Characteristics of and Public Health Emergency Responses to COVID-19 and H1N1 Outbreaks: A Case-Comparison Study

Background: Recently, the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has already spread rapidly as a global pandemic, just like the H1N1 swine influenza in 2009. Evidences have indicated that the efficiency of emergency response was considered crucial to curb the spread of the emerging infectious disease. However, studies of COVID-19 on this topic are relatively few. Methods: A qualitative comparative study was conducted to compare the timeline of emergency responses to H1N1 (2009) and COVID-19, by using a set of six key time nodes selected from international literature. Besides, we also explored the spread speed and peak time of COVID-19 and H1N1 swine influenza by comparing the confirmed cases in the same time interval. Results: The government’s entire emergency responses to the epidemic, H1N1 swine influenza (2009) completed in 28 days, and COVID-19 (2019) completed in 46 days. Emergency responses speed for H1N1 was 18 days faster. As for the epidemic spread speed, the peak time of H1N1 came about 4 weeks later than that of COVID-19, and the H1N1 curve in America was flatter than COVID-19 in China within the first four months after the disease emerged. Conclusions: The speed of the emergency responses to H1N1 was faster than COVID-19, which might be an important influential factor for slowing down the arrival of the peak time at the beginning of the epidemic. Although COVID-19 in China is coming to an end, the government should improve the public health emergency system, in order to control the spread of the epidemic and lessen the adverse social effects in possible future outbreaks.

Download Full-text

Early surveillance and public health emergency disposal measures between novel coronavirus disease 2019 and avian influenza in China: a case-comparison study

10.1101/2020.03.29.20046490 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Tiantian Zhang ◽

Wenming Shi ◽

Ying Wang ◽

Ge Bai ◽

Ruiming Dai ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Avian Influenza ◽

Prevention And Control ◽

Public Health Emergency ◽

Comparison Study ◽

Health Crisis ◽

Case Comparison ◽

The Government ◽

Novel Coronavirus ◽

And Control

AbstractBackgroundThe novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak is spreading rapidly throughout China and the world. Hence, early surveillance and public health emergency disposal are considered crucial to curb this emerging infectious disease. However, studies that investigated the early surveillance and public health emergency disposal for the prevention and control of the COVID-19 outbreak in China are relatively few. We aimed to compare the strengths and weaknesses of early surveillance and public health emergency disposal for prevention and control between COVID-19 and H7N9 avian influenza, which was commended by the international community, in China.MethodsA case-comparison study was conducted using a set of six key time nodes to form a reference framework for evaluating early surveillance and public health emergency disposal between H7N9 avian influenza (2013) in Shanghai, China and COVID-19 in Wuhan, China.FindingsA report to the local Center for Disease Control and Prevention, China, for the first hospitalized patient was sent after 6 and 20 days for H7N9 avian influenza and COVID-19, respectively. In contrast, the pathogen was identified faster in the case of COVID-19 than in the case of H7N9 avian influenza (12 days vs. 31 days). The government response regarding COVID-19 was 10 days later than that regarding avian influenza. The entire process of early surveillance and public health emergency disposal lasted 5 days longer in COVID-19 than in H7N9 avian influenza (46 days vs. 41 days).ConclusionsThe identification of the unknown pathogen improved in China between the outbreaks of avian influenza and COVID-19. The longer emergency disposal period in the case of COVID-19 could be attributed to the government’s slower response to the epidemic. Improving public health emergency management could lessen the adverse social effects of emerging infectious diseases and public health crisis in the future.ContributorsTZ, WS, and LL designed the project, processed and analyzed the data, and wrote the manuscript. YW, GB, RD, and QW edited the manuscript. All authors revised the draft.

Download Full-text

Early Surveillance and Public Health Emergency Responses Between Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 and Avian Influenza in China: A Case-Comparison Study

Frontiers in Public Health ◽

10.3389/fpubh.2021.629295 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

Author(s):

Tiantian Zhang ◽

Qian Wang ◽

Ying Wang ◽

Ge Bai ◽

Ruiming Dai ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Avian Influenza ◽

Emerging Infectious Diseases ◽

Public Health Emergency ◽

Comparison Study ◽

Health Crisis ◽

Case Comparison ◽

Control And Prevention ◽

The Government ◽

Novel Coronavirus

Background: Since the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has been a worldwide pandemic, the early surveillance and public health emergency disposal are considered crucial to curb this emerging infectious disease. However, studies of COVID-19 on this topic in China are relatively few.Methods: A case-comparison study was conducted using a set of six key time nodes to form a reference framework for evaluating early surveillance and public health emergency disposal between H7N9 avian influenza (2013) in Shanghai and COVID-19 in Wuhan, China.Findings: A report to the local Center for Disease Control and Prevention, China, for the first hospitalized patient was sent after 6 and 20 days for H7N9 avian influenza and COVID-19, respectively. In contrast, the pathogen was identified faster in the case of COVID-19 than in the case of H7N9 avian influenza (12 vs. 31 days). The government response to COVID-19 was 10 days later than that to avian influenza. The entire process of early surveillance and public health emergency disposal lasted 5 days longer in COVID-19 than in H7N9 avian influenza (46 vs. 41 days).Conclusions: The identification of the unknown pathogen improved in China between the outbreaks of avian influenza and COVID-19. The longer emergency disposal period in the case of COVID-19 could be attributed to the government's slower response to the epidemic. Improving public health emergency management could lessen the adverse social effects of emerging infectious diseases and public health crisis in the future.

Download Full-text

UPAYA PENCEGAHAN PEMUTUSAN HUBUNGAN KERJA PEKERJA DI SEKTOR FORMAL BERDASARKAN KEADAAN MEMAKSA PANDEMI COVID-19

Veritas et Justitia ◽

10.25123/vej.v7i1.3921 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

pp. 139-161

Author(s):

Steven Suprantio

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Job Creation ◽

Public Health Emergency ◽

State Of Emergency ◽

Business World ◽

The Public ◽

Economic Slowdown ◽

The Government ◽

Economic Necessity ◽

Government Workers

The business world everywhere including those in Indonesia cannot but felt the brunt of economic slowdown caused by the public health emergency (the COVID 19 pandemic). Quite a few national and local businesses have had to close their operation and lay off all its employees. Although the consensus between the government, workers (individuals and unions) as well as employers is to prevent and avoid termination of employment at all costs, the Law No. 11 of 2020, re. Job Creation allows massive dismissal of employees due to economic necessity or state of emergency. This article shall critically examine how the prevailing law, Law No. 11 of 2020 re. Job Creation regulates termination of employment in case of state of emergency.

Download Full-text

COVID-19 Pandemic: A Global Disaster

OIRT Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences ◽

10.53944/ojhss-2103 ◽

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.

Download Full-text

COVID 19 and its management

Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research ◽

10.52711/2231-5691.2021.00022 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 117-121

Author(s):

Subhashis Debnath ◽

Runa Chakravorty ◽

Donita Devi

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome ◽

Middle East ◽

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ◽

Respiratory Distress Syndrome ◽

Respiratory Distress ◽

Distress Syndrome ◽

The Elderly ◽

Public Health Emergency ◽

Novel Coronavirus

In December 2019, severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2, a novel coronavirus, initiated an outbreak of pneumonia from Wuhan in China, which rapidly spread worldwide. The outbreak was declared as “a public health emergency of international concern” by the WHO on January 30, 2020, and as a pandemic on March 11, 2020. The disease is transmitted by inhalation or contact with infected droplets and the incubation period ranges from 2 to 14 d. The symptoms are usually fever, cough, sore throat, breathlessness, fatigue, malaise among others. The disease is mild in most people; in some (usually the elderly and those with comorbidities), it may progress to pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and multi organ dysfunction. Many people are asymptomatic. The virus spreads faster than its two ancestors the SARS-CoV and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), but has lower fatality.

Download Full-text

Nanobiosensors for the Detection of Novel Coronavirus 2019-nCoV and Other Pandemic/Epidemic Respiratory Viruses: A Review

Sensors ◽

10.3390/s20226591 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (22) ◽

pp. 6591

Author(s):

Badriyah Alhalaili ◽

Ileana Nicoleta Popescu ◽

Olfa Kamoun ◽

Feras Alzubi ◽

Sami Alawadhia ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Vaccine Development ◽

Respiratory Viruses ◽

Public Health Emergency ◽

Detection Methods ◽

Origin And Evolution ◽

The World ◽

Human Coronaviruses ◽

Novel Coronavirus ◽

Made In

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is considered a public health emergency of international concern. The 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) or severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that caused this pandemic has spread rapidly to over 200 countries, and has drastically affected public health and the economies of states at unprecedented levels. In this context, efforts around the world are focusing on solving this problem in several directions of research, by: (i) exploring the origin and evolution of the phylogeny of the SARS-CoV-2 viral genome; (ii) developing nanobiosensors that could be highly effective in detecting the new coronavirus; (iii) finding effective treatments for COVID-19; and (iv) working on vaccine development. In this paper, an overview of the progress made in the development of nanobiosensors for the detection of human coronaviruses (SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2, and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is presented, along with specific techniques for modifying the surface of nanobiosensors. The newest detection methods of the influenza virus responsible for acute respiratory syndrome were compared with conventional methods, highlighting the newest trends in diagnostics, applications, and challenges of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19 causative virus) nanobiosensors.

Download Full-text

Personal Protective Equipment Supply Chain: Lessons Learned from Recent Public Health Emergency Responses

Health Security ◽

10.1089/hs.2016.0129 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 15 (3) ◽

pp. 244-252 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

Anita Patel ◽

Maryann M. D'Alessandro ◽

Karen J. Ireland ◽

W. Greg Burel ◽

Elaine B. Wencil ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Supply Chain ◽

Personal Protective Equipment ◽

Public Health Emergency ◽

Lessons Learned ◽

Protective Equipment ◽

Emergency Responses

Download Full-text

Emergency Preparedness Law and Willingness to Respond in the EMS Workforce

Prehospital and Disaster Medicine ◽

10.1017/s1049023x14000788 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 29 (4) ◽

pp. 358-363 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Lainie Rutkow ◽

Jon S. Vernick ◽

Carol B. Thompson ◽

Ronald G. Pirrallo ◽

Daniel J. Barnett

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Emergency Preparedness ◽

Influenza Pandemic ◽

State Level ◽

National Registry ◽

Public Health Emergency ◽

Emergency Plan ◽

Publication Type ◽

Emergency Medical ◽

The Government

AbstractIntroductionFor effective responses to emergencies, individuals must have the ability to respond and also be willing to participate in the response. A growing body of research points to gaps in response willingness among several occupational cohorts with response duties, including the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) workforce. Willingness to respond is particularly important during an influenza or other pandemic, due to increased demands on EMS workers and the potential for workforces to be depleted if responders contract influenza or stay home to care for sick dependents. State emergency preparedness laws are one possible avenue to improve willingness to respond.HypothesisPresence of certain state-level emergency preparedness laws (ie, ability to declare a public health emergency; requirement to create a public health emergency plan; priority access to health resources for responders) is associated with willingness to respond among EMS workers.MethodsFour hundred twenty-one EMS workers from the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians’ (NREMT's) mid-year Longitudinal EMT Attributes and Demographics Study (LEADS) were studied. The survey, which included questions about willingness to respond during an influenza pandemic, was fielded from May through June 2009. Survey data were merged with data about the presence or absence of the three emergency preparedness laws of interest in each of the 50 US states. Unadjusted logistic regression analyses were performed with the presence/absence of each law and were adjusted for respondents’ demographic/locale characteristics.ResultsCompared to EMS workers in states that did not allow the government to declare a public health emergency, those in states that permitted such declarations were more likely to report that they were willing to respond during an influenza pandemic. In adjusted and unadjusted analyses, this difference was not statistically significant. Similar results were found for the other state-level emergency preparedness laws of interest.ConclusionWhile state-level emergency preparedness laws are not associated with willingness to respond, recent research suggests that inconsistencies between the perceived and objective legal environments for EMS workers could be an alternative explanation for this study's findings. Educational efforts within the EMS workforce and more prominent state-level implementation of emergency preparedness laws should be considered as a means to raise awareness of these laws. These types of actions are important steps toward determining whether state-level emergency preparedness laws have the potential to promote response willingness among EMS workers.RutkowL, VernickJS, ThompsonCB, PirralloRG, BarnettDJ. Emergency preparedness law and willingness to respond in the EMS workforce. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2014;29(4):1-6.

Download Full-text

An interim review of the epidemiological characteristics of 2019 novel coronavirus

Epidemiology and Health ◽

10.4178/epih.e2020006 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 42 ◽

pp. e2020006 ◽

Cited By ~ 59

Author(s):

Sukhyun Ryu ◽

Byung Chul Chun

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Public Health Emergency ◽

Control Measures ◽

Health Authorities ◽

Public Health Authorities ◽

Novel Coronavirus ◽

Epidemiological Characteristics

OBJECTIVES: The 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) from Wuhan, China is currently recognized as a public health emergency of global concern.METHODS: We reviewed the currently available literature to provide up-to-date guidance on control measures to be implemented by public health authorities.RESULTS: Some of the epidemiological characteristics of 2019-nCoV have been identified. However, there remain considerable uncertainties, which should be considered when providing guidance to public health authorities on control measures.CONCLUSIONS: Additional studies incorporating more detailed information from confirmed cases would be valuable.

Download Full-text

Policy recommendations in response to the resurgence of COVID-19 cases for institutional medical practice from an ophthalmic perspective

Asian Journal of Ophthalmology ◽

10.35119/asjoo.v17i3.888 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (3) ◽

pp. 250-262

Author(s):

Blanche X.H. Lim ◽

Chris H.L. Lim ◽

Aaron Q.Y. Goh ◽

Dawn K.A. Lim ◽

Clement W.T. Tan

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Public Health Emergency ◽

Policy Recommendations ◽

Stepwise Approach ◽

Time Points ◽

Imported Cases ◽

The Government ◽

Second Wave ◽

The Ideal ◽

The Way

Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic has been declared a public health emergency of international concern. Singapore was one of the first countries to identify imported cases and also experience a second wave of outbreaks. A slew of measures enacted by the government to ‘flatten the curve’ has directly impacted upon the way we practice. Study design/Methods: This article describes steps enacted by our department to ensure sustainability of our ophthalmic practice. Results: We share considerations at various time points and policies implemented in a stepwise approach in response to the worsening community situation. We further discuss our phased approach towards reinstating our services safely and effectively for patients and staff in a markedly different practice climate. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic has markedly upended the way we practice medicine. Reflecting on the ideal measures required for such occurrences in the future will empower practices with the ability to respond effectively to future outbreaks.

Download Full-text