Development of an air purifier with UVC radiation and HEPA filter in the context of COVID-19

The transmission of respiratory infections has an important role on human health, especially in the current context of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this work, we present the assessment of an air purifier that uses ultraviolet-C (UVC) radiation and a "High Efficiency Particulate Air” (HEPA) filter as mechanisms to decontaminate indoor environments with low air circulation. To assess the physicochemical and microbicidal characteristics of the equipment, the irradiance produced by the lamp, the flow rate at the entrance and exit of the device, possible changes in the ozone concentration and the equipment's decontamination potential for Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans. The total dose of UVC radiation that the air receives when passing through the equipment was 801.4 μJ cm-2, which would represent an inactivation of up to 80% of SARS-CoV-2 in the air. Furthermore, the filtration efficiency dropped with smaller particle diameter, and reduced to around 60% for particles with less than 1 μm and remained above 90% for PM2.5 and PM10 . In microbiological tests, there was a reduction of 99.4%, 99.9% and 99.5% for S aureus, E. coli and C. albicans, respectively, in 11 minutes. © 2022 Associação Brasileira de Engenharia Sanitária e Ambiental Este é um artigo de acesso aberto distribuído nos termos de licença Creative Commons.

TELEMEDICIN DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC, EXPERIENCE FROM A PORTUGUESE CENTER

Background and Aims: During the COVID 19 pandemic and due to lockdown periods there was a need to adapt diabetes consultations and organize health professionals in order to provide the best response to people with diabetes. Methods: In order to assess the patient's satisfaction with teleconsultations an on-line user satisfaction questionnaire was sent to all patients of the pediatric and Insulin pump Departments of APDP, who had consultation from March 16th to June 1st 2020. Results: The questionnaire was sent to 971 persons. The average age was 36.4±19.1 years, mostly female (53.1%), with higher education degree (46.9%). The results for medical consultations showed that 69.1% of the participants totally agree that the doctor was able to correctly interpret the current needs in diabetes management, and 49.5% totally agree and 35.6% agrees that the therapeutic adjustment was as efficient as if it had been performed in a face-to-face consultation. Regarding nursing consultations 56,7% completely agree or agree that it was possible to maintain adequate monitoring of diabetes. In relationship with nutrition 58,5% completely agree or agree that it was possible to clarify aspects related to food, carbohydrate counting or exercise efficiently. Conclusions: The results reveal that the majority of the patients felt supported in managing their diabetes and agree that teleconsultation with the multidisciplinary team was an adequate substitute for face-to-face consultation, it was possible to raise and clarify doubts about the management of diabetes and COVID-19 and that this model could complement face-to-face consultations.

Multiple sclerosis patients and the COVID -19 pandemic

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a degenerative disease of the central nervous system that can cause disability and limitations in different systems. The patient needs medication, rehabilitation and constant health care. Objectives: Conduct an online interview with people with MS, to learn about coping with the pandemic. Method: Interviews were carried out with people with MS from European and Latin American countries, based on hermeneutic phenomenology, to obtain the proposition of each country, thus giving the patient a voice as a social agent, through the ZOOM platform, questioning themselves if the 'how' the pandemic was tackled. Contact from patients' associations by email and the countries that joined were: Brazil (4), Argentina (3), Peru (2), Honduras (1), Spain (3) and Portugal (3), total of 16 patients. Results: Brazil - The proposition of the speeches showed fear and insecurity in the search for medication;due to the closing of Associations, Laboratories, Hospitals for routine examinations and rehabilitation, they did not know who to turn to in the event of an outbreak. What reassured were the telemedicine consultations. Argentina - All rehabilitation activities have been suspended, however, the digital age has made some activities much easier. Honduras - Each patient is different and each patient has special management with the disease for each situation. Peru - The situation is ambiguous, because how to stay at home and protect yourself, if there is a need to work;Rehabilitation was not considered the first necessity, so the clinics stopped attending, but the drugs arrived at the house;the need was the warmth of the family, which could not be had;the feeling of emptiness and the loss of friends and family was more painful than the disease. Portugal - Need for more structured plans to continue treatment, a health policy that meets needs. Spain - The pandemic has paralyzed projects as well as MS;brought social isolation, many people had to stay at home alone;however, the drugs were taken to homes or pharmacies closest to the residence. Conclusion: The coping with the pandemic of COVID - 19, by patients were different in countries, in Latin Americans there were manifestations of fear, insecurity, suffering and ambiguity and in European countries, a vision of health policy.

P.700 Prevalence of depression in medical students during lockdown in Brazil due to COVID-19 pandemic

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted many spheres of society. To control the dissemination of SARS-CoV-2, social isolation and closure of public spaces such as universities were implemented. In Brazil it started in March 2020, one month after the beginning of the basic cycle year. The quarantine situation added to daily stressing factors during the pandemic. As a response to this abrupt transformation in ways of life, mental health may have been affected, and may have precipitated disorders such as depression differently amongst people. Aims: We aim to compare the prevalence of depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic quarantine in Medical undergraduate University students in Brazil and to explore potential factors related to it. Methods: All students from the first to the sixth year from Jundiai Medical School (Brazil) were invited to virtually respond the self-administered Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) from March to June of 2020 (during COVID quarantine). This study was based on the HADS subscale for depression (HADS-D), which ranges from 0 (absence) to 21 points. The cut-off for screening clinically relevant depressive symptoms recommended [1] is 9. The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee. For the statistical analysis Chi-Square Test was used for categorical data and Mann-Whitney test was used for comparisons of continuous variables. Correlations were made using Sperman correlation test and binary logistic regression was used on the analysis of the influence of year class and where the students were during the quarantine. Results: We had responses from 347 students (51% of the sample). The prevalence of HADS-D>8 (above cut-off) was 36% (n=125). First-year students had greater prevalence of HADS-D>8 (45.6%) as compared to the other years (32%) (p=0.015). An inverse correlation of year of class and depression (p=0.002;rho=-0.163) was found, with lower scores in internship;the average total scores of the HADS-D were greater in the first-year class (8.2±3.9) when compared to the other year classes (6.8±3.5) (p=0.001).When genders were compared women had higher prevalence of HADS-D>8 (40.2%) than man (27.4%) (p=0.019). Being with family during the quarantine was not a protective factor, even after logistic regression (p=0.900) for differences in year class. Conclusion: High prevalence of depression during SARS-CoV-2 pandemic was found in Jundiai Medical School undergraduate medical students. The negative consequences due to COVID-19 such as social isolation, lack of routine activities, fear of contagion and death and hopeless global scenario may have contributed to the development of depressive symptoms. Students of the first year of college were the most affected in our sample. It is expected a great exhilaration by freshmen when they entered the college and therefore, the impact of classes suspension and lockdown lead to a reduction of expectation, increasing risk factors for depression. Medical students often have high prevalence of depression and future prospective studies could address if these depressive symptoms were higher during the quarantine. No conflict of interest.

P.722 No difference in prevalence of common mental disorders in medical students before and during COVID-19 quarantine in a prospective study

Introduction: Common mental disorders (CMDs) are indicators of non-psychotic mental problems that can have socioeconomic impact. There are few studies of CMDs in medical students. As the Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic was installed quarantine and lockdown made people isolate themselves to protect and prevent COVID-19 contamination and teaching activities in pre-internship was mainly remote. The impact on mental health of such new scenario should be investigated. Aims: This study aims to evaluate prospectively during 3 years the prevalence of CMDs in medical students of before and during COVID-19 quarantine. Materials and Methods: Students from the first to the fourth-year class in 2018 were invited to participate completing self-administered questionnaires in 2018. In the following years of 2019 and in 2020 during the COVID-19 quarantine they were also invited to participate. CMDs were evaluated through the Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SQR-20) created by World Health Organization to screen for emotional distress. The SQR-20 is composed by 20 questions with yes/no answers and the cut-off point used was 7. This protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee. Groups were compared using Qui-square test for categorical variables and Kruskall-Wallis test for continuous variables. Results: In the years 2018, 2019, and during COVID-19 2020 quarantine 860 students responded the questionnaires. The mean age was 22.6±3.7 years and 64.3% were female. SQR-20≥7 (above cut-off for CMD) frequency was 60.5% and mean scores were 8.2±4.6. No difference was found in the sample in the years 2018, 2019 and 2020 both for SQR-20≥7 (62.2%, 60.9%, and 59.2%, respectively;p=0.762) and SQR scores (8.4±4.7, 8.2±4.6, and 7.8±4.4, respectively;p=0.351). The first-year class in 2018 did not change SQR-20≥7 frequencies in 2019 and 2020: 66.7%, 72.3%, and 64.0%, respectively (p=0.568), nor SQR scores: 9.1±4.7, 9.5±4.3 and 8.6±4.5, respectively (p=0.502). Similar results were found in the other year classes. The second-year class in 2018 did not change SQR-20≥7 frequencies in 2019 and 2020: 65.6%, 66.2%, and 61.1%, respectively (p=0.812), nor SQR scores: 8.7±4.7, 8.7±4.5 and 8.1±4.5, respectively (p=0.620). The third-year class in 2018 did not change SQR-20≥7 frequencies in 2019 and 2020 (in internship): 55.2%, 52.6%, and 48.8%, respectively (p=0.782), nor SQR scores: 7.7±5.1, 7.2±4.9 and 6.6±4.7, respectively (p=0.491). Finally, the fourth-year class in 2018 did not change SQR-20≥7 frequencies in 2019 and 2020 (both in internship): 60.3%, 42.9%, and 59.0%, respectively (p=0.258), nor SQR scores: 8.0±4.3, 6.8±4.4 and 7.7±4.0, respectively (p=0.318). Conclusions: Surprisingly the prevalence of CMDs in Jundiai Medical School students did not change during 2020 COVID-19 pandemic as compared with the years of 2018 and 2019. Probably the maintenance of remote teaching (for the students from the first to the fourth-year class) and the maintenance of internship (for the students from the fifth to the sixth-year class) was sufficient for this sample. Studies from other universities should be granted to confirm this scenario. No conflict of interest.