MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY IN SECONDARY STUDENTS: DIAGNOSIS AND ASSESSMENT

In the information and knowledge society, technology and the COVID-19 pandemic have added to the debate on Media and Information Literacy (MIL). In Peru, in spite of the recommendations from international institutions, proper attention has not been given, generating gaps in the study curricula. From this perspective, the study investigates the level of development of MIL in students studying the last cycle of intermediate education. In order to determine this, the AMI-Peru-21 surv-ey was designed and validated, based on the UNESCO proposals. This research is of a quantitative, descriptive and crosscurricular nature, which made it possible to diagnose the relationship of the socioformative factors with the levels of MIL achievement, based on a sample made up by 1250 students from the province of Arequipa. The results evidence the validity and reliability of the instrument (α=0.96) in order to measure the level of MIL, from the perspective of student self-perception, as well as the association of certain socioformative factors with MIL (p<0.000), among them, progress with age, i.e., older ages are associated with greater the levels of achievement, and females make more progress than males. It is also verified that access to basic services, such as electricity and the Internet, and the type of educational institution are correlated with higher levels of MIL achievement. From the evidence that is generated, in order to ensure the education of critical, ethical and responsible citizens, a set of initiatives is suggested to further the evolution of MIL in education © Article's contents are provided on an Attribution-Non Commercial 4.0 Creative commons International License. Readers are allowed to copy, distribute and communicate article's contents, provided the author's and JOTSE journal's names are included. It must not be used for commercial purposes. To see the complete licence contents, please visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/

Pathogen sensing device based on 2D MoS2/graphene heterostructure

In this work we propose a new methodology for selective and sensitive pathogen detection based on a 2D layered heterostructured biosensing platform. As a proof of concept, we have chosen SARS-CoV-2 virus because the availability of new methods to detect this virus is still a great deal of interest. The prepared platform is based on the covalent immobilization of molybdenum disulphide functionalized with a diazonium salt (f-MoS2) onto graphene screen-printed electrodes (GPH SPE) by electrografting of the diazonium salt. This chemistry-based method generates an improved heterostructured biosensing platform for aptamer immobilization and aptasensor development. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) is used to obtain the signal response of the device, proving the ability of the sensor platform to detect the virus. SARS-CoV-2 spike RBD recombinant protein (SARS-CoV-2 S1 protein) has been detected and quantified with a low detection limit of 2.10 fg/mL. The selectivity of the developed biosensor has been confirmed after detecting the S1 protein even in presence of other interfering proteins. Moreover, the ability of the device to detect SARS-CoV-2 S1 protein has been also tested in human serum samples.

[ANALYSIS OF FACTORS INVOLVED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF HUMORAL RESPONSE TO VACCINATION AGAINST SARS-COV-2 IN PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATIC PATHOLOGY UNDER BIOLOGICAL TREATMENT.] / ANÁLISIS DE FACTORES IMPLICADOS EN EL DESARROLLO DE RESPUESTA HUMORAL A LA VACUNACIÓN FRENTE A SARS-COV-2 EN PACIENTES CON PATOLOGÍA REUMÁTICA EN TRATAMIENTO BIOLÓGICO.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: In the context of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the development of new vaccines and their efficacy in patients with immune-mediated rheumatic diseases has been a target to investigate. The objective of this study is to evaluate the vaccine response rate in patients with immune-mediated rheumatic diseases under treatment with immunomodulators, including rituximab (RTX), as well as the influence of possible factors involved in the vaccination response in these patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A single-centre, prospective cohort study was conducted in 130 patients with immune-mediated rheumatic disease on treatment with immunomodulators, including RTX, who received the full course of vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 with BioNTech/Pfizer, Moderna/Lonza, AstraZeneca, or Janssen between April and October 2021. Demographic factors such as age, sex, type of immune-mediated disease, immunomodulatory treatment and type of vaccine were analysed, as well as serological markers including anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody levels measured one and six months after vaccination, CD19+ lymphocyte levels and the presence or absence of hypogammaglobulinemia. A statistical analysis was performed to assess the influence of the different variables collected in the study on the antibody titres. RESULTS: A sample of 130 patients was studied, 41 under treatment with RTX and 89 with other immunomodulators. A lower vaccination response rate was observed in patients with RTX (12/34, 36.7%) one month after the primary vaccination compared to 96.5% (82/85) of patients who did not receive this drug and did respond. In the analysis of secondary variables, hypogammaglobulinemia was significantly associated with lack of development of a vaccine response. The administration of the last RTX cycle in the 6 months prior to vaccination and low CD19+ levels (<20mg/dL) also had a negative influence on the development of a vaccine response. In the group of patients who were not receiving RTX treatment, the vaccination response was like that observed in the general population. We did not observe statistically significant differences in the vaccine response based on immunomodulatory treatment other than RTX, concomitant corticosteroid treatment, type of immune-mediated pathology, age, or sex. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: In patients with rheumatic diseases receiving immunomodulatory treatment, the response to vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 is comparable to the general population, except in the case of patients receiving RTX, who have a lower response rate (around 36.7%) which is associated with factors such as hypogammaglobulinemia, pre-vaccination CD19+ lymphocyte levels, and a period between vaccination and the last dose of RTX of less than 6 months. It is important to take these factors into consideration to optimize vaccination in these patients.

Reflections on the role of occupational therapy programmes on the mental health of stakeholders' transition to e-learning during the COVID-19 pandemic

The rise in COVID-19 cases has resulted in the suspension of face-to-face classes in the Philippines. Educational programmes are suddenly expected to shift to e-learning strategies in the delivery of educational instructions. This case report provides a critical reflection on an occupational therapy (OT) programme's e-learning preparedness survey of its stakeholders. Implications on the stakeholders' readiness and confidence in e-learning as it relates to their mental health are discussed. The paper concludes with a recommendation for OT programmes to use its str in supporting its stakeholders' transition to an - learning environment to mitigate any associated mental health-related issues and promote full participation within this new environment.

Motivational deficits in the promotion of public health? A matter for reflection on religion and COVID-19

The paper is aimed to analyze if religion plays a relevant role in health promotion and, thus, if it can be included in the interpretations on the positive role of religions in the public sphere. In this regard, Habermas refers to a crisis of meaning in secular societies that has been caused, among other reasons, by individualistic and selfish lifestyles that fail to encourage a moral action when it goes beyond the law. In contrast, it seems that the strong social ties of religious communities foster solidarity and altruistic attitudes, which could be interpreted as a sign of greater social cohesion;but is it really like that? Pandemic and its consequences help to assess whether the religious element (analyzed as belief, belonging, bonding and behavior) has created positive attitudes in the face of the health challenges (i.e., compliance with rules of social distance, vaccination) or, on the contrary, the motivational deficits of some societies have to do with other factors not related to the religious/secular dichotomy.

Adapting English Language Teaching: Moving Online During the COVID-19 Crisis

Online and blended teaching has been implemented in many higher education institutions for several decades now. However, the COVID-19 pandemic forced many institutions to change their face-to-face and blended teaching into exclusively online teaching. This resulted in a more frequent and different use of tools and teaching genres (i.e., digital genres) that could eventually lead teachers to the exploration of different teaching approaches. Some research has already focused on digital genres and their characteristics. However, the pandemic has disclosed new practices and applications, which have received limited attention up to now. The aim of the present research is to find out the effect of the COVID-19 crisis on English language teaching concerning the use of multimodal digital genres and tools. English language lecturers in 18 countries were surveyed in April 2020, in the early stages of the pandemic, and then 1 year later, in April 2021. Their answers show that, although most institutions moved to online teaching, it was in the frame of ‘emergency remote teaching', as there was no real change in methodology. Indeed, teachers reported having learnt and used new tools for their online teaching. Some of them also mentioned the pedagogical advantages and specificities of digital genres for online teaching. Yet, results from the present study show that such expansion of emergent technologies has not led teachers to a further reflection on their teaching practices and ultimately to the adoption of a different pedagogy. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Mental Health and Climate Change. The Birth of Eco-Anxiety in the Spanish-Language Press

In recent years we have witnessed a great deal of media interest in climate change, echoing the growing public concern about a complex phenomenon with daunting consequences. This paper examines the impact of concepts such as "eco-anxiety” and "solastalgia” in the Spanish and Latin American written and digital press. These neologisms attempt to explain the emotional effects of climate change on mental health. Between 2015 and 2019 the words "solastalgia” and "Nature Deficit Disorder (NDD)” slowly made their way into the media, until 2019, when the term "eco-anxiety” became relatively successful in the newspapers. In addition to analysing the factors involved in the birth and evolution of this concept, the study describes the most frequently cited emotions, such as fear, anguish, stress, sadness and guilt. The results obtained indicate, on the one hand, that eco-anxiety is still a vague idea and not very present in the media, too often linked to negative emotions, in contradiction of clinical psychology advice. Meanwhile, emotions such as anger or indignation, which would enable a collective response to climate change, are often neglected. © 2022 Blanquerna School of Communication and International Relations. All rights reserved.

[Post-intensive care syndrome one month after hospital discharge of critical patients surviving COVID 19.] / Síndrome post-cuidados intensivos al mes del alta hospitalaria de pacientes críticos supervivientes a COVID 19.

OBJECTIVES: incidence of post-intensive care syndrome at one month after hospital discharge in surviving critically ill COVID 19 patients and to identify associated factors. DESIGN: prospective cohort study. SETTING: two multipurpose critical care units of the Araba University Hospital.Patients admitted to critical care units for severe acute respiratory failure secondary to COVID 19. INTERVENTION: none. VARIABLES OF INTEREST: demographic variables, length of stay, Charlson index, APACHE II, SOFA, days of mechanical ventilation, tracheotomy, delirium, tetraparesis of the critical patient, EuroQol 5D5L, Minimental Test. RESULTS: a deterioration in the EuroQol health index (HI) from 90.9 ± 16.9 to 70.9 ± 24.7 (p < 0.001) was observed. The impairment of the five EuroQol domains is: mobility (46.1%), usual activities (44.7%), discomfort/pain (30.7%), psychological domain (27.3%) and self-care (20.3%). The 61.5% suffer a significant decrease in their health index. Multivariate analysis by logistic regression shows us that delirium (OR= 3.01; 95%CI: 1.01-8.9; p= 0.047) and tracheostomy (OR= 2.37; 95%CI: 1.09-5.14; p= 0.029) show association with drop in EuroQoL 5D5L SI. The area under the ROC curve of the model is 67.3%, with a confidence interval between 58% and 76%. The model is calibrated using the Hosmer-Lemeshow test:(χ2=0.468; p=0.792). Only 1.2% of patients showed a score ≤ 24, clearly pathological, on the Folstein's Minimental Test. CONCLUSIONS: delirium and need for tracheostomy are associated with post-intensive care syndrome assessed by EuroQol 5D5L.

Influence of masks on speech perception in people with cochlear implants

The use of face masks in the COVID-19 health crisis is rising many questions, one of them being the effect that they potentially have in language perception in deaf people who use a cochlear implant. To shed some light, an experimental study has been made on the discrimination of minimal pairs in Spanish. In this experiment, we studied the presence or absence of face mask, as well the possibility to read lip and facial expressions. Results support face masks interfere in perception, especially in people with cochlear implant, but multimodality does not improve it as we expected.

Post-intensive care syndrome one month after discharge in surviving critically ill COVID-19 patients.

OBJECTIVES: Incidence of post-intensive care syndrome at one month after hospital discharge in surviving critically ill COVID 19 patients and to identify associated factors. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Two multipurpose critical care units of the Araba University Hospital. Patients admitted to critical care units for severe acute respiratory failure secondary to COVID 19. INTERVENTION: None. VARIABLES OF INTEREST: Demographic variables, length of stay, Charlson index, APACHE II, SOFA, days of mechanical ventilation, tracheotomy, delirium, tetraparesis of the critical patient, EuroQol 5D5L, Minimental Test. RESULTS: A deterioration in the EuroQol health index (HI) from 90.9±16.9 to 70.9±24.7 (p<0.001) was observed. The impairment of the five EuroQol domains is: mobility (46.1%), usual activities (44.7%), discomfort/pain (30.7%), psychological domain (27.3%) and self-care (20.3%). The 61.5% suffer a significant decrease in their health index. Multivariate analysis by logistic regression shows us that delirium (OR=3.01; 95%CI: 1.01-8.9; p=0.047) and tracheostomy (OR=2.37; 95%CI: 1.09-5.14; p=0.029) show association with drop in EuroQoL 5D5L SI. The area under the ROC curve of the model is 67.3%, with a confidence interval between 58% and 76%. The model is calibrated using the Hosmer-Lemeshow test (χ2=0.468; p=0.792). Only 1.2% of patients showed a score ≤ 24, clearly pathological, on the Folstein's Minimental Test. CONCLUSIONS: Delirium and need for tracheostomy are associated with post-intensive care syndrome assessed by EuroQol 5D5L.

Post-intensive care syndrome one month after discharge in surviving critically ill COVID-19 patients Síndrome post-cuidados intensivos al mes del alta hospitalaria de pacientes críticos supervivientes a COVID 19

Objectives Incidence of post-intensive care syndrome at one month after hospital discharge in surviving critically ill COVID 19 patients and to identify associated factors. Design Prospective cohort study. Setting Two multipurpose critical care units of the Araba University Hospital. Patients admitted to critical care units for severe acute respiratory failure secondary to COVID 19. Intervention None. Variables of interest Demographic variables, length of stay, Charlson index, APACHE II, SOFA, days of mechanical ventilation, tracheotomy, delirium, tetraparesis of the critical patient, EuroQol 5D5 L, Minimental Test. Results A deterioration in the EuroQol health index (HI) from 90.9 ± 16.9 to 70.9 ± 24.7 (p < 0.001) was observed. The impairment of the five EuroQol domains is: mobility (46.1%), usual activities (44.7%), discomfort/pain (30.7%), psychological domain (27.3%) and self-care (20.3%). The 61.5% suffer a significant decrease in their health index. Multivariate analysis by logistic regression shows us that delirium (OR = 3.01;95%CI: 1.01-8.9;p = 0.047) and tracheostomy (OR = 2.37;95%CI: 1.09-5.14;p = 0.029) show association with drop in EuroQoL 5D5 L SI. The area under the ROC curve of the model is 67.3%, with a confidence interval between 58% and 76%. The model is calibrated using the Hosmer-Lemeshow test (χ2 = .468;p = .792). Only 1.2% of patients showed a score ≤ 24, clearly pathological, on the Folstein's Minimental Test. Conclusions delirium and need for tracheostomy are associated with post-intensive care syndrome assessed by EuroQol 5D5L.

[Motivational deficits in the promotion of public health? A matter for reflection on religion and COVID-19.]

The paper is aimed to analyze if religion plays a relevant role in health promotion and, thus, if it can be included in the interpretations on the positive role of religions in the public sphere. In this regard, Habermas refers to a crisis of meaning in secular societies that has been caused, among other reasons, by individualistic and selfish lifestyles that fail to encourage a moral action when it goes beyond the law. In contrast, it seems that the strong social ties of religious communities foster solidarity and altruistic attitudes, which could be interpreted as a sign of greater social cohesion;but is it really like that? Pandemic and its consequences help to assess whether the religious element (analyzed as belief, belonging, bonding and behavior) has created positive attitudes in the face of the health challenges (i.e., compliance with rules of social distance, vaccination) or, on the contrary, the motivational deficits of some societies have to do with other factors not related to the religious/secular dichotomy.

Síndrome post-cuidados intensivos al mes del alta hospitalaria de pacientes críticos supervivientes a COVID 19 Post-intensive care syndrome one month after hospital discharge of critical patients surviving COVID 19

Objetivos: incidencia del síndrome post-cuidados intensivos al mes del alta hospitalaria en pacientes críticos supervivientes de COVID 19 e identificar factores asociados. Diseño: estudio de cohortes prospectivo. Ámbito: dos unidades de críticos polivalentes del Hospital Universitario Araba. Pacientes ingresados en unidades de críticos por insuficiencia respiratoria aguda grave secundaria a COVID 19. Intervención: ninguna. Variables de interés: variables demográficas, estancias, índice de Charlson, APACHE II, SOFA, días de ventilación mecánica, traqueotomía, delirio, tetraparesia del paciente crítico, EuroQol 5D5L, Minimental Test. Resultados: se objetiva un deterioro en el índice de salud (IS) del EuroQol que pasa de 90,9 ± 16,9 a 70,9 ± 24,7 (p < 0,001). La afectación de los cinco dominios del EuroQol es de: movilidad (46,1%), actividades habituales (44,7%), malestar/dolor (30,7%), dominio psicológico (27,3%) y autocuidado (20,3%). El 61,5% sufren un descenso significativo de su índice de salud. El análisis multivariante mediante regresión logística nos muestra que el delirio (OR= 3,01;IC95%: 1,01-8,9;p= 0,047) y la traqueotomía (OR= 2,37;IC95%: 1,09-5,14;p= 0,029) muestran asociación con la caída en el IS del EuroQoL 5D5L. El área bajo la curva ROC del modelo es del 67,3%, con un intervalo de confianza entre el 58% y el 76%. Se calibra el modelo mediante el test de Hosmer-Lemeshow:(χ2=0.468;p=0.792). Solamente el 1,2% de los pacientes mostraban una puntuación ≤ 24, claramente patológica, en el Minimental Test de Folstein. Conclusiones: el delirio y la necesidad de traqueostomía se asocian a síndrome post-cuidados intensivos evaluado mediante EuroQol 5D5L.

HUMORAL IMMUNE RESPONSE to SARS-COV-2 VACCINE in RITUXIMAB-TREATED PATIENTS

Background: Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 has shown efficacy and safety in patients with chronic infammatory rheumatic disease, similar to the general population. However, in patients treated with rituximab (RTX) it is known that usually have a lower vaccination response rate (1-2), and recent studies suggest that it also happens with the new SARS-CoV 2 vaccine (3), which entails an increased risk of hospitalization and mortality in this specifc group of patients. Objectives: To describe humoral immune response to SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in rituximab-treated patients after one and six months from the vaccination, and study if there is any other factor associated with a lower response rate. Methods: Prospective analysis of a cohort of patients treated with RTX who received the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine between the months of April and October 2021. Demographic and medical data were collected through electronic medical records. Blood tests and serologies with levels of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 were performed one and six months after having received the vaccine against SARS-CoV-2. The administration of a booster dose of the vaccine was recorded. A descriptive and statistical analysis of the data was carried out using the SPSS program. Results: From a cohort of 41 patients, of whom 81,4% were women with a mean age of 56 (13,4 SD) years, vaccine response rate was only 36,7% after a 6-month follow-up. The 88,4% of them received a booster dose of the vaccine, but this failed to produce a vaccine response in any of the patients who had not developed it with the previous ones. One patient became infected after receiving one dose of the vaccine and failed to develop a serological response either. Hypogammaglobulinemia was associated with a statistically signifcant lower probability of vaccine response (p=0,04). A trend of lower vaccination response rate was observed in patients who had received the last cycle of RTX in the 6 months prior to vaccination (p=0,058). In addition, the antibody levels developed one month after vaccination were statistically signifcantly correlated with the time between the last RTX cycle and vaccination (p=0,014) and also with CD19 B cells levels prior to vaccination (p<0,001);however, there was no correlation with the antibody levels detected at the 6-months serology. No statistically signifcant differences were found in relation to the number of previous cycles of RTX, concomitant treatment with synthetic disease-modifying drugs (DMARDs) or corticosteroids. Conclusion: In our sample, after a 6-month follow-up only 36,9% achieved a vaccine response against SARS-CoV-2, which did not improve despite the administration of a booster dose. Hypogammaglobulinemia, the time between the last RTX cycle and vaccination (at least 6 months), and previous CD19 B cells levels signifcantly influenced in the development of a humoral response to the vaccine.

Moodle E-learning Platform as a Complementary Tool in ICLHE Contexts

Integrating Content and Language in Higher Education (ICLHE2), or English Medium Instruction (EMI), is the current focus of interest for many researchers nowadays. Some of theses studies aim at exploring learning and teaching processes and beliefs (Fortanet-Gomez, 2013, Jimenez-Munoz & Lahuerta-Martinez, 2019) or at the effectiveness and satisfaction of Course Management Systems (CMS) (Chung & Ackerman, 2015;Damnjanovic, Jednak, & Mijatovic, 2015) but, as far as we know, no research to date involves the use of the activities and resources provided by Moodle in face to face ICLHE contexts. In classrooms today, teachers deal with both digital and traditional genres that have been digitalized and shared through diverse channels to reach their prospective audience. The main concern of this study is to analyse how ICLHE teachers in business-related degrees use Moodle. Our results may be conditioned by the fact that the research took place during the coronavirus crisis. Despite that, we hypothesize that ICLHE teachers may use the e-learning platform in a different way as compared to teaching in the students' L1 (Spanish/Valencian). We have analysed the Moodle platforms of 5 subjects (4 EMI and 1 English for Specific Purposes (ESP)) in business-related degrees, following our own taxonomy in order to classify the different resources and activities on the platform, and to define their purpose and use during the course. In this analysis, we have observed how teachers use the Moodle platform considering that these subjects are taught in English as an additional language. The analysis has been complemented by interviews with the teachers.

The Medium-Term Changes in Health-Related Behaviours among Spanish Older People Lifestyles during Covid-19 Lockdown.

OBJECTIVES: The aim was to evaluate general changes and investigate the association between diet quality, physical activity (PA), and sedentary time (ST) during COVID-19 lockdown and the subsequent 7-month changes in health-related behaviours and lifestyles in older people. PARTICIPANTS: 1092 participants (67-97y) from two Spanish cohorts were included. DESIGN: Telephone-based questionaries were used to evaluate health-related behaviours and lifestyle. Multinomial logistic regression analyses with diet quality, PA, and ST during lockdown as predictors for health-related behaviours changes post-lockdown were applied. RESULTS: Diet quality, PA, and ST significantly improved post-lockdown, while physical component score of the SF-12 worsened. Participants with a low diet quality during lockdown had higher worsening of post-lockdown ST and anxiety; whereas those with high diet quality showed less likelihood of remaining abstainers, worsening weight, and improving PA. Lower ST was associated with a higher likelihood of remaining abstainers, and worsening weight and improving social contact; nevertheless, higher ST was linked to improvement in sleep quality. Lower PA was more likely to decrease alcohol consumption, while higher PA showed the opposite. However, PA was more likely to be associated to remain abstainers. CONCLUSIONS: Despite improvements in lifestyle after lockdown, it had health consequences for older people. Particularly, lower ST during lockdown seemed to provide the most medium-term remarkable lifestyle improvements.

COVID-19: an opportunity of systematic integration for Chagas disease. Example of a community-based approach within the Bolivian population in Barcelona.

BACKGROUND: As a Neglected Tropical Disease associated with Latin America, Chagas Disease (CD) is little known in non-endemic territories of the Americas, Europe and Western Pacific, making its control challenging, with limited detection rates, healthcare access and consequent epidemiological silence. This is reinforced by its biomedical characteristics-it is usually asymptomatic-and the fact that it mostly affects people with low social and financial resources. Because CD is mainly a chronic infection, which principally causes a cardiomyopathy and can also cause a prothrombotic status, it increases the risk of contracting severe COVID-19. METHODS: In order to get an accurate picture of CD and COVID-19 overlapping and co-infection, this operational research draws on community-based experience and participative-action-research components. It was conducted during the Bolivian elections in Barcelona on a representative sample of that community. RESULTS: The results show that 55% of the people interviewed had already undergone a previous T. cruzi infection screening-among which 81% were diagnosed in Catalonia and 19% in Bolivia. The prevalence of T. cruzi infection was 18.3% (with 3.3% of discordant results), the SARS-CoV-2 22.3% and the coinfection rate, 6%. The benefits of an integrated approach for COVID-19 and CD were shown, since it only took an average of 25% of additional time per patient and undoubtedly empowered the patients about the co-infection, its detection and care. Finally, the rapid diagnostic test used for COVID-19 showed a sensitivity of 89.5%. CONCLUSIONS: This research addresses CD and its co-infection, through an innovative way, an opportunity of systematic integration, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Assessing Perceptions and Efficacy of COVID-19 Case and Contact Investigations - Dallas County, Texas, 2020

Background. During 2020, a total of 193,318 cases of COVID-19 were reported in Dallas, with daily average case rates exceeding 50 per 100,000 for over 7 weeks. An adaptable survey functionality within a newly implemented COVID-19 surveillance system provided an opportunity to assess case knowledge and attitudes about isolation and contact tracing efforts. Methods. COVID-19 illnesses were classified using the 2020 CSTE case definitions. Cases were interviewed and records reviewed for exposures and illness characteristics. Supplemental questionnaires assessing knowledge of public health recommendations were given to a convenience sample of 987 cases during the month of December 2020. Fishers exact and chi-square analyses were performed using SAS 9.4. Results. Of the 987 respondents, 99% reported beginning isolation on or before receipt of test results, and 1% were not in isolation at the time of public health interview. Of cases reporting contacts, 92% had advised household members to quarantine prior to interview, and 91% did not want public health to call their household. Of cases reporting non-household close contacts, 75% had advised these contacts to quarantine prior to interview, and 91.3% did not want the health department to call these persons. Cases ≥ 65 years were less likely to have notified their own close contacts (OR: 0.2;95% CI=0.1-0.8) of their test results, and more likely to prefer the health department to notify their household contacts of their positive result (OR: 4.1;95% CI=1.3-12.5). Compared with White cases, Hispanic cases were less likely to be aware that their test was positive at the time of interview (OR: 0.3;95% CI=0.1-0.7). Non-White cases were less likely to be aware of resources for food, rent and utility assistance prior to interview (OR: 0.25;95% CI=0.1-0.7). All respondents perceived the public health interview to have been of some value to them, most often to answer their questions about retesting (51%) and duration of isolation (48%). Conclusion. The aversion of a majority of COVID-19 cases for health department notification of their contacts is a significant deterrent to name-based contact tracing approaches. Acknowledgement of this limitation could better focus existing resources on the delivery of expedited notifications and information to contacts by proxy.

The evolution of the media images of the coronavirus in the Spanish news television programs and their relations with the scientific images of the virus

The main goal of this study is to analyze the characteristics of the image of the SARSCoV-2 in the Spanish television news programs, and its evolution, as well as their relation with the scientific images of the virus they were based upon. Thus, a sample of images from four television networks (RITE, Antena TV, La Sexta y Cuatro), in 2020 and 2021, have been studied. The image of the virus should be in the background screen of the television set. Moreover, images of the SARS-CoV-2 published in the webpages of two scientific institutions, CDC, and NIAID, were also analyzed. The results show that television news programs used mainly 3D images of the virus, and there is a trend in 2021 to include only one specimen of the virus. Likewise, the data showed a functional convergence in both scientific and media images of the virus, as the creators of the scientific images manipulated chromatically most of the images registered by electron microscopes. This investigation contributes to the knowledge of the visual imaginary of pandemics, as well as proves the increasingly vague limits between scientific and media images.