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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]

Background and Objectives: In March 2020, the WHO declared the SARS‐CoV‐2 corona virus a pandemic which caused a great disruption to global society and had a pronounced effect on the worldwide supply of blood. Materials and Methods: In 2022 an on‐line meeting was organised with experts from Austria, Canada, Germany, Greece, Netherlands and United States to explore the opportunities for increasing preparedness within blood systems for a potential future pandemic with similar, or more devastating, consequences. The main themes included the value of preparedness, current risks to the blood supply, supply chain vulnerabilities, and the role of innovation in increasing resiliency and safety. Results: Seven key recommendations were formulated and including required actions at different levels. Conclusion: Although SARS‐CoV‐2 might be seen as a unique event, global health risks are expected to increase and will affect blood transfusion medicine if no preparedness plans are developed. [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]

Crises such as pandemics create stresses on the health-care system that often produce innovation and changes in roles and delivery methods. In the current pandemic, and with the interruption of organized sport activities, athletic trainers have moved beyond traditional hierarchies and scopes of practice to roles that fully leverage their knowledge, skills, and abilities. Through background literature, discussion, and examples, this paper shows how the Athletic Training profession has made an impact in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors also present key questions as the health-care system moves forward through these challenges. In the future, there could be a new paradigm in the health-care system that values athletic trainers on interprofessional teams which focus on health and wellness to improve outcomes for individuals and society. [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]

The COVID-19 pandemic severely tested the resilience and robustness of supply chains for medically critical items and various common household goods. Severe and prolonged shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE) and ventilators in the United States have revealed vulnerabilities in the supply chains of such essential products in a time of need. Consequently, corporations have felt public pressure to rethink their supply chains. We begin this paper by examining the underlying causes of the prolonged shortages of critical products in the US as well as government’s and some companies’ initial response. Drawing from the lessons learned from the COVID pandemic, we propose a research agenda and opportunities to develop responsive supply chains to fight future pandemics. These opportunities revolve around measures that are intended to improve the supply chain responsiveness of essential products to combat future pandemics and other major public health emergencies. [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: This study aims to explore the management learning during a long-term crisis like a pandemic. The paper addresses both what health-care managers have learnt during the COVID-19 pandemic and how the management learning is characterized. Design/methodology/approach: The paper is based on a qualitative case study carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic at two different public hospitals in Sweden. The study, conducted with semi-structured interviews, applies a combination of within-case analysis and cross-case comparison. The data were analyzed using thematic deductive analysis with the themes, i.e. sensemaking, decision-making and meaning-making. Findings: The COVID-19 pandemic was characterized by uncertainty and a need for continuous learning among the managers at the case hospitals. The learning process that arose was circular in nature, wherein trust played a crucial role in facilitating the flow of information and enabling the managers to get a good sense of the situation. This, in turn, allowed the managers to make decisions meaningful for the organization, which improved the trust for the managers. This circular process was iterated with higher frequency than usual and was a prerequisite for the managers' learning. The practical implications are that a combined management with hierarchical and distributed management that uses the normal decision routes seems to be the most successful management method in a prolonged crisis as a pandemic. Practical implications: The gained knowledge can benefit hospital organizations, be used in crisis education and to develop regional contingency plans for pandemics. Originality/value: This study has explored learning during the COVID-19 pandemic and found a circular process, "the management learning wheel," which supports management learning in prolonged crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Panic buying has been reported during a period of crisis when people buy an extra amount of essential commodities and hoard them anticipating their future utility. As a newer entity, a bibliometric analysis would reveal the research gaps for further studies. We aimed to do a bibliometric analysis of researches published on panic buying over the past two decades. Methods: A literature search was conducted in the SCOPUS database using the keyword "panic buying". All published research in the English language between 1st January 2001 to 1st August 2021 was included in the analysis of this study. Results: We identified a total of 142 articles on panic buying published over the past two decades. There is an exponential increase in the publication on this topic during the COVID-19 pandemic (n=127). Majority of the articles were published from the United States (n=23), followed by the United Kingdom (n=20), and China (n=20). The Frontiers in Public Health and Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services published the highest number of articles (eight each). Arafat SMY published the highest number of publications as a single author (n=10) and Enam Medical College and Hospital, Bangladesh has the highest number of papers as an institution (n=10). Among all the publishers, Elsevier has published the maximum number of papers (n=38). Conclusion: There is an exponential growth of panic buying research during 2020-21. The global crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic has been attributed to the recent rise in panic buying research. [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 editorial demonstrates changes in the number and subject matter of papers dealing with issues related to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which were published in Advances in Clinical and Experimental Medicine (ACEM) during 3 years of the pandemic (2020-2022). In 2020, 24 such manuscripts were submitted to the editorial office, of which 9 were published; in 2021, 48 were submitted and 10 published, while in 2022, there were 34 articles submitted and 4 published. Authors of this editorial point out that while initially chances for publication of papers regarding COVID-19 were greater than papers covering other issues, the editors of ACEM gradually enforced the same requirements for COVID-19-related papers as for the others (the acceptance rate for these papers was 37.5% in 2020, 20.8% in 2021 and 11.8% in 2022). The published papers described, among other aspects, the relationship between COVID-19 and other diseases (e.g., pneumonia, Parkinson's disease and acute kidney injury) and methods of preventing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection among healthcare staff. An emergency situation of pandemic called for disseminating the results of scientific research as promptly as possible; however, the proper answer to this challenge is not lowering and simplifying requirements for peer review, but releasing the results in a form of registered preprints, which allow for provisionally making the paper available for the scientific community while the peer review verification is still ongoing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To synthesize the best available evidence on the relationship between the social determinants of health and health outcomes among adults during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Introduction: COVID‐19 has created widespread global transmission. Rapid increase in individuals infected with COVID‐19 prompted significant public health responses from governments globally. However, the social and economic impact on communities may leave some individuals more susceptible to the detrimental effects. Methods: A three‐step search strategy was used to find published and unpublished papers. Databases searched included: MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, and Google Scholar. All identified citations were uploaded into Endnote X9, with duplicates removed. Methodological quality of eligible papers was assessed by two reviewers, with meta‐synthesis conducted in accordance with JBI methodology. Results: Fifteen papers were included. Three synthesized‐conclusions were established (a) Vulnerable populations groups, particularly those from a racial minority and those with low incomes, are more susceptible and have been disproportionately affected by COVID‐19 including mortality; (b) Gender inequalities and family violence have been exacerbated by COVID‐19, leading to diminished wellbeing among women; and (c) COVID‐19 is exacerbating existing social determinants of health through loss of employment/income, disparities in social class leading to lack of access to health care, housing instability, homelessness, and difficulties in physical distancing. Conclusion: Reflection on social and health policies implemented are necessary to ensure that the COVID‐19 pandemic does not exacerbate health inequalities into the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the end of 2019, a severe respiratory syndrome named COVID‐19 is started to be transmitted in the world and it has rapidly spread to a global pandemic. Every day, a series of data are collected for real‐time monitoring of the development of this pandemic. The data validation and the verification are becoming very important to manage the pandemic and give recommendations to the people. Nevertheless, sometimes, it is not possible to guarantee the truthfulness of such data and some information may be lost during collection. Due to its characteristics, the Blockchain technology can become an important support to face the COVID‐19 pandemic. In this regard, the aim of this research is to propose a literature review to understand how the blockchain technology has been used for health care and supply chain management to guarantee an efficient tracing, tracking, and monitoring solution, ensure a transparent and safe data transmission, and to delineate the emerging future research directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fast-moving world came to halt with the outbreak of Coronavirus in 2020. In the 21st century, often referred to as the 'Digital Age', where everyone was running to achieve new heights of success everyday, a pandemic applied a break on the world and introduced a new way of life, i.e., lockdown, a life with all the boundations that one can't even thought of. The purpose of this study is to unveil the current situation of the world after the outbreak of the pandemic, the impact of the COVID-19, the new life during the lockdown and the way people adapt themselves towards the new normal. It also presents the positive impact of the pandemic on nature and the efforts of doctors and scientists to protect the world from this pandemic and their invention of vaccine against the virus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aims to identify the extent to which economic policy responses to the COVID-19 pandemic were executed in countries of varying economic status. This paper specifically focuses on the differences in fiscal and monetary policies between such countries. Furthermore, this research aims to identify what specific variables may be responsible for differences in the economic policies introduced. The countries examined in this paper are the G7 countries (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States), representing the advanced economies, as well as the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa), representing the emerging economies. The results of this paper show that countries with advanced economies implemented more extreme economic policy responses than countries with emerging economies. This was likely a result of such countries having more resources to go towards economic responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper briefly introduces the Special Issue "The Psychological Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic." In doing so, it first outlines the initial call for papers and some of the general contours of the issue before then offering a terse summary of the larger themes offered in each of the six papers included in this volume. Some final summary remarks and larger suggestions for additional work in this area are also noted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID‐19 pandemic has revealed how unprepared operations and supply chain professionals are for "abnormal" conditions. Understanding how the production and operations management field can affect the trajectory and especially the remediation of pandemics is a critical, but understudied, area of research from descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive perspectives. Fourteen research articles in this special issue have attempted to fill this gap with rigor. We first summarize these articles in six categories, (1) public policies and government interventions, (2) hospital capacity, (3) propagation of pandemics, (4) humanitarian operations, (5) private partnerships, and (6) vaccine production, by drawing out the themes addressed. As we look ahead at pandemics yet to come, we note there is still much research needed and conclude by discussing emergent interest in promising themes for studying pre‐pandemic, during pandemic, and post‐pandemic operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID‐19 pandemic demanded an immediate response from the research community, including adjustment to how researchers undertake research. As in many fields, information systems scholars attempted 'rapid response' research that addresses the immediate crisis. This paper reviews the state of the immediate research and scholarly discussion in the information systems field. Seventy‐one journal papers are reviewed. The review categorises nine thematic areas and one broad area of discussion. The methods by which information systems scholars address immediate research questions are identified. The contributions are discussed, future research directions are outlined and a model is proposed that traces the pathway from initiation of research/generation of new knowledge to practice impact. A further model is proposed to help information systems scholars clearly establish the link between the study of information systems phenomena and COVID‐19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has been an unprecedented shock to economic activity with abrupt and unexpected changes in household consumption behavior. This paper investigates how the spread of the pandemic and government interventions have affected consumer spending using daily card transaction data in the Baltics. The analysis shows significant effects on the amount and composition of debit and credit card transactions. First, the number of new COVID-19 infections or deaths has a strongly negative effect. Second, while public health measures designed to contain the spread of the pandemic has a negative effect, economic support measures designed to assist businesses and households have a stimulative effect. Third, there is heterogeneity across spending categories, but the drop is mostly concentrated in sectors that are restricted by lockdowns and the risk of infection. Fourth, the impact of government interventions, especially in terms of stimulating consumer spending, appears to be more pronounced on goods than services. [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]

Introduction: Public health ethics addresses moral dilemmas arising from balancing individual healthcare needs with societal interests. Ethical considerations in public health during pandemics and disasters aim to reduce mortality rates and minimize social injustice through fair principles. Objective: This paper analyzes public health ethics and ethical values in allocating resources during mass casualty incidents. The intersection of public health ethics, applied bioethics, and ethics of social consequences (through non-utilitarian consequentialism) guides addressing serious public health challenges in catastrophic scenarios. The application of the given interaction is significant for professional medical ethics. Methodology: The paper employs inductive, deductive, and normative methods of bioethics and the methodology of ethics of social consequences. Conclusion: The paradigmatic disparity between the bioethics of pandemics and disaster bioethics lies in the fluid application of bioethical principles and the accentuation of utilitarian demands depending on the severity and scale of mass casualty incidents. Applied bioethics in crisis situations respects the approaches of public health ethics and attempts to increase positive social outcomes. The application of (scarce) resource allocation criteria and triage of patients is derived from ethical decisions beneficial to public health and lege artis approaches of medical bioethics. The paper presents professional and ethical criteria for medically inappropriate treatment within the framework of patient triage; we approach crisis ethics from the perspective of maximization of benefit. Age is not an exclusion criterion of acute healthcare provision in crisis situations. Ethics of social consequences as a form of non-utilitarian consequentialism allowing for social consequences bridges public health ethics and applied bioethics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to identify key reasons for intensifying risk management activities in supply chains. To achieve the objective, the following research hypotheses were adopted: H1 - the extent of business activity is not correlated with problems related to demand constraints and timeliness of payments, H2 - disruptions in supply chain continuity during a COVID-19 pandemic are independent of the type of chain. Design/methodology/approach: These paper highlights the importance of risk management in the supply chain management in addressing the pandemic induced disruptions and supply chain risk management activities. Achieving the stated goal requires answering two questions: (1) What problems are companies facing due to the coronavirus pandemic, and (2) What actions are companies taking to ensure supply chain continuity, especially in Poland conditions. 137 enterprises participated in the research, including 118 with foreign capital. The survey was conducted online. The research sample included entities from the manufacturing, trading, and service sectors located throughout Poland. Companies were selected using a snowball method, starting with supply chain managers from friendly entities and asking them to identify other entities that could take part in the study. Findings: The research showed that the continuity of supply chains in Poland was not maintained, and companies were able to keep inventories only at a minimum level. The research also analysed the impact of remote work on the effects of the functioning of enterprises and assessed the effects of support under anti-crisis shields. Originality/value: The research has been carried out in order to identify the factors that have the greatest influence on the efficiency of the supply chains of Polish enterprises. The research showed that the continuity of supply chains in Poland was not maintained, and companies were able to keep inventories only at a minimum level. [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 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]

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]

Over the past year, Quick Response (QR) codes have played a significant role in our day-to-day lives in reducing the transmission and tracking the spread of COVID-19. In this article, we share our innovation utilising QR codes to replace paper information leaflets allowing patients to immediately access the required information on their own personal device. This is contactless and therefore preferred to reduce viral transmission, as well as having several other advantages. Our findings demonstrate that QR codes are a familiar, easy-to-use system and a preferred tool for delivering patient information over paper leaflets. The findings and methodology may be of benefit to other units seeking to improve their infection control in the COVID-19 era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective --This paper provides an overview of the COVID-19 crisis and the impact of restriction orders on the hospitality industry in Malaysia. The authors review existing studies related to COVID-19 and the hospitality industry while focusing on challenges faced by the hospitality industry in Malaysia. Then, the authors summarize the socioeconomic impact of COVID-19 on the hospitality industry. Methodology/Technique --This paper examines previous COVID-19 related research published in top-tier hospitality journals during the pandemic period of December 2019 to September 2021. Research studies were categorized by topic area, hospitality industry segment, and research methods used. Additionally, the authors explored the socioeconomic impact of the COVID-19 on hospitality industry using content analysis. Findings-- Most articles focused on administration/strategy, marketing, and human resources. The findings showed some potential shifts in the methods used by researchers who published during the pandemic. The findings revealed that the pandemic has negatively impacted the socioeconomic situation in many countries. Employment, public safety, finance, and physical and mental health are among the pressing issues highlighted by most researchers. Based on the findings, the authors provide insights and recommendations for further research. Novelty -- This paper represents a pioneering attempt to identify a potentially unexplored area of research related to COVID-19, particularly in Malaysia. The novelty of this paper is that the authors provide substantial discussion on the socioeconomic impact of the COVID-19 on various countries' hospitality and tourism industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing spread of the Covid-19 pandemic is paralleled by increasing use of social media for general, positive or negative influences. A systematic review was attempted to evaluate the extent to which research has been done on the three categories of influence of social media and the nature of influence. A search of Google Scholar using the topic of the review itself as the search term, including abstracts also, yielded 32 papers, of which 30 were reviewed under the three categories. More than half of the selected papers were published on the negative influence of social media. Mis (dis) information dominated among the types of negative influences discussed. Many of the papers in all the three categories discussed a few factors related to the observed results. In the case of negative influence, suggestions were given to mitigate the negative influence. This research has implications policymaker and people/organisations responsible for running public health campaigns on social media. [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]

Purpose: This study aims to critically examine the effects of COVID-19 social discourses and policy decisions specifically on older adult volunteers in the UK, comparing the responses and their effects in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, providing perspectives on effects of policy changes designed to reduce risk of infection as a result of COVID-19, specifically on volunteer involvement of and for older adults, and understand, from the perspectives of volunteer managers, how COVID-19 restrictions had impacted older people's volunteering and situating this within statutory public health policies. Design/methodology/approach: The study uses a critical discourse approach to explore, compare and contrast accounts of volunteering of and for older people in policy, and then compare the discourses within policy documents with the discourses in personal accounts of volunteering in health and social care settings in the four nations of the UK. This paper is co-produced in collaboration with co-authors who have direct experience with volunteer involvement responses and their impact on older people. Findings: The prevailing overall policy approach during the pandemic was that risk of morbidity and mortality to older people was too high to permit them to participate in volunteering activities. Disenfranchising of older people, as exemplified in volunteer involvement, was remarkably uniform across the four nations of the UK. However, the authors find that despite, rather than because of policy changes, older volunteers, as part of, or with the help of, volunteer involving organisations, are taking time to think and to reconsider their involvement and are renewing their volunteer involvement with associated health benefits. Research limitations/implications: Working with participants as co-authors helps to ensure the credibility of results in that there was agreement in the themes identified and the conclusions. A limitation of this study lies in the sampling method, as a convenience sample was used and there is only representation from one organisation in each of the four nations. Originality/value: The paper combines existing knowledge about volunteer involvement of and for older adults. [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]