The Air and Viruses We Breathe: Assessing the Effect the PM2.5 Air Pollutant Has on the Burden of COVID-19

Evidence suggests an association between air pollutant exposure and worse outcomes for respiratory viral diseases, like COVID-19. However, does breathing polluted air over many years affect the susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection or severity of COVID-19 disease, and how intense are these effects? As climate change intensifies, air pollutant levels may rise, which might further affect the burden of respiratory viral diseases. We assessed the effect of increasing exposure to PM2.5 (particulate matter = 2.5 microns in diameter) on SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility or COVID-19 severity and projected the impact on infections and hospitalisations over two years. Simulations in a hypothetical, representative population show that if exposure affects severity, then hospital admissions are projected to increase by 5-10% for a one-unit exposure increase. However, if exposure affects susceptibility, then infections would increase with the potential for onward transmission and hospital admissions could increase by over 60%. Implications of this study highlight the importance of considering this potential additional health and health system burden as part of strategic planning to mitigate and respond to changing air pollution levels. It is also important to better understand at which point PM2.5 exposure affects SARS-CoV-2 infection through to COVID-19 disease progression, to enable improved protection and better support of those most vulnerable.

What Impact Will Worsening Air Pollution Have on the Burden of Covid-19?

Background: Evidence suggests association between long-term exposure to air pollutants and increased risk of becoming infected with SARS-CoV- 2, the causative agent of COVID-19, and increased severity of COVID-19. However, it remains unclear whether breathing more polluted air over many years affects susceptibility to infection or only affects disease severity, with uncertainty around the intensity of these associations. It has been estimated that anthropogenic emissions have contributed to over 10% of the over 660 million cases of SARS-CoV-2 and the over 7.5 million COVID-19 deaths reported worldwide over the course of the pandemic. Furthermore, as the world continues to warm and if air pollution levels increase, then so might the burden of respiratory infectious disease, including COVID-19. Method(s): Here we explore the potential impact of long-term exposure to increasing levels of particulate matter 2.5 microns or less in diameter (PM2.5) (+1 to +5 mug/m3) assuming an association on either (1) SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility or (2) COVID-19 disease severity by projecting SARS-CoV-2 infections and COVID-19-related hospital admissions over a two-year period. Simulations were conducted using a SARS-CoV-2 transmission model in a global setting capturing age and comorbidity risk, considering seasonality, emerging variants, and vaccination and treatment options. We model linear, log, and log10 relationships between these associations. Result(s): We show that if long-term exposure to higher levels of air pollution only affects COVID-19 severity, then as expected, the projected number of COVID-19-related hospitalisations would proportionally increase. However, if exposure directly affects the susceptibility of becoming infected, then while infections would be higher, hospitalizations would also be even higher due to the potential for onward transmission. This aligns with associations between air pollution and other respiratory infections and their associated health outcomes. Conclusion(s): The anticipated additional impact air pollution is having on the public health burden of respiratory infectious disease, like COVID-19, should be considered in strategic action plans to mitigate and adapt to changing levels of air pollution. It is important to better understand at which point air pollution affects SARS-CoV-2 infection acquisition through to disease progression, to enable improved protection and to better support those most vulnerable. Modelled impact of air pollution on COVID-19. The projected cumulative impact of long-term exposure to incrementally higher PM2.5 levels (+1 to +5 mug/m3) affecting either SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility or COVID-19 disease severity on cumulative SARS-CoV-2 infections and COVID-19-related hospital admissions over a two-year period in a global setting of 100,000 people. Age and comorbidity risk are captured, seasonality considered, and it is assumed SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (with 10% more infectious and 20% more immune-evading than the previous variant, and Omicron-level severity) emerge every six months, and COVID-19 vaccination and treatment (monoclonalantibody PrEP and antivirals) are implemented for all those eligible. While the associations between PM2.5 exposure and either SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility or COVID-19 disease severity remains unclear and there is much uncertainty around estimated assumptions, here we show a modelled log10 relationship between these two potential associations. COVID-19: coronavirus disease 2019. PM2.5: particulate matter 2.5 microns or less in diameter. PrEP: pre-exposure prophylaxis. SARS-CoV-2: severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.

COVID-19 and Citizen Perception about Government

This paper shows the results of an empirical study, with data from 77 countries, about correlation between the COVID-19 pandemic and citizen perception about government in three specific fields: trust in its institutions, level of corruption, and democracy. With data from World Values Survey and World Health Organization, the study find that pandemic is less bad in those societies with high level of confidence in government, less corruption, and a more democratic political regime.

In between the Pandemic and Populism: A look into the 2021 female presidential candidates in Portugal

The COVID-19 pandemic changed the form and substance of the official campaign for the 2021 Portuguese presidential elections. It called for several adjustments to planned campaign actions, constraining candidates' mobility and popular mobilization. This context favored the fermentation of populist discourses and the radicalization of political debate. These circumstances led to an unprecedented electoral contest in the recent history of democracy in Portugal. One of the least explored topics in studies about populism is gender and the place of women in the globalized society. In this context, this paper examines the media coverage of the 2021 Portuguese presidential elections in television news services of the following channels: RTP1, SIC, TVI and CMTV. This analysis covered the period of the official campaign and focused on the two female candidates, Ana Gomes and Marisa Matias. © 2022 Associacao Portuguesa de Estudos sobre as Mulheres. All rights reserved.

Ecuadorian environmental policy on climate change as a guarantee of the right to a healthy environment

In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, an infectious disease linked to environmental deterioration, this article analyzes the Ecuadorian public policies on climate change as a guarantee of the human right to a healthy environment, through documentary research based on the behaviorist theory of public poli-cies. The deductive method and the documentary analysis technique were used. Ecuador has incorporat-ed regulations on the adaptation and mitigation of climate change, and has implemented plans and pro-grams to eliminate greenhouse gases. However, environmental policy requires state attention, generating investment in environmental matters for national financing (public-private). The strategic health sector requires a budget in order to guarantee the right to a healthy and ecologically balanced environment.

Current Evidence About the Role of Animals in the Transmission of Sars-Cov-2: Implications for Public Health

Introduction: The SARS-CoV-2 is the denomination of the new betacoronavirus, which was discovered and isolated for the first time in Wuhan, China, at the end of December 2019, and it is the causal agent of the sanitary emergency of the COVID-19 pandemic. Experimental studies have shown susceptibility to infection in pets (dogs and cats). Objective: To present the current information available on SARS-CoV-2 in animals under the care of humans that have been officially reported in the sanitary registries of the World Animal Health Information System (WAHIS) of the World Organization for Animal Health. Materials and methods: We conducted a narrative review using Medline/ PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Sciences, and official documents of the World Organisation for Animal Health. The search terms used were as follows: “coronavirus”, “SARS coronavirus 2019”, “SARS-CoV”, “SARS-CoV-2 in dog and/or cat” “pets SARS-CoV-2”. Results: The studies reviewed in this manuscript highlight those positive cases in cats and dogs for SARS-CoV-2 have been associated with an exposure to positive COVID-19 people. In the available evidence, 55.17 % of the total cases of animals that were positive for SARS-CoV-2 were associated with people with COVID-19 who had the disease at home, possibly due to maintaining a longer exposure to the humans. Conclusion: Regarding the zoonotic aspects, it is important to clarify that although several animal species have been infected by SARSCoV-2, none of them has been scientifically proven to represent a risk of direct transmission between positive animals and other humans or to play an epidemiological role in the disease © 2022, Revista Lasallista de Investigacion.All Rights Reserved.

COVID-19 conspiracy ideation is associated with the delusion proneness trait and resistance to update of beliefs.

The rapid spread of conspiracy ideas associated with the recent COVID-19 pandemic represents a major threat to the ongoing and coming vaccination programs. Yet, the cognitive factors underlying the pandemic-related conspiracy beliefs are not well described. We hypothesized that such cognitive style is driven by delusion proneness, a trait phenotype associated with formation of delusion-like beliefs that exists on a continuum in the normal population. To probe this hypothesis, we developed a COVID-19 conspiracy questionnaire (CCQ) and assessed 577 subjects online. Their responses clustered into three factors that included Conspiracy, Distrust and Fear/Action as identified using principal component analysis. We then showed that CCQ (in particular the Conspiracy and Distrust factors) related both to general delusion proneness assessed with Peter's Delusion Inventory (PDI) as well as resistance to belief update using a Bias Against Disconfirmatory Evidence (BADE) task. Further, linear regression and pathway analyses suggested a specific contribution of BADE to CCQ not directly explained by PDI. Importantly, the main results remained significant when using a truncated version of the PDI where questions on paranoia were removed (in order to avoid circular evidence), and when adjusting for ADHD- and autistic traits (that are known to be substantially related to delusion proneness). Altogether, our results strongly suggest that pandemic-related conspiracy ideation is associated with delusion proneness trait phenotype.

Acute presentation of post-traumatic stress by COVID-19

Introduction: COVID-19 has generated diverse reactions and social changes in different populations, which may influence mental health. Objective: To describe the characteristics and risk factors of post-traumatic stress by COVID-19 in the Peruvian population. Methods: A retrospective cohort was studied in 2276 people over 18 years of age. The diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder was obtained with the Short Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Rating Interview (SPRINT-E) scale (α = 0.92), which was crossed with important variables;association statistics were obtained. Results: The main risk factors for post-traumatic stress were being a woman (p < 0.001);having obesity or cardiovascular disease (p < 0.001);spending more hours per day being informed about the subject (p< 0.001);having a family member who had suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (p < 0.001);having a relative who has suffered from COVID-19 (p = 0.045), having a relative or friend who has died from this disease (p = 0.020);having relatives with psychiatric diagnoses (p = 0.018);having a harmful habit (p < 0.001), suffering from depression, anxiety or stress (p < 0.001;for each of the three disorders). On the contrary, the older the age (p<0.001) and the higher the academic degree (p<0.001), the lower the risk of post-traumatic stress. Conclusion: The factors associated with post-traumatic stress due to COVID-19 in the Peruvian population are obesity or cardiovascular disease, possession of harmful habits, family psychiatric history, having family members infected or killed by COVID-19, and suffering from depression, anxiety or stress. © 2022, Editorial Ciencias Medicas. All rights reserved.

RISK OF SARS-COV-2 INFECTION IN HIGHLY EXPOSED HEALTH WORKERS

Objectives: The present study makes it possible to establish the profile of the worker most susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection, describe seroprevalence and determine the presence of anosmia and / or dysgeusia. Material and Methods:A descriptive, cross-sectional, and retrospective epidemiological study was carried out for 263 days in an ICU of a tertiary hospital. One hundred forty-six workers from 11 different categories were included. The results of the diagnostic tests for infection were consulted, and a telephone interview was carried out. Results: Fifty-six workers were infected (39.4%).The risk of infection in healthcare workers was higher (OR 3.38). Nursing staff and shift workers had a higher infection rate (p = 0, 000). Anti SARS-CoV-2 (AntiN) IgG antibodies were detected for more than four months. 38.1% developed anosmia and/or dysgeusia with a recovery of 117.41 days on average. Conclusions: The data obtained may be of interest for assessing occupational risk against SARS-CoV-2 in the health field. © 2022, Accion Medica S.A.. All rights reserved.

Natural infection of SARS-CoV-2 in domestic cats and dogs of humans diagnosed with COVID-19 in Valle de Aburra, Antioquia

Introduction: The severe acute respiratory syndrome of the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) is the causal agent of the health emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although humans are the main susceptible host, experimental studies and reported cases of natural infection have evidenced scenarios of SARS-CoV-2 reverse zoonosis in animals. Objective: To evaluate the natural infection of SARS-CoV-2 in cats and dogs of owners diagnosed with COVID-19 in the Aburra Valley, Antioquia, Colombia. Materials and methods: The circulation of SARS-CoV-2 was evaluated by RT-qPCR and RT-PCR in samples of nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal smears from cats and dogs whose owners had latency due to COVID-19 infection. The positive cases were verified by amplifying fragments of the RdRp, N and E genes;and the RdRp amplicon was sequenced and phylogenetically analyzed. Results: Six cats and three dogs were confirmed cases of natural infection for SARS-CoV-2 from 80 tested animals. The animals did not show clinical signs;and their owners, who suffered from the infection, reported only mild signs of the disease without clinical complications. In the analysis of one of the sequences, a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) was found with a change in position 647 substituting the amino acid serine (S) for an isoleucine (I). The cases occurred in the municipalities of Caldas, Medellin and Envigado. Conclusions: It is inferred that natural infection in cats and dogs is associated with direct contact with a COVID-19 patient.

Enterprise architecture as a cloud migration strategy for Ecuadorian universities

Due to the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the growing need for services and information, universities in Ecuador face the challenge of providing the necessary technological support for the development of their substantive activities: teaching, research, and linkage with society. Enterprise architecture and cloud computing can help universities achieve their goals in the short term through an architectural management scheme that allows them access to advanced IT infrastructure. This paper proposes a four-phase strategy for universities to manage the migration to the cloud, where the leadership of senior executives is considered fundamental for this type of strategy. In addition, the strategy mediated by architectural transformation methodologies will allow the definition of an operational model that ensures that this migration is manageable and committed to a disciplined transition strategy. © 2022, Associacao Iberica de Sistemas e Tecnologias de Informacao. All rights reserved.

Clinical and epidemiologic characterization of patients confirmed with COVID-19 in an area of health

Introduction: the speedy expansion of the illness and the exponential increase of cases confirmed with COVID-19, forced to the World Organization of the Health, declared as pandemic.

Effectiveness of flipped learning and augmented reality in the new educational normality of the Covid-19 era

Flipped learning and augmented reality have become two emerging didactic proposals today in the field of education. This study analyzes the effectiveness of flipped learning and augmented reality in various dimensions related to the learning process. A quasi-experimental design has been carried out in a sample of 116 students from Spain, of the third level of Secondary Education. A questionnaire has been used to collect the research data. The results show that there is a high appreciation by students of both educational experiences, although differences in various dimensions are present. Those who have received teaching based on flipped learning show significance in the dimensions teacher-student, autonomy, deepening and classtime. On the other hand, those who have developed the experience with augmented reality show significance in the dimensions of motivation, interrelation with content and students, and resolution. In conclusion, both the application of an emerging methodology based on flipped learning and the use of educational technology with augmented reality contributes positively to the optimization of learning processes in the Mathematics classroom. © 2021 North Caucasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, State Technological University. All rights reserved.

Effect of rivaroxaban (10mg) versus observation on the risk of thrombosis at discharge in individuals with covid-19

Background: Coagulopathy associated with COVID-19 is one of the main complications, especially in individuals with risk factors. Simultaneously, the use of low molecular weight heparin is the recommended strategy in hospitalized individuals, but the usefulness of other strategies such as DOACs in outpatients is still unknown. Aims: Describe the benefit of the use of rivaroxaban at discharge on the risk of thrombosis in patients discharged from COVID-19.Identify the behavior of Dimero-D at discharge and its modification with anticoagulant therapy. Methods: Randomized 1: 1 study (Rivaroxaban 10mg for 14 days versus observation) at discharge in individuals with COVID-19 who have not required mechanical ventilation. D-dimer was evaluated at 14 and 30 days after discharge in conjunction with a CT angiography at four weeks after hospital discharge. The protocol was developed in the Hospital Regional de Alta Especialidad de Ixtapaluca, authorized by the ethics committee with registration number NR-19-2020. The study is identified in ClinicalTrials.gov with the following registry NCT04508439 Results: Forty individuals were evaluated (20 in each arm) with follow- up greater than 100 days. Gender distribution was equitable in each arm, with a mean age of 50 years (21 to 74 years), 40% (n = 16) were older than 55 years, 27.5% (n = 11) had hypertension and 20% (n = 8) had diabetes. The mean length of hospital stay was 10.5 days (6 to 23 days) treated with oxygen and low molecular weight heparin. At discharge, treatment was started with rivaroxaban 10mg x 14d vs. observation;in the rivaroxaban group, four events were identified (3 hemorrhages / 1 thrombosis), this difference being significant (Log Rank 0.016). Only one thrombosis event (pulmonary embolism) was identified in the rivaroxaban group at eight treatment days. Compared to the diagnosis, DD levels were lower at both 14 and 30 days (p = 0.000, 95% CI, 440.8-1164.9) without finding a difference in those treated with rivaroxaban or observation (p = 0.721, 95% CI, -68.48 to 241.18). Summary/Conclusion: The use of DOACs at discharge does not benefit from an increased risk of hemorrhagic events;the anticoagulant strategy should be individualized, focused only on those patients at very high risk of thrombosis.

Treating multiple sclerosis patients with infusion of disease modifying treatments during the COVID-19 pandemic

Background and importance Multiple sclerosis (MS) secondline disease modifying treatments (DMT) cause lymphocyte or B cell depletion, such as therapy with natalizumab, ocrelizumab, alemtuzumab or rituximab. They can present a varying degree of immunodeficiency that can translate into an increased risk of infections. The decision making process should balance the risks of stopping an active treatment and the risk of COVID- 19 infection. Aim and objectives To evaluate the management of MS patients with secondline DMT via infusion with natalizumab, ocrelizumab, rituximab and alemtuzumab during the COVID- 19 pandemic. Material and methods An observational retrospective study was conducted between January 2020 and October 2020 of MS patients on active treatment with natalizumab, ocrelizumab, rituximab or alemtuzumab who were expected to receive new dosages in this period. For data collection, the electronic clinic history system (Selene) and the programme Farmatools were used. Variables collected were: sex, age, expanded disability status scale (EDSS), COVID-19 diagnosis and type of MS. Treatment changes/delays due to COVID-19 were reviewed. In case of delay, the number of days was quantified. Results 40 patients (65% women) treated with different infusion therapies were evaluated with a median age of 47.3 (SD 13,3). The average EDSS was 3.8 (SD 2.1). 29 patients had relapsing-remitting MS (72,5%), 7 had primary progressive MS (17.5%) and 4 had secondary progressive MS (10%). Five (12.5%) COVID-19 cases were diagnosed. No delays were registered in 13 infusions of natalizumab;2 patients, due to a suboptimal response, were changed to ocrelizumab, reducing hospital visits, and one was transferred to another hospital. Three patients were expected to receive alemtuzumab. No one received alemtuzumab and two were changed to ocrelizumab due to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) alert that recommended restricting the use of alemtuzumab during the COVID-19 pandemic. Two patients received rituximab in time;one was changed to natalizumab due to infusion reactions and in one case the dosing interval was extended to 36 days. Eight patients began ocrelizumab treatment, eight received their dose without delay, one died and in five cases the dosing interval was extended to 39 days (SD 23.8). Conclusion and relevance According to the recommendations, a case-by-case analysis should be performed, but it seems that the COVID-19 pandemic has conditioned MS treatments as changes/delays were registered. Five (12.5%) COVID-19 cases were diagnosed, similar to the outcomes obtained in the seroprevalence study in the same region.

4CPS-333 Treating multiple sclerosis patients with infusion of disease modifying treatments during the COVID-19 pandemic

Background and importanceMultiple sclerosis (MS) secondline disease modifying treatments (DMT) cause lymphocyte or B cell depletion, such as therapy with natalizumab, ocrelizumab, alemtuzumab or rituximab. They can present a varying degree of immunodeficiency that can translate into an increased risk of infections. The decision making process should balance the risks of stopping an active treatment and the risk of COVID-19 infection.Aim and objectivesTo evaluate the management of MS patients with secondline DMT via infusion with natalizumab, ocrelizumab, rituximab and alemtuzumab during the COVID-19 pandemic.Material and methodsAn observational retrospective study was conducted between January 2020 and October 2020 of MS patients on active treatment with natalizumab, ocrelizumab, rituximab or alemtuzumab who were expected to receive new dosages in this period. For data collection, the electronic clinic history system (Selene) and the programme Farmatools were used. Variables collected were: sex, age, expanded disability status scale (EDSS), COVID-19 diagnosis and type of MS. Treatment changes/delays due to COVID-19 were reviewed. In case of delay, the number of days was quantified.Results40 patients (65% women) treated with different infusion therapies were evaluated with a median age of 47.3 (SD 13,3). The average EDSS was 3.8 (SD 2.1). 29 patients had relapsing–remitting MS (72,5%), 7 had primary progressive MS (17.5%) and 4 had secondary progressive MS (10%). Five (12.5%) COVID-19 cases were diagnosed. No delays were registered in 13 infusions of natalizumab;2 patients, due to a suboptimal response, were changed to ocrelizumab, reducing hospital visits, and one was transferred to another hospital.Three patients were expected to receive alemtuzumab. No one received alemtuzumab and two were changed to ocrelizumab due to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) alert that recommended restricting the use of alemtuzumab during the COVID-19 pandemic. Two patients received rituximab in time;one was changed to natalizumab due to infusion reactions and in one case the dosing interval was extended to 36 days. Eight patients began ocrelizumab treatment, eight received their dose without delay, one died and in five cases the dosing interval was extended to 39 days (SD 23.8).Conclusion and relevanceAccording to the recommendations, a case-by-case analysis should be performed, but it seems that the COVID-19 pandemic has conditioned MS treatments as changes/delays were registered. Five (12.5%) COVID-19 cases were diagnosed, similar to the outcomes obtained in the seroprevalence study in the same region.References and/or acknowledgementsConflict of interestNo conflict of interest

Television coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic in Portugal: An exploratory study

2020 will be remembered globally as the year of the Covid-19 pandemic. Although this disease had emerged in China in the end of 2019, its global spread a few months later threatened the globalized society, causing serious social, political, and economic effects, not all yet understood. Journalism has been in crisis over the past few decades (Zelizer, 2004;2009;2017), but the coverage of this pandemic through diverse devices and screens (Deuze, 2019) brought a new vigor to the role of journalism. In Portugal, during a period of homely isolation, television played a role of social link (Wolton, 1994), demonstrating that it is still the dominant medium (ERC, 2016, 2019;OBERCOM, 2018;Statista, 2018). In this context, our tribute to Nelson Traquina has the aim of presenting, commenting, and discussing his contribution to the study of television journalism in Portugal by assessing the television coverage of this pandemic crisis. For this purpose, we have retrieved theoretical studies about the theories of news and empirical studies about HIV/AIDS done by Traquina (1993, 2002, 2004, 2010 and Traquina et al., 2001). We have empirically assessed both the lunchtime and evening television news services of the channels RTP1, SIC and TVI. We have built a database using a definition of assessment categories, which although was inspired by the work of Traquina about HIV/AIDS, was adapted to the specificities of this new disease. The results enable a discussion about the theories of news as “construction” (Traquina, 1993) and the role of routines in the production of news. © 2020 Universidade Nova de Lisboa - Center for Media Research and Journalism. All rights reserved.