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Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has become pandemic, reaching almost one million death worldwide. At present standard treatment for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is not well defined because the evidence, either from randomized or observational studies, with conflicting results, has led to rapid changes in treatment guidelines. Our aim was to narratively summarize the available literature on the management of COVID-19 in order to combine current evidence and interpretation of the data by experts who are treating patients in the frontline setting. The panel conducted a detailed review of the literature and eventual press releases from randomized clinical trials for each possible available treatment. Inductive PubMed search waws performed for publications relevant to the topic, including all clinical trials conducted. The result was a flowchart with treatment indications for patients with COVID-19. After 6 months of a pandemic situation and before a possible second coronavirus wave descends on Europe, it is important to evaluate which drugs proved to be effective while also considering that results from many randomized clinical trials are still awaited. Indeed, among treatments for COVID-19, only glucocorticoids have resulted in an association with a significant decrease in mortality in published randomized controlled trials. New therapeutic strategies are urgently needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of user-friendly, inexpensive, sensitive, and selective detection of viruses has been highlighted again due to the recent Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Among the analytical tools, paper-based devices (PADs) have become a leading alternative for point-of-care (POC) testing. In this review, we discuss the recent development strategies and applications in nucleic acid-based, antibody/antigen-based and other affinity-based PADs using optical and electrochemical detection methods for sensing viruses. In addition, advantages and drawbacks of presented PADs are identified. Current state and insights towards future perspectives are presented regarding developing POC diagnosis platform for COVID-19. This review considers state-of-the-art technologies for further development and improvement in PADs performance for virus detection. [Display omitted] • Reviewed developments in PADs for optical and electrochemical detection of viruses. • Highlighted recent applications in antibody/antigen-, nucleic acid-, aptamer- and CRISPR-based PADs for viral detection. • Emphasized low-cost POC diagnostic tools to control the global COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 has evolved into a global pandemic. Early and rapid detection is crucial to control of the SARS-CoV-2 transmission. While representing the gold standard for early diagnosis, nucleic acid tests for SARS-CoV-2 are often complicated and time-consuming. Serological rapid antibody tests are characterized by high rates of false-negative diagnoses, especially during early infection. Here, we developed a novel nanozyme-based chemiluminescence paper assay for rapid and sensitive detection of SARS-CoV-2 spike antigen, which integrates nanozyme and enzymatic chemiluminescence immunoassay with the lateral flow strip. The core of our paper test is a robust Co–Fe@hemin-peroxidase nanozyme that catalyzes chemiluminescence comparable with natural peroxidase HRP and thus amplifies immune reaction signal. The detection limit for recombinant spike antigen of SARS-CoV-2 was 0.1 ng/mL, with a linear range of 0.2-100 ng/mL. Moreover, the sensitivity of test for pseudovirus could reach 360 TCID 50 /mL, which was comparable with ELISA method. The strip recognized SARS-CoV-2 antigen specifically, and there was no cross reaction with other coronaviruses or influenza A subtypes. This testing can be completed within 16 min, much shorter compared to the usual 1-2 h required for currently used nucleic acid tests. Furthermore, signal detection is feasible using the camera of a standard smartphone. Ingredients for nanozyme synthesis are simple and readily available, considerably lowering the overall cost. In conclusion, our paper test provides a high-sensitive point-of-care testing (POCT) approach for SARS-CoV-2 antigen detection, which should greatly facilitate early screening of SARS-CoV-2 infections, and considerably lower the financial burden on national healthcare resources. • Point-of-care antigen tests for screening of SARS-CoV-2 infection were established. • Chemiluminescence improves sensitivity of paper test and benefits early screening. • Nanozyme with high peroxidase activity and stability catalyzes chemiluminescence. • Nanozyme chemiluminescence paper test brings high efficiency and low cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SARS, a new type of respiratory disease caused by SARS-CoV, was identified in 2003 with significant levels of morbidity and mortality. The recent pandemic of COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2, has generated even greater extents of morbidity and mortality across the entire world. Both SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 spreads through the air in the form of droplets and potentially smaller droplets (aerosols) via exhaling, coughing, and sneezing. Direct detection from such airborne droplets would be ideal for protecting general public from potential exposure before they infect individuals. However, the number of viruses in such droplets and aerosols is too low to be detected directly. A separate air sampler and enough collection time (several hours) are necessary to capture a sufficient number of viruses. In this work, we have demonstrated the direct capture of the airborne droplets on the paper microfluidic chip without the need for any other equipment. 10% human saliva samples were spiked with the known concentration of SARS-CoV-2 and sprayed to generate liquid droplets and aerosols into the air. Antibody-conjugated submicron particle suspension is then added to the paper channel, and a smartphone-based fluorescence microscope isolated and counted the immunoagglutinated particles on the paper chip. The total capture-to-assay time was <30 min, compared to several hours with the other methods. In this manner, SARS-CoV-2 could be detected directly from the air in a handheld and low-cost manner, contributing to slowing the spread of SARS-CoV-2. We can presumably adapt this technology to a wide range of other respiratory viruses. • Direct bioaerosol capture and subsequent immunoassay on a single assay platform. • Handheld, rapid, low-cost, smartphone-based paper microfluidic assay detecting SARS-CoV-2 from the air. • No need for an air sampler, with the total capture-to-assay time of <30 min. • A smartphone microscope successfully confirmed the presence of SARS-CoV-2 from the air. • The device and method can slow the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and other emerging respiratory viruses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brazil has been standing out as one of the worst places on Earth to be during a global health crisis, especially for those whose struggle for basic humanitarian rights is already routine. How do the political environment and historical inequalities in countries like Brazil affect the ways in which public policy and technologies are framed as responses for the pandemic crisis? In this paper we aim to present the sequence of actions and omissions in the fight against sars-cov2 in Brazil, concentrating on measures based on the use of digital technologies and the sociotechnical arrangements unfolding in materialities that give shape to such measures. We will also discuss possible repercussions of the widespread adoption of surveillance technologies as a quick fix to the effects of the pandemic. Our focus is to explain how the materiality of the virus and its political as well as territorial effects are combined with digital technologies as responses (or lack of them) in the fields of healthcare, education, communication and labour in the context of the Global South. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The pandemic caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2 virus) has infected more than 646 million people and caused more than 6.6 million deaths worldwide (December/2022). It is surprising that a virus that affects airways can trigger neurological manifestations. The aim of this study was to create and apply specific questionnaires/evaluations for post-COVID-19 patients to profile any neurofunctional sequelae. Methods: Epidemiological and psychomotor aspects as well as the intensity of cognitive, memory, attention, and concentration impairment were assessed. A total of 184 subjects post-COVID-19 and a control group (n = 30) were evaluated. Results: The most prevalent blood types in the COVID-19 group were the same as those from control group and in Brazilian population (no influence). Loss of smell/taste and headache were the most common reported symptoms. Talking about psychomotor and neurofunctional aspects, COVID-19 induced marked impairments in the tests: fine motor development (diadochokinesis, puppets, fan, and knead paper); balance (immobility, static balance, feet in line, and persistence); episodic memory after distractors; verbal fluency; and clock, compared to the control group data. There was also marked increase of synkinesis. Therefore, COVID-19 induced impairments in psychomotor assessments and in different cognitive aspects of the Mini-Mental State Examination. These results are more surprising considering that most participants did not report pre-existing disease and did not require hospitalisation. Conclusion: COVID-19 induced psychomotor, neurofunctional, and memory impairments, including in young and healthy subjects. The present study revealed neurological impairments, which should be considered in the development of rehabilitation protocols for patients affected by COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is a complex and intricate process, but it is possible to efficiently track and contain the spread of the pandemic in a given area by observing the regularities of the pathogen's diffusion. One of the basic measures to hamper the development of the disease was to reduce the intensity of social contact by banning free movement. An adequate response in selected regions, where the virus develops much more rapidly, is crucial and prevents serious economic damage to many industries. The modern perception of cartography as an interdisciplinary tool can contribute to limiting the diffusion of infection through spatial analyses. The aim of this paper is to present cartography as a tool to support the "management" of a pandemic. In terms of methodology, the well-known choropleth map method was employed along with spatial structure analyses. The basic category considered within the framework of statistics and econometrics is spatial relationships formulated for the purpose of achieving the set objective in the form of spatial weight matrices. In the analyses presented here, a modified Moran model was used, within which the Authors applied a row-standardised weight matrix using migration data of individual counties. The paper reviews what has been achieved so far, based mainly on European solutions. Insufficient availability of reliable data needed for advanced models (especially in the initial phase of virus spread) means that using migration data from the nearest neighbourhood can be a viable solution. This approach comes down to an analysis of migration and the population density in the county in question. A simplified analysis with a statistically significant probability allows the identification of counties that could potentially become sites of uncontrolled virus transmission in areas of high population density and high mobility. This is undoubtedly the main achievement of the publication. The results obtained converge approximately with the actual development of a pandemic. The studies carried out indicate that the development of a pandemic is influenced not only by the number of infections, but above all by population density, as well as economic, social, educational and transport networks, as shown by the high Pearson coefficient correlation of 0.83. The analyses indicate the possibility of uncontrolled transmission of the virus in areas of high population density and high mobility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is no doubt that the outbreak of the novel coronavirus caught the world including South Africa, off-guard. This statement refers in particular, to the fact that the outbreak of the pandemic firstly exposed the level of unpreparedness of government and its different departments, including the private sector to deal with unforeseen outbreaks like the coronavirus which leads to COVID-19. This is a typical example of systemic problems within the government and the private sector. Secondly and most importantly, this outbreak exposed the level of inequality between schools in rural areas and those in townships and affluent parts of the country which are mostly habited by black middle class and white people. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the systemic challenges and the emotional impact of this virus on the learners and their parents; the learners and their teachers, and to venture into the policymaking and implementation terrain of the Department of Basic education with a specific focus on how the DBE responded to the outbreak. Furthermore, this paper makes a case out of the emerging case by case approach of the government and the DBE in dealing with the threats which are posed by this pandemic to communities and schools. The researchers hold the view that this paper will expose the levels of inequality between schools in different parts of the country and advocate for a culture of foresight in the education management system; a culture that acknowledges that schools, like communities and business entities, are vulnerable and susceptible to external forces that may have long-lasting effects on their functionality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 is an infectious disease that is serious, lethal, and transmissible. Since December 2019 the aftermath of the COVID-19 has been experienced by millions of global populations in all age groups, i.e., from newborn to elderly, regardless of gender. In consequence, it has triggered widespread apprehension, fear, hopelessness, and stress in the populace. The pandemic has decimated jobs and put at risk millions of livelihoods. The vivid challenges being faced are multifold, e. g., fear, depression, poor physical well-being, economic collapses, educational and professional hardships, domestic violence, family breakdowns, and many more. COVID-19 is a new type of coronavirus that had not been identified in humans previously. There are several behavioral and mental health-related problems increasing in all people due to Coronavirus which are relatively more important than physical well-being. Thus, this paper aims to comprehensively review the current literature on the negative effect of the COVID-19 on behavioral and mental health, as well as pertinent, useful, and effective psychosocial interventions to be provided to the needy and vulnerable brackets of human society. To accomplish this work, relevant and major research papers available on PUBMED and Google Scholar have been searched and reviewed. In addition, a few more chapters and articles (published after the year 2000) have also been reviewed on interventional research to be useful and incorporated. At last, methodological limitations and conclusions focus on a need for more representative research to understand the prevalence of mental health problems among the general population due to pandemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the break of a pandemic, the protective efficacy of therapeutic interventions needs rapid evaluation. An experimental approach to the problem will not always be appropriate. An alternative route are observational studies, whether based on regional health service data or hospital records. In this paper, we discuss the use of methods of causal inference for the analysis of such data, with special reference to causal questions that may arise in a pandemic. We apply the methods by using the aid of a directed acyclic graph (DAG) representation of the problem, to encode our causal assumptions and to logically connect the scientific questions. We illustrate the usefulness of DAGs in the context of a controversy over the effects of renin aldosterone system inhibitors (RASIs) in hypertensive individuals at risk of (or affected by) severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 disease. We consider questions concerning the existence and the directions of those effects, their underlying mechanisms, and the possible dependence of the effects on context variables. This paper describes the cognitive steps that led to a DAG representation of the problem, based on background knowledge and evidence from past studies, and the use of the DAG to analyze our hospital data and assess the interpretive limits of the results. Our study contributed to subverting early opinions about RASIs, by suggesting that these drugs may indeed protect the older hypertensive Covid-19 patients from the consequences of the disease. Mechanistic interaction methods revealed that the benefit may be greater (in a sense to be made clear) in the older stratum of the population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) and its variants are still spreading rapidly with deadly consequences and profound impacts on the global health and world economy. Without a suitable vaccine, mobility restriction has been the most effective method so far to prevent its spreading and avoid overwhelming the heath system of the affected country. The compartmental model SIR (or Susceptible, Infected, and Recovered) is the most popular mathematical model used to predict the course of the COVID-19 pandemic in order to plan the control actions and mobility restrictions against its spreading. A major limitation of this model in relation to modeling the spreading of COVID-19, and the mobility limitation strategy, is that the SIR model does not include mobility or take into account changes in mobility within its structure. This paper develops and tests a new hybrid SIR model; SIR-M which is integrated with an urban activity travel model to explore how it might improve the prediction of pandemic course and the testing of mobility limitation strategies in managing virus spread. The paper describes the enhanced methodology and tests a range of mobility limitation strategies on virus spread outcomes. Implications for policy and research futures are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper attempts to identify the changes in religiosity among Catholic practitioners in Poland that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, based on the changes in the realization of religious practices by students (N = 354). A questionnaire prepared by the authors was used for the study. We sought to answer the question of the extent to which the socio-demographic characteristics of the subjects, a history of COVID-19, and the death of a family member due to SARS-CoV-2 infection differentiated the subjects' opinions about religiosity and their undertaking of religious practices. The paper also addresses the issue of media-facilitated religious practices. The study showed that the frequency of religious practices was influenced by the perceived religiosity of the family, the religiosity of the respondent, and the declaration concerning the belief in God. The same factors most often significantly differentiated respondents' opinions on COVID-19. No relationship was confirmed between having COVID-19 and subjects' beliefs about the pandemic or frequency of religious practice. Among the respondents, the pandemic did not intensify the practice of religion. In the face of danger, respondents did not turn to God; there was no revitalization of religion. The situation of limiting the physical experience communion of the Church was treated not as an acute undersupply but as an opportunity or a pretext to abandon the practice of religion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a pandemic causing millions of deaths, devastating social and economic disruptions. Testing individuals for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the pathogen of COVID-19, is critical for mitigating and containing COVID-19. Many countries are implementing group testing strategies against COVID-19 to improve testing capacity and efficiency while saving required workloads and consumables. A group of individuals’ nasopharyngeal/oropharyngeal (NP/OP) swab samples is mixed to conduct one test. However, existing group testing methods neglect the fact that mixing samples usually leads to substantial dilution of viral ribonucleic acid (RNA) of SARS-CoV-2, which seriously impacts the sensitivity of tests. In this paper, we aim to screen individuals infected with COVID-19 with as few tests as possible, under the premise that the sensitivity of tests is high enough. To achieve this goal, we propose an Adaptive Group Testing (AdaGT) method. By collecting information on the number of positive and negative samples that have been identified during the screening process, the AdaGT method can estimate the ratio of positive samples in real-time. Based on this ratio, the AdaGT algorithm adjusts its testing strategy adaptively between an individual testing strategy and a group testing strategy. The group size of the group testing strategy is carefully selected to guarantee that the sensitivity of each test is higher than a predetermined threshold and that this group contains at most one positive sample on average. Theoretical performance analysis on the AdaGT algorithm is provided and then validated in experiments. Experimental results also show that the AdaGT algorithm outperforms existing methods in terms of efficiency and sensitivity. Note to Practitioners—Real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) tests provide scope for automation and are one of the most widely used laboratory methods for detecting the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This paper is motivated by the following challenges: (1) Many countries are experiencing an acute shortage of professionals and consumables for conducting rRT-PCR tests; (2) Group sizes of existing group testing methods against COVID-19 may not be optimal, which adversely impacts the efficiency of the screening of the SARS-CoV-2 virus; (3) Existing group testing methods do not consider the fact that the sensitivity of rRT-PCR tests usually decreases with the group size. The objective of this paper is to improve the efficiency and sensitivity of large-scale screening against COVID-19. For achieving this goal, we propose an Adaptive Group Testing (AdaGT) algorithm, which has the following advantages: (1) It can improve the efficiency for screening the SARS-CoV-2 virus, mainly by adaptively adjusting its testing strategy between an individual testing strategy and a group testing strategy based upon an estimated ratio of positive samples during the screening process; (2) It can guarantee a high sensitivity of the rRT-PCR tests by determining the group sizes of the group testing strategy based upon some constraints; (3) We derive an appropriate threshold for the estimated ratio of positive samples such that the AdaGT algorithm can achieve a minimum average number of rRT-PCR tests and can be directly employed in practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: over one third of total Disability-Adjusted-Life-Years lost in Kenya are due to noncommunicable diseases (NCD). In response, the Government declared significant commitment towards improving NCD care. The COVID-19 pandemic increased the burden on the already overstretched health systems in Kenya. The aims of this study are to assess whether health care providers perceived NCD care to be optimal during the pandemic and explore how to improve responses to future emergencies. Methods: this cross-sectional online survey included healthcare personnel with non-clinical roles (public health workers and policy-makers) and those delivering health care (doctors and nurses). Respondents were recruited between May and September 2021 by random sampling, completed by snowball sampling. Results: among 236 participants (42% in clinical, 58% in non-clinical roles) there was an overall consensus between respondents on NCD care being disrupted and compromised during the pandemic in Kenya. Detracted supplies, funding, and technical resources affected the continuity of NCDs' response, despite government efforts. Respondents agreed that the enhanced personnel capacity and competencies to manage COVID-19 patients were positive, but noted a lack of guidance for redirecting care for chronic diseases, and advocated for digital innovation as a solution. Conclusion: this paper explores the perceptions of key stakeholders involved in the management of NCDs in Kenya to improve planning for future emergency responses. Gaps were identified in health system response and preparedness capacity during the pandemic including the perceived need to strengthen NCD services, with solutions offered to guide resilience efforts to protect the health system from disruption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper designs and implements a methodology to model the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic, produced by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, in what was called the first wave in Chile, which lasted from March 2 to 31 October 2020. The models are based on sigmoidal growth curves and can be used to predict the number of daily infections and deaths in future days, making them a useful tool for sanitary authorities to manage an epidemic. The methodology is applied to the entire country and to each of its most affected regions. In addition, the dynamics of these models allow it to be nurtured with the new information that is being produced and forecast a tentative date on which there would be some control over the pandemic. Moreover, these models allow for predicting the total number of infected and deceased people at the time the pandemic is under control. However, the simplicity of these models, which consider only the accumulated data of those infected and deceased, does not contemplate an intervention analysis such as vaccinations, which, as is known, are being effective in controlling the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The world is experiencing a pandemic due to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), also known as COVID-19. The USA is also suffering from a catastrophic death toll from COVID-19. Several studies are providing preliminary evidence that short- and long-term exposure to air pollution might increase the severity of COVID-19 outcomes, including a higher risk of death. In this study, we develop a spatiotemporal model to estimate the association between exposure to fine particulate matter PM2.5 and mortality accounting for several social and environmental factors. More specifically, we implement a Bayesian zero-inflated negative binomial regression model with random effects that vary in time and space. Our goal is to estimate the association between air pollution and mortality accounting for the spatiotemporal variability that remained unexplained by the measured confounders. We applied our model to four regions of the USA with weekly data available for each county within each region. We analyze the data separately for each region because each region shows a different disease spread pattern. We found a positive association between long-term exposure to PM2.5 and the mortality from the COVID-19 disease for all four regions with three of four being statistically significant. Data and code are available at our GitHub repository. Supplementary materials accompanying this paper appear on-line. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Karur, one of the oldest towns in Tamil Nadu, a southern state in India, embedded with its rich cultural history and heritage of over more than 2000 years can be considered a key textile hub in present times. Being perennially busy with home furnishings and garment exports, like any other "Textile" town of India or other textile players of the world, Karur was pushed into lockdown one after another from March 2020 for a few undecided months owing to the pandemic outbreak of the disease Covid-19 with a new class of corona virus, known as SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) being responsible for the occurrence of this disease. With uncertainty and a lack of clarity looming over their heads, many owners with the backing of their employees of the textile firms and industries jumpstarted their lives trying their best in beating the odds laid on themselves in quite successful ways backed with technical innovations. Though it happened for few, it didn't realize for some. This paper attempts to track and research on some of the life stories of achievement and the unprecedented misery few were suddenly pushed into. While this town's success stories as a meticulous process of change in its people's mindset in desperate times toward themselves and those around can be studied to be implemented as a role model for other towns, the future lying in its unpredictability can never be ascertained thereby only making the successful solutions of those a base study of learning for the next. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of the new SARS-CoV-2 virus two years ago strongly affected economic life and labour markets around the world. The pandemic affected many sectors, including the mining industry. Coal companies have had to cope with the challenges and adapt their operations to the situation. Due to the peculiarities of the mines, not only to the hazardous factors and conditions prevailing underground but also to the large number of employees who usually move in groups in the plants, the emergence of a new threat caused by a biological agent posed a real challenge for them. The aim of this paper was to present the initiatives and measures taken in the coal mining sector to ensure the safety of workers during a pandemic. The guidelines for the operation of mining plants during the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic were analysed, as well as the identification of locations in mining plants particularly vulnerable to infection with the virus. We also presented how the pandemic period affected the operations of a selected coal company in Poland from an economic point of view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since March of 2020, billions of people worldwide have been asked to limit their social contacts in an effort to contain the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. However, little research has been carried out to date on the impact of such social distancing measures on the social isolation levels of the population. In this paper, we study the impact of the pandemic on the social isolation of the Spanish population, by means of 32,359 answers to a citizen survey collected over a period of 7 months. We uncover (1) a significant increase in the prevalence of social isolation in the population, reaching almost 26%; (2) gender and age differences, with the largest prevalence of isolation among middle-aged individuals; (3) a strong relationship between economic impact and social isolation; and (4) differences in social isolation, depending on the number of COVID-19 protection measures and on the perception of coronavirus infection risk by our participants. Our research sheds quantitative light on the sociological impact of the pandemic, and enables us to identify key factors in the interplay between the deployment of non-pharmaceutical interventions to contain the spread of an infectious disease and a population's levels of social isolation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Humanity has suffered throughout its history from different types of pandemics caused by deadly infectious diseases. Mathematical models are very useful tools to understand the dynamics of the behavior and propagation of these. Among these models are those known as SIS, SIR and SEIR. This paper presents a brief explanation of the structure of these models and its use in some pandemics. In particular, some SIR-type models without and with delays are analyzed with special interest, as well as their applications to the current pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. To determine the correspondence between some of the models analyzed and the data of Infectious and Recovered from Mexico reported by the World Health Organization (WHO), simulations are presented in three different time periods between the years 2020-2021. In addition, an unpublished SIR-type mathematical model with three delays is proposed as a main contribution. Finally, a discussion is given on the application of numerical algorithms to identify some parameters of mathematical models, such as ordinary least squares. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is a public health emergency of international concern that caused disaster consequences all over the world. To mitigate and manage the pandemic, geographical information systems (GIS)-based spatial analysis has been used in a key role. To this aim, many GIS-based maps are produced by many national and international institutions. However, the produced maps are prepared by conventional methods and the features in these maps representing by their areal size. This paper proposes the diffusion-based cartograms for visualization of the COVID-19 outbreak. In the study, daily country-level data of the first 150 days of the COVID-19 outbreak were obtained from WHO, and the spread and spatial patterns of the epidemic were presented according to the number of confirmed cases and deaths. As a result of the study, it was observed that the cartogram is a powerful visualization tool and superior to the classical methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An average case fatality ratio over the first six months after the outbreak of COVID-19 in Poland was 5.43% (95% CI: 5.08% – 5.73%), while among hospitalized cases 16.9% (15.8% – 17.9%). • The case fatality rate had a decreasing trend in time starting from 7.83% (7.08% – 8.61%) during first eight weeks after the outbreak (March – April), to reach 2.52% (2.06% – 3.02%) during the summer season (July – August). • Recent medical care as well as the identification of the source contact, independently of the age, sex and comorbidities, significantly impact an individual mortality risk. After more than one and a half year since the COVID-19 pandemics outbreak the scientific world is constantly trying to understand its dynamics. In this paper of the case fatality rates (CFR) for COVID-19 we study the historic data regarding mortality in Poland during the first six months of pandemic, when no SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern were present among infected. To this end, we apply competing risk models to perform both uni- and multivariate analyses on specific subpopulations selected by different factors including the key indicators: age, sex, hospitalization. The study explores the case fatality rate to find out its decreasing trend in time. Furthermore, we describe the differences in mortality among hospitalized and other cases indicating a sudden increase of mortality among hospitalized cases at the end of the 2020 spring season. Exploratory and multivariate analysis revealed the real impact of each variable and besides the expected factors indicating increased mortality (age, comorbidities) we track more non-obvious indicators. Recent medical care as well as the identification of the source contact, independently of the comorbidities, significantly impact an individual mortality risk. As a result, the study provides a twofold insight into the COVID-19 mortality in Poland. On one hand we explore mortality in different groups with respect to different variables, on the other we indicate novel factors that may be crucial in reducing mortality. The later can be coped, e.g. by more efficient contact tracing and proper organization and management of the health care system to accompany those who need medical care independently of comorbidities or COVID-19 infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID 19 pandemic is one of the greatest threats of the 21st century that disturbed whole human`s life and all sectors of the global economy. Due to highly infectious and spreading capacity of SARS-CoV-2 the governments took unprecedented measures worldwide with a great impact on the most vulnerable groups (people affected by chronically hunger, malnourished children and small farmers) and sectors. Agriculture is the most important economic sector that cares the responsibility for food security and human development. The present paper identifies and synthetize relevant literature to provide an integrated overview of the current state-of-knowledge on the economic impact of COVID 19 pandemic on agriculture and food security, including also forward-looking statements on future measures to mitigate the effects on crop production, food demand, agricultural products supply, inputs supply, agricultural products market, farmers` income and rural poverty. The study emphasizes that due to the mobility restrictions, decline in international trade, reduced purchasing power, disturbance in food production and food processing, food insecurity may arise affecting especially the small farmers from the regions already affected by poverty, climate change and conflicts. Therefore, the governments and international organizations should enforce the measures to control the pandemic, with minimum economic losses, without disturbing the food supply chain and re-enforcing the food security of their citizens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, COVID-19 also known as novel coronavirus has become a global pandemic by causing severe respiratory tract infections in humans without any definite treatment or vaccine. Therefore, disease control measures include slowing down or averting the transfer of this viral infection from person to person. Continuous efforts are carried out to avoid the transmission of this disease to frontline healthcare personnel using single-use personal protective equipment (PPE). However, a critical shortage in this equipment around the world is becoming an alarming concern. Therefore, it is vital to present a possible alternative to overcome the acute shortage of protective gear such as face masks against this infectious disease which can have universal accessibility and is easily available. Additive manufacturing (AM), also known as 3D printing, is a possible solution to overcome the shortage of protective gear and can play a vital role in supporting their conventional production supplies during this global pandemic situation. In this context, this paper provides a brief background study of COVID-19, its conventional preventive measure, and a detailed overview regarding the latest AM efforts including designers' providers and makers in the 3D printing community. Moreover, numerous inquiries and questions such as technical factors, testing recommendations and characterization methods and biological concerns such as biocompatibility and sterilization for the AM manufactured medical devices are addressed in this paper. In the end, two examples of AM medical devices, i.e., face mask and Ambu bag ventilator, are presented and studied through numerical simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The emergence of the novel coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) has led to huge disruptions in the medical field and society. The significance of training and education for experts has been increasingly acknowledged in Japan, where the number of infectious disease (ID) specialists is reportedly insufficient. In this paper, we report the results of a web-based survey that was conducted to reveal the ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced medical students' awareness of ID specialists and future career choices. Method: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in March 2021 and targeted 717 medical students belonging to Medical School of Okayama University, Japan. The questionnaire consisted of four questions meant to assess students' knowledge and future intentions of becoming ID specialists. Results: We obtained 328 eligible questionnaires (response rate: 45.7%). Of 227 (69.2%) students who were aware of ID specialists, 99 (43.6%) answered that they came to know about them only after the pandemic, 12 (3.7%) answered that their interest in being an ID specialist arose during the pandemic, while 36 (11.0%) responded that they would rather not become ID specialists. At the time of the survey, 5 students (1.5%) were aiming to become ID specialists. Conclusion: We observed a very low rate of interest to be an ID specialist among medical students. The experience of the pandemic does not seem to have influenced Japanese medical students to choose ID as a specialty for their careers. Continuous efforts to increase the number of ID specialists are necessary in Japan as a countermeasure against the coming pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The outbreak of the COVID-19 global pandemic has strongly affected different issues of everyday life. The pandemic has changed consumer attitudes and behavior. Consequently, during COVID-19, businesses had to decide how to organize the advertising campaigns and what content should be addressed to consumers. Considering the limited number of articles concerning these issues, it seems important to evaluate the impact of the global health crisis on advertising messages in different countries. The main objective of this paper is to assess TV commercial campaigns implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the specific epidemic situation in the selected countries. The research methodology was based on the observation, a qualitative method of collecting data obtained through monitoring the content of TV commercials aired during the afternoon, before or after the main news service. The research was conducted in May 2020 and in May 2021 in five selected European countries affected to varying degrees by the coronavirus pandemic. The research results allowed evaluation of the advertising messages in terms of their content and values exposed. The findings indicate that the number of COVID-related TV commercials is not correlated with the number of patients and deaths from COVID-19. The themes appearing the most often in the TV commercials in the studied period were the #StayAtHome idea, family and friends, the aspect of safety during the crisis, and brands' special offers. The tone of the advertisements was usually uplifting and hopeful, trying to cheer the stressed societies. From a theoretical perspective, the research results show the advertising strategy issues in specific conditions in different European countries. These findings concerning TV commercial strategy during a pandemic crisis could provide references for other countries, especially in Europe. The research results could be useful for marketing managers in developing strategies concerning the successful planning of TV commercials in crisis periods in European countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper analyses the leadership approach and practices of the Brunei Government, in response hitherto to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Design/methodology/approach: A review of the available resources and existing literature on COVID-19 and crisis management in Brunei is conducted, consequently drawing lessons on effective measures of Brunei experience in combating the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings: The main key lessons of Brunei's success factors in tackling the COVID-19 outbreak are the "Whole of Government Approach" and "Whole of Nation Approach". It is to be noted that the approach would not be successful without the approval and full support of the monarch himself and, more importantly, the public's cooperation. Engaging in constant updates with the government's willingness to have themselves be led by recognised experts has gained public trust, which leads to the success of containing COVID-19, which resulted Brunei not needing to opt for a lockdown, which in turn did not lead Brunei to succumb to the second wave of COVID-19. Research limitations/implications: Brunei experiences in containing novel coronavirus will help international scholars, especially in Muslim countries, to understand the lessons and develop a robust pandemic leadership model. Practical implications: The lessons and strategies used by Brunei can be used as an exemplary approach to prepare for any future uncertainties by other countries. Originality/value: The literature on pandemic leadership during COVID-19 in Brunei is scarce. This study might be considered as the first attempt to exhibit strong crisis leadership capacity in Brunei which resulted in the success of containing COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A pneumonia outbreak was primarily reported in the fall of 2019 in Wuhan, Hubei province, China, with the identity SARS-CoV-2, a novel coronavirus. It quickly grew from a local epidemic to a global pandemic and was declared a public health emergency by the WHO. A total of three prominent waves were identified across the globe, with a slight temporal variability as per the geographical locations, and has impacted several sectors which connect the world. By March 2022, the coronavirus had infected 444.12 million people and claimed 6.01 million human lives worldwide, and these numbers have not yet stabilized. Our paper enlightens readers on the seven strains of human coronaviruses, with special emphasis on the three severe deadliest outbreaks (SARS-2002, MERS-2012, and COVID-19). This work attempts a comprehensive understanding of the coronavirus and its impact on the possible sectors that link the world through the economic chain, climate conditions, SDGs, recycling of the event, and mitigations. There are many points that are raised by the authors in the possible sectors, which are emerging or are as yet unnoticed and thus have not been taken into consideration. This comprehension will leave sets of new challenges and opportunities for the researchers in various streams, especially in earth sciences. Science-integrated research may help to prevent upcoming disasters as a by-product of (existing) epidemics in the form of coronavirus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the high transmission rate and mortality index of the current coronavirus pandemic, many settings in Africa instituted lockdowns to reduce its rate of spread and avert exponential growth rate. At the early stage, this measure seemed to heighten awareness of the virus and subsequently minimized exponential growth of cases. However, these lockdowns have had great consequences on the weak health systems and frail economy in place in many African countries. In this paper, we examine the impact of lockdown measures in these countries and provides key recommendations in dealing with present and future pandemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: When the coronavirus pandemic 2019 (COVID‐19) emerged, concerns were also raised regarding the safety of allergen immunotherapy (AIT). The German Society for Allergology and Clinical Immunology (DGAKI) conducted a survey to collect real‐world data on the daily routine of administering subcutaneous AIT (SCIT) and sublingual AIT (SLIT) during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Methods: A web‐based retrospective survey using the online platform survio with 26 standardized questions was used to survey physicians treating allergic patients during the pandemic. Results: Three hundred and forty‐five physicians who regularly offer and perform AIT in German‐speaking countries responded to the questions. 70.4% of the respondents stated that they regularly initiated and dosed up SCIT for inhalant allergies (41.4% venom‐SCIT, 73.6% SLIT), and 85.2% of the respondents stated that they continued SCIT for inhalant allergies during the maintenance phase in a regular way (59.1% venom‐SCIT, 90.4% SLIT) in healthy patients without current symptoms indicating an infection with COVID‐19. With regard to tolerability, there was no evidence for increased occurrence of adverse events in patients without current symptoms of COVID‐19 infection during the pandemic. Conclusions: This retrospective study demonstrated adherence to national and international position papers of AIT during the COVID‐19 pandemic in German‐speaking countries. Besides, the survey has confirmed a good tolerability of AIT for both SCIT and SLIT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. There is a lot of evidence that coronavirus disease 2019 has various manifestations. This paper presents a report of two cases with the aim to indicate the multifactorial etiology of confusional states in patients with mental disorders at the time coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 affects not only the respiratory and cardiovascular systems, but also the brain, kidneys and other organ systems. One of the first manifestations of this infection can be mental confusion. Case Study. The first patient, a woman diagnosed with schizoaffective psychosis, suddenly presented with confusion, followed by hypersedation which was at first attributed to overmedication. In another patient, with the diagnosis of bipolar affective disorder, sudden confusion (delirium) was initially recognized as an element of mental disorder deterioration. A more detailed observation revealed that the confused state in both patients was caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 infection. Discussion. It is common for the manifestations of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 infection to include respiratory and cardiovascular syimptoms. However, symptoms related to other organs and organ systems, including changes in neurological and psychological status, should not be ignored. Conclusion. It was noticed that confusion and delirium-like states are quite common early symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019. In psychiatric patients, it is always necessary to rule out the organic etiology of the consciousness disorder and immediately proceed with the diagnostic procedures. One should certainly keep in mind that diagnostic errors are possible, not only due to various manifestations of the infection, but also due to the stigmatization of mental illness, which must be overcome in order to provide the best possible treatment effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is devoted to the multidisciplinary modelling of a pandemic initiated by an aggressive virus, specifically the so-called SARS–CoV– 2 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, corona virus n. 2. The study is developed within a multiscale framework accounting for the interaction of different spatial scales, from the small scale of the virus itself and cells, to the large scale of individuals and further up to the collective behaviour of populations. An interdisciplinary vision is developed thanks to the contributions of epidemiologists, immunologists and economists as well as those of mathematical modellers. The first part of the contents is devoted to understanding the complex features of the system and to the design of a modelling rationale. The modelling approach is treated in the second part of the paper by showing both how the virus propagates into infected individuals, successfully and not successfully recovered, and also the spatial patterns, which are subsequently studied by kinetic and lattice models. The third part reports the contribution of research in the fields of virology, epidemiology, immune competition, and economy focussed also on social behaviours. Finally, a critical analysis is proposed looking ahead to research perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has both exposed and created deep rifts in society. It has thrust us into deep ethical thinking to help justify the difficult decisions many will be called upon to make and to protect from decisions that lack ethical underpinnings. This paper aims to highlight ethical issues in six different areas of life highlighting the enormity of the task we are faced with globally. In the context of COVID-19, we consider health inequity, dilemmas in triage and allocation of scarce resources, ethical issues associated with research, ethical considerations relating to tracing apps, and exit strategies such as immunity passports and COVID-19 vaccines. Finally, we consider environmental issues in light of COVID-19. The paper also offers some ethical reflection on these areas as many parts of the world contemplate the recovery phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The outbreak of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, has become one of the most severe pandemics in human history. In this paper, we propose to leverage social media users as social sensors to simultaneously predict the pandemic trends and suggest potential risk factors for public health experts to understand spread situations and recommend proper interventions. More precisely, we develop novel deep learning models to recognize important entities and their relations over time, thereby establishing dynamic heterogeneous graphs to describe the observations of social media users. A dynamic graph neural network model can then forecast the trends (e.g. newly diagnosed cases and death rates) and identify high-risk events from social media. Based on the proposed computational method, we also develop a web-based system for domain experts without any computer science background to easily interact with. We conduct extensive experiments on large-scale datasets of COVID-19 related tweets provided by Twitter, which show that our method can precisely predict the new cases and death rates. We also demonstrate the robustness of our web-based pandemic surveillance system and its ability to retrieve essential knowledge and derive accurate predictions across a variety of circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: COVID‐19 is generating clinical challenges, lifestyle changes, economic consequences. The pandemic imposes to familiarize with concepts as prevention, vulnerability and resilience. Methods: We analysed and reviewed the most relevant papers in the MEDLINE database on syndemic, noncommunicable diseases, pandemic, climate changes, pollution, resilience, vulnerability, health costs, COVID‐19. Results: We discuss that comprehensive strategies must face multifactorial consequences since the pandemic becomes syndemic due to interactions with noncommunicable diseases, climate changes and iniquities. The lockdown experience, on the other hand, demonstrates that it is rapidly possible to reverse epidemiologic trends and to reduce pollution. The worst outcome is evident in eight highly industrialized nations, where 12% of the world population experienced about one‐third of all COVID‐19‐deaths worldwide. Thus, a great economic power has not been fully protective, and a change of policy is obviously needed to avoid irreversible consequences. Conclusions: We are accumulating unhealthy populations living in unhealthy environments and generating unhealthy offspring. The winning policy should tackle structural inequities through a syndemic approach, to protect vulnerable populations from present and future harms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The crisis generated by the emergence and pandemic spread of COVID‐19 has thrown into the global spotlight the dangers associated with novel diseases, as well as the key role of animals, especially wild animals, as potential sources of pathogens to humans. There is a widespread demand for a new relationship with wild and domestic animals, including suggested bans on hunting, wildlife trade, wet markets or consumption of wild animals. However, such policies risk ignoring essential elements of the problem as well as alienating and increasing hardship for local communities across the world, and might be unachievable at scale. There is thus a need for a more complex package of policy and practical responses. We undertook a solution scan to identify and collate 161 possible options for reducing the risks of further epidemic disease transmission from animals to humans, including potential further SARS‐CoV‐2 transmission (original or variants). We include all categories of animals in our responses (i.e. wildlife, captive, unmanaged/feral and domestic livestock and pets) and focus on pathogens (especially viruses) that, once transmitted from animals to humans, could acquire epidemic potential through high rates of human‐to‐human transmission. This excludes measures to prevent well‐known zoonotic diseases, such as rabies, that cannot readily transmit between humans. We focused solutions on societal measures, excluding the development of vaccines and other preventive therapeutic medicine and veterinary medicine options that are discussed elsewhere. We derived our solutions through reading the scientific literature, NGO position papers, and industry guidelines, collating our own experiences, and consulting experts in different fields. Herein, we review the major zoonotic transmission pathways and present an extensive list of options. The potential solutions are organised according to the key stages of the trade chain and encompass solutions that can be applied at the local, regional and international scales. This is a set of options targeted at practitioners and policy makers to encourage careful examination of possible courses of action, validating their impact and documenting outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) has become one of the deadliest pandemics that has affected almost all the nations in the world. Lockdown and systematic re-opening of shopping malls, offices, etc. is still one of the major weapons against this virus. However, the government and medical agencies take long time to reopen the places due to risks involved in this deadly virus. The delay to reopen places has resulted in sharp decline in the growth of economy. In this paper a current context aware framework is proposed which uses multiple inputs for a specific region to decide whether to open it or not. The proposed framework used series of deep neural network models to generate recommendations specific to a particular region. Most of the inputs are real-time and readily available with the government. The main aim is to develop framework which can be used in any kind of pandemic even in small region to easily contain it. However, it has been tested using opensource data available for COVID-19. Data was crawled from web for 22 districts of Haryana state of India. Experimental result proved the efficiency of proposed framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Prophet Model provides understanding of the number of people affected daily by this disease. • The imposed interventions are reflected by five significant changepoints detected by the model in the growth curve of India. • The model forecasts90 days future growth trend and finds the peak time for all the six countries and six states of India. • The model has achieved around 85% MAPE for all the six countries and the six states of India. Covid-19 disease caused by novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) is a highly contagious epidemic that originated in Wuhan, Hubei Province of China in late December 2019. World Health Organization (WHO) declared Covid-19 as a pandemic on 12th March 2020. Researchers and policy makers are designing strategies to control the pandemic in order to minimize its impact on human health and economy round the clock. The SARS-CoV-2 virus transmits mostly through respiratory droplets and through contaminated surfacesin human body.Securing an appropriate level of safety during the pandemic situation is a highly problematic issue which resulted from the transportation sector which has been hit hard by COVID-19. This paper focuses on developing an intelligent computing model for forecasting the outbreak of COVID-19. The Facebook Prophet model predicts 90 days future values including the peak date of the confirmed cases of COVID-19 for six worst hit countries of the world including India and six high incidence states of India. The model also identifies five significant changepoints in the growth curve of confirmed cases of India which indicate the impact of the interventions imposed by Government of India on the growth rate of the infection. The goodness-of-fit of the model measures 85% MAPE for all six countries and all six states of India. The above computational analysis may be able to throw some light on planning and management of healthcare system and infrastructure. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amid growing debate between scientists and policymakers on the trade-off between public safety and reviving economy during the COVID-19 pandemic, the government of Bangladesh decided to relax the countrywide lockdown restrictions from the beginning of June 2020. Instead, the Ministry of Public Affairs officials have declared some parts of the capital city and a few other districts as red zones or high-risk areas based on the number of people infected in the late June 2020. Nonetheless, the COVID-19 infection rate had been increasing in almost every other part of the country. Ironically, rather than ensuring rapid tests and isolation of COVID-19 patients, from the beginning of July 2020, the Directorate General of Health Services restrained the maximum number of tests per laboratory. Thus, the health experts have raised the question of whether the government is heading toward achieving herd immunity instead of containing the COVID-19 pandemic. In this paper, the dynamics of the pandemic due to SARS-CoV-2 in Bangladesh is analyzed with integrated the Unscented Kalman Filter (UKF) in the SIRD model. We demonstrate that the herd immunity threshold can be reduced to 31% than that of 60% by considering age group cluster analysis resulting in a total of 53.0 million susceptible populations. With the data of COVID-19 cases till January, 2021, the time-varying reproduction numbers are used to explain the nature of the pandemic. Based on the estimations of active, severe and critical cases, we discuss a set of policy recommendations to improve the current pandemic control methods in Bangladesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: An outbreak of the COVID-19 was appended in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019. Lots of related papers were published in the world since then. Objective: This study aimed to identify and analyze the characteristics of COVID-19 publications in the Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED) published by Latin Americans in 2020. Methods: Documents including searching keywords in their title, abstract, or author keywords from SCIEXPANDED were assessed. The analyzed aspects covered characteristics of document types, languages, Web of Science categories, and journals. Publication performances of countries and institutions were evaluated by six publication indicators and two citation indicators. Results: A lower percentage of articles and a higher percentage of Spanish language were found. Web of Science category of general and internal medicine published the most articles. The Clinics was the most popular journal. The Cadernos de Saude Publica and Revista da Associacao Medica Brasileira published the most publications and reviews, respectively. Brazil took a leading position in the six publication indicators. The University of São Paulo in Brazil was the most productive institution. Based on the number of citations from the Web of Science Core Collection since publication to the end of 2020, 10 most frequently cited publications were presented. In addition, the analysis of words in publication titles, author keywords, and KeyWords Plus was performed to find the main research focuses. Conclusions: In 2020, a total of 3 056 COVID-19 documents in SCI-EXPANDED were published by Latin Americans mainly in the Web of Science categories of 'general and internal medicine' and 'public, environmental and occupational health'. More letters and editorial materials and fewer articles were published in the first year of its outbreak. A higher percentage of Spanish and Portuguese publications was found. Brazil dominated the six publication indicators. The University of São Paulo in Brazil ranked top in all the six publication indicators while the Technological University of Pereira in Colombia had a higher impact for their first- and corresponding-author publications. Health and infection were the main research focuses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is a global public health emergency. Adherence to biosafety practices is mandatory to protect the user as well as the environment, while handling infectious agents. A biological safety cabinet (BSC) is the most important equipment used in diagnostic and research laboratories in order to safeguard the product, the person, and the environment. The World Health Organization has emphasized the use of validated BSCs in order to ensure quality of the results. There are different classes of BSCs that are used in various work environments based on the need. It is imperative to use appropriate levels of biosafety and types of BSCs in laboratories based on the risk assessment of the pathogen used. During the development of COVID-19 laboratories and training of laboratory staff, we came across several queries about the functions and selection of BSCs and realized that the knowledge about the detailed information on selections and applications of BSCs is scanty. There are several guidelines regarding the biosafety aspects for diagnostic and research laboratories handling infectious pathogens from national and international agencies. However, there is no detailed information on the use of appropriate types of BSCs and their functions in the context of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In view of this, the present paper describes in detail the selection and applications of BSCs, which could be useful for laboratories handling or planning to handle SARS-CoV-2 and suspected samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the first case reported of SARS-CoV-2 the end of December 2019 in China, the number of cases quickly climbed following an exponential growth trend, demonstrating that a global pandemic is possible. As of December 3, 2020, the total number of cases reported are around 65,527,000 contagions worldwide, and 1,524,000 deaths affecting 218 countries and territories. In this scenario, Spain is one of the countries that has suffered in a hard way, the ongoing epidemic caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, namely COVID-19 disease. In this paper, we present the utilization of phenomenological epidemic models to characterize the two first outbreak waves of COVID-19 in Spain. The study is driven using a two-step phenomenological epidemic approach. First, we use a simple generalized growth model to fit the main parameters at the early epidemic phase; later, we apply our previous finding over a logistic growth model to that characterize both waves completely. The results show that even in the absence of accurate data series, it is possible to characterize the curves of case incidence, and construct a short-term forecast of 60 days in the near time horizon, in relation to the expected total duration of the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coronavirus disease COVID-19 has spread throughout the world and has been declared as a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11th, 2020. The COVID-19 is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). One possible mode of virus transmission is through surfaces in the healthcare settings. This paper reviews currently used disinfection strategies to control SARS-CoV-2 at the healthcare facilities. Chemical disinfectants include hypochlorite, peroxymonosulfate, alcohols, quaternary ammonium compounds, and hydrogen peroxide. Advanced strategies include no-touch techniques such as engineered antimicrobial surfaces and automated room disinfection systems using hydrogen peroxide vapor or ultraviolet light. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last year, we are facing a pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 which causes a disease called COVID-19. In everyday practice, we encounter a number of issues related to IBD patients and COVID-19. So far, we have a lot of information regarding issues of IBD patients and COVID-19, but they are scattered across numerous scientific articles. In this review, we have made a synthesis of previous knowledge regarding the main issues such as IBD patients and risk of SARS-CoV-2infection/COVID-19, outcomes of IBD patients infected with SARS-CoV-2, treatment of IBD patients in the pandemic era, endoscopy in the pandemic era, vaccination, and patient's perception and well-being during the pandemic era. The main goal of our paper is to summarize current knowledge in this literature review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infectious diseases and human behavior are intertwined. On one side, our movements and interactions are the engines of transmission. On the other, the unfolding of viruses might induce changes to our daily activities. While intuitive, our understanding of such feedback loop is still limited. Before COVID-19 the literature on the subject was mainly theoretical and largely missed validation. The main issue was the lack of empirical data capturing behavioral change induced by diseases. Things have dramatically changed in 2020. Non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) have been the key weapon against the SARS-CoV-2 virus and affected virtually any societal process. Travel bans, events cancellation, social distancing, curfews, and lockdowns have become unfortunately very familiar. The scale of the emergency, the ease of survey as well as crowdsourcing deployment guaranteed by the latest technology, several Data for Good programs developed by tech giants, major mobile phone providers, and other companies have allowed unprecedented access to data describing behavioral changes induced by the pandemic. Here, I review some of the vast literature written on the subject of NPIs during the COVID-19 pandemic. In doing so, I analyze 348 articles written by more than 2518 authors in the first 12 months of the emergency. While the large majority of the sample was obtained by querying PubMed, it includes also a hand-curated list. Considering the focus, and methodology I have classified the sample into seven main categories: epidemic models, surveys, comments/perspectives, papers aiming to quantify the effects of NPIs, reviews, articles using data proxies to measure NPIs, and publicly available datasets describing NPIs. I summarize the methodology, data used, findings of the articles in each category and provide an outlook highlighting future challenges as well as opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SARS-CoV-2 infection causing the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID–19) has been responsible for more than 2.8 million deaths and nearly 125 million infections worldwide as of March 2021. In March 2020, the World Health Organization determined that the COVID–19 outbreak is a global pandemic. The urgency and magnitude of this pandemic demanded immediate action and coordination between local, regional, national, and international actors. In that mission, researchers require access to high-quality biological materials and data from SARS-CoV-2 infected and uninfected patients, covering the spectrum of disease manifestations. The "Biobanque québécoise de la COVID-19" (BQC19) is a pan–provincial initiative undertaken in Québec, Canada to enable the collection, storage and sharing of samples and data related to the COVID-19 crisis. As a disease-oriented biobank based on high-quality biosamples and clinical data of hospitalized and non-hospitalized SARS-CoV-2 PCR positive and negative individuals. The BQC19 follows a legal and ethical management framework approved by local health authorities. The biosamples include plasma, serum, peripheral blood mononuclear cells and DNA and RNA isolated from whole blood. In addition to the clinical variables, BQC19 will provide in-depth analytical data derived from the biosamples including whole genome and transcriptome sequencing, proteome and metabolome analyses, multiplex measurements of key circulating markers as well as anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses. BQC19 will provide the scientific and medical communities access to data and samples to better understand, manage and ultimately limit, the impact of COVID-19. In this paper we present BQC19, describe the process according to which it is governed and organized, and address opportunities for future research collaborations. BQC19 aims to be a part of a global communal effort addressing the challenges of COVID–19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The early identification of asymptomatic yet infectious cases is vital to curb the 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and to control the disease in the post-pandemic era. In this paper, we propose a fast, inexpensive and high-throughput approach using painless nasal-swab self-collection followed by direct RT-qPCR for the sensitive PCR detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This approach was validated in a large prospective cohort study of 1038 subjects, analysed simultaneously using (1) nasopharyngeal swabs obtained with the assistance of healthcare personnel and analysed by classic two-step RT-qPCR on RNA isolates and (2) nasal swabs obtained by self-collection and analysed with direct RT-qPCR. Of these subjects, 28.6% tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 using nasopharyngeal swab sampling. Our direct RT-qPCR approach for self-collected nasal swabs performed well with results similar to those of the two-step RT-qPCR on RNA isolates, achieving 0.99 positive and 0.98 negative predictive values (cycle threshold [Ct] < 37). Our research also reports on grey-zone viraemia, including samples with near-cut-off Ct values (Ct ≥ 37). In all investigated subjects (n = 20) with grey-zone viraemia, the ultra-small viral load disappeared within hours or days with no symptoms. Overall, this study underscores the importance of painless nasal-swab self-collection and direct RT-qPCR for mass testing during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and in the post-pandemic era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review summarises and discusses recent findings concerning the pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, treatment, and outcome of SARS-CoV-2-associated Guillain-Barre syndrome (SC2-GBS). By the end of December 2020, at least 220 patients with SC2-GBS have been published in 95 papers. SC2-GBS is most likely secondary due to an immune reaction against SARS-CoV-2 since the virus has not been found in the CSF of any SC2-GBS patient so far reported. SC2-GBS occurs in each age group and does not differ from non-SC2-GBS regarding clinical presentation and treatment, but the outcome of SC2-GBS is worse compared to non-CS2-GBS patients, and the prevalence/incidence of GBS most likely increased since the outbreak of the pandemic. Early diagnosis of SC2-GBS is warranted to apply appropriate treatment in due time and to improve the overall outcome from the infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper concerns a new forecast model that includes the class of undiagnosed infected people, and has a multiregion extension, to cope with the in‐time and in‐space heterogeneity of an epidemic. The model is applied to the SARS‐CoV2 (COVID‐19) pandemic that, starting from the end of February 2020, began spreading along the Italian peninsula, by first attacking small communities in north regions, and then extending to the center and south of Italy, including the two main islands. It has proved to be a robust and reliable tool for the forecast of the total and active cases, which can be also used to simulate different scenarios. In particular, the model is able to address a number of issues, such as assessing the adoption of the lockdown in Italy, started from March 11, 2020; the estimate of the actual attack rate; and how to employ a rapid screening test campaign for containing the epidemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has proved to be one of the most burdensome respiratory disease outbreaks ever. Moreover, the public health emergency of the COVID-19 outbreak has been seen by the World Health Organization (WHO) as global health concern since March 2020 and there has been a significantly increased morbidity and mortality in the community worldwide. The objective of this review is to describe and review the global public health significances and community and healthcare perception of features, treatments, prevention and control methods to slow the transmission of the outbreak. METHODS: For this review, the literature has been searched by following online databases, including medRxiv, pubmed, medline and Google scholar databases. The key search terms 'COVID-19', '2019 novel coronavirus', '2019-nCoV', 'novel coronavirus' and 'Pneumonia' were used to search the literature. Scientific papers published online by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the WHO from 01 January to 06 May 2020 in the English language were included for analysis. RESULTS: The results of this review indicated that COVID-19 is a serious global public health problem. It affects immune compromised individuals living with chronic diseases, the elderly and pregnant women more severely. The disease spread rapidly from one country to countries worldwide. In all, 212 countries highlighted the weakened state of essential public health and emergency services. The researchers addressed the lack of perception in communities, including health professionals, with regard to COVID-19. Healthcare settings were analyzed in terms of the pandemic nature of the virus, onset and the overall characteristics of disease outbreak. Microbiogists were also used to assess the daily cumulative index of COVID-19. With regard to treatment, chloroquine phosphate and herbal medicines were shown to be promising as supportive treatments to slow COVID-19 transmission, coupled with isolation and quarantine techniques. CONCLUSION: The review indicates that COVID-19 has a high global public health significance due to its high morbidity and mortality rates. Still, there was no specific or effective vaccine or treatment, moreover, the community, including health professionals, have a low perception as regards COVID-19, even though different prevention and control methods have been conducted. Thus, there is a need for awareness creation, alongside further research applied to finding effective vaccine and treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]