .5% deaths per day. The case fatality rate was lowest during the peak of pandemic, 1.27% in September 2020. Indicating good care of hospitalized patients compared to initial stage of pandemic in India. Conclusions: Indian government had imposed complete sudden lockdown at the right time. The peak of pandemic was delayed or slowed down. Indicating the timing of lockdown is an essential step to save the lives in pandemic, in resource limited settings.

Understanding the popularity and affordances of TikTok through user experiences

In this paper I discuss the affordances and popularity of the short-video app TikTok from an audience studies point of view. I do so by drawing on findings from ethnographic fieldwork with young adult TikTok users based in the United Kingdom that was conducted in 2020 and 2021. I trace how using the app, specifically scrolling through the TikTok For You Page, the app’s algorithmic content feed, became a fixed part of the everyday routines of young adults. I show how TikTok appealed to them as a convenient means of escape and relief that they were unable to find elsewhere during and beyond times of lockdown. Further, I highlight the complex nature of TikTok as an app and the active role that users play in imagining and appropriating the app’s affordances as meaningful parts of their everyday social life. Closing the paper, I reflect on future directions of TikTok scholarship by stressing the importance of situated audience studies.