scholarly journals Recommencement of Sport Leagues With Spectators at the Adelaide Oval During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Planning, Experience, and Impact of a Globally Unprecedented Approach

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joel Ern Zher Chan ◽  
Angela Lee ◽  
Chris Lease ◽  
Nicola Spurrier
Keyword(s):  
Treatment Options ◽  
Herd Immunity ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Sporting Events ◽  
Mega Events ◽  
Governmental Agencies ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
Public Health Authorities ◽  
Spectator Attendance

Non-pharmaceutical interventions including physical distancing and restriction on public gatherings were the cornerstone in controlling the COVID-19 pandemic, in the absence of effective vaccines and available treatment options. Many sport mega-events and sport leagues were canceled or indefinitely postponed, leaving stadiums globally empty or converted to be used as part of the COVID-19 response. There were calls for exit strategies to be developed. With the early containment of COVID-19 in South Australia, various restrictions were lifted in a staged and controlled manner, including the reopening of the Adelaide Oval for recommencement of sport leagues with spectator attendance. This involved the collaboration between public health authorities, other governmental agencies, Adelaide Oval Stadium Management Authority, various sporting leagues etc. Recommencement of sport leagues with staged increase in number of attending spectators allowed various measures to be introduced, revisited, and implemented accordingly, demonstrating that a case-by-case risk assessment can be conducted for mega-events during COVID-19, accounting for the epidemiological context at the time. Economic impacts and non-economic benefits of this recommencement were documented. This globally unprecedented, staged and controlled approach in returning spectators to sporting events during the COVID-19 pandemic could inform the reopening strategy of stadiums, recommencement of sport leagues and mega-events all over the world before herd immunity is achieved or in the event of future outbreaks.

scholarly journals SARS-CoV-2 and Coronavirus Disease 2019: What We Know So Far

Pathogens ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 231 ◽  
Author(s):  
Firas A. Rabi ◽  
Mazhar S. Al Zoubi ◽  
Ghena A. Kasasbeh ◽  
Dunia M. Salameh ◽  
Amjad D. Al-Nasser
Keyword(s):  
Vaccine Development ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Clinical Criteria ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
Close Relationship ◽  
Public Health Authorities ◽  
Molecular Information ◽  
Novel Coronavirus

In December 2019, a cluster of fatal pneumonia cases presented in Wuhan, China. They were caused by a previously unknown coronavirus. All patients had been associated with the Wuhan Wholefood market, where seafood and live animals are sold. The virus spread rapidly and public health authorities in China initiated a containment effort. However, by that time, travelers had carried the virus to many countries, sparking memories of the previous coronavirus epidemics, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), and causing widespread media attention and panic. Based on clinical criteria and available serological and molecular information, the new disease was called coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19), and the novel coronavirus was called SARS Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), emphasizing its close relationship to the 2002 SARS virus (SARS-CoV). The scientific community raced to uncover the origin of the virus, understand the pathogenesis of the disease, develop treatment options, define the risk factors, and work on vaccine development. Here we present a summary of current knowledge regarding the novel coronavirus and the disease it causes.

scholarly journals Retarded Logistic Equation as a Universal Dynamic Model for the Spread of COVID-19

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
B Shayak ◽  
Mohit M Sharma
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Dynamic Model ◽  
Herd Immunity ◽  
Logistic Equation ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Health Measures ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
City District ◽  
Public Health Authorities

ABSTRACTIn this work we propose the retarded logistic equation as a dynamic model for the spread of COVID-19 all over the world. This equation accounts for asymptomatic transmission, pre-symptomatic or latent transmission as well as contact tracing and isolation, and leads to a transparent definition of the instantaneous reproduction number R. For different parameter values, the model equation admits different classes of solutions. These solution classes correspond to, inter alia, containment of the outbreak via public health measures, exponential growth despite public health measures, containment despite reopening and second wave following reopening. We believe that the spread of COVID in every localized area such as a city, district or county can be accounted for by one of our solution classes. In regions where R > 1 initially despite aggressive epidemic management efforts, we find that if the mitigation measures are sustained, then it is still possible for R to dip below unity when far less than the region’s entire population is affected, and from that point onwards the outbreak can be driven to extinction in time. We call this phenomenon partial herd immunity. Our analysis indicates that COVID-19 is an extremely vicious and unpredictable disease which poses unique challenges for public health authorities, on account of which “case races” among various countries and states do not serve any purpose and present delusive appearances while ignoring significant determinants.

scholarly journals The Comprehensive Appraisal of COVID-19: Its’ Clinical Panorama from Virology till Management and Beyond

Coronaviruses ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-72
Author(s):  
Iftikhar Haider Naqvi ◽  
Saiyeda Nayema Zehra Rizvi
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
World Health ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
The World ◽  
Public Health Authorities ◽  
Public Health Challenge ◽  
Uncertain Future ◽  
Health Organization

Severe acute respiratory syndrome, caused by SARS-CoV-2 disease (COVID-19), was first reported in China, and has laid the entire globe at a standstill, with an uncertain future, and a possible economic disaster. The World Health Organization (WHO), on March 11th 2020, avowed COVID-19 a pandemic considering its global pervasiveness. The multi-dimensional challenges include the combat with present available treatment options while simultaneously hastening scientific research for the development of definitive therapeutics and vaccine for this pandemic. The research advancement related to earlier epidemics of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) by the same coronavirus family provides the understanding of basic and clinical virology, pathogenesis and therapeutics of SARS-CoV-2. The dearth of definitive therapeutics and vaccine renders COVID-19 pandemic a public health challenge globally. This comprehensive review of virology, pathogenesis, and management will abet quarters of public health authorities and medical fraternity to better understand COVID-19.

scholarly journals Users’ Beliefs Toward Physical Distancing in Facebook Pages of Public Health Authorities During COVID-19 Pandemic in Early 2020

2021 ◽  
pp. 109019812110144
Author(s):  
Soon Guan Tan ◽  
Aravind Sesagiri Raamkumar ◽  
Hwee Lin Wee
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Belief Model ◽  
United States Public Health ◽  
Health Belief ◽  
The United States ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
Public Health Authorities ◽  
Control And Prevention ◽  
Belief Model ◽  
The Health Belief Model

This study aims to describe Facebook users’ beliefs toward physical distancing measures implemented during the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic using the key constructs of the health belief model. A combination of rule-based filtering and manual classification methods was used to classify user comments on COVID-19 Facebook posts of three public health authorities: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the United States, Public Health England, and Ministry of Health, Singapore. A total of 104,304 comments were analyzed for posts published between 1 January, 2020, and 31 March, 2020, along with COVID-19 cases and deaths count data from the three countries. Findings indicate that the perceived benefits of physical distancing measures ( n = 3,463; 3.3%) was three times higher than perceived barriers ( n = 1,062; 1.0%). Perceived susceptibility to COVID-19 ( n = 2,934; 2.8%) was higher compared with perceived severity ( n = 2,081; 2.0%). Although susceptibility aspects of physical distancing were discussed more often at the start of the year, mentions on the benefits of intervention emerged stronger toward the end of the analysis period, highlighting the shift in beliefs. The health belief model is useful for understanding Facebook users’ beliefs at a basic level, and it provides a scope for further improvement.

scholarly journals Fueling the Covid-19 pandemic: summer school holidays and incidence rates in German districts

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Plümper ◽  
Eric Neumayer
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Summer School ◽  
Incidence Rates ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Robert Koch Institute ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Holiday Period ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
Public Health Authorities

AbstractBackgroundThe Robert-Koch-Institute reports that during the summer holiday period a foreign country is stated as the most likely place of infection for an average of 27 and a maximum of 49% of new SARS-CoV-2 infections in Germany.MethodsCross-sectional study on observational data. In Germany, summer school holidays are coordinated between states and spread out over 13 weeks. Employing a dynamic model with district fixed effects, we analyze the association between these holidays and weekly incidence rates across 401 German districts.ResultsWe find effects of the holiday period of around 45% of the average district incidence rates in Germany during their respective final week of holidays and the 2 weeks after holidays end. Western states tend to experience stronger effects than Eastern states. We also find statistically significant interaction effects of school holidays with per capita taxable income and the share of foreign residents in a district’s population.ConclusionsOur results suggest that changed behavior during the holiday season accelerated the pandemic and made it considerably more difficult for public health authorities to contain the spread of the virus by means of contact tracing. Germany’s public health authorities did not prepare adequately for this acceleration.

scholarly journals EHEC O111:H8 strain and norovirus GII.4 Sydney [P16] causing an outbreak in a daycare center, Brazil, 2019

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Liliana Cruz Spano ◽  
Caroline Gastaldi Guerrieri ◽  
Lays Paula Bondi Volpini ◽  
Ricardo Pinto Schuenck ◽  
Jaqueline Pegoretti Goulart ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Southeastern Brazil ◽  
Viral Pathogens ◽  
Daycare Center ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
Single Locus Variant ◽  
Public Health Authorities ◽  
Uremic Syndrome ◽  
Norovirus Gii ◽  
Relationship Of

Abstract Background This study describes the investigation of an outbreak of diarrhea, hemorrhagic colitis (HC), and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) at a daycare center in southeastern Brazil, involving fourteen children, six staff members, six family members, and one nurse. All bacterial and viral pathogens detected were genetically characterized. Results Two isolates of a strain of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) serotype O111:H8 were recovered, one implicated in a case of HUS and the other in a case of uncomplicated diarrhea. These isolates had a clonal relationship of 94% and carried the stx2a and eae virulence genes and the OI-122 pathogenicity island. The EHEC strain was determined to be a single-locus variant of sequence type (ST) 327. EHEC isolates were resistant to ofloxacin, doxycycline, tetracycline, ampicillin, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and intermediately resistant to levofloxacin and ciprofloxacin. Rotavirus was not detected in any samples, and norovirus was detected in 46.7% (14/30) of the stool samples, three of which were from asymptomatic staff members. The noroviruses were classified as the recombinant GII.4 Sydney [P16] by gene sequencing. Conclusion In this outbreak, it was possible to identify an uncommon stx2a + EHEC O111:H8 strain, and the most recent pandemic norovirus strain GII.4 Sydney [P16]. Our findings reinforce the need for surveillance and diagnosis of multiple enteric pathogens by public health authorities, especially during outbreaks.

scholarly journals The effect of COVID19 pandemic restrictions on an urban rodent population

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Miguel A. Bedoya-Pérez ◽  
Michael P. Ward ◽  
Max Loomes ◽  
Iain S. McGregor ◽  
Mathew S. Crowther
Keyword(s):  
Binary Data ◽  
Sampling Interval ◽  
Resource Scarcity ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Directional Change ◽  
Public Health Authorities ◽  
Bait Stations ◽  
Rodent Populations ◽  
The City

AbstractShortly after the enactment of restrictions aimed at limiting the spread of COVID-19, various local government and public health authorities around the world reported an increased sighting of rats. Such reports have yet to be empirically validated. Here we combined data from multi-catch rodent stations (providing data on rodent captures), rodent bait stations (providing data on rodent activity) and residents’ complaints to explore the effects of a six week lockdown period on rodent populations within the City of Sydney, Australia. The sampling interval encompassed October 2019 to July 2020 with lockdown defined as the interval from April 1st to May 15th, 2020. Rodent captures and activity (visits to bait stations) were stable prior to lockdown. Captures showed a rapid increase and then decline during the lockdown, while rodent visits to bait stations declined throughout this period. There were no changes in the frequency of complaints during lockdown relative to before and after lockdown. There was a non-directional change in the geographical distribution of indices of rodent abundance suggesting that rodents redistributed in response to resource scarcity. We hypothesize that lockdown measures initially resulted in increased rodent captures due to sudden shortage of human-derived food resources. Rodent visits to bait stations might not show this pattern due to the nature of the binary data collected, namely the presence or absence of a visit. Relocation of bait stations driven by pest management goals may also have affected the detection of any directional spatial effect. We conclude that the onset of COVID-19 may have disrupted commensal rodent populations, with possible implications for the future management of these ubiquitous urban indicator species.

scholarly journals Indoor Environmental Quality in Dwellings and Lifestyle Behaviors during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Russian Perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (11) ◽  
pp. 5975
Author(s):  
Vladimir Reshetnikov ◽  
Oleg Mitrokhin ◽  
Elena Belova ◽  
Victor Mikhailovsky ◽  
Maria Mikerova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Environmental Quality ◽  
Indoor Environmental Quality ◽  
Lifestyle Behaviors ◽  
Contagious Diseases ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
Public Health Authorities ◽  
Isolation Index ◽  
Novel Coronavirus

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak is a public health emergency of international concern, and as a response, public health authorities started enforcing preventive measures like self-isolation and social distancing. The enforcement of isolation has consequences that may affect the lifestyle-related behavior of the general population. Quarantine encompasses a range of strategies that can be used to detain, isolate, or conditionally release individuals or populations infected or exposed to contagious diseases and should be tailored to circumstances. Interestingly, medical students may represent an example of how the COVID-19 pandemic can form new habits and change lifestyle behaviors. We conducted a web-based survey to assess changes in lifestyle-related behavior of self-isolated medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Then we analyzed the sanitary-hygienic regulations of the Russian Federation to determine the requirements for healthy buildings. Results showed that during the pandemic, the enforcement of isolation affects medical students’ lifestyle-related behavior and accompanies an increase in non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Indoor environmental quality (IEQ) and healthy buildings are cutting-edge factors in preventing COVID-19 and NCDs. The Russian sanitary-hygienic regulations support improving this factor with suitable requirements for ventilation, sewage, waste management, and disinfection. Herein, assessing isolation is possible through the hygienic self-isolation index.

Preparedness and response in Portuguese emergency plans - Interaction with public health

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
G Leiras ◽  
A Martins
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Authority ◽  
Civil Protection ◽  
Emergency Plans ◽  
Emergency Situations ◽  
Health Measures ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
Public Health Authorities ◽  
Protection Authority

Abstract Background Articulation between Civil Protection and Public Health authorities is of paramount importance to control, reduce and prevent threats to the health of the population in situations of crisis or catastrophes. National Civil Protection Authority produces Emergency Plans which describe the role of every stakeholder in emergency situations. Role and importance of Public Health and Public Health Authorities is not always present or well described and known amongst stakeholders. Methods Data was collected from all Districtal Emergency Plans (n = 18). Each document was analysed considering time frame, refences to Public Health and Health Authorities, definition of roles, communication channels, coordination and inclusion of intersectoral communication flow. Quantitative analysis included absolute and relative frequencies and qualitative analysis to all parts related to the terms “Public Health” and “Health Authority”. Each document was reviewed by 2 independent researchers. Results From 18 Districtal Emergency Plans (DEP) analysed, 94,4% (n = 17) had references to Public Health, but none referred the role of Public Health Officers. Only 16,7% referred to Health Authorities, although 94,4% mentioned the law 135/2013, defining the role and attributes of Health Authority. In 72,2%, coordination of Public Health Measures was attributed to the National Medical Emergency Institute. Epidemiological surveillance and Public Health Emergencies were referred in 55,6%, and attributed to the Regional Administration of Health. Conclusions Public Health Authorities and Public Health Medical Officers role in articulation with National Civil Protection Authority in emergency situations lacks severely, with this role being replaced by other entities. This is of great concern regarding management and control of diseases, particularly communicable diseases. Key messages Public Health Authorities lack the necessary involvement in Emergency Plans and emergency situations. Public health measures are coordinated by other entities rather than Public Health Authorities.

scholarly journals XarxaSalut, network of municipalities for health, Valencia Region (Spain): policy process evaluation

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
R Peiró Pérez ◽  
E Pérez Sanz ◽  
E Legaz Sanchez ◽  
J Quiles Izquierdo ◽  
Grupo XarxaSalut
Keyword(s):  
Process Evaluation ◽  
Citizen Participation ◽  
Policy Process ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Common Language ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
Open Questions ◽  
Economic Support ◽  
Public Health Authorities ◽  
The Impact

Abstract “XarxaSalut” started in 2017, with the municipalities that have taken the commitment to boost the Promotion of Health (HP) at the local level through community participation, intersectorality and equity perspective. The objective is to present a policy process evaluation (2'5 years) of the implementation of XarxaSalut. Different approaches have been used; a questionnaire addressed to the municipalities at the time of adhesion including data on intersectorality, participation, HP actions and open questions; description of instruments that Regional Public Health Authorities (RPHA) has mobilized and an analysis of barriers and strengths made by the coordination office. In 2017, 17 municipalities were joined, being 197 in February 2020 (70% of the population). 65% are in a process of an organizational change through the intersectoral, decision making and participative working group. 35% are doing analysis of determinants and /or health situation, assets maps and a prioritization of HP actions. The main barriers identified by municipalities are lack of economic and personal resources, and difficulties in achieve citizen participation. The main benefits were the optimization of resources, the exchange of experiences, training, or economic support from the RPHA. Some support instruments develop for RPHA are a collection of guides for community development, funds that the municipalities can apply to support actions related with training, HP action on vulnerable population, on asset maps, participation processes, vulnerable neighborhoods, etc.; Community actions have been included in the “Health Observatory” to give visibility and social support to XarxaSalut. Interdisciplinary training processes with health and municipal professionals have been made in order to develop a common language and strength the competences for HP. Lesson learned: The need to improve coordination and a common language between different types of participants and professionals Key messages The decision makers and professionals in the municipalities understand the impact in health of the policies developed at local level but needs guide and support to deal with it. The coordination between different administrations and primary health at local level and the misunderstandings about health and their determinants are the main aspect to reinforce.

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