COVID-19 vaccination breakthrough infections in a real-world setting: Using community reporters to evaluate vaccine effectiveness

Background COVID-19 has highlighted the need for new methods of pharmacovigilance. Here we use community volunteers to obtain systematic information on vaccine effectiveness and the nature and severity of breakthrough infections. Methods Between December 15, 2020 to September 16, 2021, 10,412 unpaid community-based participants reported the following information to an on-line registry: COVID-19 test results, vaccination (Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson), COVID-19 symptoms and perceived severity using a 4-point scale. COVID-19 infections were described for those who were 1) fully vaccinated, 2) partially vaccinated (received first of two dose vaccines or were <14 days post-final dose), or 3) unvaccinated. Results Of 8,554 who were vaccinated, COVID-19 infections were reported by 74 (1.0%) of those who were fully vaccinated and 198 (2.3%) of those who were partially vaccinated. Among the 74 participants who reported a breakthrough infection after full vaccination, the median time to reported positive test result was 104.5 days (Interquartile range: 77-135 days), with no difference among vaccine manufactures. One quarter (25.7%) of breakthrough infections in the fully vaccinated cases were asymptomatic. More than 97% of fully vaccinated participants reported no moderate/severe symptoms compared to 89.3% of the unvaccinated cases; and only 1.4% of fully vaccinated participants reported experiencing at least 3 moderate to severe symptoms compared to 7.8% in the unvaccinated. Conclusion Person-generated health data, also referred to as patient-reported outcomes, is a useful resource for quantifying breakthrough infections and their severity, showing here that fully vaccinated participants report no or very mild COVID-19 symptoms.

Upaya Peningkatan Partisipasi Masyarakat dalam Pencegahan Penularan Covid-19 dan Optimalisasi Adaptasi Kebiasaan Baru

Since the start of the pandemic, the number of positive COVID-19 cases in DIY has been steadily increasing. This includes the Kasihan 2 Health Center in Bantul's work area. UMY Thematic Health KKN students identified several Covid-19-related issues. Based on the root cause analysis, four programs have been identified: (1) IT-based assistance and monitoring programs for COVID-19 survivors, (2) comorbid screening programs for the elderly population, (3) mentoring programs for COVID-19 survivors who have recovered, and (4) Covid-19 transmission prevention programs, vaccinations, and the implementation of new adaptations for health cadres and community volunteers. With this activity, it is hoped that patients will be able to live a happy isolation period, without appearing to be isolated and feeling cared for, so that immunity can be maintained and healed without sequelae, there is an increase in the knowledge of post-recovery patients so that they do not become infected again, and they can also become reliable educators and motivators for other communities. , the gathering of information on the elderly with comorbidities. Furthermore, it is hoped that by optimizing the empowerment of health cadres and community volunteers, public awareness of the importance of adhering to health protocols during the new life during the COVID-19 pandemic will increase. Door-to-door comorbid screening activities cannot be carried out optimally because, according to the Covid-19 task force, they are too dangerous for students. In general, all activities went off without a hitch, with nearly 100% participation.

Potential of Community Volunteers in Flood Early Warning Dissemination: A Case Study of Bangladesh

Flood early warning (FEW) is a vital component of disaster risk management and is particularly important for saving lives, developing a sustainable agro-based economy, economic stability, and the overall development of the people of Bangladesh as well as others. This study was conducted in a northern, flood-prone area of Bangladesh to investigate the potential of incorporating volunteers of the community to the Union Councils (UCs) to disseminate FEW alongside the top-down approach. Several studies have found that despite having a sophisticated flood forecasting technology, local communities are not reaping the benefits of it, as the existing dissemination system is inaccessible to most local people. Since risk communication takes place in a social context, this study investigated and thereby proposed that volunteerism, as a form of social capital or communal virtue, can potentially assist the community-based disaster management (CBDM) institutions in enhancing their capacity to reach the maximum population at times of flood risk. Therefore, it was confirmed that the trained volunteers need to be integrated into and endorsed by the national policy. In addition, this study also provides a number of recommendations connecting literature with policy documents of Bangladesh.

The Role of Social Capital in Handling Covid-19 at the Local Level in Indonesia

The Covid-19 pandemic is a multidimensional problem that requires the government to be adaptive and creative in mobilizing all available resources. It's not just a matter of solutive policies, but more than that, social capital is needed because handling the Covid-19 crisis must involve the cooperation of all parties. This study aims to provide an analysis of how social capital works in handling Covid-19 in Blitar City, Indonesia. The focus is seeing response from Regional Apparatus Organizations (OPD) and community elements consisting of Covid Task Force, Community Organizations (Ormas), Community / Community Volunteers, RT / RW, and other components in the Blitar City community. This study shows that social capital in Blitar City works well. There is mutual trust and strengthen cooperation between the government and the people to come out of the crisis together. The City Government has succeeded in showing good responsiveness accompanied by coordination and cross-stakeholder communication, increasing trust in the government, and that is the key to public compliance with social mobility restrictions and recommendations for obeying health protocols. Although this compliance is not followed by all people, at least in general social solidarity has been formed which is the main key in handling the Covid-19 crisis. Received: 15 July 2021 / Accepted: 7 October 2021 / Published: 5 November 2021

Social work post-disaster response in Iran: A case study of the 2019 mass flooding in Poldokhtar, Lorestan

Flash-flooding affected Iran in March 2019 causing the displacement of thousands of people. Social workers established a Child Friendly Space (CFS) and applied comprehensive case management to provide psychosocial support for people who were affected by flooding (PWAF) (n = 565) in a community in Poldokhtar, covering a period of 3 months. Outreach services, involving community-volunteers, providing counseling, establishing CFS, training PWAF for reducing violence, and preventing child abuse were essential social work post-disaster interventions to support vulnerable populations. The article reflects upon the often-neglected role of social workers in post-disaster settings, and brings new material for discussion from the unexplored field of Iranian social workers.

Human Trafficking: Empowering Healthcare Providers and Community Partners as Advocates for Victims

Human trafficking, also known as modern-day slavery, is a public health crisis and a growing worldwide crime exploiting approximately 40.3 million victims. A decade ago approximately 79% of human trafficking crimes were related to sexual exploitation and 18% were related to forced labor, but more recent reports show approximately 50% and 38%, respectively. Although sexual exploitation continues to make up the majority of human trafficking crimes, forced labor continues to grow at an alarming rate. The purpose of this paper is 2-fold. First, to empower healthcare providers and community volunteers serving potential victims of human trafficking in traditional and nontraditional settings with human trafficking identification training. This education should include the use of a validated human trafficking screening tool and the timely provision of resources. Second, to guide professional nurses in the holistic approach to caring for potential victims of human trafficking. The core values of holistic nursing practice and Watson's Theory of Human Caring are the pillars guiding mindful and authentic nursing care. Merging evidence-based practice with holistic care will boost victim identification and rescue.

A Multi-Faceted Approach to Tuberculosis Active Case Finding among Remote Riverine Communities in Southern Nigeria

Nigeria accounts for 11% of the worldwide gap between estimated and reported individuals with tuberculosis (TB). Hard-to-reach communities on the Southern Nigeria coast experience many difficulties accessing TB services. We implemented an active case finding (ACF) intervention in Akwa Ibom and Cross River states utilizing three approaches: house-to-house/tent-to-tent screening, community outreach and contact investigation. To evaluate the impact, we compared TB notifications in intervention areas to baseline and control population notifications, as well as to expected notifications based on historical trends. We also gathered field notes from discussions with community volunteers who provided insights on their perspectives of the intervention. A total of 509,768 individuals were screened of which 12,247 (2.4%) had TB symptoms and 11,824 (96.5%) were tested. In total, 1015 (8.6%) of those identified as presumptive had confirmed TB—98.2% initiated treatment. Following implementation, TB notifications in intervention areas increased by 112.9% compared to baseline and increased by 138.3% when compared to expected notifications based on historical trends. In contrast, control population notifications increased by 101% and 49.1%, respectively. Community volunteers indicated a preference for community outreach activities. Multi-faceted, community-based interventions in Nigeria’s coastal areas successfully increase TB detection for communities with poor access to health services.

Overcoming the challenges of community-engaged emergency referrals in a rural district of Pakistan

A functional referral system for addressing maternal and child health issues requires coordinated efforts by health system stakeholders and community. Using Rural Health Program (RHP) Thatta as platform provided by an academic institution, district health system stakeholders and community of Mirpur Sakro taluka of Thatta were engaged to strengthen the emergency referral system for maternal and child health emergencies through active community engagement. Through combined consultation, referral system plan for maternal and child health emergencies was developed. Community volunteers from each village liaised for transportation, referring patients to health facilities and maintaining referral documentation. An ambulance service under contract with health department and private transporters were taken on-board to facilitate patients’ transportation. Community’s experiences of referral system were assessed through qualitative in-depth interviews. Patients’ experiences of referral system improved but faced structural challenges including out of pocket transport expenses, direct self-referrals, Continuous...

Challenges Faced by Community Volunteers in Community Development: Voices from Volunteers in Chegutu District, Zimbabwe

Volunteer scholarship in Zimbabwe tends to focus on volunteer motivations, volunteers’ role in community development and, to a lesser extent, volunteers’ challenges. In this study, we captured the lived experiences of volunteers in the current milieu of socio-economic challenges. We discovered that the major challenges affecting community volunteers in the Chegutu District are poverty and vulnerability, burnout, too much work, lack of community appreciation of volunteerism and lack of adequate volunteer paraphernalia. We move beyond other studies to explore how volunteers are coping with the challenges. Volunteers are reliant on spiritual support and encouragement by some community members. The study adopts a qualitative approach with data collected using in-depth interviews and focus group discussion. The findings are presented and discussed thematically.