COVID-19's fear-uncertainty effect on green supply chain management and sustainability performances: the moderate effect of corporate social responsibility.

Although the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the global supply chains, it also provided opportunities that brought the concepts of sustainability and green practices back into the light. Based on the "stakeholders" and "social cognitive" theory, our study intends to empirically explore how fear-uncertainty towards COVID-19 relates positively to both green supply chain management (GSCM) and the firm's sustainability performance (economic, environmental, and social). In addition, it examines the moderating effect of corporate social responsibility (CSR) (internal CSR and external CSR) on the association between fear-uncertainty towards COVID-19 and GSCM. In this study, we studied a sample of 300 manager-level employees in Egypt. We used partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to analyze the data and test our hypotheses. Results showed that fear-uncertainty towards COVID-19 positively affect GSCM. Also, external CSR moderates the association among fear-uncertainty towards COVID-19 and GSCM. But it is not moderated by internal CSR. In addition, GSCM positively affects environmental and social performance. However, it has an insignificant effect on economic performance. Besides, GSCM has a significant mediation effect between fear-uncertainty towards COVID-19 and the firm's environmental and social performance. However, this mediation relationship regarding economic performance is insignificant. Finally, we discussed the theoretical and practical implications at the end of this research.

Influences of obstacle factors on the transmission trends of respiratory infectious diseases in indoor public places

Public facilities are important transmission places for respiratory infectious diseases (e.g., COVID-19), due to the frequent crowd interactions inside. Usually, changes of obstacle factors can affect the movements of human crowds and result in different epidemic transmissions among individuals. However, most related studies only focus on the specific scenarios, but the common rules are usually ignored for the impacts of obstacles' spatial elements on epidemic transmission. To tackle these problems, this study aims to evaluate the impacts of three spatial factors of obstacles (i.e., size, quantity, and placement) on infection spreading trends in two-dimension, which can provide scientific and concise spatial design guidelines for indoor public places. Firstly, we used the obstacle area proportion as the indicator of the size factor, gave the mathematical expression of the quantity factor, and proposed the walkable-space distribution indicator to represent the placement factor by introducing the Space Syntax. Secondly, two spreading epidemic indicators (i.e., daily new cases and people's average exposure risk) were estimated based on the fundamental model named exposure risk with the virion-laden particles, which accurately forecasted the disease spreading between individuals. Thirdly, 120 indoor scenarios were built and simulated, based on which the value of independent and dependent variables can be measured. Besides, structural equation modeling was employed to examine the effects of obstacle factors on epidemic transmissions. Finally, three obstacle-related guidelines were provided for policymakers to mitigate the disease spreading: minimizing the size of obstacles, dividing the obstacle into more sub-ones, and placing obstacles evenly distributed in space.

Post COVID-19's opportunities for customer-centric green supply chain management and customers' resilience;the moderate effect of corporate social responsibility

Purpose This research aims to profoundly investigate the post-COVID-19's opportunities for customer-centric green supply chain management (GSCM) and perceived customer resilience by studying the correlation between fear-uncertainty of COVID-19, customer-centric GSCM, and the perceived customers' resilience. Moreover, to examine how the perceived corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities moderates the relationship among the variables. Design/methodology/approach In this study partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was adopted on a sample of 298 managers and customers in the Egyptian small and medium enterprises (SMEs) market for data analysis and hypotheses testing. Findings Preliminary results indicate that the fear-uncertainty of COVID-19 positively affects customer-centric GSCM. Also, external CSR moderates the association between fear-uncertainty towards COVID-19 and customer-centric GSCM. However, internal CSR does not moderate this relationship. Customer-centric GSCM has a significant positive impact on the perceived environmental and social resilience. However, it has an insignificant effect on the perceived financial resilience. Also, customer-centric GSCM has a significant mediation outcome on the relation between fear-uncertainty of COVID-19 and the perceived environmental and social resilience. However, this relation is insignificant regarding the perceived financial resilience. Practical implications Managers could develop a consistent strategy for applying CSR practices, providing clear information and focusing on their procedures to meet their customer needs during COVID-19. Governments and managers should develop a consistent strategy to apply customer-oriented green practices to achieve customers' resilience, especially during the pandemic. Originality/value Based on the "social-cognitive," "stakeholder" and "consumer culture" theories, this study shed light on the optimistic side of the COVID-19 pandemic, as it also brings the concepts of social responsibility, resilience and green practices back into the light, which helps in solving customers' issues and help to achieve their resilience.

The ISO 26000's labor environmental issues during COVID-19: does corporate social responsibility help? Evidence from the Egyptian small and medium enterprises.

Based on both the "stakeholder" and "cognitive" theories, this study shed light on the optimistic side of the COVID-19 pandemic, as it also brings the concepts of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability back into the light, which helps in solving the labor environmental issues. Our research aims to profoundly investigate the correlation between CSR and labor environmental issues based on the International Organization for Standardization's standard 26,000 (ISO 26000) during COVID-19 and to also examine how CSR practices help solve labor environmental issues in the Egyptian small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was adopted, for data analysis and hypotheses testing, on a sample of 307 manager-level employees in the Egyptian SMEs. Results indicate that CSR positively impacts labor practices dimensions (employment relationships, human development and training, social dialog, and health and safety at work). However, CSR has an insignificant effect on social protection and work conditions. This study is scientifically valuable since it helps better understand the pandemic's effects on environmental labor issues in the Egyptian SMEs and shows how CSR helps solve those issues. Also, it discussed the theoretical contributions and practical implications and showed the limitations and future research for this study area.

Discussion on Etiology and Pathogenesis of Corona Virus Disease 2019 from “Cold-dampness and Insidious Dryness”

Based on the characteristics of the epidemic situation and the authors’ understanding of the related ancient books and documents, this paper explores the etiology and pathogenesis of Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) from 5 aspects: abnormal climate in “warm winter”, unique geographical location, pathogenesis evolution of cold and dampness mixed with insidious dryness, transmission and change of “triple energizer” of toxic pathogens, and game between healthy Qi and toxic pathogens. Combined with the special treatment of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the purpose is to make a modest contribution to curbing the epidemic situation with TCM.

Transmission Potential of Asymptomatic and Paucisymptomatic Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infections: A 3-Family Cluster Study in China.

Data concerning the transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in asymptomatic and paucisymptomatic patients are lacking. We report a 3-family cluster of infections involving asymptomatic and paucisymptomatic transmission. Eight of 15 (53%) members from 3 families were confirmed with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Of 8 patients, 3 were asymptomatic and 1 was paucisymptomatic. An asymptomatic mother transmitted the virus to her son, and a paucisymptomatic father transmitted the virus to his 3-month-old daughter. SARS-CoV-2 was detected in the environment of 1 household. The complete genomes of SARS-CoV-2 from the patients were > 99.9% identical and were clustered with other SARS-CoV-2 sequences reported from China and other countries.

Effective Infection Control Accelerated SARS-CoV-2 Suppression in China (preprint)

The disease COVID-19 is highly infectious, and infectious in asymptomatic incubation period. The national epidemic development has been effectively controlled and continues improving, especially in areas outside Hubei province. Such periodical results were achieved by the joint efforts of the whole society, including not only the hard work and dedication of the front-line medical workers but also the active cooperation of the general public. The strict epidemic prevention and control measurements have brought remarkable control results. In the present study, the basic infection number of the coronavirus R0 (basic replication number of the infection) before and after prevention and control measurements was simulated to elaborate the measurements of the Chinese government on epidemic prevention and control, providing reference for the people around the world.