scholarly journals COVID 19 and Nepal: Identification of Critical Public Health Measures

2020 ◽  
Vol 58 (225) ◽  
Author(s):  
Harish Chandra Neupane ◽  
Niki Shrestha ◽  
Shital Adhikari ◽  
Basanta Gauli
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Critical Mass ◽  
Rapid Response Team ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Infection Prevention And Control ◽  
Response Team ◽  
National Public Health ◽  
Engagement Interventions ◽  
Critical Public Health

The COVID-19 pandemic is unfolding at an unprecedented pace. The unprecedented threat providesan opportunity to emerge with robust health systems. Nepal has implemented several containmentmeasures such as Rapid Response Team formulation; testing; isolation; quarantine; contact tracing;surveillance, establishment of COVID-19 Crisis Management Centre and designation of dedicatedhospitals to gear up for the pandemic. The national public health emergency managementmechanisms need further strengthening with the proactive engagement of relevant ministries; weneed a strong, real-time national surveillance system and capacity building of a critical mass of healthcare workers; there is a need to further assess infection prevention and control capacity; expandthe network of virus diagnostic laboratories in the private sector with adequate surge capacity;implement participatory community engagement interventions and plan for a phased lockdownexit strategy enabling sustainable suppression of transmission at low-level and enabling in resumingsome parts of economic and social life.

scholarly journals Challenges in Public Health Rapid Response Team Management

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (S1) ◽  
pp. S-8-S-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashley L. Greiner ◽  
Tasha Stehling-Ariza ◽  
Dante Bugli ◽  
Adela Hoffman ◽  
Coralie Giese ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Rapid Response Team ◽  
Rapid Response ◽  
Team Management ◽  
Response Team

scholarly journals Six scenarios of non-medical interventions in the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Kempf
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Public Health Care ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Decision Space ◽  
Medical Interventions ◽  
Population Immunity ◽  
High Death ◽  
Care Capacity ◽  
Critical Public Health

We investigate six scenarios spanning main parts of the decision space of non-medical interventions against the CoV-2 epidemic in Germany. Based on the notion of interventions-lifting we classify and evaluate the scenarios by five attributes (indicators): amount of interventions-lifting, death numbers, Public Health Care capacity, population immunity, peak dates of infections. For quantitative reasoning we use a simulated modified SEIR-model calibrated with actual data. We identify margins for intervention-liftings wrt. 13.05.2020 and discuss the relation to the effective reproduction number with a 6d-generation time. We show that, in order to constrain death numbers comparable to a strong Influenza epidemic, there is only a small corridor of 16% of possible liftings, with an additional 4% margin contributed by automated contact tracing. We show also that there is a much broader corridor of 50%+18%, though not overloading critical Public Health Care capacity, implying high death numbers.

scholarly journals COVID-19 Among African Americans: An Action Plan for Mitigating Disparities

2020 ◽  
pp. e1-e7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monica E. Peek ◽  
Russell A. Simons ◽  
William F. Parker ◽  
David A. Ansell ◽  
Selwyn O. Rogers ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
African Americans ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
Rapid Response Team ◽  
The United States ◽  
Racial Groups ◽  
Structural Racism ◽  
Response Team ◽  
Systems Collaboration ◽  
Media Reports

As the COVID-19 pandemic has unfolded across the United States, troubling disparities in mortality have emerged between different racial groups, particularly African Americans and Whites. Media reports, a growing body of COVID-19-related literature, and long-standing knowledge of structural racism and its myriad effects on the African American community provide important lenses for understanding and addressing these disparities. However, troubling gaps in knowledge remain, as does a need to act. Using the best available evidence, we present risk- and place-based recommendations for how to effectively address these disparities in the areas of data collection, COVID-19 exposure and testing, health systems collaboration, human capital repurposing, and scarce resource allocation. Our recommendations are supported by an analysis of relevant bioethical principles and public health practices. Additionally, we provide information on the efforts of Chicago, Illinois’ mayoral Racial Equity Rapid Response Team to reduce these disparities in a major urban US setting. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print December 22, 2020: e1–e7. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2020.305990 )

Designing Better Exposure Notification Apps: The Role of Persuasive Design (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kiemute Oyibo ◽  
Plinio Pelegrini Morita
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Critical Mass ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
Privacy Concerns ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Motivational Design ◽  
The Government

UNSTRUCTURED Digital contact tracing apps have been deployed worldwide to limit the spread of COVID-19 during this pandemic and to facilitate the lifting of public health restrictions. However, the apps are yet to be widely adopted and require a critical mass of users to be successful. Privacy concerns aside, the minimalist and non-motivational design of the contact tracing apps have been identified as key factors that contribute to low uptake. Using the Government of Canada’s exposure notification app, COVID Alert, as a case study, we demonstrated how incorporating persuasive features in contract tracing apps may improve uptake, usage, reporting diagnosis, and compliance with social distancing guidelines.

scholarly journals Characteristics of Lassa Fever Outbreak in Ondo State, Nigeria, Year 2019

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 115-125
Author(s):  
Adaora Rosemary Ejikeme ◽  
Lois Olajide ◽  
Sola Sunday Thomas ◽  
Chimezie Anueyiagu ◽  
Gbetsere Aghogho ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Case Fatality ◽  
Rapid Response Team ◽  
Lassa Fever ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Suspected Case ◽  
Female Ratio ◽  
Emergency Operations Center ◽  
Response Team ◽  
Ondo State

Background: Lassa fever (LF) is an acute viral haemorrhagic illness of a 2–21-day incubation period that occurs in West Africa. It is endemic in Nigeria and peaks during the first 12 weeks of the year. On January 22, 2019, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) declared an outbreak of LF following an upsurge of LF cases in the country. A total of 213 confirmed cases including 41 deaths were reported from sixteen states including Ondo State. A multi-sectoral national rapid-response-team (RRT) was deployed to Ondo State to characterise the outbreak, assess its determinants, and institute control measures. Methods: An Emergency Operations Center (EOC) was activated to coordinate activities. We defined a suspected case as anyone with one or more of the following symptoms: malaise, fever, headache, sore throat, cough, vomiting and either history of contact with rodents, or a probable or confirmed LF case in the past 21 days, or any person with inexplicable bleeding between January 1, 2019, to February 26, 2019, in Ondo State. A confirmed case was any suspected case with laboratory confirmation. We conducted active case search, collected data using the LF case investigation form and reviewed the existing line list. We conducted contact tracing in hospitals and affected Local Government Areas (LGA). Data was analysed using and Epi info 7.0. Results: We identified 287 LF suspected cases in 6 LGAs; 118 were confirmed with 21 deaths (case fatality rate: 17.8%). The mean age was 39.2 ±20 years with a male-to-female ratio of 1.3:1. Of the 1,269 contacts line-listed, 20 became symptomatic, while 14 (70.0%) were confirmed positive. The secondary attack rate was 1.1%. Conclusion: The confirmed cases were more of primary cases, hence the need to focus more on reducing rodent-to-human transmission of LF. We recommend continuous education on community and health facility infection prevention control, contact tracing and enforcement of environmental sanitation measures across the state to mitigate future outbreaks

scholarly journals Tracking the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia using genomics

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Torsten Seemann ◽  
Courtney Lane ◽  
Norelle Sherry ◽  
Sebastian Duchene ◽  
Anders Goncalves da Silva ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Genome Sequencing ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Genomic Diversity ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Internal Quality ◽  
Reproductive Number ◽  
Healthcare Facilities ◽  
Travel Restrictions ◽  
Response Team

BACKGROUND: Whole-genome sequencing of pathogens can improve resolution of outbreak clusters and define possible transmission networks. We applied high-throughput genome sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 to 75% of cases in the State of Victoria (population 6.24 million) in Australia. METHODS: Cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection were detected through active case finding and contact tracing. A dedicated SARS-CoV-2 multidisciplinary genomic response team was formed to enable rapid integration of epidemiological and genomic data. Phylodynamic analysis was performed to assess the putative impact of social restrictions. RESULTS: Between 25 January and 14 April 2020, 1,333 COVID-19 cases were reported in Victoria, with a peak in late March. After applying internal quality control parameters, 903 samples were included in genomic analyses. Sequenced samples from Australia were representative of the global diversity of SARS-CoV-2, consistent with epidemiological findings of multiple importations and limited onward transmission. In total, 76 distinct genomic clusters were identified; these included large clusters associated with social venues, healthcare facilities and cruise ships. Sequencing of sequential samples from 98 patients revealed minimal intra-patient SARS-CoV-2 genomic diversity. Phylodynamic modelling indicated a significant reduction in the effective viral reproductive number (Re) from 1.63 to 0.48 after the implementation of travel restrictions and population-level physical distancing. CONCLUSIONS: Our data provide a comprehensive framework for the use of SARS-CoV-2 genomics in public health responses. The application of genomics to rapidly identify SARS-CoV-2 transmission chains will become critically important as social restrictions ease globally. Public health responses to emergent cases must be swift, highly focused and effective.

scholarly journals Management of Outpatient Hemodialysis During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Recommendations From the Canadian Society of Nephrology COVID-19 Rapid Response Team

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 205435812093856
Author(s):  
Rita S. Suri ◽  
John E. Antonsen ◽  
Cheryl A. Banks ◽  
David A. Clark ◽  
Sara N. Davison ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Peer Review ◽  
Review Process ◽  
Peer Review Process ◽  
Rapid Response Team ◽  
Adverse Outcomes ◽  
Rapid Response ◽  
Canadian Society ◽  
Dialysis Unit ◽  
Response Team

Purpose: To collate best practice recommendations on the management of patients receiving in-center hemodialysis during the COVID-19 pandemic, based on published reports and current public health advice, while considering ethical principles and the unique circumstances of Canadian hemodialysis units across the country. Sources of information: The workgroup members used Internet search engines to retrieve documents from provincial and local hemodialysis programs; provincial public health agencies; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; webinars and slides from other kidney agencies; and nonreviewed preprints. PubMed was used to search for peer-reviewed published articles. Informal input was sought from knowledge users during a webinar. Methods: Challenges in the care of hemodialysis patients during the COVID-19 pandemic were highlighted within the Canadian Senior Renal Leaders Forum discussion group. The Canadian Society of Nephrology (CSN) developed the COVID-19 rapid response team (RRT) to address these challenges. They identified a pan-Canadian team of clinicians and administrators with expertise in hemodialysis to form the workgroup. One lead was chosen who drafted the initial document. Members of the workgroup reviewed and discussed all recommendations in detail during 2 virtual meetings on April 7 and April 9. Disagreements were resolved by consensus. The document was reviewed by the CSN COVID-19 RRT, an ethicist, an infection control expert, a community nephrologist, and a patient partner. Content was presented during an interactive webinar on April 11, 2020 attended by 269 kidney health professionals, and the webinar and first draft of the document were posted online. Final revisions were made based on feedback received until April 13, 2020. CJKHD editors reviewed the parallel process peer review and edited the manuscript for clarity. Key findings: Recommendations were made under the following themes: (1) Identification of patients with COVID-19 in the dialysis unit, (2) hemodialysis of patients with confirmed COVID-19, (3) hemodialysis of patients not yet known to have COVID-19, (4) visitors; (5) testing for COVID-19 in the dialysis unit; (6) resuscitation, (6) routine hemodialysis care, (7) hemodialysis care under fixed dialysis resources. Limitations: Because of limitations of time and resources, and the large number of questions, formal systematic review was not undertaken. The recommendations are based on expert opinion and subject to bias. The parallel review process that was created may not be as robust as the standard peer review process. Implications: We hope that these recommendations provide guidance for dialysis unit directors, clinicians, and administrators on how to limit risk from infection and adverse outcomes, while providing necessary dialysis care in a setting of finite resources. We also identify a number of resource allocation priorities, which we hope will inform decisions at provincial funding agencies.

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