Investigation of Risk Factors Influencing the Safety of Maritime Containers Supply Chain: In the Period of the Pandemic

Maritime security is facing many challenges due to war conflicts, geopolitics, sanctions, and pandemics. The supply chain for maritime containers has faced considerable obstacles as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Numerous factors, such as port closures, travel restrictions, and a decreased workforce, have impacted the supply chain. The risk of cargo theft, piracy, and other security events has increased as a result of these difficulties. Therefore, it is essential to look at the risk variables that may affect the security of the marine container supply chain during the pandemic. This research paper highlights those risks through the following three indexes: the likelihood index (LI), severity index (SI), and average risk index (ARI) by analyzing 64 risk factors that were prepared and designed by incorporating the Delphi expert survey technique to prepare a systematic questionnaire. The article addresses worries over the COVID-19 pandemic's effects on international supply networks. The causes of the most recent global shipping industry disruptions and their impact on supply chains have been thoroughly examined. In order to reduce the number of disruptions in global supply chains and lower the direct and indirect costs for consumers, the authors have also mentioned the necessary actions that must be implemented. The results concluded after the analysis pointed to "management activities,” such as human resources or the working environment as having the highest possibility of going wrong, whereas "operation activities” were judged to likely be the fatal ones if the security of maritime containers was ever compromised. The main objective of the study is to evaluate how the COVID-19 epidemic may affect international shipping, particularly container shipping, which is currently the most important link in the world's multimodal land–sea supply chains.

Fresh evidence on connectedness between prominent markets during COVID-19 pandemic.

Various empirical studies have examined the nexus between financial markets, but this study focused on the comovement among prominent markets. Our study examines the interrelationship among main financial markets, i.e., stock, oil, and commodity during the recent pandemic. The interconnections among the selected markets are investigated using a battery of wavelet coherence tools and the Granger causality test. From the wavelet coherence analysis, our findings indicate strong co-movements among the VIX, oil volatility, and commodity prices during pandemic and localized in all scales and over the sample period. The dependency strength among the considered economies is noted to increase in pandemic, which implies increased short- and long-term benefits for the investors. Moreover, Our result exhibits a feedback causality between OVIX and crude oil, VIX and S&P 500, and gasoline and VIX. Interestingly, a unidirectional causality exists between VIX and crude oil, S&P 500 and crude oil, Brent and crude oil, gasoline, crude oil, and VIX and OVIX. We advocate that the findings will be helpful for portfolio managers, investors, and officials around the world.

Dataset on the safety behavior among Pakistani healthcare workers during COVID-19.

The dataset includes the particulars of 515 respondents on safety behavior during COVID-19. The questionnaires were adapted using Social Learning Theory and Social Exchange Theory. The variables included in dataset are Transactional Leadership (TSL), Transformational Leadership (TFL), Employee Well-Being (EWB) and Safety behavior (SB). Moreover, the dataset also contains the demographic profile of the respondents. Data was collected with the help of self-administered questionnaire from eight public hospitals in Punjab, Pakistan, namely Services Hospital Lahore, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital Lahore, Government General Hospital Faisalabad, DHQ Hospital Chiniot, Municipal General Hospital Sargodha, DHQ Hospital Jhang, DHQ Hospital Multan and Sulehri Children & General Hospital Sialkot. This dataset could provide a significant insight for future research in employee safety behavior.

Nuances of COVID-19 and Psychosocial Work Environment on Nurses' Wellbeing: The Mediating Role of Stress and Eustress in Lieu to JD-R Theory.

BACKGROUND: The global spread of COVID-19 makes Pakistan as vulnerable as any other developing country and the risk posed by the weak health system increases the fears in people's minds. The government is strategically expanding the scope of community ownership and increasing understanding in the population through risk communication and engagement; still, the situation remains very austere and is even affecting the psychological health of caregivers. We, therefore, sought to determine the impact of psychosocial job demands and resources associated with the psychological health of nurses in a time lag duration of 3 months, i.e., since the start of the pandemic, from January to March 2020. We hypothesized the significant mediating roles of stress and eustress in a direct relationship with psychosocial work environment job demands, job resources, and nurses' wellbeing. METHODS: In this cross-sectional self-administrated study, we distributed the survey in two parts by using a time-lag strategy to collect data at the start of pandemic (Time 1) and then again 3 months later (Time 2). Data on 53 items was collected from 208 female nurses who had participated in both the time phases and met the eligibility protocols of the study (such as being certified female nurses who have a registration number (RN) through the Pakistan Nursing Council (PNC), having 4 years of a generic nursing degree, and 2 years of nursing experience). FINDINGS: We have achieved three stages through our analytic study on the nurses' samples to determine the predictive abilities for the quality of the psychosocial work environment model. The coefficient of determination is R2, while the effect size is f2. We found 29.0% variance, 0.05 and 0.03 effect size, and 0.153 predictive abilities on stress as explained by job demands, and 53.4% variance, 0.19 and 0.39 effect size, and 0.275 predictive abilities on eustress as explained by job resources. And finally, there was 71.2% variance, 0.00, 0.02, 0.02, 0.03, 0.42, and 0.07 effect sizes, and 0.545 predictive abilities on our third endogenous construct, wellbeing, which is explained by both the psychosocial job demands and job resource variables. From partial to full mediation, stress and eustress significantly impact the psychosocial work environment of nurses.

The assessment of health protocol implementation in food and beverages business during COVID-19 pandemic era

During the COVID-19 pandemic era, the government has implemented a new strategy of health protocol called Adaptation of New Habits to prevent COVID -19 virus spread. By implementing such protocol, it is expected that health and economic sectors can be handled well. The research aims to discover the implementation of health protocol in Indonesia’s food and beverage business, and to analyze factors that support and hamper its implementation. This research was cross-sectional research with direct observation and brief interviews with 16 food and beverage business places. Observations and interviews were guided using a checklist derived from government policies set by the ministry of health and commerce then the data will be analyzed descriptively. This research shows that the implementation health protocol remained far from expectations. Moreover, business activity, management system, and the awareness of employers, employees, as well as consumers, became a critical key in health protocol implementation. Comprehending the dangers of COVID-19 and committing to comply with health protocols are imperatives to succeed in the health protocol implementation. Keywords: Adaptation of New Habits, Health Protocol of COVID-19 Pandemic, evaluating health protocols implementation

Psychological Impact of Covid-19 on the Public

The novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) originated from China in the last week of December, 2019. It spread very rapidly across the globe and was declared as a global emergency and a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). Millions of people were affected by this current pandemic globally, and as compared to the physical effects of this catastrophic pandemic it has also critical psychological effects on human life. Various societal stigmas related to COVID-19, lack of anticipatory planning of governments, and failure of global health care leaders and agencies to quickly respond to this crisis has made the current pandemic more devastating for mental health. Numerous adverse effects of the current pandemic on the mental health of the patients and the public such as anxiety, depression, insomnia, increased substance abuse, domestic violence, behavior changes and suicide tendency have severely compromised the resilience of patients and families. The aim of the article was to create an insight in world health care agencies, local health care leaders and the government regarding the psychological impact of COVID-19 on the affected families and public in Pakistan. Moreover, in the light of international research and WHO guidelines, this paper has provided suggestions and recommendations to local government and public regarding management of COVID-19's adverse effects on mental health.

Management of Acute Appendicitis During the COVID-19 Pandemic is Significantly Different: A Retrospective Single UK Hospital Study.

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a change in the delivery of acute and emergency surgical services. With emphasis on reducing unnecessary operative intervention and performing more CT scans, there has been a shift in managing acute appendicitis conservatively. We evaluate the impact of this shift on the management of acute appendicitis. METHODS: A single UK centre retrospective study evaluating patients with suspected acute appendicitis pre-COVID-19 rota (18 March 2020) and post-COVID rota implementation. Data including demographics, inflammatory markers, imaging, mode of management and operative findings were collected. Logistic regression with SPSS was used to determine which factors were associated with conservative management and treated with antibiotics. RESULTS: A total of 161 patients were analysed, 82 pre-COVID19 and 79 post-COVID19. Of the pre-COVID-19 patients, 67.07% underwent appendicectomy while the rest were conservatively managed; 24.3% of these patients underwent a CT scan only. Post-COVID-19, 22.78% of patients underwent appendicectomy with a higher percentage of diagnostic CT scans performed, 43/79 (54.4%, p <0.001). The proportion of histologically normal appendicectomies was significantly reduced in the post-COVID-19 era (12.78% vs 0.00%; p-value 0.001). Logistic regression analysis showed a normal WCC to be associated with greater likelihood of conservative management. No conservatively managed patients returned to theatre in the 30-day follow-up period. CONCLUSION: Due to the restrictions imposed by the post-COVID-19 rota, a greater proportion of patients were managed conservatively with comparable patient outcomes. The approach also led to fewer negative appendicectomies owing to greater reliance on imaging.

Alternate Method of Payments and COVID-19

Background: The present review was done to investigate the relationship regarding use of physical currency and spread of COVID-19 as well as to know the alternative modes of payment in general as well as particularly in relation with contagious disease, like COVID-19. Methods: Various databases were searched including Google scholar to collect relevant information. To our best knowledge we did not found much literature on our concerned topic. Results: In the limited available literature, there are concerned over use of physical currency in relation with COVID-19 spread. Use of digital methods of payments can be considered a wiser option in this scenario. However, preparedness of individuals towards use of advance digital methods in particular electronic wallets is uncertain. Conclusion: Further studies are recommended to measure that considering the fact that electronic wallet is convenient to use, can reduce fraud, whereas can help to prevent the spread of deadly COVID-19 virus.

COVID-19 Vaccination Manifesting as Incidental Lymph Nodal Uptake on 18F-FDG PET/CT.

ABSTRACT: Benign uptake on 18F-FDG PET can be seen with inflammatory conditions. We report a case of an 86-year-old woman with successfully treated nasal melanoma who underwent routine follow-up 18F-FDG PET, day 6 after the second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine inoculated in the left deltoid muscle. 18F-FDG PET showed increase tracer uptake in the left deltoid muscle and in 2 normal-sized left subpectoral nodes. These findings were considered secondary to vaccination. With the current drive of global COVID-19 immunization, this case highlights the importance of documenting vaccination history at the time of scanning to avoid false-positive results.

Investigating the Psychology of Financial Markets During COVID-19 Era: A Case Study of the US and European Markets.

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has imperatively shaken the behavior of the global financial markets. This study estimated the impact of COVID-19 on the behavior of the financial markets of Europe and the US. The results revealed that the returns of the S&P 500 index have been greatly affected by a lockdown in the US owing to COVID-19. However, the health crisis generated due to the novel coronavirus significantly decreased the stock returns of the Nasdaq Composite index. The results also showed that the economic crisis generated from the pandemic in Spain has had more impact on the IBEX 35 as compared to the health crisis itself. On the other hand, in the long-run, Italy's stock markets are more affected by the health crisis as contrasted with the economic crisis, while, in the short-run, both lockdown conditions and economic instability lower the stock returns of FTSE MIB. The UK stock markets witnessed that in the short-run, deficiency of health management systems imperatively damaged the stock returns of the London Stock Exchange. The investigation revealed that deficiency of health systems and lockdown conditions have imperatively damaged the structure of financial markets, inferring that sustainable development of these nations is at risk due to COVID-19. The study suggested that governments should allocate more of their budget to the health sector to overcome a health crisis in the future.

Knowledge and practice regarding prevention of COVID-19 among the Saudi Arabian population.

BACKGROUND: Prevention is the best way to manage a pandemic like COVID-19. The World Health Organization has issued public advice to create awareness by providing people knowledge to prevent/protect them from COVID-19. Hence, the present study was planned to assess knowledge of prevention and its practical use amongst samples from the Saudi Arabian population. It can be used to bring awareness among the masses not only in expanding their knowledge about COVID-19 but also on how to enforce a practicing behavior in relation to the prevention of COVID-19. The study is among the pioneer studies on the issue related to knowledge and practice of the prevention of COVID-19 among Saudis and foreign nationals residing in Saudi Arabia. OBJECTIVE: The prime objective of this study is to examine the existence of knowledge among the Saudi and non-Saudi nationals about COVID-19 and its impact on their behavior to practice the protocols to prevent the disastrous infection of COVID-19. This study has also examined how the residents in Saudi Arabia react to the methods and protection measures adopted by the government for their dominions to eradicate the spread of COVID-19. METHODS: The study used a survey-based methodology and data was collected from Saudi nationals as well as expatriates living and working in five different regions of Saudi Arabia. Non-probability snowball sampling was used to reach and select the population of the current study. A self-designed, structured, and validated questionnaire was electronically distributed among the respondents. SPSS version 21 was used to analyze the data of the current study. RESULTS: Out of the 443 respondents, 356 respondents (84%) knew they had to wash their hands for 20 seconds and did this as well, 303 respondents (75%) knew that sneezing or coughing into the arm/elbow can prevent the spread of COVID-19 and were doing this as well, 357 respondents (82%) knew that COVID-19 can be transferred by shaking hands and avoided this, 333 respondents (79%) knew that they had to maintain a safe distance of at least one meter and kept this distance, 315 respondents (76%) knew that touching one's face can transfer the virus and avoid this, and 414 respondents (95%) knew that staying at home can decrease the chances of getting infected. The relationship between different regions and most of the knowledge-based and practice-based questions was significant (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Results reveal that there is a significant relationship between knowledge and practice, but the strength of association is weak. It was found that knowledge and practice of COVID-19 was followed differently in the five regions of Saudi Arabia and the level of education of the respondents influenced their choice of practice to protect themselves from the effects of COVID-19. The study has contributed in the body of literature by examining the inter-relationship between knowledge and practice and their use in prevention of COVID-19 among the Saudi population.

Prevention Knowledge and Its Practice Towards COVID-19 Among General Population of Saudi Arabia: A Gender-based Perspective.

BACKGROUND: This study is an original contribution to the gender-based perspective of measuring knowledge and practice towards COVID-19 among the Saudi population. OBJECTIVE: This study investigates the existing knowledge of COVID-19 among both genders and its likely use in practice to combat COVID-19. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional study with an online survey and data collected from all the five regions of Saudi Arabia. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: A structured, self-reported validated questionnaire was developed based on the World Health Organization (WHO) general public advice towards COVID-19 prevention. This study has employed snow-ball sampling technique. SAMPLE SIZE: 627 participants (Male n=343, 54.7%) and (Females n=284, 45.3%). RESULTS: This study has found that women not only carry better knowledge, but their practicing behavior is far better than the male respondents. Females practiced their knowledge of hands hygiene more in comparison to males (86% vs. 80 %, p >0.05). Female respondents were also practicing more about sneezing/coughing into their elbows as compared to males (79% vs. 71%, p < 0.05). Likewise, the practice of knowledge of staying at home to prevent infection (females 98.2% vs males 95.5%, p > 0.05), and (females 83.2% vs. males 81.5%, p > 0.05), respectively. CONCLUSION: This study shows that women were more compliant with the WHO public health COVID-19 prevention advice than men, which can decrease the chances of COVID-19 infection.