Search Results (53)

Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) is one of the most prevalent human viruses worldwide. The COVID-19 pandemic, with its social distancing measures, has disrupted the circulation of many viruses. Delayed EBV primary infection is known to increase the risk of secondary conditions, including infectious mononucleosis, multiple sclerosis, and Hodgkin’s lymphoma. In this context, we aimed to investigate whether EBV seroprevalence has been affected over time, particularly in relation to the COVID-19 period, by analyzing all patients admitted to Amiens University Hospital from January 2013 to December 2023 who underwent EBV serology. During this period, 19,771 EBV serologies were performed and analyzed. The total seropositive rate of EBV infections approached 90%, considering all non-negative serological profiles, with the rate stabilizing after 2017. The number of EBV serologies increased significantly until 2016, as well as the age of the screened patients. Less than 3% of patients remain seronegative after 25 years, indicating a seroprevalence of around 97%. The overall primary infection rate was 2.6%. There was no significant difference in the number of primary infections in 2020–2021, the years associated with confinements and curfews in France in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, compared with the other years. The overall EBV seroprevalence and age of primary infection remained stable during the study period, suggesting a moderate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on seroprevalence in this cohort. Full article

Highly Urbanized Cities (HUCs) in the Philippines were at the forefront of public health surveillance and response during the COVID-19 pandemic. With the rapid spread of COVID-19 to Philippine cities, local government units continuously assessed, adapted, and implemented public health interventions (PHIs) and depended on available open-source government data (OSGD). This study consolidated PHIs in selected HUCs in the Philippines using high-quality OSGD to create a timeline of interventions and document good practices in local COVID-19 control. OSGD resources were collected from February 2020 to January 2023, and the data quality of OSGD was evaluated using the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmarks. A total of 180 metadata sources that met at least two core standards (Authorship and Currency) were included in the analysis. COVID-19 control strategies were analyzed vis-à-vis the rise of COVID-19 cases and types of PHIs, including the control of imported cases, case management, contact management, behavioral modification, and pharmaceutical intervention. Travel bans and hard lockdowns in Luzon early in the pandemic delayed the introduction of COVID-19 to other parts of the country. Good practices of LGUs for local COVID-19 control, such as quarantine passes, curfews and liquor bans, using QR-based contact tracing, massive community testing in high-risk communities, and free public swabbing centers, were implemented to slow down the local spread of COVID-19. With the evolving scenarios in city-level COVID-19 epidemics, local risk assessments based on available OSGD drove the adoption of relevant and innovative control strategies in HUCs in the Philippines. Lessons learned must be integrated into epidemic preparedness and response programs against future emerging or re-emerging infectious diseases. Full article

Introduction: During the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries implemented restrictions, social distancing measures, and lockdowns to limit the spread of the disease. These lockdowns have affected children’s screen time (ST), pain, and physical activity (PA) levels. The present study aimed to explore the relationships between ST, pain, age, and PA before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The caregivers of 329 children (median age = 8 years) filled out an online self-reported survey about the children’s PA, ST, and pain before, during, and after the COVID-19 curfew. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient was used to explore the associations between these variables. Results: After the curfew, pain that existed before the pandemic had a weak negative relationship with PA intensity (−0.11, p = 0.04) and a weak positive relationship with ST (r = +0.12, p = 0.04). There was a strong positive relationship between ST in all time periods (p > 0.01). PA and ST had a weak negative relationship (p > 0.05) during the curfew and after the curfew but not before the COVID-19 pandemic. Age had a weak positive correlation with ST in all time periods (p > 0.01). In addition, ST was affected by the curfew. Conclusion: The study findings indicated that young children had longer ST during the curfew and after the curfew compared with before the curfew. Increasing PA could lessen children’s ST, which could, in turn, increase the probability that their general pain would decrease. Full article

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic forced Saudi Arabia to implement several measures including mandatory home confinement, banning entry to many cities, and suspending religious activities. Studies have reported inconsistent findings of the effect of home confinement on lifestyle factors. This study aims to assess the psychological impact of COVID-19 during home confinement and explore its association with dietary habits and weight change. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among Saudi adults using an online survey between May and June 2020. Data on dietary habits, sleep quality, and stress were collected. Results: A total of n = 503 participants responded. Of 254 analyzed, 87% were females, 49% were overweight/obese (body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m²), and 79% were under lockdown for >40 days. In multiple linear regression, higher stress scores during confinement were associated with higher stress scores before confinement and poorer sleep quality. In multiple logistic regression, those who did not eat at the same time had higher stress scores compared to those who always ate at the same time, whereas consuming ≥three meals was associated with lower stress scores than consuming one–two meals. The odds of gaining weight during confinement were higher among married adults, those with lower sleep quality, and consuming ≥three meals. Conclusions: Stress during home confinement was associated with eating misalignment and the number of meals consumed. Although this study was limited by its cross-sectional design and reliance on self-reported data, it provides valuable insights into the dietary habits and weight-gain associated factors that need to be further explored and addressed in any future restrictions for improved well-being. Full article

During the last three years, COVID-19 has had a huge impact on both tourism and culture globally. The function of every kind of cultural activity was inhibited due to curfews in all public spaces, including museums, galleries, monuments, and archeological sites, which were forced to interrupt their operation due to the restrictions that were implemented for the protection of public health. In many cases, also in Greece, museums or archeological sites employed the use of digital systems and social media, always carefully abiding by all the security measures. This study aims to investigate the impacts of COVID-19 on public museums in Greece and to pursue possible opportunities in order to improve the museums’ extroversion through the application of new strategies based on ‘New Technologies’. This is achieved through a qualitative methodology with the use of 17 semi-structured interviews to executives of Greek public museums, in order to examine the situation through various aspects, which will reinforce the sustainability of Greece’s cultural domain and its acceptance on the cultural sector. The analysis of data revealed both positive and negative results in this form of investigation. Full article

The coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) was a pandemic that caused high morbidity and mortality worldwide. The COVID-19 vaccine was expected to be a game-changer for the pandemic. This study aimed to describe the characteristics of COVID-19 cases and vaccination in Thailand during 2021. An association between vaccination and case rates was estimated with potential confounders at ecological levels (color zones, curfews set by provincial authorities, tourism, and migrant movements) considering time lags at two, four, six, and eight weeks after vaccination. A spatial panel model for bivariate data was used to explore the relationship between case rates and each variable and included only a two-week lag after vaccination for each variable in the multivariate analyses. In 2021, Thailand had 1,965,023 cumulative cases and 45,788,315 total administered first vaccination doses (63.60%). High cases and vaccination rates were found among 31–45-year-olds. Vaccination rates had a slightly positive association with case rates due to the allocation of hot-spot pandemic areas in the early period. The proportion of migrants and color zones measured had positive associations with case rates at the provincial level. The proportion of tourists had a negative association. Vaccinations should be provided to migrants, and collaboration between tourism and public health should prepare for the new era of tourism. Full article

The 21st century world never anticipated a scenario in which it would be thrown into disarray by a fast-spreading viral disease, during which governments hastily had to enforce curfews by imposing travel and social gathering restrictions in order to contain it. The coronavirus disease of 2019 disrupted global supply chains and economies and caused death in every part of the world. Health departments and hospitals became the centres of attention as healthcare workers battled to save the lives of the infected. Governments struggled to calm citizens as the spread of incorrect and, sometimes, malicious information dominated all social media channels. The absence of established knowledge-sharing strategies and channels, knowledge about the disease or how to deal with the pandemic exacerbated the situation. This study investigates knowledge management systems as a sustainability strategy during a pandemic from three perspectives: understanding the disease, sourcing the required drugs and communicating with the citizens during a pandemic. The researchers adopted a survey research strategy for the study. The study makes an essential contribution to the value of KMS and the need to adopt them in the healthcare sector, particularly when faced with pandemics such as COVID-19. Full article

There are over 5 million pet cats in Australia managed on a spectrum from fully indoors to completely outdoor free roaming. Roaming cats threaten biodiversity, can create a nuisance and are at risk of accidents and injury. Hence, there is substantial interest in behaviour change interventions to increase cat containment. An online questionnaire collected information on cat owner demographics, the number of cats owned, current containment behaviours and an agreement with 15 capability, opportunity and motivation (COM) items. Responses were received from 4482 cat owners. More than half (65%) indicated that they currently keep their cat(s) fully contained. Another 24% practiced a night curfew. Owners’ psychological capability had the greatest influence on containment behaviour. Motivation (community- and cat welfare-framed), living in an apartment and renting were also associated with a greater likelihood of containment. Cat owners not currently containing their cats could be divided into six profiles who differed on agreement with COM themes, age, future intentions, current behaviour, location and gender. Understanding differences between cat owner segments can assist with designing behaviour change interventions. Increasing cat owners’ psychological capability to contain their cats and encouraging the adoption of a night curfew as a first step towards 24 h containment are recommended. Full article

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic rendered congregate shelter settings high risk, creating vulnerability for people experiencing homelessness (PEH). This study employed participant observation and interviews over 16 months in two Veteran encampments, one located on the grounds of the West Los Angeles Veteran Affairs Medical Center (WLAVA) serving as an emergency COVID-19 mitigation measure, and the other outside the WLAVA gates protesting the lack of onsite VA housing. Study participants included Veterans and VA personnel. Data were analyzed using grounded theory, accompanied by social theories of syndemics, purity, danger, and home. The study reveals that Veterans conceptualized home not merely as physical shelter but as encompassing a sense of inclusion and belonging. They sought a Veteran-run collective with a harm reduction approach to substance use, onsite healthcare, and inclusive terms (e.g., no sobriety requirements, curfews, mandatory treatment, or limited lengths of stay). The twin encampments created distinct forms of community and care that protected Veterans from COVID-19 infection and bolstered collective survival. The study concludes that PEH constitute and belong to communities that provide substantial benefits even while amplifying certain harms. Housing interventions must consider how unhoused individuals become, or fail to become, integrate into various communities, and foster therapeutic community connections. Full article

During the COVID-19—related lockdowns (2020–2022), mobility patterns and charging needs were substantially affected. Policies such as work from home, lockdowns, and curfews reduced traffic and commuting significantly. This global pandemic may have also substantially changed mobility patterns on the long term and therefore the need for electric vehicle charging infrastructure. This paper analyzes changes in electric charging in the Netherlands for different user groups during different phases of the COVID-19 lockdown to assess the effects on EV charging needs. Charging needs dropped significantly during this period, which also changed the distribution of the load on the electricity grid throughout the day. Curfews affected the start times of charging sessions during peak hours of grid consumption. Infrastructure dedicated to commuters was used less intensively, and the charging needs of professional taxi drivers were drastically reduced during lockdown periods. These trends were partially observed during a post–lockdown measuring period of roughly 8 months, indicating a longer shift in mobility and charging patterns. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused widespread disruptions to health, economic and social lives globally. This qualitative study explores frontline healthcare workers’ (HCWs) experiences delivering routine care in Kenya’s informal settlements during the early phases of the pandemic, amidst stringent COVID-19 mitigation measures. Thirteen telephone interviews were conducted with facility and community-based HCWs serving three informal settlements in Nairobi and Mombasa. Data were analyzed using the framework approach. Results indicate there were widespread fears and anxieties surrounding COVID-19 and its management. Secondly, access to facility-based care at the onset of the pandemic was reported to decline, with service availability hampered by the imposed curfew hours and guidance on the maximum allowable number of clients. HCWs experienced heightened risk of COVID-19 infection due to poor working conditions including inadequate personal protective equipment (PPE) and unavailable isolation areas for COVID-19 positive patients. HCWs also experienced stigma associated with contact with persons suspected of having COVID-19 infection, thereby causing a strain on their mental health and wellbeing. The study recommends the need for interventions to support and protect HCWs’ physical and mental health, alongside health system preparedness. Additionally, it is vital to identify ways of taking health services closer to the community to address access barriers in health emergency contexts. Full article

Many regions worldwide suffer from heavy air pollution caused by particulate matter (PM_2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), resulting in a huge annual disease burden and significant welfare costs. Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 global pandemic, enforced curfews and restrictions on human mobility (so-called periods of ‘lockdown’) have become important measures to control the spread of the virus. This study aims to investigate the improvement in air quality following COVID-19 lockdown measures and the projected benefits for environmental health. China was chosen as a case study. The work projects annual premature deaths and welfare costs by integrating PM_2.5 and NO₂ pollutant measurements derived from satellite imagery (MODIS instruments on Terra and Aqua, and TROPOMI on Sentinel-5P) with census data archived by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). A 91-day timeframe centred on the initial lockdown date of 23 January 2020 was investigated. To perform the projections, OECD data on five variables from 1990 to 2019 (mean population exposure to ambient PM_2.5, premature deaths, welfare costs, gross domestic product and population) were used as training data to run the Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) and multiple regression models. The analysis of the satellite imagery revealed that across the regions of Beijing, Hebei, Shandong, Henan, Xi’an, Shanghai and Hubei, the average concentrations of PM_2.5 decreased by 6.2, 30.7, 14.1, 20.7, 29.3, 5.5 and 17.3%, while the NO₂ decreased by 45.5, 54.7, 60.5, 58.7, 63.6, 50.5 and 66.5%, respectively, during the period of lockdown restrictions in 2020, as compared with the equivalent period in 2019. Such improvements in air quality were found to be beneficial, reducing in 2020 both the number of premature deaths by approximately 97,390 and welfare costs by over USD 74 billion. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused extreme deviations from everyday life. The aim of this study was to investigate how these deviations affected adolescents’ sense of coherence and their level of aggression, and whether this was influenced by their relationship with animals, especially horses. In two random samples of students from vocational schools in Hungary, taken in June 2018 and June 2020 (n1 = 525, n2 = 412), separate groups were drawn from those who had regularly engaged in equine-assisted activities (ES) and those who had not (OS) before the pandemic. Data were collected using an anonymous, paper-based questionnaire, and during the pandemic an online version of the Sense of Coherence (SOC13) and Bryant–Smith (B12) scales. During the pandemic, boys’ sense of coherence weakened and their aggressiveness increased. Multiple linear regression analyses showed that, regardless of gender and age group, increased time spent using the internet (p < 0.001), a lack of classmates (p = 0.017), reduced time spent outdoors (p = 0.026) and reduced physical activity (p < 0.038) during the pandemic significantly increased the tendency for aggressive behavior, whereas being with a horse or pet was beneficial (p < 0.001). The changes imposed by the curfew were rated as bad by 90% of the pupils, however, those with a strong sense of coherence felt less negatively about them. Schools should place a great emphasis on strengthening the students’ sense of coherence. Full article

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many disruptions in the lives of the population. In particular, the health behaviours of university students were impacted. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the evolution of these behaviours from before the COVID-19 period to May 2021, during which lockdowns or curfews were in effect. Methods: Two retrospective online cross-sectional studies were conducted among university students in Normandy in May 2020 and May 2021. Socio-demographics and academic characteristics were collected. Tobacco smoking, binge drinking, cannabis use, and moderate and vigorous physical activity were collected for the 4 weeks before the COVID-19 lockdown in May 2020 and in May 2021. Results: Overall, 6991 university students were included in the study (3483 in 2020 and 3508 in 2021) with a mean age of 20.8 (standard deviation = 2.5) and 73.4% of women. After logistic regression, binge drinking (occasional and regular), cannabis use (occasional), moderate physical activity (regular), and vigorous physical activity (occasional) decreased in 2020 and 2021 compared to the pre-COVID-19 period. Tobacco smoking (occasional) and vigorous physical activity (regular) decreased only in 2020. Regular tobacco and cannabis use did not change significantly in 2020 and 2021 compared to the pre-COVID-19 period. Discussion: Student health behaviours changed in May 2020 and May 2021 due to the implementation of measures restricting mobility and social interaction. Even if some risky consumption decreased in 2020 after the first lockdown, there was no rebound phenomenon in 2021: consumption either remained lower or similar to the pre-COVID-19 period. These behaviours need to be monitored in the future to assess the long-term effects of these restrictions on student health behaviours. Full article

The hospitality sector has been one of the worst-hit industries due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by nationwide lockdowns and curfews. Further, other factors, including the Russia–Ukraine war, commodity price rise, and recession, have acted as hurdles in the slow recovery process. Policy experts at different forums have advocated for proactive and robust measures by the government to reduce adverse impacts during these unprecedented times. To design such measures, determining the firm-specific factors that significantly impact their profitability is essential. In this context, this study tries to understand firm-specific factors that affect the hospitality sector’s performance in India. It also explores whether the firm-specific characteristics have changed over time due to changes in political regimes and differ between private and publicly listed companies. Using a sample of 440 public and private hospitality firms for 11 years (2010–2020) and after controlling for unobserved heterogeneity using firm fixed effects, we tested the relationship between firm characteristics and performance. The estimation results demonstrate that the net asset turnover, liquidity, foreign earnings intensity, and age have significant, positive impacts on profitability. In contrast, solvency and size have negatively impacted firm performance. Further, we found differences in the magnitudes of coefficients for private and publicly listed companies. The findings provide important implications for managers and regulators to stimulate new solutions to overcome the ongoing difficult period. Full article