Catherine T. Lowe, Cheryl M. Trask, Maliha Rafiq, L. Mackay, Nicole Letourneau, Cheuk F. Ng, Janine Keown-Gerrard, Trevor Gilbert, K. Ross
The COVID-19 pandemic prompted global public health restrictions that impacted Canadians in multiple ways. The effects of the pandemic are well examined in specific populations and in researcher-defined areas (e.g., mental health, physical activity, social connections, and financial impacts). Few studies explore the complex perspectives of adults who experienced and were impacted by the pandemic. The purpose of this study was to understand Canadian adults’ perspectives of pandemic impacts over time. Methods: A sample of 347 Canadian adults were recruited during the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic to respond to open-ended questions about the pandemic’s impacts, administered every two weeks between April 2020 and January 2021. The responses were amalgamated into epochs, defined by dates that paralleled infection rates and public health responses in Canada. Qualitative thematic analysis identified major themes for each epoch and changes in themes over time. Results: The participants predominately reported adverse impacts of the pandemic during each epoch assessed, particularly with respect to mental health, future-oriented worry, activity restrictions, and social, and employment disruptions. Key concerns were potentially driven by changes in infection rates and public health policy changes. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic impacted individuals in predominantly negative and complex ways that varied over time with public health responses. Findings from the present study may direct future pandemic responses to mitigate adverse effects to best prevent infection while preserving wellbeing.
{"title":"Experiences and Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Thematic Analysis","authors":"Catherine T. Lowe, Cheryl M. Trask, Maliha Rafiq, L. Mackay, Nicole Letourneau, Cheuk F. Ng, Janine Keown-Gerrard, Trevor Gilbert, K. Ross","doi":"10.3390/covid4040028","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/covid4040028","url":null,"abstract":"The COVID-19 pandemic prompted global public health restrictions that impacted Canadians in multiple ways. The effects of the pandemic are well examined in specific populations and in researcher-defined areas (e.g., mental health, physical activity, social connections, and financial impacts). Few studies explore the complex perspectives of adults who experienced and were impacted by the pandemic. The purpose of this study was to understand Canadian adults’ perspectives of pandemic impacts over time. Methods: A sample of 347 Canadian adults were recruited during the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic to respond to open-ended questions about the pandemic’s impacts, administered every two weeks between April 2020 and January 2021. The responses were amalgamated into epochs, defined by dates that paralleled infection rates and public health responses in Canada. Qualitative thematic analysis identified major themes for each epoch and changes in themes over time. Results: The participants predominately reported adverse impacts of the pandemic during each epoch assessed, particularly with respect to mental health, future-oriented worry, activity restrictions, and social, and employment disruptions. Key concerns were potentially driven by changes in infection rates and public health policy changes. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic impacted individuals in predominantly negative and complex ways that varied over time with public health responses. Findings from the present study may direct future pandemic responses to mitigate adverse effects to best prevent infection while preserving wellbeing.","PeriodicalId":72714,"journal":{"name":"COVID","volume":" 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140387022","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Dario Iljkić, Olgica Klepac, Dubravka Užar, I. Samfira, Dušan Dunđerski, Daniel Haman, Catalin Zoican, Ivana Majić, Ivana Varga
The COVID-19 pandemic affected many aspects of human life including consumer behavior. The main aim of this paper was to identify basic patterns of changes in consumer attitudes towards agri-food products under the influence of the 2020 pandemic and to better understand to what extent and what kind of food market problems appeared for the inhabitants of the Danube microregion. For this purpose, an explorative study was elaborated. Assuming that the experience of COVID-19 affected consumer attitudes and sense of food security, a hybrid survey was conducted in the Danube microregion (Croatia, Serbia and Romania) during 2022. Data collected from a total of 903 respondents were statistically analyzed in SPSS. Descriptive statistics, PCA, ANOVA and t-Test were employed. The main results have shown that although the surveyed population of the Danube microregion during the pandemic in 2020 was generally not afraid of food shortages, food was in most part available for their families and their shopping habits have not changed to a large degree, the experience of the pandemic has raised the level of awareness about some issues related to food and specifically the prices of food products. Also, three different patterns of attitude and behavior towards food and agriculture, which emerged as a result of the experience of the pandemic in 2020, were identified. These patterns also proved to be different for different segments of the population. The findings suggest the need for stronger support for the development of locally affordable food systems with the use of ICT as a coping mechanism in crises.
{"title":"A Case Study of Consumer’s Attitudes towards Agro-Food Markets in Danube Microregion in COVID-19 Pandemic","authors":"Dario Iljkić, Olgica Klepac, Dubravka Užar, I. Samfira, Dušan Dunđerski, Daniel Haman, Catalin Zoican, Ivana Majić, Ivana Varga","doi":"10.3390/covid4030027","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/covid4030027","url":null,"abstract":"The COVID-19 pandemic affected many aspects of human life including consumer behavior. The main aim of this paper was to identify basic patterns of changes in consumer attitudes towards agri-food products under the influence of the 2020 pandemic and to better understand to what extent and what kind of food market problems appeared for the inhabitants of the Danube microregion. For this purpose, an explorative study was elaborated. Assuming that the experience of COVID-19 affected consumer attitudes and sense of food security, a hybrid survey was conducted in the Danube microregion (Croatia, Serbia and Romania) during 2022. Data collected from a total of 903 respondents were statistically analyzed in SPSS. Descriptive statistics, PCA, ANOVA and t-Test were employed. The main results have shown that although the surveyed population of the Danube microregion during the pandemic in 2020 was generally not afraid of food shortages, food was in most part available for their families and their shopping habits have not changed to a large degree, the experience of the pandemic has raised the level of awareness about some issues related to food and specifically the prices of food products. Also, three different patterns of attitude and behavior towards food and agriculture, which emerged as a result of the experience of the pandemic in 2020, were identified. These patterns also proved to be different for different segments of the population. The findings suggest the need for stronger support for the development of locally affordable food systems with the use of ICT as a coping mechanism in crises.","PeriodicalId":72714,"journal":{"name":"COVID","volume":"34 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140239949","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
M. Srem-Sai, F. Quansah, E. K. Agormedah, J. Hagan, Thomas Schack
The COVID-19 disease affected the school workplace climate for teachers and led to psychological consequences. However, it is not clear how the workplace climate affected the anxiety levels of teachers. This study assessed the connection between workplace climate and COVID-19-related anxiety among senior high school (SHS) teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study further examined the moderating role of professional and social media platform use on the relationship between workplace climate and COVID-19-related anxiety among teachers. Through a cross-sectional survey design, 395 high school teachers were conveniently sampled from various schools in the Central Region of Ghana. A questionnaire was used to survey participants, and the obtained data were analysed using descriptive statistics as well as simple linear regression and moderation analyses with Hayes’ PROCESS. This study revealed a negative association between workplace climate and anxiety. The relationship between workplace climate and anxiety was contingent on social media use but not professional platform use. Therefore, the consumption of unscrutinised COVID-19-related information on social media heightened fear and anxiety among teachers, even in the midst of a safe workplace environment. An effective strategy against teachers’ COVID-19-related anxiety required the provision of accurate science-driven information about the virus. School counselling psychologists, school welfare officers, and school health coordinators are encouraged to collaborate towards designed interventions that promote a safe working environment and the mental health of teachers.
{"title":"Evaluating Teachers’ Workplace Climate and Anxiety Response during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Information Seeking Platforms","authors":"M. Srem-Sai, F. Quansah, E. K. Agormedah, J. Hagan, Thomas Schack","doi":"10.3390/covid4030025","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/covid4030025","url":null,"abstract":"The COVID-19 disease affected the school workplace climate for teachers and led to psychological consequences. However, it is not clear how the workplace climate affected the anxiety levels of teachers. This study assessed the connection between workplace climate and COVID-19-related anxiety among senior high school (SHS) teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study further examined the moderating role of professional and social media platform use on the relationship between workplace climate and COVID-19-related anxiety among teachers. Through a cross-sectional survey design, 395 high school teachers were conveniently sampled from various schools in the Central Region of Ghana. A questionnaire was used to survey participants, and the obtained data were analysed using descriptive statistics as well as simple linear regression and moderation analyses with Hayes’ PROCESS. This study revealed a negative association between workplace climate and anxiety. The relationship between workplace climate and anxiety was contingent on social media use but not professional platform use. Therefore, the consumption of unscrutinised COVID-19-related information on social media heightened fear and anxiety among teachers, even in the midst of a safe workplace environment. An effective strategy against teachers’ COVID-19-related anxiety required the provision of accurate science-driven information about the virus. School counselling psychologists, school welfare officers, and school health coordinators are encouraged to collaborate towards designed interventions that promote a safe working environment and the mental health of teachers.","PeriodicalId":72714,"journal":{"name":"COVID","volume":"2012 12","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140246289","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The current study investigates the peritraumatic distress of Chinese residents living in Canada and identifies the associated sociodemographic and pandemic-related predictors during the initial phases of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic lockdown (i.e., from April 2020 to June 2020). A final sample of 457 valid participants aged 18 or older completed an online survey in which peritraumatic distress was assessed with the COVID-19 Peritraumatic Distress Index (CPDI). The results showed 32.76% of the sample was in the mild to moderate range (i.e., 28–51) and 5.03% in the severe range (i.e., 52 to higher) for peritraumatic distress. The hierarchical regression models on the continuous CPDI score identified life satisfaction as a consistent protector for the CPDI (absolute values of βs = −1.21 to −0.49, ps < 0.001). After controlling for life satisfaction, the following sociodemographic risk factors were identified: being middle-aged, being employed (relative to retired people/students), living in Ontario (rather than elsewhere), and a poor health status. Furthermore, the following pandemic-related risk factors were identified: a higher self-contraction worry, more of a COVID-19 information authenticity concern, a higher future infection rate prediction, and a higher personal health hygiene appraisal. The results of our study shed light on cognitive, experiential, behavioural, and sociodemographic factors associated with peritraumatic distress for Chinese residents living in Canada during the early outbreak stage of the pandemic.
{"title":"Peritraumatic Distress among Chinese Canadians during the Early Lockdown Stage of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Sociodemographic and Pandemic-Related Predictors","authors":"Alexandra Katsiris, Kesaan Kandasamy, Lixia Yang","doi":"10.3390/covid4030026","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/covid4030026","url":null,"abstract":"The current study investigates the peritraumatic distress of Chinese residents living in Canada and identifies the associated sociodemographic and pandemic-related predictors during the initial phases of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic lockdown (i.e., from April 2020 to June 2020). A final sample of 457 valid participants aged 18 or older completed an online survey in which peritraumatic distress was assessed with the COVID-19 Peritraumatic Distress Index (CPDI). The results showed 32.76% of the sample was in the mild to moderate range (i.e., 28–51) and 5.03% in the severe range (i.e., 52 to higher) for peritraumatic distress. The hierarchical regression models on the continuous CPDI score identified life satisfaction as a consistent protector for the CPDI (absolute values of βs = −1.21 to −0.49, ps < 0.001). After controlling for life satisfaction, the following sociodemographic risk factors were identified: being middle-aged, being employed (relative to retired people/students), living in Ontario (rather than elsewhere), and a poor health status. Furthermore, the following pandemic-related risk factors were identified: a higher self-contraction worry, more of a COVID-19 information authenticity concern, a higher future infection rate prediction, and a higher personal health hygiene appraisal. The results of our study shed light on cognitive, experiential, behavioural, and sociodemographic factors associated with peritraumatic distress for Chinese residents living in Canada during the early outbreak stage of the pandemic.","PeriodicalId":72714,"journal":{"name":"COVID","volume":"30 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140247657","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Given the plentitude of messages in the public arena that promote vaccination against different diseases or raise the possibility of vaccine mandates, we asked whether message effects in one disease domain might spill over into other domains. Our experiment exposed individuals (N = 1755) recruited from an opt-in online panel (Qualtrics) on influenza or COVID-19 pro-vaccination messages then measured intentions to vaccinate for each disease and intentions to support a vaccine mandate for each disease. Messages that targeted flu (vs. COVID-19) exhibited stronger effects on intentions to vaccinate for corresponding (vs. noncorresponding) disease. We observed positive spillover from intention to vaccinate against one disease to intention to vaccinate against the other disease, as well as from vaccination intention type to support for corresponding and noncorresponding vaccine mandates. Although pro-vaccination flu and COVID-19 messages have multiple effects, those effects are congenial. The results adjudicate differences in spillover theory and suggest synergistic effects between pro-vaccination campaigns.
{"title":"Pro-Vaccination Flu and COVID-19 Messages: Evidence of Congenial Targeted and Spillover Effects","authors":"J. Dillard, Lijiang Shen","doi":"10.3390/covid4030024","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/covid4030024","url":null,"abstract":"Given the plentitude of messages in the public arena that promote vaccination against different diseases or raise the possibility of vaccine mandates, we asked whether message effects in one disease domain might spill over into other domains. Our experiment exposed individuals (N = 1755) recruited from an opt-in online panel (Qualtrics) on influenza or COVID-19 pro-vaccination messages then measured intentions to vaccinate for each disease and intentions to support a vaccine mandate for each disease. Messages that targeted flu (vs. COVID-19) exhibited stronger effects on intentions to vaccinate for corresponding (vs. noncorresponding) disease. We observed positive spillover from intention to vaccinate against one disease to intention to vaccinate against the other disease, as well as from vaccination intention type to support for corresponding and noncorresponding vaccine mandates. Although pro-vaccination flu and COVID-19 messages have multiple effects, those effects are congenial. The results adjudicate differences in spillover theory and suggest synergistic effects between pro-vaccination campaigns.","PeriodicalId":72714,"journal":{"name":"COVID","volume":"33 32","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140253437","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Margaret F. Sloan, Tina Switzer, L. Trull, Claire Switzer, Melody Eaton, Kelly Atwood, Emily Akerson
Due to the variance in community infrastructure and resources, COVID-19 impacted rural communities differently than their urban counterparts. This study examines two waves of data from a survey of rural residents in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia regarding how community organizations responded to the pandemic, what strategies were most successful, and where needs shifted. The findings demonstrate that organizations with deeply embedded community leaders achieve higher levels of collaborative change in a timely manner. Additionally, mental health services have become a more pronounced need as a result of the pandemic. The interdependence of community needs, recognized by community members, calls for collaborative strategies for the future.
{"title":"Changes in Need, Changes in Infrastructure: A Comparative Assessment of Rural Nonprofits Responding to COVID-19","authors":"Margaret F. Sloan, Tina Switzer, L. Trull, Claire Switzer, Melody Eaton, Kelly Atwood, Emily Akerson","doi":"10.3390/covid4030023","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/covid4030023","url":null,"abstract":"Due to the variance in community infrastructure and resources, COVID-19 impacted rural communities differently than their urban counterparts. This study examines two waves of data from a survey of rural residents in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia regarding how community organizations responded to the pandemic, what strategies were most successful, and where needs shifted. The findings demonstrate that organizations with deeply embedded community leaders achieve higher levels of collaborative change in a timely manner. Additionally, mental health services have become a more pronounced need as a result of the pandemic. The interdependence of community needs, recognized by community members, calls for collaborative strategies for the future.","PeriodicalId":72714,"journal":{"name":"COVID","volume":"5 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140255443","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
P. Mutevedzi, Vusie Lokotfwako, G. Kwatra, G. Maphalala, V. Baillie, L. Dlamini, Senzokuhle Dlamini, Fortune Mhlanga, Tenelisiwe Dlamini, Nhlanhla Nhlabatsi, Marta C. Nunes, Simon Zwane, S. Madhi
Background: Seroepidemiology studies are useful for quantifying the magnitude of past infections and estimating the extent of population-based immunity to inform risk mitigation strategies for the future. We report on the only national population-based survey of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) immunoglobulin G (IgG) seroprevalence in Eswatini. Methods: The survey was undertaken from 31 August to 30 September 2021, following three earlier waves of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), and preceded the onset of the fourth wave, which was dominated by the Omicron variant of concern. We also report on epidemiological trends of recorded COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations before and after the fourth COVID-19 wave through to March 2022. We evaluated the immunoglobulin G (IgG) seropositivity based on either anti-nucleocapsid (N) or anti-spike (S) antigens. Results: Of 4564 individuals, 58.5% were female, 36.0% were aged 18–50 years, and 863 (18.9%) of adults who were older than 18 years had received at least a single dose of COVID-19 vaccine. Overall, 2769 (60.7%) were seropositive with heterogeneity across sub-regions (53.7%; 95% CI:49.2–58.1 to 68.6%; 95% CI:64.5–72.4), with the highest rates occurring in sub-regions of the Manzini region. Seropositivity was higher in vaccinated individuals (84.5%; 95% CI: 81.9–86.7) compared to unvaccinated individuals (55.1%; 95% CI:53.5–56.7). Amongst unvaccinated individuals, seropositivity was highest in 18–50-year-olds (59.5%;95% CI: 56.9–62.1). Seropositivity was associated with female gender, previous positive SARS-CoV-2 NAAT status and being vaccinated, non-smoking, and being formally employed. We estimated as of 15 September 2021 that there had been 639,475 SARS-CoV-2 infections (95% CI; 620,824–658,003) in Eswatini, which was 25.5-fold greater than the 25,048 COVID-19 cases that had been recorded by then. The national case fatality rate (CFR) based on recorded cases was 4.8%, being 25-fold greater than the infection fatality rate (0.19; 95% CI: 0.18–0.19) based on recorded deaths and extrapolating the force of infection from seroprevalence. Nationally and across all four regions, we report the decoupling of COVID-19 cases from hospitalisations and deaths, observed as early as during the third wave, which was dominated by the Delta variant compared with earlier waves. Conclusions: We identified that 60.7% of people in Eswatini had been infected by SARS-CoV-2 at least once and before the onset of the Omicron wave in mid-November 2021. Despite a modest uptake of COVID-19 vaccines, the evolution of population immunity from infection has likely contributed to the decoupling of infection and severe COVID-19 in Eswatini.
{"title":"Prevalence and Levels of Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies in the Eswatini Population and Subsequent Severity of the Fourth COVID-19 Epidemic Wave","authors":"P. Mutevedzi, Vusie Lokotfwako, G. Kwatra, G. Maphalala, V. Baillie, L. Dlamini, Senzokuhle Dlamini, Fortune Mhlanga, Tenelisiwe Dlamini, Nhlanhla Nhlabatsi, Marta C. Nunes, Simon Zwane, S. Madhi","doi":"10.3390/covid4030021","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/covid4030021","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Seroepidemiology studies are useful for quantifying the magnitude of past infections and estimating the extent of population-based immunity to inform risk mitigation strategies for the future. We report on the only national population-based survey of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) immunoglobulin G (IgG) seroprevalence in Eswatini. Methods: The survey was undertaken from 31 August to 30 September 2021, following three earlier waves of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), and preceded the onset of the fourth wave, which was dominated by the Omicron variant of concern. We also report on epidemiological trends of recorded COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations before and after the fourth COVID-19 wave through to March 2022. We evaluated the immunoglobulin G (IgG) seropositivity based on either anti-nucleocapsid (N) or anti-spike (S) antigens. Results: Of 4564 individuals, 58.5% were female, 36.0% were aged 18–50 years, and 863 (18.9%) of adults who were older than 18 years had received at least a single dose of COVID-19 vaccine. Overall, 2769 (60.7%) were seropositive with heterogeneity across sub-regions (53.7%; 95% CI:49.2–58.1 to 68.6%; 95% CI:64.5–72.4), with the highest rates occurring in sub-regions of the Manzini region. Seropositivity was higher in vaccinated individuals (84.5%; 95% CI: 81.9–86.7) compared to unvaccinated individuals (55.1%; 95% CI:53.5–56.7). Amongst unvaccinated individuals, seropositivity was highest in 18–50-year-olds (59.5%;95% CI: 56.9–62.1). Seropositivity was associated with female gender, previous positive SARS-CoV-2 NAAT status and being vaccinated, non-smoking, and being formally employed. We estimated as of 15 September 2021 that there had been 639,475 SARS-CoV-2 infections (95% CI; 620,824–658,003) in Eswatini, which was 25.5-fold greater than the 25,048 COVID-19 cases that had been recorded by then. The national case fatality rate (CFR) based on recorded cases was 4.8%, being 25-fold greater than the infection fatality rate (0.19; 95% CI: 0.18–0.19) based on recorded deaths and extrapolating the force of infection from seroprevalence. Nationally and across all four regions, we report the decoupling of COVID-19 cases from hospitalisations and deaths, observed as early as during the third wave, which was dominated by the Delta variant compared with earlier waves. Conclusions: We identified that 60.7% of people in Eswatini had been infected by SARS-CoV-2 at least once and before the onset of the Omicron wave in mid-November 2021. Despite a modest uptake of COVID-19 vaccines, the evolution of population immunity from infection has likely contributed to the decoupling of infection and severe COVID-19 in Eswatini.","PeriodicalId":72714,"journal":{"name":"COVID","volume":"507 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140448252","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Janet O. Agbaje, Oluwatosin Babasola, Kabiru Michael Adeyemo, Abraham Baba Zhiri, A. J. Adigun, S. A. Lawal, Oluwole Adegoke Nuga, Roseline Toyin Abah, U. M. Adam, K. Oshinubi
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on countries worldwide, including the United Kingdom (UK). The UK has faced numerous challenges, but its response, including the rapid vaccination campaign, has been noteworthy. While progress has been made, the study of the pandemic is important to enable us to properly prepare for future epidemics. Collaboration, vigilance, and continued adherence to public health measures will be crucial in navigating the path to recovery and building resilience for the future. In this article, we propose an overview of the COVID-19 situation in the UK using both mathematical (a nonlinear differential equation model) and statistical (time series modeling on a moving window) models on the transmission dynamics of the COVID-19 virus from the beginning of the pandemic up until July 2022. This is achieved by integrating a hybrid model and daily empirical case and death data from the UK. We partition this dataset into before and after vaccination started in the UK to understand the influence of vaccination on disease dynamics. We used the mathematical model to present some mathematical analyses and the calculation of the basic reproduction number (R0). Following the sensitivity analysis index, we deduce that an increase in the rate of vaccination will decrease R0. Also, the model was fitted to the data from the UK to validate the mathematical model with real data, and we used the data to calculate time-varying R0. The homotopy perturbation method (HPM) was used for the numerical simulation to demonstrate the dynamics of the disease with varying parameters and the importance of vaccination. Furthermore, we used statistical modeling to validate our model by performing principal component analysis (PCA) to predict the evolution of the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak in the UK on some statistical predictor indicators from time series modeling on a 14-day moving window for detecting which of these indicators capture the dynamics of the disease spread across the epidemic curve. The results of the PCA, the index of dispersion, the fitted mathematical model, and the mathematical model simulation are all in agreement with the dynamics of the disease in the UK before and after vaccination started. Conclusively, our approach has been able to capture the dynamics of the pandemic at different phases of the disease outbreak, and the result presented will be useful to understand the evolution of the disease in the UK and future and emerging epidemics.
{"title":"Modeling COVID-19 Disease with Deterministic and Data-Driven Models Using Daily Empirical Data in the United Kingdom","authors":"Janet O. Agbaje, Oluwatosin Babasola, Kabiru Michael Adeyemo, Abraham Baba Zhiri, A. J. Adigun, S. A. Lawal, Oluwole Adegoke Nuga, Roseline Toyin Abah, U. M. Adam, K. Oshinubi","doi":"10.3390/covid4020020","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/covid4020020","url":null,"abstract":"The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on countries worldwide, including the United Kingdom (UK). The UK has faced numerous challenges, but its response, including the rapid vaccination campaign, has been noteworthy. While progress has been made, the study of the pandemic is important to enable us to properly prepare for future epidemics. Collaboration, vigilance, and continued adherence to public health measures will be crucial in navigating the path to recovery and building resilience for the future. In this article, we propose an overview of the COVID-19 situation in the UK using both mathematical (a nonlinear differential equation model) and statistical (time series modeling on a moving window) models on the transmission dynamics of the COVID-19 virus from the beginning of the pandemic up until July 2022. This is achieved by integrating a hybrid model and daily empirical case and death data from the UK. We partition this dataset into before and after vaccination started in the UK to understand the influence of vaccination on disease dynamics. We used the mathematical model to present some mathematical analyses and the calculation of the basic reproduction number (R0). Following the sensitivity analysis index, we deduce that an increase in the rate of vaccination will decrease R0. Also, the model was fitted to the data from the UK to validate the mathematical model with real data, and we used the data to calculate time-varying R0. The homotopy perturbation method (HPM) was used for the numerical simulation to demonstrate the dynamics of the disease with varying parameters and the importance of vaccination. Furthermore, we used statistical modeling to validate our model by performing principal component analysis (PCA) to predict the evolution of the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak in the UK on some statistical predictor indicators from time series modeling on a 14-day moving window for detecting which of these indicators capture the dynamics of the disease spread across the epidemic curve. The results of the PCA, the index of dispersion, the fitted mathematical model, and the mathematical model simulation are all in agreement with the dynamics of the disease in the UK before and after vaccination started. Conclusively, our approach has been able to capture the dynamics of the pandemic at different phases of the disease outbreak, and the result presented will be useful to understand the evolution of the disease in the UK and future and emerging epidemics.","PeriodicalId":72714,"journal":{"name":"COVID","volume":"203 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140452674","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
George L. O’Hara, Sam Halabi, Olohikhuae Egbokhare
(1) Background: This study addresses two weaknesses in current international efforts to prevent and prepare for the next pandemic: the lack of robust evidence supporting global policy measures and the corresponding extent to which those measures advance equity. (2) Methods: Using UNICEF’s publicly available but underused COVID-19 Market Dashboard database, we conducted a cross-sectional analysis of vaccine deliveries as of mid-2022 and vaccine procurement strategies used by African low- and lower middle-income countries (LMICs) over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. (3) Results: Pooled procurement of the kind typified by COVAX (a clearinghouse for high-income-country contributions of vaccines and financing toward the end of equitable LMIC procurement) crowded out alternative strategies that must be supported in future: regional procurement, donation, and bilateral procurement (binding agreement between two parties: one seller (i.e., a national government or a vaccine manufacturer) and one recipient (i.e., national government)), which showed a significant relationship with technology transfer and advancing local production capacity. (4) Conclusions: Expanding the scope of vaccine procurement alternatives to COVAX such as regional pooled procurement and bilateral procurement can stratify risk of supply agreements not materializing in actual supply. Sharing the technology necessary to produce vaccines with LMICs can mitigate obstacles to bilateral procurement. A pooled purchase alliance to procure vaccine doses on behalf of participating countries within a given region can benefit LMICs by accounting for infrastructure limitations that these countries share. Finally, donations bolster global redistributed supply essential to LMICs.
{"title":"Equitable Vaccine Access in Light of COVID-19 Vaccine Procurement Strategies in Africa","authors":"George L. O’Hara, Sam Halabi, Olohikhuae Egbokhare","doi":"10.3390/covid4020019","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/covid4020019","url":null,"abstract":"(1) Background: This study addresses two weaknesses in current international efforts to prevent and prepare for the next pandemic: the lack of robust evidence supporting global policy measures and the corresponding extent to which those measures advance equity. (2) Methods: Using UNICEF’s publicly available but underused COVID-19 Market Dashboard database, we conducted a cross-sectional analysis of vaccine deliveries as of mid-2022 and vaccine procurement strategies used by African low- and lower middle-income countries (LMICs) over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. (3) Results: Pooled procurement of the kind typified by COVAX (a clearinghouse for high-income-country contributions of vaccines and financing toward the end of equitable LMIC procurement) crowded out alternative strategies that must be supported in future: regional procurement, donation, and bilateral procurement (binding agreement between two parties: one seller (i.e., a national government or a vaccine manufacturer) and one recipient (i.e., national government)), which showed a significant relationship with technology transfer and advancing local production capacity. (4) Conclusions: Expanding the scope of vaccine procurement alternatives to COVAX such as regional pooled procurement and bilateral procurement can stratify risk of supply agreements not materializing in actual supply. Sharing the technology necessary to produce vaccines with LMICs can mitigate obstacles to bilateral procurement. A pooled purchase alliance to procure vaccine doses on behalf of participating countries within a given region can benefit LMICs by accounting for infrastructure limitations that these countries share. Finally, donations bolster global redistributed supply essential to LMICs.","PeriodicalId":72714,"journal":{"name":"COVID","volume":"64 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140453439","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Davide J. Testa, Zaheer A. S. H. Nagarwala, J. Vale, Andres E. Carrillo, Cagney T. Sargent, Sharon Amollo, Mutono Nyamai, Belén Carballo-Leyenda, B. Onyima, Ibukun Afolabi, Tiago S. Mayor, Sally Hargreaves, Marija Marković, A. Flouris
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic prompted tens of thousands of people worldwide to migrate from cities in its early stages, leading to an increased spread of the virus. Understanding the factors driving relocation during a pandemic is crucial for effective outbreak control. We investigated how the pandemic influenced people’s aspirations and preparations to move, both domestically and internationally, surveying individuals in Greece, India, Italy, Kenya, Nigeria, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, and the United States of America. Out of 4448 eligible responses, 765 participants (17.2%) had a strong aspiration to move due to COVID-19, and 155 (3.5%) had already prepared. Those considering relocation were statistically significantly more likely to perceive moving to an area with fewer COVID-19 cases as protective against the virus (OR = 1.3, p < 0.05) or to know others who intended to relocate because of COVID-19 (OR = 1.5, p < 0.05). Conversely, a strong sense of being ‘at home’ reduced statistically significantly the strength of mobility aspirations (OR = 0.7, p < 0.01). Social alienation, social imitation, and the perceived efficacy of mobility increased aspirations to move due to COVID-19. This study emphasizes the rapid population movements at pandemic onset and their potential contribution to disease transmission, urging future pandemic planning to take account of such mobility dynamics.
{"title":"Measuring the Impact of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic on Mobility Aspirations and Behaviours","authors":"Davide J. Testa, Zaheer A. S. H. Nagarwala, J. Vale, Andres E. Carrillo, Cagney T. Sargent, Sharon Amollo, Mutono Nyamai, Belén Carballo-Leyenda, B. Onyima, Ibukun Afolabi, Tiago S. Mayor, Sally Hargreaves, Marija Marković, A. Flouris","doi":"10.3390/covid4020018","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/covid4020018","url":null,"abstract":"The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic prompted tens of thousands of people worldwide to migrate from cities in its early stages, leading to an increased spread of the virus. Understanding the factors driving relocation during a pandemic is crucial for effective outbreak control. We investigated how the pandemic influenced people’s aspirations and preparations to move, both domestically and internationally, surveying individuals in Greece, India, Italy, Kenya, Nigeria, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, and the United States of America. Out of 4448 eligible responses, 765 participants (17.2%) had a strong aspiration to move due to COVID-19, and 155 (3.5%) had already prepared. Those considering relocation were statistically significantly more likely to perceive moving to an area with fewer COVID-19 cases as protective against the virus (OR = 1.3, p < 0.05) or to know others who intended to relocate because of COVID-19 (OR = 1.5, p < 0.05). Conversely, a strong sense of being ‘at home’ reduced statistically significantly the strength of mobility aspirations (OR = 0.7, p < 0.01). Social alienation, social imitation, and the perceived efficacy of mobility increased aspirations to move due to COVID-19. This study emphasizes the rapid population movements at pandemic onset and their potential contribution to disease transmission, urging future pandemic planning to take account of such mobility dynamics.","PeriodicalId":72714,"journal":{"name":"COVID","volume":"165 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139837684","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
京公网安备 11010802042870号
京ICP备2023020795号-1
扫码关注我们
求助内容：
应助结果提醒方式：