Search

Introduction The outbreak of COVID-19 has produced an unprecedented number of trials and articles. Objective To study the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on otolaryngology-head and neck surgery (ORL-HNS) journal processing times. Methods Original papers search of published in selected ORL-HNS journals in terms of times from submission-to-acceptance (S-A), acceptance-to-first online publication (A-P), and submission-to-online publication (S-P). Papers were divided into those published in the pre-COVID-19 era and those during the COVID-19 era. The latter were further divided into unrelated to COVID-19 and related to COVID-19. Results A total of 487 articles from 5 selected ORL-HNS journals were included, of which 236 (48.5%) were published during the pre-COVID-19 era and 251 (51.5%) were published during the COVID-19 era. Among them, 180 (37%) papers were not related to COVID-19, and 71 (14.5%) were related to COVID-19. The S-A duration of COVID-19-related articles was significantly shorter compared with that of papers submitted in the pre-COVID-19 era and to papers submitted in the COVID-19 era but unrelated to COVID-19 (median 6 to 34 days compared to 65 to 125 and 46 to 127, respectively) in all 5 journals. The most prominent reductions in S-A and S-P times were documented in the laryngology and otology/neurotology disciplines, respectively. Conclusions Processing times of the included papers were significantly shorter in most of the selected ORL-HNS journals during the COVID-19 era compared with the pre-COVID-19 era. COVID-19-related papers were processed more rapidly than non-COVID-19-related papers. These findings testify to the possibility of markedly expediting S-P times and hopefully set a precedent for postpandemic publishing schedules. Level Of Evidence: 5 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID‐19 outbreak led to widespread disruption and stress to people's lives. Concern about the escalation of domestic violence (DV) rates and related mental health issues soon emerged following the implementation of strategies aimed at curbing the spread of the virus. This perspective paper presents an overview of the issues, argues for greater recognition of the link between DV against women and serious emotional distress, and the need for greater awareness and knowledge about DV among mental health professionals. While we acknowledge that men also experience DV, their rates are much lower than for women and in this paper our focus is on women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on journal processing times before publication in the field of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery (ORL-HNS). Online search of original papers published in selected ORL-HNS journals in terms of times from submission to acceptance (S-A), acceptance to first online publication (A-P), and submission to online publication (S-P). Papers were divided into those published in the pre-COVID-19 era and those during the COVID-19 era. The latter were further divided into unrelated to COVID-19 and related to COVID-19. A total of 487 articles from 5 selected ORL-HNS journals were included, of which 236 (48.5%) were published during the pre-COVID-19 era and 251 (51.5%) were published during the COVID-19 era. Among them, 180 (37%) papers were not related to COVID-19, and 71 (14.5%) were related to COVID-19. The S-A duration of COVID-19-related articles was significantly shorter compared to papers submitted in the pre-COVID-19 era and to papers submitted in the COVID-19 era but unrelated to COVID-19 (median 6–34 days compared to 65–125 and 46–127, respectively) in all 5 journals. The most prominent reductions in S-A and S-P times were documented in the laryngology and otology/neurotology disciplines, respectively. Processing times of the included papers were significantly shorter in most of the selected ORL-HNS journals during the COVID-19 era compared to the pre-COVID-19 era. COVID-19-related papers were processed more rapidly than non-COVID-19-related papers. These findings testify to the possibility of markedly expediting S-P times and hopefully set a precedent for post-pandemic publishing schedules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a comprehensive summary of evidence to explore and position the role of serology testing in the context of coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) immunization and policy response in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. The document builds on a review of academic literature and existing policies followed by a process of discussion, validation, and feedback by a group of six experts. Six countries and territories—Australia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Thailand, and Taiwan—were sampled to highlight the differing contexts and scenarios in the region. The review includes an overview of (1) the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the emergence of Variants of Concern (VOCs), especially Omicron, (2) the introduction of immunization, (3) the available testing options and potential use of serology testing, (4) the landscape of guidelines and recommendations for their use, and (5) the barriers and challenges to implementing serology testing as a tool to support COVID-19 immunization. Based on the findings, the co-authors propose a set of recommendations to resolve knowledge gaps, to include the use of serology testing as part of the policy response, and to ensure adequate means of implementation. This paper's target audience includes members of the academic community, medical societies, health providers and practitioners, and decision-makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the recent pandemic of coronavirus, known as the COVID-19 outbreak, the supply chains have been impacted most significantly. Manufacturers of certain items have experienced a substantial increase in demand, and on the other hand, raw materials supply, to produce those items, has reduced because of supply failure. To overcome these challenges, this paper proposes some strategies to improve service level during an extraordinary pandemic outbreak, such as COVID-19, for the most wanted products such as toilet paper. This study considers meeting the increased demand of the customers for an essential product of daily life like toilet paper during a pandemic is beyond the traditional economic objective, i.e., increase profit, of the manufacturers. Instead, this should be more about the social responsibility of all the manufactures to ensure that they can serve more customers. Motivated by this and taking toilet paper as an example of the product, we first analyzed the current scenario of the manufacturing and the demand for the product and then proposed some strategies to deal with this unprecedented risk and analyzed the results. We have compared the results, using hypothetical data, between the current scenario and proposed strategies. The result shows that sharing information and resources from all manufacturers to produce under a single brand, emergency sourcing, producing basic quality items, and packing in the smallest sizes have a significant positive impact on the service level. This paper first investigates the strategies for a high-demand and essential item during a pandemic situation and proposes strategies to deal with this unique, extraordinary disruption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Since the COVID-19 pandemic has occurred, nations showed their unpreparedness to deal with a mass casualty incident of this proportion and severity, which resulted in a tremendous number of deaths even among healthcare workers. The World Society of Emergency Surgery conceived this position paper with the purpose of providing evidence-based recommendations for the management of emergency surgical patients under COVID-19 pandemic for the safety of the patient and healthcare workers. Method: A systematic review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) through the MEDLINE (PubMed), Embase and SCOPUS databases. Synthesis of evidence, statements and recommendations were developed in accordance with the GRADE methodology. Results: Given the limitation of the evidence, the current document represents an effort to join selected high-quality articles and experts' opinion. Conclusions: The aim of this position paper is to provide an exhaustive guidelines to perform emergency surgery in a safe and protected environment for surgical patients and for healthcare workers under COVID-19 and to offer the best management of COVID-19 patients needing for an emergency surgical treatment. We recommend screening for COVID-19 infection at the emergency department all acute surgical patients who are waiting for hospital admission and urgent surgery. The screening work-up provides a RT-PCR nasopharyngeal swab test and a baseline (non-contrast) chest CT or a chest X-ray or a lungs US, depending on skills and availability. If the COVID-19 screening is not completed we recommend keeping the patient in isolation until RT-PCR swab test result is not available, and to manage him/she such as an overt COVID patient. The management of COVID-19 surgical patients is multidisciplinary. If an immediate surgical procedure is mandatory, whether laparoscopic or via open approach, we recommend doing every effort to protect the operating room staff for the safety of the patient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hospitals, as the most important medical institutions, must be adequately prepared before accidents to cope with emergencies and provide rapid response to disasters. This study aimed to determine the preparedness of hospitals in Ardabil Province during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and Methods: The present study is a cross-sectional study, and the study population included all hospitals in Ardabil Province, Iran (17 hospitals in total). The data collection tool was a standard checklist of 92 questions for COVID-19 Crisis Preparedness issued by the Iran Ministry of Health and Medical Education. The obtained data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics (the Pearson correlation analysis) in SPSS software v. 22. Results: The mean relative score of preparation for the COVID-19 pandemic was 80.27% among the hospitals in the province. In the studied hospitals, the relative scores of preparedness were as follows: leadership and coordination, 92.64%, resource management, 94.36%; information management, 79.90%; communications, 77.94%; human resources, 77.69%; surge-capacity, 86.55%; rapid identification, 57.18%; diagnosis, 71.32%; isolation and patient management, 81.09%; and infection prevention and control, 84.05%. Conclusion: The level of hospital preparedness in most dimensions (9 out of 10 dimensions) was good, and only in the area of rapid identification was at a moderate level. However, further evaluation is needed at different stages of an epidemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sharing experiences and learning from health measures taken during the outbreak of epidemics is a critical issue that affects the right and timely decisions in health crises. In the present study, an attempt has been made to review the health policies adopted against COVID-19 and extract critical points for resolving the epidemic crisis. Materials and Methods: This article was a comparative study. The study population comprised Canada, Japan, Germany, Korea, Turkey, and Iran. Ten effective indicators in the management of epidemics were extracted by reviewing the literature and interviewing disaster management experts, and the degree of conformity of the research community with them was examined. The study data were collected from articles published in scientific databases (Google Scholar, PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus search engines) or information from COVID-19 disease management organizations from official sites. The obtained data were processed and analyzed by matrix content analysis. Results: The results showed the importance of 10 effective indicators in the management of epidemics during the outbreak of COVID-19 studied and noticed by the health system of most countries. And the government, local and private organizations have participated in the implementation of the studied indicators according to the conditions of each country's health system. Therefore, the success rate of countries in managing COVID-19 disease varies according to the time, type, and manner of implementation and monitoring of measures. Conclusion: Speed of action in adopting health policies and integration in its implementation, construction of convalescence, adequate training and access to personal protective equipment, prevention of nosocomial contamination, and voluntary assistance are essential issues in the fight against epidemics. These measures should be considered and used as teachings in managing health crises, especially emerging diseases and pandemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What started as a cluster of patients with a mysterious respiratory illness in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, was later determined to be coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The pathogen severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a novel Betacoronavirus, was subsequently isolated as the causative agent. SARS-CoV-2 is transmitted by respiratory droplets and fomites and presents clinically with fever, fatigue, myalgias, conjunctivitis, anosmia, dysgeusia, sore throat, nasal congestion, cough, dyspnea, nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea. In most critical cases, symptoms can escalate into acute respiratory distress syndrome accompanied by a runaway inflammatory cytokine response and multiorgan failure. As of this article's publication date, COVID-19 has spread to approximately 200 countries and territories, with over 4.3 million infections and more than 290,000 deaths as it has escalated into a global pandemic. Public health concerns mount as the situation evolves with an increasing number of infection hotspots around the globe. New information about the virus is emerging just as rapidly. This has led to the prompt development of clinical patient risk stratification tools to aid in determining the need for testing, isolation, monitoring, ventilator support, and disposition. COVID-19 spread is rapid, including imported cases in travelers, cases among close contacts of known infected individuals, and community-acquired cases without a readily identifiable source of infection. Critical shortages of personal protective equipment and ventilators are compounding the stress on overburdened healthcare systems. The continued challenges of social distancing, containment, isolation, and surge capacity in already stressed hospitals, clinics, and emergency departments have led to a swell in technologically-assisted care delivery strategies, such as telemedicine and web-based triage. As the race to develop an effective vaccine intensifies, several clinical trials of antivirals and immune modulators are underway, though no reliable COVID-19-specific therapeutics (inclusive of some potentially effective single and multi-drug regimens) have been identified as of yet. With many nations and regions declaring a state of emergency, unprecedented quarantine, social distancing, and border closing efforts are underway. Implementation of social and physical isolation measures has caused sudden and profound economic hardship, with marked decreases in global trade and local small business activity alike, and full ramifications likely yet to be felt. Current state-of-science, mitigation strategies, possible therapies, ethical considerations for healthcare workers and policymakers, as well as lessons learned for this evolving global threat and the eventual return to a "new normal" are discussed in this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic calls for educators to deliver learning experiences that are relevant in order to empower students to adapt to these unprecedented times. Science, Technology and Society (STS) is an interdisciplinary social science course included in the undergraduate general education curriculum in the Philippines that can potentially be designed to help students make sense of the coronavirus crisis. This study aims to describe the insights on the COVID-19 pandemic among undergraduate students enrolled in STS classes through the textual analysis of their reflection papers. A total of 74 reflection papers were qualitatively textually analysed using thematic analysis. Four themes emerged from the data: (1) appreciation of the science and medical community; (2) sensitivity to the barriers of scientific progress during the COVID-19 pandemic; (3) gaining social consciousness about the impacts of the pandemic, and; (4) enrichment of critical thinking and social engagement. Educators are encouraged to incorporate STS approaches in their lessons to foster students' critical understanding of current socio-scientific issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular (CV) engagement in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a huge determinant of prognosis during the acute phase of the disease. However, little is known about the potential chronic implications of the late phase of COVID-19 and about the appropriate approach to these patients. Heart failure, type 1 and type 2 myocardial infarction, arrhythmias, myocarditis, pulmonary fibrosis, and thrombosis have been shown to be related to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection, and a ‘long COVID-19’ illness has been recognized with fatigue, chest pain, and dyspnoea among the most frequent symptoms reported after discharge from hospital. This paper focuses on some open questions that cardiologists are going to face during the next months in a general cardiology outpatient clinic, in particular how to evaluate a ‘post-COVID’ patient during follow-up of CV complications of the acute phase and how to manage new CV symptoms that could be the consequence, at least in part, of heart/vessels and/or lung involvement of the previous virus infection. Present symptoms and signs, history of previous CV disease (both preceding COVID-19 and occurring during viral infection), and specific laboratory and imaging measurements during the acute phase may be of interest in focusing on how to approach the clinical evaluation of a post-COVID patient and how to integrate in our standard of care the new information on COVID-19, possibly in a multidisciplinary view. Dealing with the increased COVID-associated CV risk burden and becoming acquainted with potential new e-cardiology approaches aimed at integrating the cardiology practice are relevant new challenges brought by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection and its sequelae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scientific community's understanding of how the SARS-CoV-2 virus is transmitted and how to best mitigate its spread is improving daily. To help protect patients from acquiring COVID-19 from a dental office nosocomial infection, many state or local governments have classified dental treatments as "nonessential" and have paused routine dental care. Dentists have been instructed to perform only procedures designated as emergencies. Unfortunately, there is not a good understanding of what a dental emergency is among governmental leaders. What a government agency may perceive as an elective procedure may be seen as "essential" by the dental clinician responsible for maintaining the oral health of the patient. Each dental specialty understands the effects delayed care has on a patient's oral and systemic health. Dentistry has made extensive progress in improving oral health through prevention of the dental emergency. The dental profession must work together to prevent the reversal of the progress dentistry and patients have made. This American Academy of Implant Dentistry (AAID) White Paper discusses what COVID-19 is and how it impacts dental treatments, presents guidelines for dentistry in general and for dental implant related treatments, specifically. Recommendations for implant dentistry include the following: (1) what constitutes a dental implant related emergency, (2) how patients should be screened and triaged, (3) what personal protective equipment is necessary, (4) how operatories should be equipped, (5) what equipment should be used, and (6) what, when, and how procedures can be performed. This paper is intended to provide guidance for the dental implant practice so patients and dental health care providers can be safe, and offices can remain open and viable during the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The world has been encountered with COVID-19 pandemic since at the beginning of 2020 and the number of infected people by COVID-19 is increasing every day. Despite various studies conducted by researchers and doctors, no treatment has been developed until now, therefore self-protection and isolation are strongly recommended to stop the spread of the virus. The elderly population and people with chronic diseases such as hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and cancer are categorized as risk groups, however, we suggest that people with hemoglobinopathies or porphyria can be described as risk groups as well. Current in silico studies have revealed that the COVID-19 virus can attack heme and hemoglobin metabolisms which are responsible for the oxygen transport to the tissues, iron metabolism, elevated levels of oxidative stress, and tissue damage. Data of the in silico study have been supported with the biochemistry and hemogram results of the COVID-19 patients, for instance hemoglobin levels decreased and serum ferritin and C-reactive protein levels increased. Indicated biochemistry biomarkers are tightly associated with inflammation, iron overload, and oxidative stress. In conclusion, since people with hemoglobinopathies or porphyria have already impaired heme and hemoglobin metabolism, COVID-19 infection can enhance the adverse effects of impaired hemoglobin metabolism and accelerate the progression of severe symptoms in patients with hemoglobinopathies or porphyria compared to the normal individuals. Thus those people can be considered as a risk group and extra precautions should be applied for them to protect them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the lasting impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on research ethics in social sciences by focusing on the concept of vulnerability. We unpack the current conceptualisations of vulnerability and their limitations and argue for the need to reconceptualise vulnerability as multidimensional, consisting of both universal and contextual dimensions, as well as their dynamic interplay. Multidimensional vulnerability is inspired by and relevant to social science research during the pandemic but can also be useful in other contexts such as climate change or conflict. The paper puts forwards several considerations about how this revised concept of vulnerability may be useful when evaluating ethical dimensions of social science research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed several chinks in the armour of public health infrastructure across the world. However, the impact of the pandemic has been assessed primarily from the perspective of the 'privileged' members of society. The experiences of the 'other' world inhabited by the marginalised communities, who have had their livelihoods crushed under the weight of the pandemic, have been scarcely documented. As thousands of migrant workers were more scared of death caused by hunger rather than the disease itself, the various steps taken by different countries to curb community transmission have unveiled the ugly side of these measures. For example, as several states such as the US, the UK, Singapore, Hong Kong, and India/Bharat imposed lockdowns, border closures, quarantines, inter alia, the most vulnerable section of the human population has been the migrant workers, especially those individuals who were employed in the unorganised sector. Thus, the global health crisis has unravelled deep-rooted deficiencies, racial biases, and an overall lack of concern and empathy for the lesser privileged, apart from the growing socio-economic divide between the rich and the poor. This research paper aims to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on migrant workers in the informal sector by exploring the measures imposed by the US, the UK, Singapore, Hong Kong, and India/Bharat and analyse how their fundamental rights, including the right to development, were compromised. Through this paper, the author provides a five-point strategic framework that can be adopted globally to prevent such instances in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the potential of Convergence Innovation (CI) as an effective catalyst for dealing with the COVID‐19 pandemic and devising a trajectory toward a sustainable post‐crisis future. It offers novel perspectives on sustainable innovation approaches that can enhance organizational performance and extend beyond it. The paper makes significant contributions to both the theoretical and practical aspects of innovation. It illustrates the impact of market forces in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and Digital Technologies (DT), highlighting the significance of sustainable innovation for organizational prosperity and individual welfare. Convergence Innovation is explained as a self‐regulating ecosystem that promotes and goes beyond value creation. Different technologies in the ecosystem enhance CI's sensing capabilities for fluctuations in market forces and facilitate the transmission of data for decision‐making. The study recommends splitting off the S‐curve of innovation and the life cycle of competitive intelligence, as the S‐curve of CI tends to be shorter in the digital age. This paper provides managers with a new framework for thinking about innovation and its role in achieving sustainable business success. By embracing CI, managers can create more agile and adaptable organizations that are better positioned to navigate the complex and rapidly changing world of the digital age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, youth researchers have reported increased inequalities between young people, but the social processes that drive these changes are not well understood. In this paper, we draw on rich longitudinal interview data following the same participants from a year before and into the midst of national lockdown during the pandemic in Norway to explore the unfolding of classed and gendered responses that were triggered in young people across the class spectrum. We find that advantaged, ambitious youths engaged in self-resourcing practices with support from their family that could make them even better positioned after the crisis. Youths that were socially vulnerable before the pandemic dealt with the situation alone and in highly gendered ways that seemed to amplify their insecure position in the peer group and community. Thriving youths from working-class communities engaged in lockdown practices that connected them deeper to the family and resourced them for gender traditional, local lives. Illuminating how a crisis prompts practices that increased emerging differences along classed and gendered lines, the paper shows that to grasp inequalities in the making, researchers must consider the importance and changing nature of resources – including relational resources in the family – over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the experiences and perceptions of Zora, an older Muslim woman living with a disability in the UK. Older disabled Muslim women in the UK often face multiple discriminations based on disability, age, gender, religious, and racial grounds and this has arguably been intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on multiple narrative interviews with Zora, this paper focuses on the intersections of disability, ageing, gender, race and religion within a particular social context during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK. The paper describes the complex ways in which Zora experienced various modes of everyday disablism which were not related to the COVID-19 virus itself, rather the consequences of the movement restrictions associated with it. Much of the oppression and barriers she described were socially determined, both through direct discrimination, stares and prejudicial attitudes, and indirectly through stigmatization and an embodied fear of the reaction of others in public spaces. Nevertheless, Zora did not present herself as a victim. Instead she portrayed herself in affirmative terms, as a 'brave' woman who resisted and overcame daily social challenges and movement restrictions as part of working toward creating a more accessible, inclusive and age-friendly society. One that is inhabitable for herself and other older disabled women facing an uncertain future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic brought to the fore the everyday and exceptional challenges for mothers. Rarely, however, did research or social commentary acknowledge the multiplicities of motherhood during this prolonged period of risk, disruption, and uncertainty. This paper draws upon interviews with 24 mothers living in Aotearoa New Zealand during the pandemic, including women who were pregnant and gave birth during lockdowns, teenage mothers, single and low-income mothers, and working mothers. The sample was intentionally diverse, including M?aori, Pacific, Asian and migrant mothers. Engaging an intersectional lens on motherhood and women's health, this paper builds upon and extends feminist research on mothers' experiences during the pandemic, highlighting the many different challenges facing mothers of diverse social, cultural, and economic positionalities and during various stages of motherhood. Across the sample, we reveal the significant emotional toll on mothers, particularly with the absence of critical social, medical and health support systems during lockdown periods and sustained social restrictions. Many of the women described how the pandemic affected their feelings about motherhood, prompting newreflections on their relationships with the home, family, work, and broader society. Despite some similarities, the pandemic experiences of M?aori, Pacific, migrant and single mothers were further intensified by various forms of isolation, judgement, and discrimination. In this way, the pandemic shed light on the gendering of everydaymaternal life, but also the need formore intersectional culturally and gender-responsive policies that acknowledge the multi-layered complexities of mothers' lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study explores how Ahmed Saadawi's novel, Frankenstein in Baghdad (2013) could be related to the time of COVID-19 through a postmodern lens focusing on post-war issues. The study aims at exploring Saadawi's characters who are used by the writer to represent post-war issues in Iraq. The characters suffer from a kind of hallucination and depression as seen in both their behavior and their routine, everyday lives. They show how their life has no meaning and aim. All this is symbolized by the monster which itself is only the creation of the minds of these depressed people. The study shows how people, who are suffering from postwar issues can also resemble people suffering through the COVID-19 pandemic. The hallucinations of Saadawi's characters resemble those of real-life people during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, the paper tries to explore how Saadawi's characters resemble humanity in the time of COVID-19. In general, little research has been conducted on the postwar issues represented in Saadawi's novel, Frankenstein in Baghdad, and how the characters themselves in the novel could represent humanity in post-pandemic times. The paper's contribution is to fill the gaps of the previously made points. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global tourism industry necessitated several responses from policymakers in order to support the industry's recovery and post-pandemic growth. Southern Africa hosts tourism-sensitive and connected economies, with many tourists who arrive in one country, often visiting neighbouring countries. Using the United Nations World Tourism Organisation's policy framework for COVID-19 mitigation, recovery, and stability for the tourism industry, this paper critically examined the Southern Africa's level of support for mitigating the impact of the pandemic and their recovery strategies for the tourism industry. Data were collected from publicly available policy and strategic documents. Findings reveal non-compliance to referenced benchmarks, lack of regional policy direction from SADC, and divergent levels of support among the member countries. The paper recommends, among others, a revision of the SADC's regional tourism programme, collaborative tourism governance through increased regional integration, and improved destination attractiveness of the Southern African region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main goal of this contribution is to assess the development of the economic condition of the Slovak Republic in the context of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The situation regarding the development of and changes in the economic condition of Slovakia is compared with that in selected EU countries, considering the effects of previous global crises, with a focus on the impacts on small and medium-sized enterprises. The economies of European countries are mentioned to illustrate the ideas of the presented paper, with an emphasis on the economic dimension of the COVID-19 pandemic and its subsequent impact on the Slovak Republic. This research is conducted through basic analytical tools and an analysis of the development of macroeconomic indicators, and by addressing the issue through data from a globally available database. The results in this paper serve as proposals and recommendations for the mitigation of negative economic impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The collection of papers we have put together for this special themed section originally emerged from a desire to explore how the rapid and wholescale transformation of everyday spaces brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic might change, challenge and shift experiences and understandings of the gendered body. Since 2020, we have witnessed and experienced the dramatic alteration of everyday mobilities and a concurrent reconfiguration of spatial and embodied relations. The pandemic, and responses to it, has transformed the locations in which subjects routinely situate themselves, and the quotidian bodily practices they participate in, with immediate and lasting impact. Such a moment called for a revisiting of established theoretical and methodological paradigms in feminist geography - many of which developed from within the pages of this journal - which understand the relationship between space and the gendered body to be a mutually constitutive one. If the gendered body is understood as a processual assemblage shaped by the spaces within which it is formed, what do such radical spatial reconfigurations of embodied relations mean for gendered subjects? These papers, then, represent an opportunity to revisit and reflect upon core debates about gender, embodiment, and space in feminist geography, understanding the pandemic via a gendered lens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The focus of this paper is on COVID-19, the December 2019 dated respiratory epidemic or infection that has ravaged most, if not all, of the world's 253 "countries" (consisting of 194 independent nation-states, 55 dependent-states, Antarctica, and 3 other territories). Readers of this paper should be aware of at least three facts. First, as of January 2022, the submission date of this paper, COVID-19 continues to impact the world, although to a much lesser extent, given the protection afforded by the mRNA vaccines, the boosters, and the antiviral medications (e.g., oseltamivir, penciclovir, acyclovir, Paxlovid, etc.). Second, the paper should be regarded as being inconclusive in both its outlook and its list of references; it provides, at best, an intermediary account of the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. Third, like the Spanish Flu of 1918, it is speculated that the COVID-19 pandemic will not endure beyond three years and will conclude as an endemic problem by, hopefully, early 2023. Therefore, the paper is partitioned into three sections which, respectively, address the infection's three phases: epidemic (initial infection), pandemic (worldwide infection) and endemic (pervasive but nonlife-threatening infection) phases. The lessons learned from the range of decisions made throughout the COVID-19 phases should help to inform and better prepare the world for future pathogens and deadly diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aimed to analyze the research, publication activities, and perspectives on clinical practices of rheumatology practitioners during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Materials and methods: The survey-based cross-sectional study was designed online and included 24 closed-ended questions. After performing a pilot test and validation of survey, it was conducted among clinicians between September 2021 and December 2021. Results: One-hundred fifteen clinicians (54 males, 61 females; 78.1% in rheumatology practice for at least five years) responded to the survey. The respondents indicated that they worked in coronavirus-related departments, comprising inpatient service (50.4%), consultancy (42.6%), and outpatient clinic (27.8%). Around 40% of clinicians stated they spent less time on scientific research (43.1%) and clinical learning activities (43.2%), while almost the same proportion of them spent more (41.1% and 45.0%, respectively). This study revealed that 53.5% published at least one paper covering mostly COVID-19 in the scientific citation index (SCI) or SCI-expanded (SCI-E) indexed journals. However, nearly half of them did not have any papers published in the SCI/SCI-E (46.5%) or non-SCI/SCI-E indexed (44.6%) journals. Regarding the perspectives of clinicians about clinical practices, they considered fewer biological (57.0%) and nonbiological (55.0%) drug usage, reported fewer outpatient clinic visits (88.2%), more newly diagnosed rheumatic diseases (62.5%), and more disease exacerbations (31.2%). Most of the clinicians (range, 76.2 to 86.3%) thought they accurately managed their patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion: Clinicians published mostly coronavirus-related papers in the pandemic era, and in the self-assessment, clinicians thought that they correctly manage their patients. In addition, this study reflected the frequency of academic publications and clinicians’ work routines during the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to analyse the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on corporate governance and internal control in general. In addition, this paper attempts to develop a new corporate governance model that flexibly addresses conditions like those brought into the business environment by COVID-19. Design/methodology/approach: Thirteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with chairpersons, CEOs and directors from companies listed on the FTSE 350. Findings: This study suggests a corporate governance model, which we call Eunomia, which we believe will help businesses to navigate the unusual conditions resulting from COVID-19 and similar types of crises that lead to major disruption for businesses and society. The model includes five pillars that support governance, namely, flexibility, IT infrastructure, risk management, internal control and policies and procedures. Practical implications: Implications for practice and policymakers. Based on the research outcomes, the authors suggest that the board of directors establishes policies that ensure supply diversity and that businesses do not rely on a single or limited number of suppliers, thereby making themselves vulnerable to supply chain disruption with those suppliers. Originality/value: This paper presents an original contribution to the accounting literature relating to corporate governance and internal control systems, specifically in terms of how businesses can optimally operate under uncontrollable conditions resulting from pandemics, and similar situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the COVID-19 epidemic has forced several global activities, including higher educational institutions, to close, it poses a threat to civilization. Despite the difficulties associated with this abrupt shift, higher educational institutions have been compelled to move to e-learning using the existing educational platforms to lessen the spread of the virus. The number of applications in higher educational institutions continues to rise, regardless of the introduction of different policies, which aims at curbing the spread of the virus. Thus, the objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the academic application and registration process during COVID-19. The study adopted nonempirical research, in which existing literature on the experience of tertiary students on application and registration process post-COVID-19. This paper is solely based on a review and analysis of published research and data. The findings of this study indicate that lack of knowledge/skills and resources are challenges to students' experiences in the application and registration process at higher educational institutions. However, it seems that the lack of internet connectivity makes these problems worse. The paper notes factors such as laptops, internet connectivity, and lack of information as contributing to the high late academic application and registration at universities. The paper recommends the adoption of mobilization of learners at secondary schools to assist them with application and registration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deadly Coronavirus pandemic is ravaging the world, with dire consequences in virtually all sectors, and across all categories of people. However, vulnerable groups such as the homeless are likely to suffer more devastating effects. Owing to the impracticability of recommended preventive measures among the homeless, they are susceptible to get infected, and possibly die of the virus. The objective of this paper is to examine the vulnerability of the homeless to coronavirus infection and how the circumstances surrounding homelessness could exacerbate the plight of this category of people. The paper relies on secondary data and adopts critical analysis in examining the plight of the homeless regarding the pandemic. It concludes that thousands of the homeless could get infected with Covid-19, and possibly die as a result of the pandemic owing to their vulnerability, occasioned by the condition of homelessness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As cities continue to evolve and face new challenges, the principles of smart cities - technology integration, data utilisation, sustainability, and community engagement - will remain vital in shaping the future of urban development. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of these principles, highlighting their relevance and impact on enhancing the well-being of urban residents. This paper explores the evolving landscape of smart cities in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, delving into how cities are reimagining urban development to address the challenges they face. It examines the pivotal role of technology, data-driven decision-making, and sustainability in shaping the future of cities. Through a comprehensive analysis of key trends and best practices, this paper offers insights into how smart cities are navigating the post-pandemic era to create more resilient, sustainable, and inclusive urban environments that enhance the well-being of their residents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the publishing of a quantity of scientific research. In less than a year, a record of 200,000 scientific articles have been published on COVID-19. Publishing such a massive quantity of scientific research has instigated publishers to accelerate the review process. An upsurge in the publication rate has resulted in an increase in the retraction rate. This paper focuses on the COVID-19 studies originating across the world from 1 January 2020 to 10 October 2021. The data for this study were mined from . A total of 157 withdrawn articles on COVID-19 were retracted, and it was found that the United States of America contributed 31 (19.75%) retracted articles. Also, 16 (51.61%) of the retracted papers from the United States of America emerge in journals having an Impact Factor (IF). The study presents that 31 (19.75%) retracted articles were worked together by two authors, 26 (16.56%) with one author, and 22 (14.01%) by five authors. Furthermore, Elsevier publishers have the highest retraction rate with 80 (50.96%). Half (50%) of the articles were retracted with "no information" as a reason for retraction. Other reasons for retraction include concern/issues about data, duplication, journal error, lack of approval from a third party, plagiarism, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of the paper is to enhance understanding of how members of the public make sense of the Covid-19 vaccines and to understand the factors influencing their attitudes towards such artefacts of pandemic governance. Methods: The paper draws on 23 online in-depth interviews with members of the UK public and builds on relevant literature to examine participants' perceptions of the benefits and risks of Covid-19 vaccines, the sources that have shaped their attitudes, and the level of trust they have towards the government's handling of the pandemic through vaccines. Results: The findings indicate that participants generally felt that the benefits of having the vaccine outweigh the risks and that Covid-19 vaccines are a crucial mechanism for enabling society to return to normal. Vaccine acceptance was, for some, strongly linked to a sense of social responsibility and the duty to protect others. However, some participants expressed concerns with regard to the side-effects of Covid-19 vaccines and their perceived potential impact on fertility and DNA makeup. Participants used various sources of information to learn about Covid-19 vaccines and understand their function, benefits, and risks. The majority of participants criticised the government's response during the early stages of the pandemic yet felt positive about the vaccine rollout. Conclusion: Just as with any other vaccination programme, the success of the Covid-19 immunisation campaigns does not only depend on the efficacy of the vaccines themselves or the ability to secure access to them, but also on a myriad of other factors which include public compliance and trust in governments and health authorities. To support an effective immunisation campaign that is capable of bringing the pandemic to an end, governments need to understand public concerns, garner trust, and devise adequate strategies for engaging the public and building more resilient societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1 The paper trying to understand the connection between the pandemic and migration holds tremendous academic significance. The main objective of this paper is to examine the interlinked relationship between the pandemic and migration by correlating covid-19 with other similar incidents that happened in the past and exploring emerging scenarios of the current pandemic in order to draw a picture of international migration in the post-covid world order. The central question of exploration is; How far this global health security crisis impact state sovereignty and global integration and how itwill influence the trends ofglobal migration in days to come? In other words what implications and emerging scenarios are on rise ofglobal migration in the post-covid world order? It is a normative historical analytical, and descriptive article that attempted a comprehensive, critical analysis of international migration and Covid-19 implications on emerging scenarios in the Post-Covid World Order, by using both primary and secondary sources of data. The paper is based on information collected from past scholarly studies on the relationship between the pandemic and migration. The important position of migrants in the social, cultural and economic framework of the globalized world, instead, suggests that only inclusive approaches are instrumental to protecting and promoting everyone's rights, health and well-being, which can enable communities and societies to act in response more successfully to this disaster and lessen the danger of future ones. Efforts must be continued without any break to inspire governments to be responsible for migrant workers' suffering because of the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an investigative summary of U.S. Twitter user sentiment on the availability of COVID-19 vaccines during the period of February 03-10, 2021. The sentiments were captured from 2,000 Twitter Tweet data observations collected during a seven-day period. This period of time was when the COVID-19 pandemic had reached one-year maturity, and the spread of the virus was showing a gradual decline of daily cases since peaking at over 300,000 on January 8, 2021 (CDC, 2021). Additionally, during this time, a pandemic milestone had been reached in which 34 million vaccinations (10% of the U.S. population) had been administered. The intent of this paper is to depict the tone of conversation about the COVID-19 vaccine through sentiment analysis, and to determine if sentiment scores were highly impacted by the location that the Tweet was authored. This is an exploratory study to provide baseline information in a subject area that is still in its infancy relative to other subject areas in the sentiment analysis discipline. The 2,000 Twitter Tweet data observations were captured from a sample representing every state in the U.S. and provides a broad-spectrum representation of sentiment from people of many diverse geopolitical, socioeconomic, scientific, medical backgrounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pandemics are now the focus of research attention in the fields of preparedness and crisis management. As pandemics are some of the largest crises to occur, an important question becomes 'what were the field of crisis management thinking about pandemic management'. This paper investigates how the field of crisis management have incorporated the body of knowledge arising from pandemics into its science (from 1984 to 2019). We performed a scoping review of 4 journals on crisis management and what they have written about pandemics (230 papers). The findings are summarized in eight different categories. The main result is that the field of crisis management have shown sparse interest in pandemics. We attribute this to factors such as fragmentation of academic sciences when the problem‐solving needs integration, perceived incommensurability and the organization of attention. We argue that the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic can provide a basis for posing new questions in research on, and the political debate around, societal vulnerability at large and not only restricted to recent experiences of particular crises. Finally, we argue that this will need a stronger integration of research strands and communities, which in turn require the ability to 'connect the dots' between different sources of knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the topic of how Keflavik International Airport (KEF) in Iceland continued its programme of airport and terminal expansion to better serve its customers despite the difficulties posed by the COVID-19 pandemic affecting air travel. The situation, which decreased passenger numbers from an all-time high to an all-time low in a matter of days, did not stop Isavia, the airport operator, moving forward with long-planned expansion at KEF. Isavia optimised its expansion plans, revisited environmental plans and enhanced its operation readiness while creating local jobs. The paper describes how KEF continued its plans in the difficult pandemic period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic highlights the influence that nation-states can have on the engagement of international marketing activities. The purpose of this study is to understand the influence of the institutional response to the COVID-19 pandemic on international marketing activities and to highlight the need to formally incorporate institutional economics into the study of international marketing phenomena. Design/methodology/approach: The paper uses institutional economics as the environmental element of the general theory of competitive rationality to present a foundation for understanding how state actions influence marketing and international marketing activities. Data are presented and empirically tested, demonstrating the heterogeneity of government influence on personal and economic freedoms during the pandemic, both of which influenced international marketing activities. To broaden the implications of this work, we also provide anecdotal illustrations unrelated to the COVID-19 pandemic to demonstrate the breadth of nation-state influence on international marketing activities. Findings: Heterogeneity in nation-state formal and informal institutional elements influence international marketing activities during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, other incidents, unrelated to the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrate the importance of contextualizing international marketing activities under a holistic institutional framework. Originality/value: The paper employs the general theory of competitive rationality along with institutional economics to provide a theoretical foundation to better understand the differential impact on international marketing as a result of formal and informal institutional influences. This general framework can be employed to provide a holistic understanding of both international and cross-national marketing activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: This work aims to explore staff perceptions of (1) the effectiveness of organizational communication during the COVID‐19 pandemic and (2) the impact of organizational communication on staff well‐being and ability to progress their work and patient care. Background: Effective coordination and communication are essential in a pandemic management response. However, the effectiveness of communication strategies used during the COVID‐19 pandemic is not well understood. Design: An exploratory cross‐sectional research design was used. A 33‐item survey tool was created for the study. Methods: The study was conducted at a tertiary teaching hospital in Western Australia. Convenience sampling was used to recruit participants from nursing, medical, allied health services, administrative and clerical, and personal support services (N = 325). Data were collected between December 2020 and May 2021. Results: Overall, all occupational groups found working during the COVID‐19 pandemic stressful, and all groups wanted accessible and accurate communication from management and new policies, procedures, and protocols for future outbreaks. Conclusions: The use of occupational group‐relevant strategies and COVID‐19 protocols, as well as the on‐going use of email, face‐to‐face meetings with debrief sessions, are needed to improve communication and support staff to fulfil their roles. Summary statement: What is already known about the topic? Effective coordination and communication that is timely and two‐way in nature, is an essential part of a pandemic management response. What this paper adds? All occupational groups found working during the COVID‐19 pandemic stressful; all groups wanted accessible and accurate communication from management and new policies, procedures, and protocols for future outbreaks. The implications of this paper: Managing a pandemic situation in health care settings is challenging for all levels of staff including management and all occupational work groups.The use of occupational group‐relevant strategies and COVID‐19 protocols, as well as the on‐going use of email, face‐to‐face meetings with debrief sessions, are needed to improve communication and support staff to fulfil their roles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of this work is to synthesize and interpret qualitative research examining the experiences of nurses providing care for patients with COVID‐19 in acute care settings in the early stages of the pandemic in different countries. Background: The prevalence of disasters, including the pandemic, is increasing globally. It is important to understand nurses' experiences in depth to effectively manage extraordinary events that may occur in the future. Design: This is a thematic meta‐synthesis study. Methods: Electronic databases, including CINAHL, MEDLINE, PubMed, Web of Science, OVID, and Scopus, were searched for publications from December 2019 to October 2020. The search was updated for publications to 30 May 2022. The thematic synthesis method was used to analyse and interpret the data. Findings The experiences of the nurses giving care to patients with COVID‐19 were grouped under four themes: (1) Difficulties encountered in the care of patients with COVID‐19; (2) mixed emotions experienced in the care of patients with COVID‐19; (3) coping strategies that nurses used in the management of the pandemic; (4) the benefits of the COVID‐19 to nurses. Conclusion: Nurses faced many difficulties and experienced mixed emotions while providing care for patients with coronavirus disease. Perceived social support was seen as the most important strategy for coping with these difficult situations. It is important to be aware of the difficulties and emotions experienced by nurses and support them during the COVID‐19 pandemic for the management of future pandemics. Summary statement: What is already known about this topic? During the COVID‐19 pandemic, the health sector was affected most.Nurses were on the front lines and faced many challenges. What this paper adds? Nurses perceived the COVID‐19 pandemic as a unique experience for their professional identity and personal development despite the difficulties they faced.They saw social support, which would make them feel valuable, as the most important coping strategy. The implications of this paper Lessons learned from nurse experiences in the early stages of the pandemic should be taken into account when planning for a pandemic or other disaster situations.Politicians, health‐care organizations, and nurse managers should increase social support to ensure the well‐being of nurses in busy work environments such as pandemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adoption of emerging technologies in healthcare systems plays a crucial part in anti-obesity initiatives. COVID-19 has intensified the Body Mass Index (BMI) discourses in AI (Artificial Intelligence)-powered social media. However, few studies have reported on the influence of digital content on obesity prevention policies. Understanding the nature and forums of obese metaphors in social media is the first step in policy intervention. The purpose of this paper is to understand the mutual influence between obesity and COVID-19 and determine its policy implications. This paper analyzes the public responses to obesity using Twitter data collected during the COVID-19 pandemic. The emotional nature of tweets is analyzed using the NRC lexicon. The results show that COVID-19 significantly influences perceptions of obesity; this indicates that existing public health policies must be revisited. The study findings delineate prerequisites for obese disease control programs. This paper provides policy recommendations for improving social media interventions in health service delivery in order to prevent obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Drawing on the French case, this article examines the size and scope of poverty resulting from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the diversity of poverty's manifestations and the role of public action (among other actors) in addressing the poverty. This reflection unfolds at the confluence between the international literature on the economic effects of COVID-19 around the world and the methodological and conceptual issues on poverty. Design/methodology/approach: Following a research report to the French Government in 2021, a new academic collaboration is initiated to assess the conceptual issues underlying the report's nine quantitative, qualitative and participatory studies. A thematic analysis is used to elaborate on an original framework. Findings: COVID-19 not only had detrimental economic effects on specific groups, such as precarious workers and students, but also serious effects on social isolation, mental health, access to welfare and public services. Together with assessing the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on poverty in France, this paper highlights the lack of recognition of community support in the face of hard times. Originality/value: The COVID-19 outbreak has not only deteriorated socioeconomic situations in France, but has also unmasked structural, long-term components of poverty. The paper discusses three policy implications of these revelations, concerning (1) the monitoring of non-monetary dimensions of poverty, (2) the needs of various groups under a welfare state with a dual structure and (3) the role of communities in public policy schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Change Management is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The COVID-19 impact on global poverty dragged another 97 million people into poverty in 2020. Nonetheless, there is scant evidence reporting on the impacts on alternative means of financing designed to enable the poor during this global health crisis. This paper addresses this gap of funding impoverished entrepreneurs by studying the changes in their successfully funded campaigns on the largest crowdfunding microfinance platform prior and during COVID-19. After collecting data from January 2018 to November 2021 for a total of 767,112 campaigns, we report that the COVID-19 pandemic positively impacts on the funding success of the crowdfunding campaigns. However, rises in the daily number of COVID-19 cases negatively associate with campaigns getting fully funded. The odds of campaigns being fully funded decrease by 4.4% for a one thousand increase in new cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, primary care nurses were often redeployed to areas outside of primary care to mitigate staffing shortages. Despite this, there is a scarcity of literature describing their perceptions of and experiences with redeployment during the pandemic. Objectives: This paper aims to: 1) describe the perspectives of primary care nurses with respect to redeployment, 2) discuss the opportunities/challenges associated with redeployment of primary care nurses, and 3) examine the nature (e.g., settings, activities) of redeployment by primary care nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: In this qualitative study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with primary care nurses (i.e., Nurse Practitioners, Registered Nurses, and Licensed/Registered Practical Nurses), from four regions in Canada. These include the Interior, Island, and Vancouver Coastal Health regions in British Columbia; Ontario Health West region in Ontario; the province of Nova Scotia; and the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Data related to redeployment were analyzed thematically. Results: Three overarching themes related to redeployment during the COVID-19 pandemic were identified: (1) Call to redeployment, (2) Redeployment as an opportunity/challenge, and (3) Scope of practice during redeployment. Primary care nurses across all regulatory designations reported variation in the process of redeployment within their jurisdiction (e.g., communication, policies/legislation), different opportunities and challenges that resulted from redeployment (e.g., scheduling flexibility, workload implications), and scope of practice implications (e.g., perceived threat to nursing license). The majority of nurses discussed experiences with redeployment being voluntary in nature, rather than mandated. Conclusions: Redeployment is a useful workforce strategy during public health emergencies; however, it requires a structured process and a decision-making approach that explicitly involves healthcare providers affected by redeployment. Primary care nurses ought only to be redeployed after other options are considered and arrangements made for the care of patients in their original practice area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This small-scale qualitative research project is located within post-compulsory education in England and explores some of the strategies and responses employed by three initial teacher educators to carry out their professional role while responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. The central argument is that teacher identity was significant as a pedagogical tool to respond to the pandemic. Therefore, more consideration should be given to the interconnectedness of who I am, what I do and why I do it, when pedagogical responses are needed to address emergent issues. The first part of the paper paints a picture of the available literature related to learning during covid-19, followed by an articulation of the research design. The second part discusses the relationship between identity and pedagogy, which is the central theme constructed from the data gathered from the research participants. It closes with a reflection about how educators as a collective have shown resilience and creative ways to deal with challenges, thus adding new layers of their identity, and this can be pedagogically powerful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To assess the effects of COVID‐19 pandemic on clinical variables as part of the routine clinical monitoring of patients with chronic diseases in primary care. Design: A prospective longitudinal study was conducted in primary care centres of the Andalusian Health Service. Methods: Data were recorded before the pandemic (T1), during the declaration of the state of emergency (T2) and in the transition phase (T3). The Barthel index and the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire (SPMSQ) were used to analyse functional and cognitive changes at the three time points. HbA1c, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, BMI and lipid levels were assessed as clinical variables. Descriptive statistics and non‐parametric chi‐square test were used for analysis. STROBE checklist was used for the preparation of this paper. Results: A total fo148 patients with chronic conditions were included in the analysis. Data analysis revealed in T2 only significant reductions in BMI, total levels of cholesterol and HDL during the onset of the pandemic. Barthel Index, SPMSQ, blood pressure and triglycerides and LDL levels worsened in T2, and the negative effects were maintained in T3. Compared to pre‐pandemic values, HbA1c levels improved in T3, but HDL levels worsened. Conclusions: COVID‐19 has drastically disrupted several functional, cognitive and biological variables. These results may be useful in identifying clinical parameters that deserve closer attention in the case of a new health crisis. Further studies are needed to assess the potential impacts of each specific chronic condition. Impact: Cognitive and functional status, blood pressure and triglycerides and LDL levels worsen in short term, maintaining the negative effects in medium‐term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the start of the year 2020, World Health Organization declared a public health emergency of international concern about "The COVID-19 pandemic". During this pandemic, when the entire world was facing lockdown, and all industries were getting a setback, there was a spurt observed in the insurance industry. With the rise in COVID-19 cases in India, it became a wake-up call for people towards health insurance. Health Insurance is one of the critical elements for sustainable and inclusive development. A paradigm shift has been noticed among individuals towards health insurance during this pandemic time, especially to protect their families from unforeseen medical expenses. This paper identifies the impact of COVID-19 as a fear that leads to a change in behaviour towards health insurance products. This study is based on the primary data collected from Ahmedabad city showing behaviour towards purchasing an insurance product during the pandemic situation. A sample of 200 individuals from Ahmedabad city of Gujarat State in India has been surveyed. The Binary logistic model is used to analyse the significant factors for the purchase of health insurance and also to check whether fear has a significant impact on a purchase decision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper examines the prevalence of long COVID across different demographic groups in the US and the extent to which workers with impairments associated with long COVID have engaged in pandemic-related remote work. Methods: We use the US Household Pulse Survey to evaluate the proportion of all adults who self-reported to (1) have had long COVID, and (2) have activity limitations due to long COVID. We also use data from the US Current Population Survey to estimate linear probability regressions for the likelihood of pandemic-related remote work among workers with and without disabilities. Results: Findings indicate that women, Hispanic people, sexual and gender minorities, individuals without 4-year college degrees, and people with preexisting disabilities are more likely to have long COVID and to have activity limitations from long COVID. Remote work is a reasonable arrangement for people with such activity limitations and may be an unintentional accommodation for some people who have undisclosed disabilities. However, this study shows that people with disabilities were less likely than people without disabilities to perform pandemic-related remote work. Conclusion: The data suggest this disparity persists because people with disabilities are clustered in jobs that are not amenable to remote work. Employers need to consider other accommodations, especially shorter workdays and flexible scheduling, to hire and retain employees who are struggling with the impacts of long COVID. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic was a major challenge for journalism. In the case of Germany, critics very early on voiced concerns over the quality of mainstream media coverage. Mainstream media were attacked for the intensity of their coverage, for reporting too much and unnecessarily frightening audiences, for not presenting a diversity of viewpoints on the pandemic and the measures taken to mitigate it, and for being one-sided and too close to the government. Against this background, this paper examines the intensity and viewpoint diversity of the coverage of 13 mainstream and two alternative media in Germany in 2020 and 2021. Based on a comprehensive manual content analysis of almost 9000 news stories, we conclude that the mainstream media did not cover the pandemic in a fundamentally exaggerated or one-sided way. However, they did not always report intensively when the pandemic was particularly severe, and they tended to warn against the pandemic rather than criticize the measures taken. In contrast, alternative media coverage tended to be more one-sided and generally biased against government measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This paper seeks to explain and empirically test how a public health crisis, such as the COVID‐19 pandemic, might lead to discriminatory attitudes and behaviors against marginalized groups. Method: We identify four causal mechanisms that may account for the increase in anti‐Asian racism during COVID‐19. Using a large data set of geolocated COVID‐19‐related tweets in the U.S., we examine the spatiotemporal pattern of anti‐Asian sentiment on Twitter and test all four mechanisms that link the crisis to the behaviors of "othering" and "scapegoating." Results: We find evidence consistent with the elite cueing, perceived threat, and grievance mechanisms. The president's scapegoating rhetoric significantly increased anti‐Asian hate tweets across all counties. In addition, high COVID‐19 infection rates and grievances from containment policies are also associated with greater numbers of anti‐Asian hate tweets. On the other hand, counties with larger vulnerable populations do not seem to have more anti‐Asian hate tweets. Conclusions: We demonstrate that a crisis alone does not necessarily lead to othering behavior, while elite rhetoric can significantly influence the public's opinion and behavior during a crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]