Immune Epitopes of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein and Considerations for Universal Vaccine Development (preprint)

Despite the success of global vaccination programs in slowing the spread of COVID-19, these efforts have been hindered by the emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 strains capable of evading prior immunity. The mutation and evolution of SARS-CoV-2 have created a demand for persistent efforts in vaccine development. SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein has been the primary target for COVID-19 vaccine development, but it is also the hotspot of mutations directly involved in host susceptibility and immune evasion. Our ability to predict emerging mutants and select conserved epitopes is critical for the development of a broadly neutralizing therapy or a universal vaccine. In this article, we review the general paradigm of immune responses to COVID-19 vaccines, highlighting the immunological epitopes of Spike protein that are likely associated with eliciting protective immunity resulting from vaccination. Specifically, we analyze the structural and evolutionary characteristics of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein related to immune activation and function via the toll-like receptors (TLRs), B cells, and T cells. We aim to provide a comprehensive analysis of immune epitopes of Spike protein, thereby contributing to the development of new strategies for broad neutralization or universal vaccination.

Assessment of Frontline Healthcare Workers Quality of Work Life (QoWL) during the Covid-19 pandemic - A comparative study between China and UK

Introduction: The COVID-19 epidemic left high proportion of healthcare workers (HCWs) faced with considerable levels of anxiety, depression, and insomnia. Previous studies have shown excessive workload and inadequate working conditions are two main issues among HCWs. Assessing QoWL has been considered as an important way of understanding how HCWs evaluate their work environment. Material and Methods: A cross section survey among frontline HCWs from China and UK (n = 345) was undertaken based on seven dimensional QoWL factors : General Well-Being (GWB);Home-Work Interface (HWI);Job & Career Satisfaction (JCS);Control at Work (CAW), Working Conditions (WCS);Stress at Work (SAW);employee engagement (EEN). Cronbach α was used to measure the internal consistency within each domain and to test the exploratory factor structure confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was applied. Descriptive analysis and One-way ANOVA was performed to examine the association between demographic and job characteristics with QoWL. Ethics clearance was granted by faculty ethics committee. Results: Acceptable Cronbach α score, and CFA were achieved. Overall, 72.8% of the HCWs confirmed working under pressure during the pandemic and 54.2% felt excessive level of stress associated with workload. Significant differences were found between gender and three dimensions, i.e. EEN (F = 6.51, p = 0.011), GWB (F = 3.91, p =0.049), HWI (F = 5.22, p = 0.023). Conclusions: The study conclude organisations and related stakeholders should invest in workplace programmes aimed at alleviating stress at work and excessive workload issue among frontline HCWs.