Hotel Technology Innovations as Drivers of Safety and Hygiene in Hotel Customers

Technology innovations are making their mark within the hospitality industry, and in the present COVID-19 sanitary crisis, they will be a major driver of hotel strategy. The COVID-19 disease is highly contagious, and its fear is likely to lead to distrust of facilities and spaces shared by different people, particularly in hotels where hotel customers encounter various people and use a variety of spaces. Such contact and use may expose individuals to a perceived health risk what raised issues in the hospitality industry and lead to the redesigning of safety measures and hygiene standards and to the introduction of technology innovations to help manual processes or replace personal interactions to make them secure and safe. As the hotel customer’s perception of sanitary and hygienic procedures and health safety is crucial for the recovery of the hotel industry, in this article, the main objective is to understand how hotel technology innovations influence hotel customers’ perception of hygiene and safety which influences their perceived health risk and hotel selection behaviors. Therefore, this study focused on different scenarios associated with hotel technologies, such as kiosk check-in system, mobile check-in system, robot cleaning system, and ultraviolet (UV) light cleaning system. The findings indicate that robotics, artificial intelligence, and human–robot interactions have gained an increased presence to help manage the spread of COVID-19, and that these new preferred technologies for making a safe and secure hotel environment for the guests and employees are paving their way to the new normal in post-COVID-19 pandemic times. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

Pedagogues on Stage: experiences shared in multiple spaces

This article presents the process of the construction and development of the 'Pedagogues on Stage" project from its inception, when it was created by a group of professional pedagogues working for the Education College of the Fluminense Federal University, until its integration into the 'Theotonio dos Santos' Development and Education Program of the Rio de Janeiro State University, adopting the virtual format due to the Covid 19 pandemic. The project in question aims to promote exchange between pedagogues, pedagogy students and researchers, providing visibility for the knowledge and meanings built by the theoretical-practical reflection of pedagogues working in school and non-school educational spaces. The first part of this article discusses pedagogy as a science, the production of knowledge by pedagogues and their role as teaching practice researchers. Based on a reflective report, its second part discusses and evaluates the relevance and results achieved by the project so far.

Selective Trunk Block combined with Superficial Cervical Plexus Block for Humeral Surgery: Report of two cases

Introduction: Regional techniques are valuable tools in this specific pandemic context, inclusive in terms of patient and team safety. The authors report the ultrasound-guided selective trunk block (STB) of the brachial plexus with superficial cervical plexus (SCP) for proximal humeral fracture surgery. Case reports: Case 1: 52-year-old male proposed for open reduction and fixation (ORF) of the humerus. Case 2: 53-year-old male proposed for ORF of oblique fracture of the humeral shaft. Both patients were obese, had a hypertensive disease, and a positive test for SARS-COV2. The procedures were performed under ultrasound-guided STB and SCPB using 15 + 3 mL of 0.5% ropivacaine and 10 + 3 mL of lidocaine 1,5%. Intraoperatively, dexamethasone 4 mg, propofol IV perfusion titrated for BIS 60-70, and paracetamol 1g were administered. None of the patients experienced pain, desaturation, or any other complications. Postoperatively, there was no need for rescue analgesia. They had no complications on discharge and globally were satisfied with the technique. Discussion: When a patient with a positive test for SARS-COV2 needs surgery, regional anesthesia allows minimal aerosolization without airway manipulation, but also adds advantages in terms of hemodynamic stability, postoperative analgesia with decreased opioid consumption, and patient's recovery time. In these case reports, SCPB with Selective Trunk Block (upper trunk - C5 and C6, middle trunk - C7, and inferior trunk - C8-T1) allow the ideal target for a safe and effective block, avoiding unwanted side effects.

Acceptance of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination among patients with cancer undergoing immunosuppressive therapy: Portuguese study

Background: Until April 2021, WHO declared more than 140 million cases and 3 million deaths due to COVID-19. To effectively control the pandemic, a significant part of the population has to acquire immunity, which is best achieved through vaccination. None of the clinical trials evaluating the effectiveness and safety of the vaccines included cancer patients. This study aimed to evaluate the acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine by cancer patients undergoing immunosuppressive therapy in a Portuguese cancer centre. Methods: Unicentric, cross-sectional survey conducted on cancer patients with a solid malignancy under chemotherapy, targeted agents or immunotherapy, between March and April 2021. Results: We included 169 patients (109 female;60 male) with a median age of 61 years old (29-82). More than half (n=105;62.1%) had a lower literacy degree, 97 (57.4%) lived in the countryside. The majority of the patients were receiving palliative treatment (n=87;51.5%). Most of the patients intended to be vaccinated (n=142, 84.0%), 24 (14.2%) were unsure and 3 (1.8%) did not. All the negative answers were given by patients receiving palliative treatment. Logistic regression analysis revealed that high school qualification (p=0.007), divorced status (p= 0.037), rural residence (p=0.047), and believing in the vaccine (p=0.001), had a statistically significant effect on the probability of the patients wanting to be vaccinated. The most frequent reasons for wanting to be vaccinated were the sense of collective responsibility and the fear of having severe disease. The most frequent reasons for not wanting to be vaccinated were the lack of evidence and the wish to wait for the end of treatment. The need for more information on effectiveness and safety were the main reasons for uncertainty related to the vaccine. Conclusions: Despite the lack of information regarding efficacy, duration of immunity and timing of vaccination in cancer patients under immunosuppressive therapy, this study demonstrated that the majority of patients intend to be vaccinated against COVID-19. These results were related to residence type, literacy and belief in the effectiveness of the vaccine. The higher acceptance rate in our study when compared with other studies must be noted. Legal entity responsible for the study: M.J.P. de Sousa. Funding: Has not received any funding. Disclosure: All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.

Contact-free Airport Borders with Biometrics-on-the-Move

Queuing at airport border controls is one of the bottlenecks in the flow of passengers, which results in a poor travel experience and in serious health risks, like COVID19, due to the concentration of people and contact surfaces [3]. To address this problem, biometrics-on-the-move removes physical barriers for passengers, while preserving security at a maximum level. In this paper we describe a prototype, tested at the Lisbon Airport, demonstrating biometrics-on-the-move technology, where airport passengers are authenticated at a distance without having to pass through physical barriers or contact surfaces. This new setting requires a careful design of the flow of passengers and liveness detection biometrics to allow the robust authentication of passengers and, more importantly, detect fraud attempts in the different points of the process. © 2021 IEEE.

NeuroCOVID protocol and pilot results: A multicentre case-control study of acute stroke and SARS-CoV-2 infection

Background and aims: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) can predispose to vascular and neurological complications, through inflammatory and thrombogenic mechanisms. There is a high incidence of stroke and of COVID-19 in Brazil, making it important we better understand the association between stroke and SARS-CoV-2 infection. In view of this, we set up a NeuroCOVID study. Methods: This prospective case-control study is recruiting across 12 healthcare centres across all five Brazilian regions. We will enroll 1,000 stroke cases and 1,800 inpatients with other nonvascular acute diseases as controls with a 1:2 ratio. The main outcome is acute stroke (ischemic, haemorrhagic, venous thrombosis). The exposure is SARSCOV- 2 infection: previous (positive IgG), subacute (positive IgA) or acute (virus detected in nasopharynx). The Protect Code Stroke Protocol was translated into Portuguese to be validated in our population. All participants will respond to standardized questionnaires and have blood and nasopharyngeal swab samples collected at baseline, after signing the consent form (ethics approval no CAAE36538320.9.0000.5190). Results: Our pilot study ran at Hospital da Restauração (Northeast Brazil), from the 11th to 31st of December and included 20 cases (mean age 59 years;50% female) and 14 controls (mean age 52 years;36% female). Four patients had asymptomatic acute SARS-CoV-2 infection, all of them in the case group (20%). Conclusion: These preliminary results support our hypothesis of an association between SARS-CoV-2 and acute stroke in Brazil. The final report of the NeuroCOVID study will provide definitive evidence, along with similar studies worldwide.

Effectiveness of contact tracing and quarantine on reducing COVID-19 transmission: a retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: Contact tracing and quarantine are common measures used in the management of infectious disease outbreaks. However, few studies have measured their impact on the control of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of those measures on reducing transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 in a community setting. STUDY DESIGN: The study design is a retrospective cohort study. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of COVID-19 cases notified in Eastern Porto from March 1st to April 30th, 2020 was performed. Intervention and control cohorts were defined based on whether cases were subjected to contact tracing and quarantine measures before the laboratory confirmation of disease. The number of secondary cases per index case and the proportion of cases with subsequent secondary cases were the primary outcomes. Secondary outcomes included the time from symptom onset to specimen collection and the number of close contacts. The analysis was stratified according to whether national lockdown measures had already been implemented. RESULTS: The intervention and control cohorts comprised 98 and 453 cases, respectively. No differences were observed concerning primary outcomes. The intervention group had a shorter time between symptom onset and specimen collection (median: 3 days, interquartile range [IQR]: 1-6, vs. median: 5 days, IQR: 2-7, P-value = 0.004) and fewer close contacts (median: 0, IQR: 0-2, vs. median: 2, IQR: 1-4, P-value<0.001). The stratified analysis returned similar results. CONCLUSION: Local public health measures were effective in reducing the time between symptom onset and laboratory diagnosis and the number of close contacts per case. No effect was apparent on secondary case figures, suggesting that further measures may be required.

Social and health implications that affect people bereaved by the death of family members by COVID-19

Objective: to know the social and health implications that affect people bereaved by the death of relatives who were victims of COVID-19. Method: this is a narrative review carried out on the PubCovid-19 platform. Results: a chart was developed presenting the characteristics of the ten publications by title, authorship, year of publication, country and journal. Conclusion: the social and health implications that affect people bereaved by the death of family members by COVID-19 derive from the social distancing that generates the impossibility of performing farewell rituals, damaging the normal experience of mourning, leading to complicated mourning and possible psychic illness. © 2020 Universidade Federal da Bahia. All rights reserved.

COVID-19 and chronic diseases: Impacts and developments before the pandemic

Objective: to reflect on the high risk of complications of COVID-19 in people with chronic non-communicable diseases, as well as the possible consequences for those affected by the disease. Method: narrative review, developed based on articles published in journals and documents of official national agencies. Results: the study allowed the reflection about the vulnerability of people with chronic diseases in the context of the new coronavirus pandemic, as well as the impacts to this population. This scenario substantially impacts health services, and highlights the need for a differentiated attention regarding the prevention measures. Conclusion: the current scenario presents itself with many challenges for the population, which requires self-care actions and meetings preventive measures aimed at the individual and collective safety. © 2020 Universidade Federal da Bahia. All rights reserved.