scholarly journals Millions of Bangladeshi Children Missed Their Scheduled Vaccination Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic

2022 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sayed Manzoor Ahmed Hanifi ◽  
Nujhat Jahan ◽  
Nazia Sultana ◽  
Sharif-Al Hasan ◽  
Ashish Paul ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Movement Control ◽  
Routine Vaccination ◽  
Vaccine Preventable Diseases ◽  
Number Of Children ◽  
The Government ◽  
Two Phases ◽  
Control Order ◽  
Expanded Program On Immunization ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Depth Interviews

The Government of Bangladesh imposed a movement control order as a mass quarantine strategy to control the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Adherence to the home quarantine may put children at risk by missing routine vaccination. In this study, we investigated the impact of COVID-19 on child routine immunization in a rural area of Bangladesh and consider the broader implications. Data for this study comes from the Chakaria Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) of icddr,b with a population of 90,000 people residing in 16,000 households in 49 villages in a rural, coastal area of Southeast Bangladesh. We used an explanatory sequential mixed methods design which involved two phases between March 1, 2020, and May 31, 2020: first, we observed 258 outreach sessions of 86 EPI centers. We calculated the number of Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) outreach sessions suspended and the number of children who missed their routine vaccination due to the COVID-19. We extrapolated the number of Bangladeshi children who missed their routine vaccination using Chakaria HDSS observations. Secondly, we conducted in-depth interviews to explain the quantitative results. The EPI outreach session (EOS) declined to 74.42% (95% CI 63.97–83.22), 10.45% (95% CI 5.00–18.94), and 3.45% (95% CI 1.00–9.75) from 2019 levels in March, April, and May 2020, respectively. By extrapolation, in Bangladesh, between March and May 2020, 3.2 million children missed their scheduled vaccination compared to 2019. Results from in-depth interviews showed that the unwillingness of villagers to hold EOS and the absenteeism of the vaccinators due to social distancing recommendations and lack of personal safety measures were the main reasons for the discontinuation of the EOS. Resuming EPI outreach sessions and introducing a special catch-up program is essential to prevent future outbreaks and deaths due to vaccine-preventable diseases in Bangladesh and the countries where children missed their routine vaccination due to COVID-19. This health system failure should be considered a factor in all future pandemic preparedness plans.

scholarly journals COVID-19 and Vaccination Campaigns as “Western Plots” in Pakistan: Government Policies, (Geo-)politics, Local Perceptions, and Beliefs

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Inayat Ali ◽  
Salma Sadique ◽  
Shahbaz Ali
Keyword(s):  
Routine Vaccination ◽  
Cultural Economic ◽  
Vaccination Programs ◽  
Vaccine Preventable Diseases ◽  
Multiple Context ◽  
Supplementary Immunization Activities ◽  
The Government ◽  
Context Specific ◽  
Vaccination Campaigns ◽  
The Impact

Vaccination encounters multiple context-specific challenges—socio-cultural, economic, and political—that substantially affect its uptake. Likewise, natural disasters and health emergencies considerably impact immunization endeavors, such as the coronaviurs 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic that has overwhelmed the entire world. It was already anticipated that the pandemic would severely affect Pakistan's vaccination programs due to interruptions in routine vaccination and the overstretching of healthcare systems. Consequently, there are anticipations of outbreaks of other vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs). Yet empirical evidence is missing. Drawing on qualitative research, this article focuses on the impact of COVID-19 on routine vaccination programs in Pakistan. Our data come from a small village located in Pakistan's Sindh province where local people refused the routine polio vaccine that was stopped for a while, then resumed in July 2020. They suspected both the vaccine and COVID-19 to be a “Western plot.” We argue that these perceptions and practices can be seen against the backdrop of economic, socio-cultural, and (geo)political forces, which are encoded in “societal memory.” Not only is there a need to reverse the significant impacts of COVID-19 on routine vaccination by arranging supplementary immunization activities (SIAs), but also the government must deal with other pressing issues that affect the vaccination programs in the country.

The Impact of Movement Control Order on Rural Livelihood in Malaysia

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 55
Author(s):  
Mohd Azren Hassan ◽  
Nur Atiqah Anuar Zabidi ◽  
Hidayati Ramli ◽  
Adam Aruldewan S. Muthuveeran ◽  
Yusfida Ayu Abdullah
Keyword(s):  
Rural Area ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Government Intervention ◽  
Movement Control ◽  
Financial Assets ◽  
Sustainable Livelihood ◽  
Substantial Impact ◽  
The Government ◽  
Control Order ◽  
The Impact

In 2020, the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) had a global impact on normal daily life. The Government of Malaysia officially declared the Movement Control Order (MCO), an official national lockdown, to reduce the virus’s spread. In the face of the unprecedented global health pandemic, Malaysia had struggled to protect its citizens’ welfare and livelihoods, particularly in the hardest-hit rural areas. Therefore, this study uses the sustainable livelihood approach (SLA) focusing on the aspect of financial assets and government intervention to enhance understanding on the vulnerability in rural area’s livelihood. Pasir Puteh, Kelantan was identified as the rural area for this study. The analysis was performed on a questionnaire survey based on convenience sampling of 62 respondents. Cross table analysis and a correlation test were used to examine the livelihood of the rural area concerning the financial assets, government intervention and vulnerability. The findings indicated that the MCO had a substantial impact on the rural area regarding the vulnerability toward the financial assets, such as employment status, job loss, increasing living costs, and an insufficient response to rural economic challenges. At the same time, there is no substantial government intervention in the welfare of rural areas. According to the results, the study concluded that the government should set up training courses to assist in the long-term recovery of rural areas due to the enforced lockdown, which has adversely affected rural livelihoods.

scholarly journals Measuring Time-Varying Effective Reproduction Numbers for COVID-19 and Their Relationship with Movement Control Order in Malaysia

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (6) ◽  
pp. 3273 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kamarul Imran Musa ◽  
Wan Nor Arifin ◽  
Mohd Hafiz Mohd ◽  
Mohammad Subhi Jamiluddin ◽  
Noor Atinah Ahmad ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Movement Control ◽  
Systems Science ◽  
Time Varying ◽  
Epidemic Curve ◽  
Johns Hopkins University ◽  
Reproduction Numbers ◽  
The Mean ◽  
The Government ◽  
Control Order ◽  
The Impact

To curb the spread of SARS-CoV-2 virus (COVID-19) in Malaysia, the government imposed a nationwide movement control order (MCO) from 18 March 2020 to 3 May 2020. It was enforced in four phases (i.e., MCO 1, MCO 2, MCO 3 and MCO 4). In this paper, we propose an initiative to assess the impact of MCO by using time-varying reproduction number (Rt). We used data from the Johns Hopkins University Centre for Systems Science and Engineering Coronavirus repository. Day 1 was taken from the first assumed local transmission of COVID-19. We estimated Rt by using the EpiEstim package and plotted the epidemic curve and Rt. Then, we extracted the mean Rt at day 1, day 5 and day 10 for all MCO phases and compared the differences. The Rt values peaked around day 43, which was shortly before the start of MCO 1. The means for Rt at day 1, day 5, and day 10 for all MCOs ranged between 0.665 and 1.147. The average Rt gradually decreased in MCO 1 and MCO 2. Although spikes in the number of confirmed cases were observed when restrictions were gradually relaxed in the later MCO phases, the situation remained under control with Rt values being stabilised to below unity level (Rt value less than one).

scholarly journals COVID 19: GOVERNMENT RESPONSES TO OIL PRICE

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (7) ◽  
pp. 01-19
Author(s):  
Chia-Guan Keh ◽  
Yan-Teng Tan ◽  
Siu-Eng Tang
Keyword(s):  
Global Economy ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Movement Control ◽  
Oil Prices ◽  
International Travel ◽  
Closing Price ◽  
Gas Market ◽  
The Government ◽  
Control Order ◽  
The Impact

The outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19) has aroused global interest and it had a significant impact on the global economy. The majority of the countries have implemented lockdown regulations and social distancing policies to prevent the spread of COVID-19, which has an unprecedented impact on the oil and gas market. Hence, this scenario motivated us to study how government responses aimed at banning the spread of COVID-19 affect oil prices? To answer this question, this study examines the Movement Control Order imposed by the government to responses the oil prices in Malaysia. The study emphasizes the period from the start of January 2020 to July 2020 when the coronavirus began spreading into Malaysia. We empirically investigate the impact of government responses on both BRENT and WTI’s oil prices. The findings report that the additional one-day stay at home requirements cause a reduction of 29% and 37% in the closing price for BRENT and WTI’s oil prices respectively. Workplace closing results in a 5.7% and 14.3% reduction in the closing price for BRENT and WTI correspondingly. In contrast, international travel controls, restrictions on gatherings, and debt or contract relief for households have a positive relationship with both oil prices of BRENT and WTI. The results of this study might assist the government and investors to understand the impact of Malaysia's government responses to COVID-19 on oil prices.

scholarly journals The Effect of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) Towards Consumer Social Well-Being in Malaysia

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zahrul Akmal Damin ◽  
◽  
Khairunesa Isa ◽  
Nor Shela Saleh ◽  
Muhaymin Hakim Abdullah ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Household Income ◽  
Good Condition ◽  
Movement Control ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Quality Of Life Scale ◽  
Life Scale ◽  
The Government ◽  
Control Order ◽  
The Impact

Responding to the unprecedented threat of Covid-19 to the life of all humanity, it were directly affect human mentally and physicaly. This outbreak consequences lead to human well-being being affected. To break this infection chain, the government has been announced to implement the Movement Control Order (MCO). This study try to identify the consumer social well-being during MCO and the impact of social well-being based on household income. A total of 340 consumers around Malaysia were randomly selected to participate in this survey. This survey used Flanagan Quality of Life Scale (1970) indicator to measure the consumer’s social well-being. The findings showed that the implementation of MCO made the aspect of consumers’ social well-being still in good condition because most respondents rated five (5) out of fifteen (15) items as mostly satisfied (scale 5) to their quality of time during the implementation of MCO. Meanwhile, household income did not affect the level of their social well-being because most of the respondents concerned more on human relationship rather than financial. Overall it can be said that human touch and the element of interaction between human have a significant impact to human social well-being.

scholarly journals Perception of the Movement Control Order during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study in Malaysia

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (16) ◽  
pp. 8778
Author(s):  
Yea Lu Tay ◽  
Zalilah Abdullah ◽  
Kalvina Chelladorai ◽  
Lee Lan Low ◽  
Seng Fah Tong
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Response ◽  
Public Perception ◽  
Movement Control ◽  
Risk Groups ◽  
Communication Strategy ◽  
Physical Interaction ◽  
Psychological States ◽  
The Public ◽  
Control Order ◽  
Depth Interviews

Malaysia implemented its first Movement Control Order (MCO) during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic to slow the transmission of the virus. This study aimed to explore the public perception of the MCO implementation and people’s experiences during this period. The study employed qualitative explorative in-depth interviews conducted with 23 Malaysian adults from various demographic backgrounds. Thematic analysis was performed using NVivo 12. Three main themes were identified: a period of information surge, heterogeneous emotional response, and attempts to adapt. During the MCO, the participants obtained information from multiple platforms. They suggested the need for clear and repeated instructions to avoid confusion and misinformation. They also acknowledged the importance of the MCO in breaking the chain of transmission and safeguarding high-risk groups; however, they also expressed that stricter enforcement from the authorities was warranted. The changes in the participants’ work–life routines, lack of physical interaction, and uncertainty about their health and the economy due to the MCO negatively impacted their psychological states. Despite these challenges, the participants attempted to adapt to life under the MCO in different ways. The findings imply that during a crisis, the public tends to seek clear and reliable information, experience emotional turmoil, and adapt to changes. The MCO implementation can be improved through an effective communication strategy and efforts to battle misinformation.

scholarly journals 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

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.

scholarly journals Situational Analysis for COVID-19: Estimating Transmission Dynamics in Malaysia using an SIR-Type Model with Neural Network Approach

2021 ◽  
Vol 50 (8) ◽  
pp. 2469-2478
Author(s):  
Mohammad Subhi Jamiluddin ◽  
Mohd Hafiz Mohd ◽  
Noor Atinah Ahmad ◽  
Kamarul Imran Musa
Keyword(s):  
Neural Network ◽  
Movement Control ◽  
Type Model ◽  
Situational Analysis ◽  
Neural Network Approach ◽  
Public Places ◽  
Major Health ◽  
The Government ◽  
Control Order ◽  
Network Approaches

COVID-19 is a major health threat across the globe, which causes severe acute respiratory syndrome, and it is highly contagious with significant morbidity and mortality. In this paper, we examine the feasibility and implications of several phases of Movement Control Order (MCO) and some non-pharmaceutical intervention (NPI) strategies implemented by Malaysian government in the year 2020 using a mathematical model with SIR-neural network approaches. It is observed that this model is able to mimic the trend of infection trajectories of COVID-19 pandemic and, Malaysia had succeeded to flatten the infection curve at the end of the Conditional MCO (CMCO) period. However, the signs of ‘flattening’ with R0 of less than one had been taken as a signal to ease up on some restrictions enforced before. Though the government has made compulsory the use of face masks in public places to control the spread of COVID-19, we observe a contrasting finding from our model with regards to the impacts of wearing mask policies in Malaysia on R0 and the infection curve. Additionally, other events such as the Sabah State Election at the end of third quarter of 2020 has also imposed a dramatic COVID-19 burden on the society and the healthcare systems.

scholarly journals The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Higher Education and Research: Learning from Experience and the Way Forward

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmad Bashawir Abdul Ghani ◽  
Nor Idayu Mahat ◽  
Mohd Faizal Omar ◽  
Shahbani Abu Bakar
Keyword(s):  
Negative Impact ◽  
Movement Control ◽  
Holistic Approach ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Work From Home ◽  
First Case ◽  
Face To Face Learning ◽  
The Government ◽  
The University ◽  
The Impact

The COVID-19 pandemic took its toll on many countries in early 2020 after the first case was reported in China at the end of 2019. Malaysia was not spared either and the Government was forced to take a bold yet drastic measure in implementing the Movement Control Order (MCO) in earnest on 18 March 2020. The measure, akin to a lockdown, practically forced all forms of socio-economics and socio-educational activities to come to an abrupt stop. Schools, institutions of higher learning and training centers were directed to close its doors to students. Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) had to abruptly implement contingency plans in the wake of the negative impact brought about by the pandemic. Almost all academic activities had to be reorganized when majority of the students opted to return to the safety of their home environment, and the staff were required to work from home in compliant with the MCO. This development necessitated the University to introduce the remote learning mode in place of the traditional face to face learning and teaching (T&L). Various other strategies and measures were also introduced by the University which required reprioritization of tasks and determining possible risks that could impede normal daily operations. UUM opted for a holistic approach to address the impending concerns and to ensure the continuity of the education process and to address the wellbeing of its staff who are forced to work from home.

scholarly journals Digital Disinformation and the Need for Internet Co-regulation in Malaysia

2021 ◽  
Vol 29 (S2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mahyuddin Daud ◽  
Ida Madieha Abd Ghani Azmi
Keyword(s):  
Criminal Liability ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Movement Control ◽  
Fake News ◽  
Awareness Campaigns ◽  
Internet Regulation ◽  
Regulation Scheme ◽  
Control Order ◽  
Private Actors ◽  
The Impact

The spread of fake news on Covid19 is causing public unrest and suspicion among citizens which is a challenge for countries facing the pandemic. The misinformation or disinformation which stems from uncertainties, unrest, and anxiety because of movement control order procedures, financial and economic hardship caused wrong information to spread like fire. Called as ‘info-demic’, it becomes a second source of virulent information that requires arresting just like the pandemic itself. Controlling fake news in the time of pandemic is a daunting problem that slaps Internet regulation at its face. On the Internet, lies spreads faster than truth and correcting misinformation means tonnes of work. This paper examines Internet self- and co-regulatory approaches in selected jurisdictions to reduce the impact of fake news on governments, industry, and private actors. In applying content analysis as a qualitative research method, the first section analysed specific legislations enacted by parliaments to criminalise the acts of disseminating and publishing fake news. The second section examines legislative and administrative efforts to impose civil and criminal liability on platform providers to monitor online content. The final section analysed self-regulatory efforts to introduce online fact-checking portals and awareness campaigns. This paper argues that Internet self-regulation scheme in Malaysia is not bringing the desired result in the scope of maintaining peace and security of the nation. Considering how dangerous disinformation can cause to the society, more so in global emergency like the present Covid19 pandemic, it is submitted that Internet co-regulation is more suitable if the social, moral and cultural fabric of the society is to be maintained.

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