The Impact of Control and Mitigation Strategies during the Second Wave of COVID-19 Infections in Spain and Italy

European countries struggled to fight against the second and the third waves of the COVID-19 pandemic, as the Test-Trace-Isolate (TTI) strategy widely adopted over the summer and early fall failed to effectively contain the spread of the disease. In this paper, we shed light on the effectiveness of such a strategy in two European countries (Spain and Italy) by analysing data from June to December 2020, collected via a large-scale online citizen survey with 95,251 answers in Spain and 43,393 answers in Italy. Through our analysis, we identify several weaknesses in each of the three pillars of the TTI strategy: testing, tracing and isolating. Moreover, we analyse the respondents' self-reported behaviour before and after the mitigation strategies were deployed during the second wave of infections. We find that the changes in the participants' behaviour were more pronounced in Italy than in Spain, whereas in both countries, respondents reported being very compliant with individual protection measures, such as wearing facial masks or frequently disinfecting their hands. Finally, we analyse the participants' perceptions about their government's measures and the safety of everyday activities and places regarding the risk of getting an infection. We find that the perceived risk is often gender- and age-dependent and not aligned with the risk level identified by the literature. This finding emphasises the importance of deploying public-health communication campaigns to debunk misconceptions about SARS-CoV-2. Overall, our work shows the value of online citizen surveys to quickly and cheaply collect large-scale data to support and evaluate policy decisions to contrast the spread of the disease.

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The Importance of Similarity: How Gender Congruence Matters for the Impact of Leadership Training

Administration & Society ◽

10.1177/00953997211064220 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 009539972110642

Author(s):

Trine H. Fjendbo ◽

Christian B. Jacobsen ◽

Seung-Ho An

Keyword(s):

Leadership Training ◽

Large Scale ◽

Leadership Behaviors ◽

Leadership Behavior ◽

Female Gender ◽

Perceived Leadership ◽

Scale Field ◽

Before And After ◽

Large Scale Field ◽

The Impact

Leadership training is key to promoting more active leadership, but the effects of leadership training can depend on the gender context. Gender congruence between manager and employee can affect how the manager employs leadership behaviors adapted from training and how employees perceive leadership behavior. Quantitative data on 474 managers’ 4,833 employees before and after a large-scale field experiment with leadership training enable us to examine changes in employee-perceived leadership following training. The results show that gender congruence between manager and employee is associated with stronger leadership training effects on employee-perceived leadership behaviors. Female gender congruence shows the most pronounced effects.

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Impact of the first COVID-19 shelter-in-place order in the United States on emergency department utilization, Marin County, California

10.1101/2020.07.01.20144691 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Brett R. Bayles ◽

Michaela F George ◽

Haylea Hannah ◽

Patti Culross ◽

Rochelle R. Ereman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

San Francisco ◽

Large Scale ◽

Temporal Dynamics ◽

The United States ◽

Emergency Department Utilization ◽

Marin County ◽

Before And After ◽

Ed Visits ◽

The Impact

Background: The first shelter-in-place (SIP) order in the United States was issued across six counties in the San Francisco Bay Area to reduce the impact of COVID-19 on critical care resources. We sought to assess the impact of this large-scale intervention on emergency departments (ED) in Marin County, California. Methods: We conducted a retrospective descriptive and trend analysis of all ED visits in Marin County, California from January 1, 2018 to May 4, 2020 to quantify the temporal dynamics of ED utilization before and after the March 17, 2020 SIP order. Results: The average number of ED visits per day decreased by 52.3% following the SIP order compared to corresponding time periods in 2018 and 2019. Both respiratory and non-respiratory visits declined, but this negative trend was most pronounced for non-respiratory admissions. Conclusions: The first SIP order to be issued in the United States in response to COVID-19 was associated with a significant reduction in ED utilization in Marin County.

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A Data Driven Change-point Epidemic Model for Assessing the Impact of Large Gathering and Subsequent Movement Control Order on COVID-19 Spread in Malaysia

10.1101/2020.11.20.20233890 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Sarat C. Dass ◽

Wai M. Kwok ◽

Gavin J. Gibson ◽

Balvinder S. Gill ◽

Bala M. Sundram ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Change Point ◽

Movement Control ◽

Disease Spread ◽

Time Period ◽

Before And After ◽

Quantitative Understanding ◽

Control Order ◽

Short Time ◽

The Impact ◽

Second Wave

AbstractThe second wave of COVID-19 in Malaysia is largely attributed to a mass gathering held in Sri Petaling between February 27, 2020 and March 1, 2020, which contributed to an exponential rise of COVID-19 cases in the country. Starting March 18, 2020, the Malaysian government introduced four consecutive phases of a Movement Control Order (MCO) to stem the spread of COVID-19. The MCO was implemented through various non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs). The reported number of cases reached its peak by the first week of April and then started to reduce, hence proving the effectiveness of the MCO. To gain a quantitative understanding of the effect of MCO on the dynamics of COVID-19, this paper develops a class of mathematical models to capture the disease spread before and after MCO implementation in Malaysia. A heterogeneous variant of the Susceptible-Exposed-Infected-Recovered (SEIR) model is developed with additional compartments for asymptomatic transmission. Further, a change-point is incorporated to model the before and after disease dynamics, and is inferred based on data. Related statistical analyses for inference are developed in a Bayesian framework and are able to provide quantitative assessments of (1) the impact of the Sri Petaling gathering, and (2) the extent of decreasing transmission during the MCO period. The analysis here also quantitatively demonstrates how quickly transmission rates fall under effective NPI implemention within a short time period.

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Energy conservation by retrofitting of dwellings

E3S Web of Conferences ◽

10.1051/e3sconf/201911103010 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 111 ◽

pp. 03010

Author(s):

Imrich Sánka ◽

Dušan Petráš

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Thermal Environment ◽

Winter Season ◽

Residential Building ◽

Indoor Environmental Quality ◽

Air Exchange Rate ◽

Energy Auditing ◽

Before And After ◽

The Impact

This article investigates the impact of energy renovation on the indoor environmental quality of apartment building during heating season. The study was performed in one residential building before and after its renovation. Energy auditing and classification of the selected building into energy classes were carried out. Additionally, evaluation of indoor air quality was performed using objective measurements and subjective survey. Thermal environment and concentration of CO2 was measured in bedrooms. Higher concentrations of CO2 was observed in the residential building after its renovation. The concentrations of CO2, in some cases exceeded the recommended maximum limits, especially after implementing of energy saving measures on the building. The average air exchange rate was visible higher before renovation of the building. The current study indicates that large-scale of renovations may reduce the quality of the indoor environment in many apartments, especially in the winter season.

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Cigarette and cigar sales in Hawaii before and after implementation of a Tobacco 21 Law

Tobacco Control ◽

10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2019-055248 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 30 (1) ◽

pp. 98-102 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Rebecca Glover-Kudon ◽

Doris G Gammon ◽

Todd Rogers ◽

Ellen M Coats ◽

Brett Loomis ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Geographical Area ◽

Upward Trend ◽

Food Stores ◽

The Us ◽

Before And After ◽

Youth And Young Adults ◽

The Usa ◽

Product Sales ◽

The Impact

IntroductionOn 1 January 2016, Hawaii raised the minimum legal age for tobacco access from 18 to 21 years (‘Tobacco 21 (T21)’) statewide, with no special population exemptions. We assessed the impact of Hawaii’s T21 policy on sales of cigarettes and large cigars/cigarillos in civilian food stores, including menthol/flavoured product sales share.MethodsCigarette and large cigar/cigarillo sales and menthol/flavoured sales share were assessed in Hawaii, California (implemented T21 in June 2016 with a military exemption), and the US mainland using the only Nielsen data consistently available for each geographical area. Approximate monthly sales data from large-scale food stores with sales greater than US$2 million/year covered June 2012 to February 2017. Segmented regression analyses estimated changes in sales from prepolicy to postpolicy implementation periods.ResultsFollowing T21 in Hawaii, average monthly cigarette unit sales dropped significantly (−4.4%, p<0.01) coupled with a significant decrease in menthol market share (−0.8, p<0.01). This combination of effects was not observed in comparison areas. Unit sales of large cigars/cigarillos decreased significantly in each region following T21 implementation. T21 policies in Hawaii and California showed no association with flavoured/menthol cigar sales share, but there was a significant increase in flavoured/menthol cigar sales share in the USA (7.1%, p<0.01) relative to Hawaii’s implementation date, suggesting T21 may have attenuated an otherwise upward trend.ConclusionsAs part of a comprehensive approach to prevent or delay tobacco use initiation, T21 laws may help to reduce sales of cigarette and large cigar products most preferred by US youth and young adults.

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Comparison of Large Woody Debris Prototypes in a Large Scale Non-flume Physical Model

E3S Web of Conferences ◽

10.1051/e3sconf/20184005010 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 40 ◽

pp. 05010

Author(s):

Brian Perry ◽

Colin Rennie ◽

Andrew Cornett ◽

Paul Knox

Keyword(s):

Physical Model ◽

Flood Control ◽

Large Scale ◽

Woody Debris ◽

Water Levels ◽

Mitigation Strategies ◽

Large Woody Debris ◽

Debris Accumulation ◽

The Impact ◽

The City

Due to excessive rainfall in June of 2013, several rivers located in and near the City of Calgary, Canada experienced significant flooding events. These events caused severe damage to infrastructure throughout the city, precipitating a renewed interest in flood control and mitigation strategies for the area. A major potential strategy involves partial diversion of Elbow River flood water to the proposed Springbank Off-Stream Storage Reservoir. A large scale physical model study was conducted to optimize and validate the design of a portion of the new project. The goals of the physical model were to investigate diversion system behaviors such as flow rates, water levels, sediment transport and, debris accumulation, and optimize the design of new flow control structures to be constructed on the Elbow River. In order to accurately represent the behavior of debris within the system due to flooding, large woody debris created from natural sources was utilized in the physical model and its performance was compared to that of debris of the same size fabricated from pressed cylindrical wood dowels. In addition to comparing the performance of these two debris types, the impact of root wads on debris damming was also investigated. Significant differences in damming behavior was shown to exist between the natural debris and the fabricated debris, while the impact of root wad on damming affected the dam structure and formation. The results of this experiment indicate that natural debris is preferred for studies involving debris accumulation.

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Impact of a Large-Scale Coach Education Program from a Lifelong-Learning Perspective

Journal of Coaching Education ◽

10.1123/jce.6.1.23 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

pp. 23-42 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Diana Deek ◽

Penny Werthner ◽

Kyle J. Paquette ◽

Diane Culver

Keyword(s):

Lifelong Learning ◽

Education Program ◽

Large Scale ◽

Learning Experience ◽

Coach Education ◽

Coach Learning ◽

Before And After ◽

Coaching Certification ◽

The Impact ◽

Depth Interviews

This study examines the impact of a coach education program on coach learning and perceived changes to coaching practices, while situating this episodic learning experience within a lifelong-learning perspective. Three sets of in-depth interviews were conducted with 10 coaches taking part in one of three competition-development modules within Canada’s National Coaching Certification Program (Coaching and Leading Effectively, Managing Conflict, and Psychology of Performance). It was found that (a) the coaches’ biographies varied widely, (b) all of the coaches reported learning from the modules, (c) eight of ten coaches reported a change in their coaching practices as a result of participation in one of the modules, and (d) the coaches credited a combination of mediated, unmediated, and internal learning situations for their learning before and after the modules. These findings suggest that a large-scale coach education program can have an impact on coaches when the program takes a lifelong-learning perspective and integrates constructivist principles into its design and delivery.

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THE IMPACT OF EMERGENCIES ON THE SPREAD OF INVASIVE DISEASES OF FARM ANIMALS IN THE REPUBLIC OF KHAKASSIA

10.31016/978-5-6046256-1-3.2021.22.336-341 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 336-341

Author(s):

Medkova ◽

Krasovskaya

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Ground Cover ◽

Farm Animals ◽

Fecal Samples ◽

Study Results ◽

Invasive Diseases ◽

Before And After ◽

The Republic ◽

Living Organisms ◽

The Impact

In the conditions of the Shirinsky District, monitoring was carried out for the first time for the change in number of helminthic diseases before and after fires. Fires have led to changes in the properties of the ground cover, soil, and simplification of communities; the complex of soil-dwelling arthropods has undergone a number of significant changes, which are manifested in a decrease in number and species diversity. The aim of the study is to determine the prevalence of various parasites in farm animals after large-scale fires on the example of the Shirinsky District of the Republic of Khakassia. The study subject was eggs, larvae and helminths of the studied animals. The study object was farm animals. The studies were carried out by the method of sequential washing of fecal samples. Based on the study results of 786 fecal samples from various animals, we received the following results. We have proved that the fire had a great impact on the parasitofauna of animals in the Shirinsky District; the number of invasive diseases first decreased after fires and then increased again. We found out that the decrease in number of parasitic diseases was associated with the following: fires had an adverse effect on the ecological state of the environment and changed the existence conditions of living organisms. The fire destroyed eggs, larvae and definitive hosts of the parasites.

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The Impact of Market Discipline on Banks’ Capital Adequacy: Evidence From an Emerging Economy

Lahore Journal of Business ◽

10.35536/ljb.2015.v4.i1.a4 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. 61-73 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Ayesha Afzal

Keyword(s):

Perceived Risk ◽

Banking System ◽

Empirical Support ◽

Market Discipline ◽

Capital Adequacy ◽

Risk Level ◽

Bank Capital ◽

The Cost ◽

The Impact

This study presents empirical support for the role of market discipline in augmenting bank capital ratios in a competitive banking environment. Using a panel dataset on domestic commercial banks in Pakistan from 2009 to 2014, the study determines if the market penalized banks for any increase in their risk profile through a rise in the cost of raising funds. The results point to a significant relationship between capital adequacy and other risk factors, with the cost of deposits demonstrating how depositors align the required return to the perceived risk level of the bank. These findings have important implications for policymakers as market discipline could complement the role of regulators, which would eventually lower the cost of supervision. Moreover, the focus of international reforms as seen through the implementation of Basel III should continue to be on developing a more competitive and transparent banking system.

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Mathematical Modelling the Impact Evaluation of Lockdown on Infection Dynamics of COVID-19 in Italy.

10.1101/2020.07.27.20162537 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Daniyar Yergesh ◽

Shirali Kadyrov ◽

Hayot Saydaliev ◽

Alibek Orynbassar

Keyword(s):

Policy Implementation ◽

Impact Evaluation ◽

Infection Dynamics ◽

The Social ◽

The World ◽

Small Wave ◽

Before And After ◽

The Government ◽

The Impact ◽

Second Wave

The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV-2), the cause of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), within months of emergence from Wuhan, China, has rapidly spread, exacting a devastating human toll across around the world reaching the pandemic stage at the the beginning of March 2020. Thus, COVID-19s daily increasing cases and deaths have led to worldwide lockdown, quarantine and some restrictions. Covid-19 epidemic in Italy started as a small wave of 2 infected cases on January 31. It was followed by a bigger wave mainly from local transmissions reported in 6387 cases on March 8. It caused the government to impose a lockdown on 8 March to the whole country as a way to suppress the pandemic. This study aims to evaluate the impact of the lockdown and awareness dynamics on infection in Italy over the period of January 31 to July 17 and how the impact varies across different lockdown scenarios in both periods before and after implementation of the lockdown policy. The findings SEIR reveal that implementation lockdown has minimised the social distancing flattening the curve. The infections associated with COVID-19 decreases with quarantine initially then easing lockdown will not cause further increasing transmission until a certain period which is explained by public high awareness. Completely removing lockdown may lead to sharp transmission second wave. Policy implementation and limitation of the study were evaluated at the end of the paper. Keywords COVID-19 - Lockdown - Epidemic model - SEIR - Awareness - Dynamical systems.

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