Comparing the performance between static and dynamic populations in COVID-19 hotspot prediction

Objectives: This study aimed to set up the prediction model of COVID-19 hotspot areas by using the census data and human mobility from telecommunication data in Taipei and New Taipei City. The comparison between their accuracy and limitations can provide the relevant insights for future epidemic control. Methods: The spatio-temporal resolution is fixed at the village level in two cities in May 2021. The static and dynamic data are used to construct the mobility network. The former applies gravity model to mimic human flow, and the latter uses telecommunication data as the measure of mobility. We propose the footprints similarity by structural equivalence of spatial networks and integrate it with the number of confirmed cases for computing the risk level of the villages. The performance of the models is evaluated using ROC curves and logistic regression under different thresholds for the confirmed cases. Results: The mobility derived from the telecommunication data provided better prediction performance than that from the census data;they have an average AUC of 0.75 and 0.69, respectively. Besides, the telecommunication data had a tendency to identify a further village as high-risk zone compared to the gravity model. According to the results of logistic regression, the odds ratio (OR) of exceeding the cases' threshold estimated from the telecommunication data is 1.45 on average, while the one estimated from the census data is 1.10. Conclusions: Telecommunication data can be beneficial in identifying the potential high-risk areas and enhancing situational awareness in advance. © 2022, Taiwan Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

Simulation training on donning personal protective equipment and performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation for nurses in a geriatric step-down hospital during COVID-19

Background. Donning personal protective equipment (PPE) and performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) are stressful tasks for healthcare professionals, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of simulation training on donning PPE and performing CPR with PPE put on for nurses at a geriatric step-down hospital. Methods. A lecture and simulation training on donning PPE and performing CPR were provided for nurses. Confidence in donning PPE and performing CPR, knowledge of CPR, and satisfaction of participants were assessed before training (baseline), after the lecture, and after the simulation training. Results. 50 nurses (33 women and 17 men) attended both the lecture and simulation training, accounting for 90% of nurses in the department. Self-rated confidence in donning PPE and performing CPR improved significantly after the lecture (both p<0.001) and again after the simulation training (both p<0.001). Knowledge of CPR improved significantly after the lecture (p<0.001). Self-rated satisfaction of participants was high (9.3±0.3). Conclusion. Simulation training on donning PPE and performing CPR with PPE put on significantly improves the knowledge and confidence of nurses in a geriatric step-down hospital. This may contribute to improved patient outcomes, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. © 2022 The Hong Kong Geriatrics Society and Hong Kong Association of Gerontology.