scholarly journals COVID-19 Control: Can Germany Learn From China?

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olaf Müller ◽  
Guangyu Lu ◽  
Albrecht Jahn ◽  
Oliver Razum
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Systems ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Incidence Rates ◽  
Health Interventions ◽  
Public Health Interventions ◽  
Low Incidence ◽  
Psychosocial Costs ◽  
Similar Stage

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak started in China in December 2019 and has developed into a pandemic. Using mandatory large-scale public health interventions including a lockdown with locally varying intensity and duration, China has been successful in controlling the epidemic at an early stage. The epicentre of the pandemic has since shifted to Europe and The Americas. In certain cities and regions, health systems became overwhelmed by high numbers of cases and deaths, whereas other regions continue to experience low incidence rates. Still, lockdowns were usually implemented country-wide, albeit with differing intensities between countries. Compared to its neighbours, Germany has managed to keep the epidemic relatively well under control, in spite of a lockdown that was only partial. In analogy to many countries at a similar stage, Germany is now under increasing pressure to further relax lockdown measures to limit economic and psychosocial costs. However, if this is done too rapidly, Germany risks facing tens of thousands more severe cases of COVID-19 and deaths in the coming months. Hence, it could again follow China’s example and relax measures according to local incidence, based on intensive testing.

scholarly journals Tensions between research and public health: modelling the risks and benefits of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine field trials versus human infection challenge studies.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
George S Heriot ◽  
Euzebiusz Jamrozik ◽  
Michael J Selgelid
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Vaccine Efficacy ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Vaccine Development ◽  
Local Population ◽  
Field Trials ◽  
Human Infection ◽  
Health Interventions ◽  
Public Health Interventions ◽  
Post Trial

Background: Human infection challenge studies (HICS) with SARS-CoV-2 are under consideration as a way of accelerating vaccine development. We evaluate potential vaccine research strategies under a range of epidemic conditions determined, in part, by the intensity of public health interventions. Methods: We constructed a compartmental epidemiological model incorporating public health interventions, vaccine efficacy trials and a post-trial population vaccination campaign. The model was used to estimate the duration and benefits of large-scale field trials in comparison with HICS accompanied by an expanded safety trial, and to assess the marginal risk faced by HICS participants. Results: Field trials may demonstrate vaccine efficacy more rapidly than a HICS strategy under epidemic conditions consistent with moderate mitigation policies. A HICS strategy is the only feasible option for testing vaccine efficacy under epidemic suppression, and maximises the benefits of post-trial vaccination. Less successful or absent mitigation results in minimal or no benefit from post-trial vaccination, irrespective of trial design. Conclusions: SARS-CoV-2 HICS are the optimal method of vaccine testing for populations maintained under epidemic suppression, where vaccination offers the greatest benefits to the local population.

scholarly journals Reducing stigma and discrimination associated with COVID-19: early stage pandemic rapid review and practical recommendations

2021 ◽  
Vol 30 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. C. Gronholm ◽  
M. Nosé ◽  
W. H. van Brakel ◽  
J. Eaton ◽  
B. Ebenso ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Systematic Reviews ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Health Interventions ◽  
World Health ◽  
Rapid Review ◽  
Public Health Interventions ◽  
Stigma And Discrimination ◽  
Evidence Summary ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Aims To develop recommendations for strategies and interventions to reduce stigma and discrimination related to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), through reviewing and synthesising evidence in relation to COVID-19 and other disease outbreaks and infectious/stigmatised conditions from systematic reviews and primary studies and recommendations from additional materials. Methods Rapid review, drawing on the World Health Organization's (WHO) methodology for developing interim guidelines during health emergencies. PubMed/MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Cochrane Central and Campbell Collaboration searched up to mid-April 2020. Searches were supplemented by reference-searching and expert recommendations. Searches were designed to identify: (1) systematic reviews (<10 years), or (2) primary intervention studies (no date limit) reporting evidence on anti-stigma interventions (in relation to COVID-19 or other infectious/stigmatised conditions) or (3) additional relevant materials. Data were extracted on population, intervention, outcome and results. These data were compiled into evidence summary tables and narrative overviews. Recommendations on strategies for COVID-19 stigma-reduction were developed using the WHO ‘Evidence to Decision’ framework approach. The review protocol was registered with PROSPERO (registration ID: CRD42020177677). Results The searches identified a total of 4150 potentially relevant records, from which 12 systematic reviews and 29 additional articles were included. Overarching considerations and specific recommendations focus on: (1) language/words used in relation to COVID-19 and affected people; (2) media/journalistic practices; (3) public health interventions; (4) targeted public health interventions for key groups and (5) involving communities and key stakeholders. Conclusions These recommendations represent the first consolidated evidence-based guidance on stigma and discrimination reduction in relation to COVID-19. Mitigating the impact of stigma is critical in reducing distress and negative experiences, and strengthening communities' resolve to work together during exceptional circumstances. Ultimately, reducing stigma helps addressing structural inequalities that drive marginalisation and exacerbate both health risks and the impact of stigma. Administrations and decision makers are urged to consider integrating these recommendations into the ongoing COVID-19 response.

Implications of System on Health and Public Health Practice and Research

2021 ◽  
pp. 156-173
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Maternal Health ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Health Systems ◽  
Primary Healthcare ◽  
Public Health Practice ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Health Interventions ◽  
Safe Motherhood ◽  
Public Health Interventions

Chapters 10 and 11 were about the methodology and results, respectively, on the system's impact on compliance of the healthcare providers with the maternal health guidelines. Chapter 12 now considers the broader consequences of the BACIS program study. First, a discussion of the results of the BACIS program study in relation to the safe motherhood programme is undertaken. This is followed by a discussion of the issue of non-utilisation of health services, which is an issue that impacts on outcomes and programme success. After this follows a section on the discussion of the results of the BACIS program study against other e-health interventions that are in use or have been proposed, then next against other public health interventions in general, not just e-health systems. The final section discusses the study's results against the backdrop of the broader topic of primary healthcare functioning.

scholarly journals Effective mitigation strategy in early stage of COVID-19 pandemic in China

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiao-Yue Yu ◽  
Chen Xu ◽  
Hu-Wen Wang ◽  
Rui-Jie Chang ◽  
Yin-Qiao Dong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Mitigation Strategy ◽  
Health Interventions ◽  
Public Health Interventions ◽  
Epidemic Control ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Past ◽  
Health Measures ◽  
Global Pandemic

Abstract In the past five months, success in control the national epidemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been witnessed in China. The implementation of public health measures accounts for the success which include different interventions in the early or later stages of the outbreak. It is clear that although not all measures were universally effective worldwide, their achievements have been significant. More solidarity is needed to deal with this global pandemic with more learning and understanding. Understanding which of the public health interventions implemented in China were effective may provide ideas for international epidemic control.

scholarly journals Contacts in context: large-scale setting-specific social mixing matrices from the BBC Pandemic project

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Petra Klepac ◽  
Adam J Kucharski ◽  
Andrew JK Conlan ◽  
Stephen Kissler ◽  
Maria L Tang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Health Interventions ◽  
Multiple Sources ◽  
Public Health Interventions ◽  
School Closures ◽  
Contact Patterns ◽  
Social Mixing ◽  
Contact Data ◽  
And Control

AbstractSocial mixing patterns are crucial in driving transmission of infectious diseases and informing public health interventions to contain their spread. Age-specific social mixing is often inferred from surveys of self-recorded contacts which by design often have a very limited number of participants. In addition, such surveys are rare, so public health interventions are often evaluated by considering only one such study. Here we report detailed population contact patterns for United Kingdom based self-reported contact data from over 36,000 volunteers that participated in the massive citizen science project BBC Pandemic. The amount of data collected allows us generate fine-scale age-specific population contact matrices by context (home, work, school, other) and type (conversational or physical) of contact that took place. These matrices are highly relevant for informing prevention and control of new outbreaks, and evaluating strategies that reduce the amount of mixing in the population (such as school closures, social distancing, or working from home). In addition, they finally provide the possibility to use multiple sources of social mixing data to evaluate the uncertainty that stems from social mixing when designing public health interventions.

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