[Vaccination against Covid19: between individual responsability and moral sense]. / La vaccination contre la COVID-19 : entre responsabilité individuelle et sens moral.

Vaccination against COVID-19, which began at the end of last year, promises to be one of the most passionate societal debates of the beginning of 2021. Should we force the population to vaccinate in the name of the civic duty to protect the most vulnerable among us? Should it still be left to the choice of the free and enlightened citizen, which guarantees the consequences it therefore evokes, in the name of what the Republic has most precious to offer: the freedom to choose and the equality of all in front of it? But where should this democratic freedom of action and decisions stop, as long as they must undermine the safety of the life course of some of us? Faced with this pandemic, who should decide who should live with the individuality defended by some or take the risk of peer contamination by refusing vaccination? This would make us lose then and together what we owe to ourselves, but above all what we owe to others: the sense of a certain consideration of human vulnerability, and respect for the precious price of life. The philosophy of freedom and the ethics of responsibility will help us to shed a certain humanist light on our individual and collective decisions that today herald the common plan for a shared future that concerns us all.

Situating energy justice: Storytelling risk and resilience in the Navajo Nation

This chapter integrates independent empirical observations with co-analysis and co-writing, by Diné attorney Bidtah Becker and environmental anthropologist Dana E. Powell, to argue that the appearance of COVID-19 in the Navajo Nation makes visible long-standing infrastructural challenges facing the Navajo Nation. We show how energy might be rethought in relation to Diné concepts about vitality, and how self-determination—materially underpinned by extractive industries in the Navajo Nation—invites a re-thinking of what it means to be "recover” from historical and ongoing threats to the individual and collective body. We suggest that energy does not only need to be democratized but ultimately, needs to be decolonized from the processes that place fossil fuels in the service of settler capitalism, rather than Diné sovereignty. Such a move might enable movements toward energy justice, which is not a technical fix delivered by new hardware but an analytic that critically centers self-determination and new forms of relationality. © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Self-Assessment of Preparedness: Incoming Emergency Medicine Interns in the Era of COVID-19

Learning Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess the preparedness of the incoming emergency medicine intern (EM-1) resident class in light of changes to clinical rotations incurred by COVID-19. This feedback was given to programs to alter orientation programs and address knowledge gaps. Background(s): The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in modification, limitation or cancellation of rotations that affected the clinical experience of graduating fourth-year medical students (MS4). Objective(s): The purpose of this study was to assess the preparedness of the incoming emergency medicine intern (EM-1) resident class in light of changes to clinical rotations incurred by COVID-19. Method(s): We conducted a prospective, survey-based assessment of MS4 matriculating into 7 geographically distinct US EM residency programs in July 2021. The anonymous survey collected data on respondent demographics, rotations, procedures performed, and subjective comfort level with clinical scenarios. Each respondent was assigned a procedural index score (PS) and a clinical comfort index score (CCS), defined as the total sums of reported procedure counts and the quantitative Likert values for each clinical scenario, respectively. Spearman's rank order coefficient was used to assess correlation between the index scores (PS, CCS) and educational variables. Result(s): A total of 63 respondents returned completed surveys. The median numbers of EM rotations, virtual rotations and ED encounters were 2 (IQR 2-2), 3 (IQR 1-4,) and 100 (IQR 55-100), respectively. MS4 rotations were somewhat or moderately limited due to COVID-19 for 82.5% of respondents and somewhat or moderately suspended in 73.0%. Calculation of index scores yielded a median PS=35 (IQR 30-39) and CCS=30 (IQR 27-32). PS was significantly positively correlated with the number of EM rotations (r=0.395) p=0.001), and ED patient encounters (r=0.369, p=0.006). Conclusion(s): Based on self-reported data, changes to MS4 rotations did not significantly impact the procedural exposure or clinical comfort level of incoming EM-1 residents. Procedural experience, but not overall clinical comfort level, was positively correlated with the number of EM rotations and patient encounters completed.

Medical Student Perceptions of the Virtual Interview Process for Emergency Medicine Residency Application

Learning Objectives: Investigate medical student perceptions of the virtual interview process. Background(s): In the setting of the Covid-19 pandemic, emergency medicine (EM) residency programs engaged an unprecedented transition to virtual interviews. The use of virtual interviews and their impact on medical students had not been previously studied in the published literature. Objective(s): We aimed to investigate medical student perceptions of the virtual interview process. Method(s): We conducted a cross-sectional survey-based study of EM applicants who interviewed at our community teaching hospital during the 2020-21 season. The survey was sent electronically to all interviewees following Match Day, excluding applicants who had completed a clinical rotation in our department. The survey consisted of 8 Likert scale questions assessing specific components of the interview and overall impressions of the virtual interview format. Result(s): A total of 113 surveys were distributed with 34 (30%) interviewees completing the survey. Overall, respondents were 32.4% Female and the mean number of virtual interviews attended was 15.3 (SD = 4.8). Responses to questions regarding overall impression and specific components of the virtual interview are reported in Table 1. Regarding how the nationwide transition to a virtual interview process affected their match, 32% responded negatively, 41% responded neutral, 26% responded positively. Most interviewees (71.9%) agreed that virtual interviews should be offered as part of the traditional residency interview cycle. Conclusion(s): Medical students felt that our virtual interview process benefited their experience overall. While the nationwide transition is not thought to have benefitted their match, students feel that virtual interviews should be offered as an option moving forwards. The study was limited by small sample size and single-center setting.

Variations in Sense of Belonging in Undergraduate Computing Students Through the COVID-19 Pandemic

Student sense of belonging, or belongingness, is important and has been associated with motivation, persistence, and other outcomes. However, belongingness varies according to factors such as race/ethnicity and gender [2]. In previous work, there have been statistically significant differences in the belongingness of computing students identifying as women and as part of a minority [2]. During the COVID-19 pandemic there was a reduction in the belongingness of students identifying as men, and those not identifying as being part of a minority, and an increase in the belongingness of women identifying as a minority [3]. Our current work shows that the belongingness of men and women not identifying as being part of a minority has not returned to pre-pandemic levels, despite returning to campus, and a further statistically significant drop in the belongingness of men who identify as part of a minority. This work shows that further efforts need to be made to restore student belongingness to pre-pandemic levels and may yield insight into how events affect belongingness. © 2022 Owner/Author.

Virucidal efficacy of an ozone-generating system for automated room disinfection.

Besides conventional prevention measures, no-touch technologies based on gaseous systems have been introduced in hospital hygiene for room disinfection. The whole-room disinfectant device Sterisafe Pro, which creates ozone as a biocidal agent, was tested for its virucidal efficacy based on Association Française de Normalisation Standard NF T 72-281:2014. All test virus titres were reduced after 150 and 300 min of decontamination, with mean reduction factors ranging from 2.63 (murine norovirus) to 3.94 (simian virus 40). These results will help to establish realistic conditions for virus inactivation, and assessment of the efficacy of ozone technology against non-enveloped and enveloped viruses.

Virucidal efficacy of different formulations for hand and surface disinfection targeting SARS CoV-2.

In the ongoing SARS CoV-2 pandemic, effective disinfection measures are needed, and guidance based on the methodological framework of the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) may enable the choice of effective disinfectants on an immediate basis. This study aimed to elucidate whether disinfectants claiming 'virucidal activity against enveloped viruses' as specified in the European Standard EN 14476 as well as in the German Association for the Control of Viral Diseases/Robert Koch Institute (DVV/RKI) guideline are effectively inactivating SARS-CoV-2. Two commercially available formulations for surface disinfection and one formulation for hand disinfection were studied regarding their virucidal activity. Based on the data of this study the enveloped SARS-CoV-2 is at least equally susceptible compared to the standard test virus vaccinia used in the EN 14476 and DVV/RKI guidelines. Thus, chemical disinfectants claiming 'virucidal activity against enveloped viruses' based on the EN 14476 and DVV/RKI guidelines will be an effective choice to target enveloped SARS-CoV-2 as a preventive measure.

Investigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on computing students' sense of belonging

Sense of belonging, or belongingness, describes how accepted one feels in their academic community and is an important factor in creating inclusive learning environments. Belongingness is influenced by many factors including: students' backgrounds and experiences;other people;environments (physical and virtual);academic discipline;external factors such as local, regional, and global issues;and time. 2020 has been dominated by several major events including the COVID-19 pandemic which dramatically impacted education. The Black Lives Matter movement has further raised global awareness of equality, diversity and inclusion not just in society, but in educational contexts. Climate change concerns, and politically-charged news are also increasingly affecting our students. We have been monitoring our undergraduate computing students' sense of belonging for over three years, providing us with a unique opportunity to gauge recent changes during the pandemic. Our results surprised us. We found statistically significant reductions in the belongingness of students identifying as men as well as those not identifying as being part of a minority. However, investigating intersectionality of self-identified gender and minority status revealed more complicated and nuanced trends, illustrating important shifts in the belongingness of our students that we are only beginning to understand. © 2021 Association for Computing Machinery. All rights reserved.

Comparison of the in-vitro efficacy of different mouthwash solutions targeting SARS-CoV-2 based on the European Standard EN 14476

The outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is triggering a global health emergency alert. Until vaccination becomes available, a bundle of effective preventive measures is desperately needed. Recent research is indicating the relevance of aerosols in the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Thus, in this study commercially available antiseptic mouthwashes based on the active ingredients chlorhexidine digluconate and octenidine dihydrochloride (OCT) were investigated regarding their efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 using the European Standard 14476. Based on the requirement of EN 14476 in which reduction of at least four decimal logarithms (>=4 log₁₀) of viral titre is requested to state efficacy, the OCT-based formulation was found to be effective within a contact time of only 15 s against SARS-CoV-2. Based on this in-vitro data the OCT mouthwash thus constitutes an interesting candidate for future clinical studies to prove its effectiveness in a potential prevention of SARS-CoV-2 transmission by aerosols.

An automated room disinfection system using ozone is highly active against surrogates for SARS-CoV-2.

BACKGROUND: The presence of coronaviruses on surfaces in the patient environment is a potential source of indirect transmission. Manual cleaning and disinfection measures do not always achieve sufficient removal of surface contamination. This increases the importance of automated solutions in the context of final disinfection of rooms in the hospital setting. Ozone is a highly effective disinfectant which, combined with high humidity, is an effective agent against respiratory viruses. Current devices allow continuous nebulization for high room humidity as well as ozone production without any consumables. AIM: In the following study, the effectiveness of a fully automatic room decontamination system based on ozone was tested against bacteriophage Φ6 (phi 6) and bovine coronavirus L9, as surrogate viruses for the pandemic coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. METHODS: For this purpose, various surfaces (ceramic tile, stainless steel surface and furniture board) were soiled with the surrogate viruses and placed at two different levels in a gas-tight test room. After using the automatic decontamination device according to the manufacturer's instructions, the surrogate viruses were recovered from the surfaces and examined by quantitative cultures. Then, reduction factors were calculated. FINDINGS: The ozone-based room decontamination device achieved virucidal efficacy (reduction factor >4 log10) against both surrogate organisms regardless of the different surfaces and positions confirming a high activity under the used conditions. CONCLUSION: Ozone is highly active against SARS-CoV-2 surrogate organisms. Further investigations are necessary for a safe application and efficacy in practice as well as integration into routine processes.