Diagnosis and Management of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Patients with Presented with Abdominal Pain, Fever and Shortness of Breath in Pandemic.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the admission chest and abdominal computed tomography (CT) findings of patients who presented to the emergency department with complaints of abdominal pain, fever, and shortness of breath and who had RT-PCR-confirmed COVID-19 infection. Seventy-five patients with RT-PCR-confirmed (in laboratory) COVID-19 infection who underwent chest and abdominal CT were included in the study. The radiological scales [the COVID-19 Reporting and Data System (CO-RADS) and severity score] of the chest and abdominal findings were examined on CT images. Forty-one (54.7%) patients were male and 34 (45.3%) were female. The mean age of the patients was 63.03 (range 24-89) years. The most frequently calculated CO-RADS score was found to be 5 (n = 53, 70.7%). Bilateral (72.0%) and multibolar (74.7%) involvement, peripheral (72.0%) and posterior (60.0%) distribution, and ground-glass opacity (66.7%) pattern were the most common pulmonary findings. A positive correlation was observed between CO-RADS and total severty score (p < 0.001). All patients were hospitalized. One (1.3%) patient was surgically treated because of acute appendicitis. Nine (12.0%) patients were admitted to the intensive care unit. Six (8.0%) patients died in the intensive care unit. Patients presenting to the emergency department with both abdominal and respiratory complaints during the pandemic should be evaluated for COVID-19. Patients can be diagnosed early with the data collected from CT without waiting for the PCR result. Hospital staff can take the necessary protective measures against virus transmission early, minimizing the in-hospital transmission of the virus.

Vaccine Hesitancy of Health-Care Workers: Another Challenge in the Fight Against COVID-19 in Istanbul.

OBJECTIVE: Health-care workers (HCWs) are often seen as the most reliable source of vaccine-related information for their patients; nevertheless, various studies show that HCWs experience vaccine hesitation. In this study, the aim was to determine the reasons for vaccine hesitation among HCWs working in a large public hospital and its affiliated units in Istanbul. METHODS: A descriptive method for collecting qualitative data was designed for this study. The data of the HCWs were analyzed in line with the vaccine hesitancy factors put forward by the World Health Organization (WHO). RESULTS: The most important vaccine hesitancy theme that emerged was the fear and lack of confidence in the vaccines, which was expressed at a higher rate than any other theme in all HCWs. The most cited reason for fear/lack of confidence in the vaccine was the fear of its side effects. It was observed that the HCWs who reported hesitation about vaccination due to pregnancy and breastfeeding consisted of women. The second most common theme for vaccine hesitation was reported as an inconvenience in accessing the vaccines. Although HCWs have priority, they stated that their reason for vaccine hesitancy was due to heavy personal issues or workloads. The final theme was about complacency, or thinking they do not need the vaccine. CONCLUSIONS: Vaccine hesitation is a challenge that can be overcome with detailed monitoring and policy-making. Although the vaccine seems to be more significant, we do not want to see vaccine hesitancy grow more than the vaccine itself.