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Lockdowns were implemented to reduce the transmission of the COVID-19 virus. However, it is unclear how severely curtailed physical interaction shapes individual behaviors that are considered vital for socioeconomic development. In this exploratory study, we investigate the behavior of college students who experienced a strict campus-wide lockdown and those who did not. Employing a combination of experimental and survey methodologies, we elicit students’ behavioral variables, which are then integrated with administrative records from the university. We find that those exposed to the lockdown were more likely to trust others and be honest; however, their creativity was lower. Exposure to the lockdown was not found to significantly affect students’ trustworthiness, risk preferences, or competitiveness. A follow-up study reveals that the lower creativity among students may be attributed to reduced communication frequency with friends during the lockdown, mediating the lockdown’s impact. Conversely, the effects of the lockdown on trust and honesty may operate through a direct pathway, independent of changes in daily activities during the lockdown. Further analysis reveals a gender-dependent trend, with lockdowns exerting a more pronounced influence on male students than their female counterparts. These results underscore the consequences of lockdowns and advocate for enhanced support networks, emphasizing the importance of communicating with friends in similar circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is growing evidence that the social blockade brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically affected college students' physical activity; however, their weight management behaviors and mental health have not been fully explored, especially among healthcare students. This study aimed to assess physical activity, weight management behaviors, and mental health among healthcare students during the campus lockdown and to analyze the factors influencing physical activity. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 1,216 healthcare students from March 24, 2022, to April 11, 2022. To collect information about students' physical activity, weight management behaviors, and mental health, they were asked to complete the Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF), 11 issues related to weight management behavior, and the World Health Organization 5-Item Well-Being Index (WHO-5) questionnaire. Binary logistic regression was performed to determine the factors influencing physical activity. Results: Almost half of the participants had low levels of physical activity (45%), the mean score for weight management behavior was 39.55±6.26, and 54.6% had low levels of well-being. Healthcare students without exercise habits during the non-epidemic period reported lower levels of physical activity (OR = 1.81; 95%CI = 1.41–2.34, P<0.001). Participants with poor weight management behavior were more likely than other participants to report lower levels of physical activity (OR = 0.92; 95%CI = 0.90–0.94, P < 0.001). Likewise, the odds of being physically inactive were higher among the happier participants (OR = 0.98; 95%CI = 0.96–0.99, P = 0.031). Conclusions: During the COVID-19 lockdown, most healthcare students in Gansu province lack physical exercise and have a low health level. Significant correlation factors for low physical activity levels were grade level, non-lockout exercise habits, weight management level, and well-being. These findings demonstrate the importance of developing targeted policies and programs encouraging physical activity among medical students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study examines the existential challenges of the University of Nigeria Nsukka academic staff (university faculty members of various ranks [1]) during and in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic–induced lockdown. The objective of the study is to examine these professors' adaptive ingenuity for survival in the face of lockdown, withheld salaries, and other consequences of legalistic pursuit of collective bargaining between the government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities. A mixed-methods approach, combining interviews, focus group discussions, field observations, and documentary evidence, was adopted for data gathering. The collective bargaining theory was helpful in highlighting where both parties erred in the course of interpreting their bargaining rights. Our findings show that, left with no alternative of navigating between the twin challenges of lockdown and withheld salaries, the academic staff resorted to self-help financial collectivization. Again, we found that the Nigerian government's style of legalistic pursuit of collective bargaining is not just power-centric, but a demonstration of power asymmetry. This does not offer a sustainable resolution to the labour conflict, as it poses a serious threat to the universal right-of-workers-to-strike and to manpower development. The study recommends that the principles of horizontal bargaining, cooperation, and complementarity should form the rallying point of government-labour relations at all times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Adequate sleep is important to children's overall health, as sleep disturbances can result in both cognitive and mental challenges. The global COVID-19 pandemic, with its significant lifestyle disruptions, potentially altered children's sleep patterns. This study investigates the prevalence of sleep problems in children and the factors associated with these issues during the pandemic. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional analysis was conducted between March and April 2020 on 270 children aged 6-11 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sleep behaviors were assessed using the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ), which was distributed online to the participants. The data were analyzed using SPSS 16, Chi-square test, and independent t-test. Results: Finally 262 were studied (131 boys and 131 girls). The mean age of participants was 8.56±1.97 years. The mean score of CSHQ was 51.99±7.85, with 95.8% (251 children) demonstrating sleep-related issues. Notably, children with highly educated parents exhibited significantly fewer sleep problems. Conclusion: The study reveals a high prevalence of sleep disturbances among children aged 6-11, particularly during the COVID-19 lockdown. The findings highlight the significant role of parental education in mitigating these sleep issues, emphasizing the need for further investigation into the effects of familial environments on children's sleep patterns during periods of stress and confinement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Online teaching accelerated during COVID-19-associated lockdowns. At that time, it was assumed that university students wanted to revert to in-person sessions at the earliest opportunity. However, when in-person sessions were re-introduced, student attendance was not as high as expected. Therefore, we examined students' preferences of learning modes. Students (n = 968) from different UK universities, degree cohorts, study levels and biological sexes were given four learning-mode options: Face-to-face sessions for lectures and tutorials (in-person), Live online sessions for lectures and tutorials (Online-synchronous), Pre-recorded lectures and live online tutorials (Online-mixed-asynchronous-synchronous), and Pre-recorded lectures and face-to-face tutorials (Blended: in-person and online-asynchronous). Students ranked these options as per their preference via an online anonymous survey. Data were analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics 28. Results showed that the most frequently selected 1st and last choices were In-person and Online-synchronous modes, respectively. For the majority, above choices were the same across study levels and biological sex, but across degree cohorts, the 1st choice was either In-person or Blended. Proportion of students selecting In-person mode as their 1st choice (52.2%) was almost equal to the combined proportions of those selecting other learning modes as 1st choices (47.5%). Amongst degree cohorts, In-person mode was least preferred by Language Education students and most preferred by Bioscience and Sports & Exercise Science students. The latter cohort also preferred Online-synchronous mode more than other degree cohorts. Blended mode was preferred more by Language Education, Computer Science and Psychology students but preferred less by Sports & Exercise Science and Pharmacy students, compared to other degree cohorts. Ordinal regression revealed that Sports & Exercise Science students preferred Online-mixed-asynchronous-synchronous mode less than Language Education students. Undergraduates preferred In-person mode more and Online-mixed- asynchronous-synchronous mode less than postgraduates. Preference differences between biological sexes were insignificant. Thus, we identified students' preferences of learning modes and propose that not biological sex, but discipline and study level can predict/influence preferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In line with global advisories, the Nigerian authorities explored what could be termed a 'stringent' lockdown measure to contain the transmission of the COVID-19 pandemic and prevent a public health catastrophe. In this study, I examine the appositeness of the measure and its manner of implementation within the purview of the 1984 Siracusa Principles and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) on the derogation of human rights. The principles and ICCPR guarantee equitable access to basic healthcare for all citizens and obligate state parties to take actions to prevent potential harm to public health if such actions are necessary, lawful, evidence-based, non-discriminatory, unarbitrary, proportional, respectful of human dignity, and brief in timeframe. I argue that although the measure aligns with the principles, ICCPR and Nigeria's COVID-19 Regulations, 2020 - its manner of implementation typified gross human rights breaches, extrajudicial practices, and repressive state behaviours. However, this study offers a novel understanding of statecraft and citizens–government relations during the pandemic – pandemic policing and public health management – while emphasising that upholding human rights and strengthening democratic ideals are central to containing future pandemics successfully. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the initial phase of COVID-19, Aotearoa New Zealand was internationally praised for its pandemic response that included lockdowns to control the spread and work toward elimination. Community compliance with control measures was thus essential when pursuing elimination as a policy. Using a mixed-methods approach, we sought to explore whether New Zealand Police (NZP) were trusted to police the lockdown rules at Levels 4 and 3. We analyzed 1,020 survey responses comparing trust among respondents who had been stopped by NZP over the lockdown rules (contacts) with those who had not (non-contacts). We found that both contacts and non-contacts expressed greater trust in NZP to enforce the Level 4 than the Level 3 rules; contacts expressed less trust in NZP to enforce the lockdown rules than non-contacts; contacts perceived NZP more heavy-handed than non-contacts; contacts perceived NZP as only somewhat procedurally just and feeling somewhat encouraged to comply with the lockdown rules and; that unexpected high-profile policing-related events during the survey only affected contacts' trust significantly. We offer two explanations: (1) NZP were perceived as procedurally unjust or inconsistent in applying the lockdown rules, (2) members of the public and NZP learned the lockdown rules simultaneously. We caution that the unfamiliar character of pandemic policing may jeopardize trust in NZP even among segments of the population that typically express high levels of trust in NZP, that is, people of European descent. We conclude that community compliance with pandemic control measures is no matter to be dealt with by the criminal legal system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the performance evaluation and lockdown drivers of the UK's NHS (National Health Service) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study aims to enhance the NHS's response to future health crises and guide government lockdown decisions. Lockdown drivers encompass vital resources like beds, ventilators, patients, and staff. A three-stage MCDM (Multiple-Criteria Decision Making) approach is employed to analyze performance scores. First, partial utility functions or partial distances are computed using COPRAS (Complex Proportional Assessment) and TOPSIS (Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution), respectively. Second, the Latent Vagueness and Randomness Components (LAVRA) method filters unbiased performance scores from uncertain components. Third, a bootstrapped neural network regression classifies lockdown drivers based on performance, deaths, and geographic regions. Crucial drivers relate to ventilated bed availability, while less critical ones include staff absence due to COVID-19 and a high admission rate of elderly inpatients. The results indicate performance scores range from 0.65 to 0.75 using TOPSIS, while COPRAS analysis significantly reduces the scores. Lockdown decisions are influenced by geographic regions, death tolls, and unbiased hospital performance scores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates common features of a set of diverse schools' responses to the initial school lockdown period during the pandemic in 2020, with a focus on practices supporting learning, inclusion and wellbeing. It comprises a collective case study of four Australian schools that were selected based on their reputation for impactful support of students and teachers during the emergency remote teaching period. Methods included interviews and focus groups with school leaders, teachers and students. The schools had widely differing contexts, technology access and student needs. Despite these varied contexts, the findings provided important insights into common practices supporting effective remote teaching. Emerging principles of effective practice illuminate ways forward to mitigate the significant risks accompanying emergency remote teaching, and guide practices in a variety of school contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under lockdown in a boarding school in China, students staged a performance based on poetry written by Chinese migrant workers. The poems guided an exploration of biotechnical interdependencies in and between local and global environments and the composition of the resistance script and movement score of laboring bodies embedded in the poems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There were limited opportunities for in-person social, intimate, and sexual interactions in England during 2020–2021, due to restrictions imposed by the UK government in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. While previous studies examined the effects of lockdown on intimate relationships, there is less qualitative research regarding young people's perspectives on and experiences of digitally mediated intimacy (sexting) during the period. This paper discusses findings from focus groups with 80 adolescents and interviews with 38 young adults that explored the topic. Analysis identified a normalization of non-consensual distribution of intimate images within adolescent peer culture and a reluctance to report or intervene in response to incidents of non-consensual distribution that are witnessed or experienced. The adolescent girls and young adult women also described other forms of unwanted and invasive image-sharing and requests for images. Young adults held various perspectives on sexting during lockdown, with some describing sexting as unfulfilling and/or "risky" and others sharing experiences of using sexting to generate intimacy and, among some, engaging in unwanted sexting with partners. By considering both adolescent and young adult perspectives obtained through focus groups and interviews, the study highlighted how group-level norms and meanings surrounding the risks and rewards of sexting may be reproduced or reworked as individuals transition from adolescence to young adulthood. The study underscores the need to support adolescents and young adults in cultivating healthy digital sexual cultures and interpersonal relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

This Note advocates for amending civil codes addressing domestic abuse to incorporate coercive control as a recognized form of violence. Coercive control is an emotional domestic abuse that is not always visible or physical but was realized on a larger scale after victims were forced into confinement with abusers during COVID-19 lockdowns. The United States legal system, in comparison to its international peers, has very rarely engaged in legislative discussion on coercive control. Much of the debate regarding domestic abuse in the form of coercive control has been purely academic and without implementation in a meaningful number of jurisdictions. This Note identifies the needs of state legislators to respond to the nonrecognition of coercive control in domestic abuse laws by pursuing legal reform accompanied by comprehensive, illustrative definitions that establish clear behavioral markers, and further suggests the development of guidance materials for lawmakers and judiciaries to facilitate the implementation of a model statute. Further, state legislators provided with guidance from international predecessors to navigate the obstacles to implementation that are in place when the legal concept of abuse is expanded to recognize coercive control by either codification or criminalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The described model of economic growth under conditions of an epidemic does not directly refer to the social and economic situation in the years 2020 and 2021, i.e. to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is aimed to identify the consequences of any epidemic leading to severe social losses (high percentages of the infected and dead, limited interpersonal contacts as a result of lockdown, a lowered level of general individual and social well-being) and economic losses (a fall in production as a result of the collapse of aggregate demand and a reduction in the supply capacity of the economy, and consequently a decreased rate of capital accumulation). The described epidemiological-economic model combines the SIR epidemiological model from 1927 (with its modification proposed in 2020 by Bärwolff) and the neoclassical growth model proposed by Solow in 1956. The authors expanded the concept by lockdown restrictions with various levels of their severity, considering specific rules for their implementation, and by guidelines for scenario analyses of changes in the value of social and economic activity index, in the value of aggregate production, in the capital stock accumulated in the economy and in social utility. The effect of an epidemic on mediumterm economic growth was also considered, for various levels of economic development (measured by the distance of input capital stock from that formed in a long-term equilibrium in the Solow model). The principal conclusions drawn from the discussion are listed below. First, the introduction of the same restrictions imposed on social and economic activity throughout the territory of a country poses a considerable risk of error in assuming a uniform spread of the epidemic. Second, a rapid introduction of lockdown measures has a stronger effect on accumulated social and economic activity than a continual process of gradual imposing and lifting restrictions on that activity. Third, a scenario of a rapidly imposed severe lockdown has the most drastic consequences for the economy, causing both the sharpest drop in production, the longest time of remaining on the path of relatively lowest growth, and the most dramatic expected accumulated decrease in production. Similar conclusions are drawn as to the changes in social utility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Migration serves as a livelihood strategy for many people. The imposition of a nationwide lockdown in India in March 2020 (PIB, 2020) increased the rate of reverse migration, which deepened socio-economic inequalities among the most vulnerable population, such as the migrant workers in underdeveloped areas of Jangal Mahal in the state of West Bengal, India. In this regard, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) attempt to reduce inequalities within and among countries (Goal 10) and ensure that no one is left behind (UN, 2020). The paper's main objective is to explore the ways the COVID-19 lockdown has deepened the existing livelihood insecurities based on the experiences of interstate migrant workers in Jangal Mahal. Oral history was used as a qualitative research strategy to collect migrant workers' lived experiences within the context of the COVID-19 lockdown. Using the snowball sampling technique, eight interstate migrant workers from the Bankura and Purulia districts of West Bengal were selected for the study. Semi-structured interview sessions were recorded ethically with their consent during June and July 2022. Their first-person narratives of migrant workers suggest that during the lockdown, most were compelled to face a lack of transportation, harassment by the police, discrimination, loss of savings, lack of food, lack of safe drinking water, lack of shelter, loss of income, and poor sanitation facilities in the quarantine centres. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to the spread of COVID-19, governments across the world, with very few exceptions, have enacted sweeping restrictive lockdown policies that impede citizens' freedom to move, work, and assemble. This paper critically responds to the central arguments for restrictive lockdown legislation. We build our critique on the following assumption: public policy that enjoys virtually unanimous support worldwide should be justified by uncontroversial moral principles. We argue that the virtually unanimous support in favor of restrictive lockdowns is not adequately justified by the arguments given in favor of them. Importantly, this is not to say that states ought not impose restrictive lockdown measures, but rather that the extent of the acceptance of these measures is not proportionate to the strength of the arguments for lockdowns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early in the COVID-19 lockdown, my 2017 translation of Romeo and Juliet was used by the New York Public Theater for a bilingual podcast called Romeo Y Julieta that made no linguistic or ethnic distinctions between the households. As a stage translator, my work is generally informed by the Mexican praxis of Spanish. However, providing the Spanish text for more diverse audiences made me both a distant and a close agent in projects approaching Shakespeare in unorthodox fashion within swiftly mutable identitarian contexts. Moreover, I was the only agent not working in/from the United States. This essay discusses the demands that this multicultural endeavor, its diverse performers, and its potential publics made on my craft, and addresses the outcome and its public reception in a context where my native and acquired tongues operate at once in loving sync and conflict—a world in which I do not belong, and yet I do. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using labor force survey (LFS) data collected before and during the COVID-19 lockdowns in the Philippines, we showed that hard lockdowns had a larger negative impact on the employment of women who had minor children compared to women who did not have minor children. Among Southeast Asian countries, the Philippines was among the hardest-hit by the pandemic, in terms of both the number of infected and its economic toll. The large economic toll was partly attributable to the extreme and militarized lockdown imposed at the onset of the pandemic in the country's three most populous and economically-important regions, namely Metro Manila, Calabarzon, and Central Luzon. Using difference-in-differences analysis on pooled LFS data, we showed that female household heads or spouses with children were significantly less likely to have paid employment during the hard lockdown compared to female household heads or spouses without children, even after controlling for important covariates. Among women with children, the employment losses were larger for women with two or more children, suggesting a lockdown-induced parenthood penalty for women in the labor market. This was due in part to the increased care responsibilities disproportionately shouldered by mothers during hard lockdowns, given that children were forced to be at home and do distance learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded, the mobility patterns of people worldwide changed drastically. While travel time, costs, and trip convenience have always influenced mobility, the risk of infection and policy actions such as lockdowns and stay-at-home orders emerged as new factors to consider in the location-visitation calculus. We use SafeGraph mobility data from Minnesota, USA, to demonstrate that businesses (especially those requiring extended indoor visits) located in affluent zip codes witnessed sharper reductions in visits (relative to parallel pre-pandemic times) outside of the lockdown periods than their poorer counterparts. To the extent visits translate into sales, we contend that post-pandemic recovery efforts should prioritize relief funding, keeping the losses relating to diminished visits in mind. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Campus lockdown policy is one of the most effective non-pharmaceutical intervention strategies used to prevent and control the coronavirus disease 2019epidemic worldwide. College students were greatly affected by this policy. Related studies center on English-speaking countries; few have highlighted discussion of the Chinese context. This study, therefore, aimed to broadly elicit the real experiences and unique insights of college students on Chinese campus lockdown policy. Through qualitative research, we identified four key themes with ten contributory subthemes: physiological experiences, safety experiences, love and belonging experiences, and self-esteem experiences. The unique contribution of this study relates to experiences relating to love and belonging and to self-esteem, which are little discussed in the existing literature. Our findings can provide enlightenment on how to improve college students' health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the measures that were taken to limit the risk of COVID-19 contagion, how the risk of adverse effects on patient treatment outcomes was mitigated in orthodontic practices in Finland during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how these measures affected the course of orthodontic treatment. In January 2021, an online questionnaire was sent by email to the members of the Orthodontic Division of the Finnish Dental Association Apollonia (n = 361). An additional inquiry was sent to the chief dental officers of 15 health centers. A total of 99 clinically active members (39.8%) responded to the questionnaire. Of them, 97.0% had made changes in their practices, e.g. using additional protective gear such as visors (82.8%), incorporating preoperative mouthwashes (70.7%), and limiting the use of turbines (68.7%) and ultrasonics (47.5%). Two in three respondents reported temporary lockdowns (mean 1.9 months, range 0.3–5.0 months), during which some occlusions slightly regressed (30.2%) and some relapsed to a previous stage of treatment (9.5%). During this study, 59.6% of respondents reported that some treatments were still behind schedule. One in three respondents had used teleorthodontics because of the pandemic. Preventive measures and changes in treatment procedures were implemented according to the local COVID-19 situation. Some treatments were prolonged, e.g. because of lockdowns or patient's fear of contracting COVID-19 whilst receiving treatment. New methods like teleorthodontics were introduced for coping with the increased workload. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper rejects the cases made in recent volumes of this journal for incorporating political economy into youth studies. A brief review of young people's transitions from education into employment in the UK during and following the 2020 and 2021 lockdowns shows how youth transitions research engages routinely with changes and continuities in politics, state policies, the economy and labour markets. It is argued that the main weaknesses in current transitions research arise from our lack of an up-to-date class scheme within which to locate subjects' childhood origins and adult destinations. However, the paper illustrates how young researchers occupy a privileged position from which to identify emerging, consolidating and declining social classes. The conclusion is that youth studies must necessarily foreground young people, that it must engage with the outcomes of political and economic processes but has no need to 'dig deeper' into political economy for alleged underlying root causes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the effects of COVID‐19‐induced lockdowns on recorded crime in England. The enforcement of lockdowns at both the national and local levels allows unveiling the impact on criminal activities by type of shutdown policy. Using official crime data across the universe of local authorities, we find that unlike local lockdowns national lockdowns significantly change the shape of recorded criminal activity, with the first nationally‐imposed lockdown having the strongest impact. Findings also reveal that police operations play a prominent role in explaining changes in reported crimes. Back‐of‐the‐envelope calculations suggest that lockdowns reduced the economic costs of crime by £4.2 billion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted faceto-face delivery of general practitioner supervisor training in an unprecedented way. Simultaneously, the need for continuing professional development (CPD) amplified. The rapid pivot to virtual and blended learning solutions required great organisational agility, and a toolbox of solutions. Objective Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 restrictions on face-to-face learning, this article shares the strategies employed to achieve the pivot to virtual CPD. Discussion There was much trial and error, as well as successes and learning opportunities, as training organisations grappled with how to deliver virtual CPD during lockdowns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic had, in a broad sense, a negative impact on populational health and wellbeing. Countries around the world struggled to address a spike in demand for the management of viral pneumonia and, at the same time, to efficiently treat the conditions which deteriorate severely when the treatment is delayed. Several studies published so far have analysed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on skin cancer epidemiology and management, however the results have been inconsistent. Aim: To examine the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the cutaneous melanoma epidemiology diagnosed in a tertiary referral centre in Northern Poland. Material and methods: This was a retrospective study that gathered the data on all the cutaneous melanoma cases treated in our facility during the official lockdown period in Poland and compared them to those diagnosed during the corresponding period from before the pandemic. Results: The number of cutaneous melanoma cases diagnosed during the pandemic decreased substantially. Interestingly, it was mostly due to a decrease in the number of patients with cutaneous melanoma localised on the trunk and early melanoma cases (melanoma in situ and pT1a stage). Conclusions: Our data suggest that, similarly to the reports emerging worldwide, the COVID-19 pandemic impaired the capability of our healthcare system to diagnose and treat cutaneous melanoma in our region. The data are limited, and further research will be necessary to determine the whole extent of those changes, especially the long-term effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the research was to examine changes in the usage patterns of public library collections during the COVID pandemic. Usage data for e-loans (e-books and e-audio books) and physical loans from two library networks in Sydney (Australia) for 2019–2021 was analyzed. While the use of physical collections dropped to less than half, the use of electronic collections increased by almost as much. E-loans peaked, and physical loans plummeted during lockdowns. However, the increase of e-loans was very small in terms of absolute volume (about a 44 k increase) compared to the decline in physical loans (about half a million decrease), and the use of physical collections did not reach pre-pandemic levels during the period studied. The analysis of subjects and genres of loaned items indicates that users were generally keen to continue reading the sorts of material they had been reading prior to the pandemic, even if this meant switching format, although there were some changes in genre and subject preferences during the lockdowns, which might have been influenced by the circumstances of the individual users. Readers appeared to show particular interest in various nonfiction topics in the initial lockdown (early 2020), with more practical considerations holding sway at this stage of the pandemic, whereas, by the time of the second lockdown (mid-2021), these considerations had been resolved to some extent, and been overtaken by a more "escapist," or at least a more recreational, attitude on the part of the average user. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction to articles in the issue is presented on topics including the adaptive mechanism employed by Nigerian university professors for survival in the face of the double tragedy of COVID-19 lockdown and governmentally withheld salaries, the significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the necessary constituents of a decent or good human life.

Objective. This cross-sectional study determines the impact of the pandemic lockdowns on physical activity, and evaluates the factors associated with physical activity cessation on students and personnel of eight Greek Higher Education Institutions. Materials and Methods. A total of 6,380 volunteer participants completed a survey reporting their physical activity levels and perceptions during the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey was made available through an online platform. Results. Both the conduct and intensity of physical activity were significantly reduced from the pre-pandemic era to the second lockdown (P<0.001). Walking was the most frequently selected type of physical activity, in all periods except for the second lockdown. Loss of interest (52.4%) was the main, self-reported factor for cessation of physical activity. Females had a 31% lower probability of ceasing physical activity during lockdowns. Conclusion. The conduct and intensity of physical activity decreased significantly during the pandemic. Female gender, annual checkup attendance, and specific physical activity types during the pre-pandemic era were associated with a reduction in the risk of pausing physical activity during lockdowns. Lockdowns may be implemented in future health crises, hence measures for maintaining the physical activity of the general population, such as online group sessions and support from healthcare professionals, should be prepared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article deals with the issue of digitalization in the educational systems of the world and Ukraine. Based on the SWOT analysis, the authors identify the advantages and disadvantages of digitalization of the Ukrainian educational system. The main areas of digitalization include the introduction of immersive, cloud, Internet technologies, online courses, gamification of education, and development of digital libraries. Among the benefits of digitalization are the following: digitalization stimulates the senses of sight and hearing; interactive learning improves the quality of education; improves the ability to work with learning materials; presentational e-contents are convenient; ensures the quality of educational services in the context of lockdown or military conflicts. The authors have found that the most common types of digital education are webinars, individual online consultations, work on online platforms, and self-study of educational content. Among the strengths of digitalization, the authors identify constant systematic work, training of specialists who are competitive in the labor market, openness and presentability, modernization of technical support, creation of a single information space, etc. Among the disadvantages of digitalization are: limited communication, low activity in the classroom, loss of motivation, loss of progress due to insufficient digital competencies, not always high-quality networking, not always qualitative networking, and not always qualitative networking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Research into the first phase of the COVID-19 lockdown in Italy showed an association with an increased susceptibility to adverse mental health (MH) in the general population. We investigated in the same population the correlations between the various demographic, socioeconomic, biological/clinical history and psychological dimensions and MH in the second, "opening-up", phase of the lockdown. Methods: An anonymous online survey collected data from 26 May to 4 July 2020 on demographic, socioeconomic, perceived risk, general health and quality of life appraisals, worry, interference in life, life satisfaction, perceived happiness and MH by using Mental Health Inventory-5 (MHI-5). Results: Of the 300 participants, only 195 responded to MH questions. Older age was positively associated with better MH (r=.15), as was education (r=.19). A negative correlation with MH, with medium-high effect size, was found with quality of life (r=.40) and health (r=.34) appraisals, and the factors "worry about sustenance" (r=.23) and "interference with life" (r=.32). A positive correlation, with strong effect size, was found between MH and life satisfaction (r=.53) and perception of happiness (r=.64). Discussion: During phase two of the lockdown, rather the real impact of COVID-19 restrictions on employment or economic resources, it was worry about finances that was associated with worse MH. Mental distress was associated with the loss of some positive psychological factors. From a homeostatic and biopsychosocial perspective of MH, life satisfaction and perceived happiness represent important mental resources for counteracting the effects of lockdown on MH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a view of how family/school relationships were affected by the remote or virtual education implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic; it also looks at the im-pact on educational space and time, and the consequences for socialization and schooling. To understand the respondents' experiences during the strict lockdown and school closures, 104 narratives were compiled from parents, students, and teachers at the compulsory educa-tional level. The methodology employed immediate experience from a socio-analytical per-spective: a resource that exposed, in a dark moment, the normalized daily experiences of families and schools, and the continuities and discontinuities of the lockdown. The analysis reveals strategies for home schooling that led to an overload for families, an unfavorable perception of the quality of learning, and the loss of the school's pedagogical authority or the school's obligation to cede part of its functions to the family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article draws on interviews undertaken with 20 teachers as part of a larger study on the impact of Covid-19 on schools. Although the schools varied by location, level, and socio-economic status, teachers' experiences were remarkably similar. Teachers found the sudden move to on-line learning stressful, and the constant demands of delivering a different style of pedagogy, maintaining contact with students and their families, and looking after their own family situations exhausting. Participants who worked in isolated or less advantaged communities were also attending to delivering learning devices, food and basic supplies to their families and communities. In this article, we present the data in in both thematic and poetic styles to highlight the nature of the caring pedagogy that they undertook as schools moved in and out of lockdowns, despite the toll that it took on them, personally and professionally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

If school closures and social-distancing experiences during the Covid-19 pandemic impeded children's skill development, they may leave a lasting legacy in human capital. Our parental survey during the second German school lockdown provides new measures of socio-emotional development and panel evidence on how students' time use and educational inputs adapted over time. Children's learning time decreased severely during the first school closures, particularly for low-achieving students, and increased only slightly 1 year later. In a value-added model, learning time increases with daily online class instruction, but not with other school activities. Parental assessments of children's socio-emotional development are mixed. Discussing our findings in light of the emerging literature on substantial achievement losses, we conclude that unless remediated, the school closures will persistently increase inequality and reduce skill development, lifetime income and economic growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research sought to develop an initial understanding of how mandated policies related to lockdown safety drills are enacted in response to active shooter scenarios within PK-Grade 12 public schools. In light of a scant research base exploring the effectiveness and impacts of such policies and procedures, we explored the question, What are school counselors' lived experiences with lockdown drills?. Using a phenomenological design, we interviewed 26 school counselors from five school districts from the Southeastern United States during the 2019 academic year. Findings center around four key themes: Awareness of School Violence, Necessity and Variability in Preparation, Paradox of Safety, and Communication as Support and Challenge. We will discuss the tensions, or push and pulls/contradictions, that are a part of both drills and actual incidents across these themes. To conclude, we present recommendations for further research and policy to support informed, reflexive action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

School bullying attracts significant research and resources globally, yet critical questions are being raised about the long‐term impact of these efforts. There is a disconnect between young people's perspectives and the long‐established psychology‐based technical definitions of school bullying dominating practice and policy in Australia. This dominant paradigm has recently been described as the first paradigm of school bullying. In contrast, this paper explores the potential for reorienting school bullying research towards the concerns of young people and away from adult‐derived technical definitions. Borrowing from paradigm two, which emphasises the social, cultural and philosophical (among others) elements of school bullying, in this paper, I approach bullying under the broad banner of 'social violence'. This approach addresses some of the inherent limitations of the first paradigm to conceptualise social and cultural dynamics. I argue that a 'social violence' approach reveals that the exclusionary effects of the social phenomenon of youth continue to be overlooked. Furthermore, the term 'violence' in bullying research could benefit from integrating contemporary sociological insights on this phenomenon. This paper draws on qualitative insights from a small group of young people in secondary schooling in South Australia gained through prolonged listening to peer conversations in a series of focus groups. In addition, 1:1 interviews were conducted pre and post the focus group series. I argue that these participants' insights reveal the exclusionary effects of youth and the employment of bullying to trivialise young people's experiences and concern for harm. There is a need to reprioritise young people's knowledge in school bullying research and the exclusionary effects of youth alongside other social forces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the covid-induced lockdowns, many commented on the role the German model of Kurzarbeit could play in reducing unemployment. Other countries emulated the model. Looking at the experiences of Germany, the UK, Sweden and the USA, the article analyses the strengths and weaknesses of short-time working (STW) schemes. It asks whether STW has been well designed to have optimal short and longer run impact. It is quite effective as a short-term palliative, but in longer downturns, its weaknesses come to the fore. It is by no means clear that the UK needs a permanent replacement for the furlough. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the social, academic, and psychological functioning (anxiety, depression, and stress), during the first lockdown due to COVID-19 (March-July 2020), of a group of Portuguese college students. Aims: (a) to characterize the perception of the social, academic, and psychological impact of the lockdown; (b) to examine the relationship between social, academic, and psychological impact and sociodemographic, contextual, and academic characteristics; (c) to study predictors of the psychological impact of the lockdown (anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, and stress). The sample consisted of 247 students who responded to a sociodemographic, contextual, and academic questionnaire, and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales-21. Data were analyzed using Chi-square tests, independent-sample t-tests, and linear multiple regressions. The negative psychological impact was predicted by gender, physical activity, problems connecting to the internet, and study cycle. This study highlighted the need to promote the social-emotional development of higher education students "caught by" the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]