scholarly journals THE IMPACT OF THE LOCKDOWN ON AIR QUALITY IN RESULT OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC OVER HUBEI PROVINCE, CHINA

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-22
Author(s):  
Faisal Mumtaz ◽  
Yu Tao ◽  
Barjeece Bashir ◽  
Hamid Faiz ◽  
Mariam Kareem ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
Viral Disease ◽  
Hubei Province ◽  
Economic Activities ◽  
High Emission ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Pm2.5 And Pm10 ◽  
The Impact

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) infectious respiratory disease becomes a global pandemic in few weeks from its start in December 2019 to early 2020. Various countries across the world including China went to lockdown and several caution were implemented to reduce the further spread of this infectious disease. Wuhan (China) was the first city to impose the lockdown for controlling the impact of COVID-19. The lockdown unexpectedly gives the scientific community a chance to investigate the influence of the human activity on air pollution in real world scenario. The present study attempted to investigate the impact of lockdown during the ongoing viral disease on the changes of fine particulate matters and some unhealthy gases i.e. PM2.5, PM10, SO2, CO, O3, AQI and NO2 over Hubei province of China, by using ground station data and TROPOMI satellite data. The air pollutants were compared as, (i) pre COVID-19 period (i.e. October-December 2019), (ii) throughout the lockdown in Hubei province (i.e. January 2020-March 2020) and Post lockdown duration (i.e. April 2020-June 2020). Results clearly showed that air quality was not secured due to high emission of CO, SO2, NO2, O3, PM2.5, and PM10 on Pre COVID-19 times, but under the lockdown continuously decrease in NO2 from (54 mg/cm3 to 26 mg/cm3), SO2 (10.5 mg/cm3 to 7.77 mg/cm3) PM2.5 (49.22 mg/cm3 to 44.34 mg/cm3), PM10 concentrations (80.83 mg/cm3 to 57.04 mg/cm3) and AQI (72.95 mg/cm3 to 49.64 mg/cm3) has been observed. Because lockdown shuts all anthropogenic activities like industrial work, traffic vehicles and various socio-economic activities, which developed a healthy change on air quality. Emission of unhealthy gases and particulates were quite clear during the lockdown but again increase after finishing the lockdown period. However, we don’t support the lockdown as a measure for the betterment of air quality as this has severely posed negative impacts on the socio-economic processes and progress, but changes in human behavior of using industries and vehicles can help us to improve the air quality.

scholarly journals Impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) Outbreak on Society, Air Quality, and Economy in India: A Study of Three “P”s of Sustainability in India

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 2873
Author(s):  
Sayanti Kar ◽  
Indrajit Ghosh ◽  
Sebanti Show ◽  
Arunabh Sen ◽  
Tanya Gupta ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Quality Parameters ◽  
Ambient Air Quality ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Pm2.5 And Pm10 ◽  
Indian Stock Market ◽  
The Impact

The outbreak of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic forced affected countries to implement strict lockdown to contain the spread of this disease before the advent of the vaccine. This containment resulted in social and economic crisis globally. This study evaluated the impact of COVID-19 on three “P” s of sustainability (Planet, People, and Profit) in India. A comparative analysis was conducted by evaluating the available secondary data in different sectors during the pre-lockdown and lockdown period. Seven major air quality parameters: particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), ammonia (NH3), carbon monoxide (CO), and ozone (O3) were studied in six states of India to review the ambient air quality status. Stratified random sampling technique was used in this study for collective portrayal of the country’s air quality. A drastic cutback of the level of PM2.5 and PM10 with significant increase of O3 was observed in the lockdown phase for most of the selected monitoring stations. A significant change in level of PM2.5 and PM10 was observed when t-test was performed in between the pre-lockdown and lockdown period. Improvement of ambient air quality was also observed considering the air quality index (AQI) during lockdown. The trend and volatility of two broad Indian stock market indices, SENSEX and NIFTY-50, were analyzed, and results showed that both the indices have recovered during the forty-day lockdown phase. The potential effects of the crisis on various sectors of Indian economy were assessed in this study, and a set of policy recommendations for these sectors were suggested.

scholarly journals Ground-Based MAX-DOAS Observations of Tropospheric NO2 and HCHO During COVID-19 Lockdown and Spring Festival Over Shanghai, China

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 488
Author(s):  
Aimon Tanvir ◽  
Zeeshan Javed ◽  
Zhu Jian ◽  
Sanbao Zhang ◽  
Muhammad Bilal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
Anthropogenic Activity ◽  
Hysplit Model ◽  
Vertical Column ◽  
Weekly Cycle ◽  
Spring Festival ◽  
Level 1 ◽  
Reduced Mobility ◽  
The Impact

Reduced mobility and less anthropogenic activity under special case circumstances over various parts of the world have pronounced effects on air quality. The objective of this study is to investigate the impact of reduced anthropogenic activity on air quality in the mega city of Shanghai, China. Observations from the highly sophisticated multi-axis differential optical absorption spectroscope (MAX-DOAS) instrument were used for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and formaldehyde (HCHO) column densities. In situ measurements for NO2, ozone (O3), particulate matter (PM2.5) and the air quality index (AQI) were also used. The concentration of trace gases in the atmosphere reduces significantly during annual Spring Festival holidays, whereby mobility is reduced and anthropogenic activities come to a halt. The COVID-19 lockdown during 2020 resulted in a considerable drop in vertical column densities (VCDs) of HCHO and NO2 during lockdown Level-1, which refers to strict lockdown, i.e., strict measures taken to reduce mobility (43% for NO2; 24% for HCHO), and lockdown Level-2, which refers to relaxed lockdown, i.e., when the mobility restrictions were relaxed somehow (20% for NO2; 22% for HCHO), compared with pre-lockdown days, as measured by the MAX-DOAS instrument. However, for 2019, a reduction in VCDs was found only during Level-1 (24% for NO2; 6.62% for HCHO), when the Spring Festival happened. The weekly cycle for NO2 and HCHO depicts no significant effect of weekends on the lockdown. After the start of the Spring Festival, the VCDs of NO2 and HCHO showed a decline for 2019 as well as 2020. Backward trajectories calculated using the Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model indicated more air masses coming from the sea after the Spring Festival for 2019 and 2020, implying that a low pollutant load was carried by them. No impact of anthropogenic activity was found on O3 concentration. The results indicate that the ratio of HCHO to NO2 (RFN) fell in the volatile organic compound (VOC)-limited regime.

scholarly journals COVID-19 Pandemic: A Global Disaster

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-8
Author(s):  
Solomon Arigwe Joseph ◽  
Abuhuraira Ado Musa ◽  
Faisal Muhammad ◽  
Tijjani Muhammad Ahmad
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
World Health Organization ◽  
Signs And Symptoms ◽  
Viral Disease ◽  
Hubei Province ◽  
Public Health Emergency ◽  
World Health ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Health Organization

People began to become ill in late December 2019 in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, and the illness was revealed to be a kind of pneumonia with unusual signs and symptoms. It was eventually discovered as a novel coronavirus, a virus that causes widespread sickness in animals and birds. World Health Organization (WHO) named this new viral disease coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern in January 2020.

scholarly journals Emerging Viral Disease and Orthopaedic Surgeons: COVID-19 PANDEMIC

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 121-132
Author(s):  
E.O. Edomwonyi ◽  
U.E. Anyaehie ◽  
J.E. Onuminya
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Preventive Measures ◽  
Viral Disease ◽  
Current Treatment ◽  
Economic Implications ◽  
Orthopaedic Practice ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Made In

Background: COVID-19 is caused by novel Coronavirus Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Corona Virus (SARS-Cov-2). It is purported to have originated from bat in Wuhan province of China in December, 2019. The epidemic spreads rapidly, reaching a pandemic proportion in January, 2020. The economic implications of the pandemic and burden on health care are enormous. We, therefore, review the impact of this disease to orthopaedic practice.Methods: A comprehensive review of the literature, using suitable keywords, such as COVID -19, viral disease, orthopaedic surgery, on the search engines of PUBMED, Google Scholar and SCOPUS in June 2020.Results: The current treatment of COVID-19 is largely supportive. Lockdown, social distancing, are among many social preventive measures that had been adopted in an attempt to halt the spread of this disease. These Social adjustments, are achieving remarkable results. Intensive monitoring is key. Profound modifications had been made in all spheres of orthopaedic practice, suspending elective surgical cases and modifying the handling of inpatients and outpatients.Conclusions: Globally, orthopaedic practice has been altered in elaborate terms, to accommodate peculiarities of this emerging viral disease, COVID-19. Whilst not neglecting the needs of our patients who depend on us for due care, strict precautions have been adopted to protect patients and health care workers or halt the spread of the disease. Key words: COVID-19, pandemic, orthopaedic surgeon

Medical tourism in the COVID-19 era: opportunities, challenges and the way ahead

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Arvind Chhabra ◽  
Mehak Munjal ◽  
Prabhu Chandra Mishra ◽  
Kritika Singh ◽  
Debjanee Das ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medical Tourism ◽  
Healthcare Industry ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Indian Government ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Technological Advances ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe novel coronavirus has not only caused significant illness and loss of life, it has caused major disruption at local, national and global levels. While the healthcare industry is experiencing growth during the pandemic, disruption to travel has affected medical tourism. This article considers the short-term factors affecting medical tourism and how they could be mitigated by incorporating technological advances to secure long-term growth.Design/methodology/approachThe study examines data provided by the Indian government as well as from non-government sources available in the public domain to review the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on medical tourism. The authors also examine data on technological advances in the healthcare industry that could help to reduce the impact of the pandemic.FindingsThis study’s findings show that while in-person services have been seriously impacted in the short term, technological adaptation of medical services to facilitate remote medical consultation has significantly increased. This has enlarged the business opportunities available to hospitals and general practitioners, and it could be leveraged to enhance medical tourism.Originality/valueThe article provides an analysis of the impact of the pandemic on medical tourism and how technology could be used to overcome short-term negative impacts and support longer-term development.

Psychosocial Impacts of COVID-19 among University Students in Uruguay

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tianna Loose ◽  
Alejandro Vásquez-Echeverría
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
University Students ◽  
Sleep Disturbances ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
School Closures ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
The University ◽  
The Impact

The novel coronavirus has taken a catastrophic toll worldwide on physical and mental health. We focused on the psychosocial impact among students in Uruguay, a country relatively protected from the pandemic. Our study had three main aims : 1) describe in detail the impact among university students, 2) identify relationships between different dimensions and 3) highlight the factors determinant of mental distress. We designed a multi-dimensional questionnaire to investigate the perceived impact on the lives of students. The questionnaire was administered to 144 undergraduates in Uruguay online while the university was closed. 38-66% of students indicated increases in signs of anxiety, depression or sleep disturbances. Independently of other related factors, increases in substance use, impairments in social relationships, negative impacts of school closures, and personal economic worries explained 41% of variance in psychological distress. Findings are discussed in terms of policies for public health and future directions for research on mental health.

scholarly journals Monitoring the Impact of Air Quality on the COVID-19 Fatalities in Delhi, India: Using Machine Learning Techniques

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Jasleen Kaur Sethi ◽  
Mamta Mittal
Keyword(s):  
Machine Learning ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Air Pollutants ◽  
Machine Learning Techniques ◽  
Environmental Restoration ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Ozone Pollution ◽  
Learning Techniques ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACT Objective: The focus of this study is to monitor the effect of lockdown on the various air pollutants due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and identify the ones that affect COVID-19 fatalities so that measures to control the pollution could be enforced. Methods: Various machine learning techniques: Decision Trees, Linear Regression, and Random Forest have been applied to correlate air pollutants and COVID-19 fatalities in Delhi. Furthermore, a comparison between the concentration of various air pollutants and the air quality index during the lockdown period and last two years, 2018 and 2019, has been presented. Results: From the experimental work, it has been observed that the pollutants ozone and toluene have increased during the lockdown period. It has also been deduced that the pollutants that may impact the mortalities due to COVID-19 are ozone, NH3, NO2, and PM10. Conclusions: The novel coronavirus has led to environmental restoration due to lockdown. However, there is a need to impose measures to control ozone pollution, as there has been a significant increase in its concentration and it also impacts the COVID-19 mortality rate.

scholarly journals COVID-19 in Africa: The cost of perceived low incidence rates

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 050-054
Author(s):  
David Olufemi Adesanya ◽  
Precious Chidozie Azubuike
Keyword(s):  
Viral Disease ◽  
Information Management System ◽  
Incidence Rates ◽  
The Novel ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Low Incidence ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
The Cost ◽  
The Impact

COVID-19 is a viral disease caused by the novel coronavirus and has hit many countries of the world heavily. The impact of COVID-19 in Africa, is contrary to the experts and professional predictions. Most African have very poor healthcare systems, water supply, sanitary environment and other factors that are requisite to combating the spread of the virus. Reports on COVID-19 incidence from Africa may not be a true reflection of the actual situation. The poor health information management system predominant in most African countries and the inability to carry out effective testing for cases could be responsible for this reported low incidence rates. The implications of perceived low incidence constitute a burden to governments of nations, health care workers, educational and other institutions, communities, women and girls; as well as members of the population. As the virus spreads across Africa, there is a need to improve active case finding and report same to enable effective planning and resource mobilization towards containing the spread of the virus.

scholarly journals IMPACT OF COVID-19 EVENT ON AIR POLLUTANTS OF PM2.5 AND PM10 IN JAKARTA, INDONESIA

2021 ◽  
Vol 56 (4) ◽  
pp. 117-140
Author(s):  
Nora Idiawati ◽  
Sepridawati Siregar
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Capital City ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Air Pollution Control ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Two Cities ◽  
Pm2.5 And Pm10 ◽  
The Impact

As the capital city of Indonesia, the Province of Jakarta encounter a problem seriously of decreasing air quality. This study analyzes the air quality of two cities in Jakarta Province, Central Jakarta and South Jakarta, from March to June 2016–2020, and the impact of COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control actions on air quality. The combined air quality index (AQI) for two cities from 2016–2019, in the wet season, indicated that it has the lowest AQI with an average of 79, and the highest AQI occurred in the dry season with averaged 118. The distribution of the six AQI classes for two cities in dry season were 2%, 24%, 63%, 11%, 0%, and 0%, and in wet season, they were 10%, 48%, 39%, 3%, 0%, and 0%, respectively. The concentrations for PM2.5 and PM10 in March, April, May, and June 2016–2019 and those for 2020 were also analyzed in this study. Based on the data from the two cities, during March, April, May, and June 2020, the average PM2.5 decreased by 23.6%, 39.5%, 41.5%, and 13.3%, respectively, and the average PM10 decreased by 22.2%, 29.9%, 36.9%, and 29.8%, respectively, compared with that in March, April, May, and June 2016–2019. It is obvious that air quality greatly improved during the COVID-19 epidemic. This study presents beneficial information to policymakers for developing scientific air pollution control strategies and is a useful reference for future research in improving urban air quality.

scholarly journals ANALYSIS OF POTENTIAL EMPLOYMENT CONSEQUENCES ASSOCIATED WITH THE NOVEL CORONAVIRUS: CASE OF KUWAIT

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dušana Alshatti Schmidt ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Labor Markets ◽  
International Institutions ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Crucial Importance ◽  
Economic Activities ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Future Growth

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak has already left a mark on the economic activities and labor markets in both advanced and developing countries. While the impacts on the economy vary considerably, the oil dependent economies have been hit harder. Along with the impact of the pandemic disease, they have been contending with a major collapse in oil prices. Kuwait is the world’s seventh largest exporter of oil. Falling oil demand might affect the future growth of Kuwait’s economy in the long run, and if the crisis continues, possibility to provide employment opportunities will be challenged. The aim of this paper is to analyze potential pandemic’s impact on employment in Kuwait in comparison with the financial crisis from 2008-2009, what is of crucial importance for the businesses in the region to understand. The paper is based on a systematic review of the secondary data gathered by international institutions.

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