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Objective:To observe the efficacy and safety of Fuzheng Huayu tabletsFHTfor treating pulmonary inflammation in patients with coronavirus disease 2019COVID-19. Method(s):A total of 704 cases were lost to follow-up, and 66 cases were finally completedCOVID-19 patients were recruited from February 1 to April 15 in 2020. They were assigned to a control group35 patientsand a FHT group31 patients. The patients in the control group received routine treatment alone and those in the FHT group received FHT in addition to routine treatment. The primary outcome was the ratio of patients showing improvement in chest computed tomographic manifestations after 14 days. The secondary outcome measures included remission rate or progression rate of critical illness,clinical remission rate of respiratory symptoms,routine blood examination, C-reactive proteinCPRlevel,procalcitoninPCTlevel,and blood oxygen saturationSPO2 . The safety was assessed based on liver and kidney functions and adverse events. Result(s): After the 14-day treatment,the ratio of patients showing improvement in the FHT group100%was higher than that in the control group 77.1%chi2 =8.063,P<0.01. The ratio of disease stages after treatment showed no significant difference between two groups. In the FHT group,the symptoms including cough,dyspnea,and fatigue were alleviated after treatmentP<0.01. In the control group,the symptoms including fever,cough,and dyspnea were alleviatedP<0.01,while the fatigue was not relieved after treatment. No significant difference was observed in the clinical symptoms between the two groups after treatment. After treatment,the FHT group showed decreased white blood cellWBCcount and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratioNLRP<0.01,elevated plateletPLTlevelP<0.05,lowered CRP levelP<0.05,and no significant difference in lymphocyte LYM,hemoglobinHb,SPO2 or PCT level. The control group showed decreased NLRP<0.05and WBC countP<0.01,elevated PCT levelP<0.05,and no significant change in LYM,Hb,PLT,SPO2 or CRP level after treatment. Furthermore,the FHT group had higher PLT level than the control groupP<0.05after treatment,and other indicators had no significant differences between the two groups. The liver and kidney functions had no significant difference between the two groups after treatment. Conclusion(s): FHT can safely promote the absorption of acute pulmonary inflammation in COVID-19 patients.Copyright © 2022, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences Institute of Chinese Materia Medica. All rights reserved.
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Background. Over 600,000 SARS-CoV-2 infections and 20,000 deaths have occurred among users of the Veterans Health Administration, the US's largest integrated health care system. We explored early outcomes of SARS-COV-2 infection in Veterans. Methods. An ongoing, prospective longitudinal cohort study of Veterans ages >= 18 enrolled 1,826 participants (29.0% inpatient;49.1% vaccinated;68.3% SARS-CoV-2-positive;85.0% male, mean age = 57.1 years) seeking inpatient or outpatient care after SARS-CoV-2 testing at 15 Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers in July 2020 to February 13, 2022. Using multivariable regression, we estimated relationships of baseline demographic characteristics, COVID-19 vaccination, and clinical history to illness severity and cumulative length of hospital stay within 60 days of study entry. Illness severity was defined by a Veterans Affairs adaptation of the WHO COVID-19 severity scale and included 4 levels (mild, moderate, severe, or death). We derived the Charlson co-morbidity index (CCI) and other baseline characteristics from electronic health data and study questionnaires, and reported qualitative SARS-CoV-2 IgG responses using inpatients' study-collected blood specimens. Results. High CCI scores (>= 5) occurred in 47 (42.7%) vaccinated SARS-CoV-2-positive inpatients and 47 (21.2%) unvaccinated. Severe illness occurred in 17 (15.5%) vaccinated inpatients, 37 (16.7%) unvaccinated inpatients, 4 (0.9%) vaccinated outpatients, and 3 (0.7%) unvaccinated outpatients. Eleven (10%) of 110 vaccinated SARS-CoV-2-positive inpatients died, as did 15 (6.8%) of the 222 unvaccinated. In SARS-CoV-2-positive inpatients, a one-step higher CCI was associated with more severe illness (aOR 1.10, 95%CI 1.01-1.20) and more hospitalization days (aIRR 1.06, 95% CI 1.03-1.10), adjusting for vaccination status. Respectively, 93% of vaccinated and 63% of unvaccinated SARS-CoV-2 positive inpatients with baseline antibody results had an anti-spike IgG response. Conclusion. In an ongoing longitudinal cohort study of COVID-19 in US Veterans, comorbidity burden was higher among vaccinated than unvaccinated inpatients and was associated with more severe illness and hospitalization days, independent of vaccination status.
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Objectives: This study explored COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among older adults and patients with chronic diseases and the need for risk communication in these two communities. Methods: The data source was the Rapid Qualitative Investigation on Attitudes and Factors Influencing COVID-19 Vaccination Among People in Taiwan project. Interviews and focus groups were conducted from June1to October 31,2021. Results: Older adults and patients with chronic diseases reported feeling hesitant about COVID-19 vaccination because of their specific health conditions associated with aging and chronic disease. They reported concerns that they were vulnerable to the side effects of COVID-19 vaccines developed under emergency use authorization and that they were unable to tolerate this uncertainty. Most participants with chronic diseases eventually accepted vaccination after acquiring information addressing their concerns. By contrast, because they lacked a sense of control and the ability to adequately assess information, older adult participants remained skeptical and resisted COVID-19 vaccination. Discussions: By comparing the experiences of older adults and participants with chronic diseases, this study demonstrates that, even when two communities report similar concerns about COVID-19 vaccination, targeted strategies must be adopted;these must be developed according to each population's capacity to assess complex information. Policy initiatives and information campaigns must address their specific concerns to effectively promote COVID-19 vaccination among these two communities. Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of risk communication for initiatives to enhance COVID-19 vaccine confidence among vulnerable populations. © 2022 Chinese Public Health Association of Taiwan. All rights reserved.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has taken an enormous global toll, including loss of life, economic upheaval, and social disruption. This strong induction of effects across both societal and individual levels provides opportunities for testing fundamental assumptions within biopsychosocial phenomena that would not have been otherwise possible-or at least not ethical-through human-induced experimental designs. Our special issue spotlights research within psychological science that has stayed in step with the complex set of events we refer to as "the pandemic." We review articles with novel approaches that speak to the variable effects of pandemic experiences across different groups of people, the impact of the pandemic on social support and social infrastructures, and the inequities and violations of justice that the pandemic has revealed. We conclude by highlighting future directions for psychological research.
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This study investigates the impacts of the COVID-19 lockdown on municipal solid waste (MSW). Based on a unique data set of daily discarding records of 252 communities in Beijing, China, we conduct a difference-in-differences estimation and find that the total daily MSW decreased by 134.16 kg in a community, which is equivalent to at least 0.22 kg per household per day, and the average weight of MSW per package decreased by 56.8 per cent after the COVID-19 lockdown. We consider a series of potential mechanisms, such as MSW hoarding, shifts in discarding time, and fear of going out, and find the most support for consumption pattern shifts with reduced consumption. We then discuss the effect of the lockdown on the reduction of MSW generation because of the strict restriction of consumption. We also conduct various heterogeneity analyses. Our results present clear implications for municipal waste management by highlighting the effect of the lockdown on the generation of MSW and the underlying consumption mechanism.
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In the current hotel sales trend due to COVID-19 pandemic, few empirical studies have discussed hotel appraisal determinants and prioritization in terms of operational efficiency. This paper presents an innovative approach for appraisal practice efficiency based on hotel appraisal approach and the multiple criteria decision making (MCDM). The DANP-mV model is used to identify the determinants related to actual hotel appraisal practices, including the techniques of the decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL), DEMATEL-based ANP (DANP), and modified VIKOR. The result of influential network relationship map (INRM) and the gaps of determinants to the aspiration level may contribute to improving hotel appraisal efficacy. In practice, the “discounted cash flow” becomes the most influential determinant (di-mension) and the “market survey” is the most manageable one. More findings together with an action plan are presented and useful in the real world. Therefore, this innovative approach could help hotel appraisers and related parties, such as hospitality managers, investors, lenders, and decision makers, better manage the evaluation determinants of hotel appraisal efficacy. © 2022 The Author(s).
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Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the mediating and moderating processes that link crisis management to tourist attitude changes and hygiene/safety perceptions through destination image. Design/methodology/approach: Data from 524 tourists and structural equation models were used to examine the tourists’ perceptions of attitudes, safety perceptions and destination images in Taiwan. Findings: The effectiveness of crisis management may positively influence destination image through attitude changes and hygiene/safety perceptions. This study also confirms that information sharing may not only speed up the process of positive destination-image development but also strengthen relationships among the critical attributes of crisis management. Originality/value: As the impact of the COVID-19 crisis continues, it is critical to understand the role of crisis management in destination image and identify how attitudes or behavior intentions can be affected in the fast-spreading network of information sharing in an increasingly competitive tourism and hospitality market. © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited.
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Tertiary education in Hong Kong has dramatically changed after the outbreak of COVID-19. Teaching pedagogy and delivery method have been transformed into “Contactless Learning and Teaching” and online learning. However, the focus has been on online learning while seldom analyzing the effect of “Contactless Learning and Teaching” among previous research. This research addressed this gap by studying 156 university students in Hong Kong. ATLAS, a mobile app integrated with iBeacon technology was developed to deliver learning materials in “Contactless Learning and Teaching”. The findings indicated that students who spent more time on “Contactless Learning and Teaching” have better academic performance. The active participation in “Contactless Learning and Teaching” and better academic results could also be explained by the Technology Acceptance Model in this study. The current study proves that iBeacon displays the potential of delivering learning and teaching materials amid the pandemic using the “Contactless Learning and Teaching” approach. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
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Objective：To observe the efficacy and safety of Fuzheng Huayu tablets（FHT）for treating pulmonary inflammation in patients with coronavirus disease 2019（COVID-19）. Method：A total of 70（4 cases were lost to follow-up, and 66 cases were finally completed）COVID-19 patients were recruited from February 1 to April 15 in 2020. They were assigned to a control group（35 patients）and a FHT group（31 patients）. The patients in the control group received routine treatment alone and those in the FHT group received FHT in addition to routine treatment. The primary outcome was the ratio of patients showing improvement in chest computed tomographic manifestations after 14 days. The secondary outcome measures included remission rate or progression rate of critical illness，clinical remission rate of respiratory symptoms，routine blood examination， C-reactive protein（CPR）level，procalcitonin（PCT）level，and blood oxygen saturation（SPO2 ）. The safety was assessed based on liver and kidney functions and adverse events. Result： After the 14-day treatment，the ratio of patients showing improvement in the FHT group（100%）was higher than that in the control group （77.1%）（χ2 =8.063，P<0.01）. The ratio of disease stages after treatment showed no significant difference between two groups. In the FHT group，the symptoms including cough，dyspnea，and fatigue were alleviated after treatment（P<0.01）. In the control group，the symptoms including fever，cough，and dyspnea were alleviated（P<0.01），while the fatigue was not relieved after treatment. No significant difference was observed in the clinical symptoms between the two groups after treatment. After treatment，the FHT group showed decreased white blood cell（WBC）count and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio（NLR）（P<0.01），elevated platelet（PLT）level（P<0.05），lowered CRP level（P<0.05），and no significant difference in lymphocyte （LYM），hemoglobin（Hb），SPO2 or PCT level. The control group showed decreased NLR（P<0.05）and WBC count（P<0.01），elevated PCT level（P<0.05），and no significant change in LYM，Hb，PLT，SPO2 or CRP level after treatment. Furthermore，the FHT group had higher PLT level than the control group（P<0.05）after treatment，and other indicators had no significant differences between the two groups. The liver and kidney functions had no significant difference between the two groups after treatment. Conclusion： FHT can safely promote the absorption of acute pulmonary inflammation in COVID-19 patients. © 2022, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences Institute of Chinese Materia Medica. All rights reserved.
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Since the beginning of this year, the COVID-19 has spread to the world at an alarming rate. Without specific medicine and vaccines, many governments had to take a defensive strategy that makes people work from home or shut down schools. Therefore, people stay indoors longer. The epidemic prevention period does not seem to have reached an end. We still have to actively and autonomously manage personal health. Smart homes based on sensor networks monitor security and provide the convenience of the home environment. This paper proposes to use a variety of related sensors, wireless sensing network technology, build a cloud database, and design APP to develop the system. This includes two parts: (1) Autonomous health management warning system and (2) Home environmental safety warning system. Through this system, the health, safety, and quality of the home environment are improved by replacing the air-conditioning filter when the air quality is poor or based on epidemic prevention factors. Increasing the filter sanitary also improves the living quality and convenience and safety of the smart home. © 2021 IEEE.
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Purpose: The purpose of this study is to illustrate the different systems controlling coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and curbing the impact of the virus on the hospitality economy. The author’s clarified the critical attributes of the government, organization management system and consumer behaviour using mediation-moderation models and demonstrated how those critical attributes influenced customer consumption intention during COVID-19 in Taiwan. Design/methodology/approach: Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, this research is mainly distributed through online questionnaires through Facebook and other social media channels to recruit volunteers. Second, the pre-test survey used 100 questionnaires collected from juniors and seniors from a university in northern Taiwan to make predictions. Third, this study also conducted a questionnaire validity analysis, which identified 9 criteria and 34 items. Fourth, the questionnaire collected samples for a total of three months. Structural equation modelling was used to test the hypotheses in a sample of 1,098 consumers in Taiwan. Findings: This study considers government, enterprise and consumer levels and conducts relevant factor analysis from consumers’ perspectives to understand the changes in consumer behaviour under COVID-19 influence. Regarding mediation, this study finds that information and communication mediate the relationships between crisis management and COVID-19 impact. Regarding moderation, this study exposes the critical moderating part of human resources, that hygiene and safety strengthen the relationships between COVID-19 impact and attitude towards life and that perceived anxiety strengthens the relationship between attitude towards life and consumption intention. Practical implications: During COVID-19, restaurants should cooperate with the government to reduce the risk of community infection. Therefore, the government also needs to cooperate with restaurant companies to enhance the industrial economy, actively communicate with consumers and provide correct and sufficient information. At the same time, restaurant enterprises also need to have sufficient human resource arrangements, hygiene and safety planning to eliminate consumers’ doubts. Originality/value: These findings indicate that consumers’ consumption intention to eat out is affected by the COVID-19 impact and attitude towards life. This research also confirms that perceived anxiety has a mediating effect on the relationship between consumer attitudes towards life and consumption intentions. To improve the restaurant economic process, they should consider solutions to reduce consumers’ perception of the COVID-19 impact and fear of eating out. © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited.
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Aerosol transmission is now well-established as a route in the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Factors influencing the transport of virus-laden particles in an elevator cabin are investigated computationally and include human respiratory events, locations of the infected person(s), and the ventilation system (ventilation mode, ventilation capacity, and vent schemes). "Breath," "cough," and "sneeze" are defined quantitatively by the fluid jet velocities and particle sizes. For natural ventilation, most particles exhaled by sneezing and coughing tend to deposit on surfaces quickly, but aerosol generated by breathing will remain suspended in the air longer. For forced ventilation, motions of particles under different ventilation capacities are compared. Larger particles otherwise deposited readily on solid surfaces may be slowed down by airflow. Air currents also accelerate the motions of smaller particles, facilitating the subsequent deposition of micrometer or sub-micrometer particles. Locations of the infected person(s) lead to different spreading scenarios due to the distinctive motions of the particles generated by the various respiratory events. Sneeze particles will likely contaminate the person in front of the infected passenger only. Cough particles will increase the risk of all the people around the injector. Breath particles tend to spread throughout the confined environment. An optimized vent scheme is introduced and can reduce particles suspended in the air by up to 80% as compared with commonly used schemes. The purification function of this vent model is robust to various positions of the infected passenger.
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ABSTRACT: Abstractï¼ Objective To analyze the first epidemic spread of the novel coronavirus Delta variant in China based on public security forensic perspective, investigate its transmission characteristics, contributing factors, and epidemiologic research experience, and provide a reference for the prevention and control of the epidemic caused by the novel coronavirus variant. Methods Based on the information that public security forensic experts obtained from front-line epidemiologic research, the gender, age, place of residence, transmission route and infectivity of the coronavirus disease 2019 ï¼COVID-19ï¼ confirmed cases, asymptomatic infected persons and their close contacts in Guangzhou caused by the novel coronavirus Delta variant were analyzed. The basic reproduction number ï¼R0ï¼ during this epidemic in Guangzhou was calculated. Results Among the 153 cases infected with novel coronavirus Delta variant in the epidemic, 63 cases were male and 90 cases were female, their age ranging from 1 to 92 years, with a median age of 49 years. The main route of transmission was close contact, including dining together, co-living, and close contact in the same residential building. There were 31 cases of family clusters, 25 of which were in Liwan District. The epidemic lasted from May 26 to May 29, and the R0 remained above 4.0. After May 30, R0 began to decline and remained below 1.0 from June 7. Conclusion The novel coronavirus Delta variant is highly infectious, the crowd is generally susceptible to infection and family cluster cases are easy to occur. So, it is necessary to precisely prevent and control this strain. Public security forensic experts have both medical literacy and criminal investigation capabilities, they can play a more professional role in epidemic prevention and control.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Epidemics , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Child , Child, Preschool , China/epidemiology , Female , Humans , Infant , Male , Middle Aged , SARS-CoV-2 , Young AdultABSTRACT
We report distress levels and functional outcomes based on self-reported pre-existing mental health conditions among U.S. young adults (N=898) during the COVID-19 pandemic (April 13-May 19, 2020). Depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms, as well as COVID-19-related concerns, sleep problems, and quality of life were compared across the following pre-existing mental health groups: 1) no diagnosis, 2) suspected diagnosis, 3) diagnosed and untreated, and 4) diagnosed and treated. Compared to those without a diagnosis, the likelihood of scoring above the clinical threshold for those with a diagnosis - whether treated or not - was more than six-fold for depression, and four-to six-fold for anxiety and PTSD. Individuals with a suspected diagnosis were 3 times more likely to score above the clinical threshold for depression and anxiety and 2 times more as likely to score above this threshold for PTSD compared to those with no diagnosis. We also present higher levels of COVID-19-related worry and grief, poorer sleep, and poorer reported health-related quality of life among those with either a suspected or reported mental health diagnosis. Findings provide evidence of vulnerability among individuals with a mental health diagnosis or suspected mental health concerns during the initial weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic.