PREVENTION OF COVID-19 TRANSMISSION IN ISLAMIC BOARDING SCHOOLS (PESANTREN): LITERATURE REVIEW

Introduction: COVID-19 is a disease caused by the SARS Cov 2 type corona virus with human-to-human transmission that causes respiratory tract infections, ranging from the common cold to serious diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). Covid-19 has been designated as a global pandemic with a high risk of transmission in densely populated areas, one of which is Islamic Boarding Schools (Pesantren). The high social interaction of students in Islamic Boarding Schools causes students to be in a group at risk of being exposed to the corona virus. The purpose of this study is to find out the prevention of the transmission of Covid-19 in the Islamic Boarding Schools environment. Method: The writing methodology used is a literature review using various articles from Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, and ProQuest according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the journal that have been determined. Results: The results of this study are that Islamic boarding schools have attempted to prevent the transmission of Covid-19, including conducting health education related to preventing the transmission of Covid-19, providing hand washing facilities, conducting Tracing-Testing-Therapy (3T) for students with indications of Covid-19, providing self-isolation facilities, and implementing strict health protocols for all Islamic Boarding Schools residents. Conclusion: This research shows that Islamic boarding schools have attempted to prevent the transmission of Covid-19. The results of this study are expected to be a reference for related institutions to improve the quality of preventing the transmission of Covid-19 in the Islamic Boarding Schools environment.

Funkcjonowanie nieletnich w ośrodku kuratorskim

The article draws attention to the functioning of juveniles in a probation officer’s centre. The legislator has defined the scope of the centres’ activities quite broadly. Among the tasks carried out, the staff undertake work with juveniles who have been referred by family court for demoralisation or criminal offences. The algorithm of work in the probation officer’s centre defines the actions taken against minors, but the studies lack an idea of the situation from the perspective of the minors themselves. The article also reveals the specific adaptation techniques undertaken by juveniles in a new situation for them, which is undoubtedly directed to the probation officer’s centre, comparing them with those presented by the participants in isolation facilities. The study is complemented by available statistics on the number of minors sent to probation officer’s centres (against the background of statistics on all minors for whom educational measures have been taken); a description of the tasks carried out in the probation officer’s centres, a brief description of the working methodology and conclusions for the practice. The article presents issues from the perspective of both theorist and practice, which allows to capture a broader perspective of the activities of probation officer’s centers.

Secondary attack rate among high-risk contacts of COVID-19 paediatric index cases: a study at the beginning of the pandemic in Pune city of Western Maharashtra, India

Background: The COVID-19 was the emerging disease caused by SARS-COV2. Efficient transmission of this disease occurs through droplets and fomites. The susceptibility of children to coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) and transmission of COVID-19 from children to others is a relatively unexplored area. The aim of this study was to understand the transmission dynamics of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 in children. Study objectives were to estimate secondary attack rate of COVID-19 from paediatric index case during the early phase of pandemic in Pune city and to identify factors associated with transmission and development of the COVID-19 disease.Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study conducted in the month of June 2020. The sample includes 58 contacts of 11 laboratory confirmed pediatric index cases of COVID-19 from Pune municipal corporation after written informed consent. A confidential telephonic interview of parents was taken by using a prestructured questionnaire which includes socio-demographic data, family background, type of house, development of symptoms, outcome etc.Results: The mean age of primary pediatric case was 12.7±5.1 years. All of them were symptomatic. The SAR estimated was 55.2%. The factors significantly affecting SAR were comorbidity, no. of family members, type of family, overcrowding, no. of rooms, bedroom attached with toilet.Conclusions: The household SAR from paediatric patients is high and is closely associated with family size and other household characteristics. Hence, home quarantine should be advocated in smaller families with appropriate isolation facilities; more emphasis is given to co-morbid individuals.

Emotional distress in COVID-19 patients in Maldives

Background and objectives: Researchers are exploring the epidemiology, clinical characteristics, treatment, vaccination and the challenges faced by healthcare authorities. However less focus is being paid towards the impact of COVID-19 on mental health of the patients. This study is a cross-sectional study, measuring the prevalence of emotional distress among patients with COVID-19 in the Maldivian population.Methods: This study was conducted in Maldivian nations above 18 of age with COVID-19 who were admitted in isolation facilities. Patients who were on treatment for any other chronic medical conditions, severe and critical COVID-19 disease were excluded. This study was conducted over a period of 2months by administering a local translated version of DASS21 questionnaire.Results: The total of 195 patients were included in this study. The mean age of the patients was 40 (CI at 95% 38 - 42) years. The respondents were 48.7% men and 51.3% women. Overall, 9% of patients with COVID-19 had depression while 23% of patients had anxiety and 12% of the patients had stress. There was a statistically significant relationship between gender and depression, anxiety and stress (p<0.01). Symptomatic cases had a significantly higher level of stress than asymptomatic patients (p<0.05), but no significant association was observed with symptomatic status and anxiety or depression.Interpretations & conclusion: The management of patients with COVID-19 should be multi-disciplinary with special focus on the mental wellbeing of our patients. We should aim to establish proper communication with the patients in order to identify emotional distress and provide appropriate mental health care.

Modelling the impact of travel restrictions on COVID-19 cases in Hong Kong in early 2020

Background Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) led to pandemic that affected almost all countries in the world. Many countries have implemented border restriction as a public health measure to limit local outbreak. However, there is inadequate scientific data to support such a practice, especially in the presence of an established local transmission of the disease. Objective To apply a metapopulation Susceptible-Exposed-Infectious-Recovered (SEIR) model with inspected migration to investigate the effect of border restriction as a public health measure to limit outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019. Methods We apply a modified metapopulation SEIR model with inspected migration with simulating population migration, and incorporating parameters such as efficiency of custom inspection in blocking infected travelers in the model. The population sizes were retrieved from government reports, while the number of COVID-19 patients were retrieved from Hong Kong Department of Health and China Centre for Disease Control (CDC) data. The R0 was obtained from previous clinical studies. Results Complete border closure can help to reduce the cumulative COVID-19 case number and mortality in Hong Kong by 13.99% and 13.98% respectively. To prevent full occupancy of isolation facilities in Hong Kong; effective public health measures to reduce local R0 to below 1.6 was necessary, apart from having complete border closure. Conclusions Early complete travel restriction is effective in reducing cumulative cases and mortality. However, additional anti-COVID-19 measures to reduce local R0 to below 1.6 are necessary to prevent COVID-19 cases from overwhelming hospital isolation facilities.

Emotional distress in COVID-19 patients in Maldives

Background and objectives: Researchers are exploring the epidemiology, clinical characteristics, treatment, vaccination and the challenges faced by healthcare authorities. However less focus is being paid towards the impact of COVID-19 on mental health of the patients. This study is a cross-sectional study, measuring the prevalence of emotional distress among patients with COVID-19 in the Maldivian population.Methods: This study was conducted in Maldivian nations above 18 of age with COVID-19 who were admitted in isolation facilities. Patients who were on treatment for any other chronic medical conditions, severe and critical COVID-19 disease were excluded. This study was conducted over a period of 2months by administering a local translated version of DASS21 questionnaire.Results: The total of 195 patients were included in this study. The mean age of the patients was 40 (CI at 95% 38 - 42) years. The respondents were 48.7% men and 51.3% women. Overall, 9% of patients with COVID-19 had depression while 23% of patients had anxiety and 12% of the patients had stress. There was a statistically significant relationship between gender and depression, anxiety and stress (p<0.01). Symptomatic cases had a significantly higher level of stress than asymptomatic patients (p<0.05), but no significant association was observed with symptomatic status and anxiety or depression.Interpretations & conclusion: The management of patients with COVID-19 should be multi-disciplinary with special focus on the mental wellbeing of our patients. We should aim to establish proper communication with the patients in order to identify emotional distress and provide appropriate mental health care.

Consequences of Migrating U.S. Contagious Facilities Into General Hospitals, 1900–1950

Until the 1880s, hospitals excluded contagious disease patients from admission because of the danger they posed to other patients; by the 1950s, contagious disease care had literally moved into the general hospital. This article correlates the changing isolation facility designs with changing disease incidence and prevention strategies. It argues that isolation moved into the hospital in stages that have consequence for isolation facility design today. Between the 1890s and 1940s, contagious disease care shifted from remote isolation hospitals (commonly known as pest houses) to separate contagious disease hospitals, to contagious disease “units” adjacent to or within a general hospital facility, and to isolation rooms included in nursing units. The architectural history of isolation facility designs shows that the integration of isolation facilities into general hospitals relied on the success of new aseptic nursing procedures that prevented contact transmission but which downgraded the need for spatial separation to prevent airborne transmission. In the second half of the 20th century, federal funding and standards made isolation rooms in the hospital the norm. This migration coincided with a historically unprecedented reduction in contagious disease incidence produced by successful vaccines and antibiotics. By the 1980s, the rise of new and antibiotic resistant diseases led to extensive redesigns of the in-house isolation rooms to make them more effective. This article suggests that it is time to rethink isolation not just at the detail level but in terms of its location in relation to the general hospital.

Burnout among frontline health professionals in two African countries: a cross sectional study from Egypt and Sudan

Background The impact of coronavirus pandemic (COVID19) on healthcare professionals (HCPs) is an issue of global concern. Occupational burnout among HCPs has been reported by several studies. However, pandemic-related burnout needs further investigation especially among frontline HCPs. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and associated factors of burnout syndrome among HCPs working at COVID-19 isolation facilities in Egypt and Sudan.Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among frontline HCPs in Egypt and Sudan from May 2021 to July 2021. An online, anonymous, self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. Occupational burnout was estimated using the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory. Data analyzed using SPSS software.ResultsA total of 362 HCPs participated in the study and were equally recruited from Egypt (181) and Sudan (181) with mean age of (31.84 ± 8.32) years. More than half were females (60%) and were physicians (58.3%). Most healthcare professionals included in the study had high levels of work disengagement (75.4%) and emotional exhaustion (98.6%). Burnout syndrome was present in 75% of the HCPs with 77% prevalence among Egyptian HCPs and 71% prevalence among Sudanese HCPs. The parameters that are associated with burnout syndrome among Egyptian HCPs were working hours per week; while for Sudanese HCPs, these were age and number of days off.Conclusion The study revealed a high prevalence of burnout syndrome among HCPs working at COVID-19 isolation facilities in Egypt and Sudan. Appropriate actions should be taken to preserve mental health status of HCPs through establishment of effective and efficient coping strategies.