Search

Background: The author and his wife report their unique experience of international travels during the COVID-19 pandemic, and discuss issues encountered in various countries. Methods: Narrated discussion of issues encountered during the COVID-19 pandemic. Discussion: “Zero-COVID” versus “Living with COVID-19” strategies are compared. Children have unique issues with COVID-19 pandemic. Evaluation of efficacy of the approaches in pandem-ic with time should consider the main types of interventions (e.g., border management/quarantine; physical distancing; mask use; case isolation, testing and contact tracing; vaccination). The key met-rics that can be used to compare the impacts of different strategies between the cities (e.g., cumula-tive case rate, cumulative mortality rate, case fatality risk, stringency index, economic performance) should be identified. Research in these approaches can help manage future pandemics in corona-viruses and emerging infections. The UK started with very loose mitigation ('herd immunity') and then switched to a suppression approach in 2021, followed by "living with the virus" approach. Whereas HK has been targeting towards elimination throughout. In between, countries like Singa-pore, Australia and New Zealand have shifted from zero-COVID strategy to living with the virus. It is easier to have effective social control measures in Hong Kong because it has clear borders and an authoritarian government, but it did not have a clear exit policy when Omicron spread.

Background: The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic spares no nation or city, and the virus is responsible for the escalating incidence and mortality all around the world. Objective: This article reviews the impact of “Long Covid” on Children. Methods: A PubMed search was conducted in December 2021 in Clinical Queries using the key terms "COVID-19" OR “long COVID”. The search was restricted to children and adolescent aged < 18 years, and English literature. Results: Many large-scale studies have provided strong scientific evidence as to the detrimental and irreversible sequelae of COVID-19 on the health, psychology, and development of affected children. Many insights to the management of this disease can be obtained from comparing the management of influenza disease. COVID-19 is generally a mild respiratory disease in children. Several syndromes such as multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) and COVID toe are coined but are probably not specific to SARS-CoV-2. “Long COVID” or the long-term effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection, or the prolonged isolation and containment strategies on education and psychosocial influences on children associated with the pandemic, are significant. Conclusions: Healthcare providers must be aware of the potential effects of quarantine on children's mental health. More importantly, health care provides must appreciate the importance of the decisions and actions made by governments, non-governmental organizations, the community, schools, and parents in reducing the possible effects of this situation. Multifaceted age-specific and developmentally appropriate strategies must be adopted by health care authorities to lessen the negative impact of quarantine on the psychological wellbeing of children.

Abstract: Animal reservoirs for respiratory and coronavirus have been major health concerns. Zoonosis due to coronavirus involves bats, civet cat, camels, pangolins and now the minks. In the same vein, influenza pandemics occur when a new strain of the influenza virus is transmitted to humans from another animal species. Species thought to be of particular importance in the emergence of new human influenza strains are swine and poultry and these hosts are often culled during epidemics or pandemics. It is often too easy for humans to forget that millions of animals can die or be slaughtered in human pandemics, including the recent cull of minks in Europe and chickens in Asia. To co-exist with nature in a sustainable way, we must respect our animals by ensuring their welfare and immunizing them against pathogens where possible. Zoonotic diseases are here to stay and will continue to cause major epidemics and pandemics. The other side of the coin is that reverse zoonosis can also have devastating effects on animal populations if pandemics are not effectively prevented and controlled. Unfortunately, none of the COVID-19 vaccines in production are set aside to save the minks. We advocate that animals be immunized to save human lives.