It is time to control the worst: testing COVID-19 outbreak, energy consumption and CO2 emission.

During the COVID-19 outbreak, managing energy consumption and CO2 emission remained a serious problem. The previous literature rarely solved this real-time issue, and there is a lack of public research proposing an effective way forward on it. However, the study examines the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on energy consumption and CO2 emission. The design of the study is quantitative, and the data is acquired from different online databases. The model of the study is inferred by using panel unit root test and ARDL test. The robustness of study findings was checked through panel quantile regression. The findings highlighted that the COVID-19 outbreak is negatively significant with energy consumption and CO2 emission. The study suggested revising the energy consumption patterns by developing and implementing the national action plan for energy consumption and environmental protection. The study also contributed in knowledge by suggesting the novel insight into CO2 emission and energy consumption patterns during COVID-19 pandemic and recommended to consider renewable energy transition methods as an opportunity for the society. For a more effective management of energy consumption and environmental pollution, country-specific measures are suggested to be taken, and the national government should support the concerned public departments, ministries and private organizations on it. To the best of our study, this is one of the pioneer studies studying this novel link and suggesting the way forward on recent topicality.

The COVID-19 Pandemic and the Acceptance of E-Learning among University Students: The Role of Precipitating Events

This study examined the effect of the COVID- 19 pandemic and related events on the use of e-learning, as well as other key determinants of it. The data were collected from 1039 university students in Sri Lanka. To examine the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic, which was viewed through the lens of precipitating events, on the intention–behaviour relationship, we employed the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) with the inclusion of a moderating variable. While the findings indicated that the COVID-19 pandemic had clearly increased the usage of e-learning, we found no evidence to establish a moderating impact on the intention–behaviour relationship. The empirical model, however, was well fitted to the data, and the key components of the TAM were likewise adequately described by the relevant predictors. Furthermore, attitudes toward e-learning and perceived ease of use emerged as the most important factors in explaining behavioural intention, whereas relevance and experience were shown to be more significant in relation to perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. Our work is significant because it adds to the existing empirical evidence on e-learning and supports the relevance of TAM in understanding the usage of e-learning even in extreme situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Our research has significant implications for educators and other higher education authorities.

Psychological impact of COVID-19 and lock down measures: An online cross-sectional multicounty study on Asian university students.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown measures have taken a toll on every level of the society, worldwide. This study examines their psychological impact on university students in Asia. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted between April and May 2020 in Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, China, India and Indonesia. The Zung's self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) and questions on adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies were used in this study. A total of 3,679 students from the seven countries participated in this study. Overall, 21.9% and 13.7% of the students in this study experienced mild to moderate and severe to extreme levels of anxiety. More than 20% of the students from China and Bangladesh reported severe to extreme level of anxiety compared to below 10% of the students from Indonesia, Malaysia and India. Among the female students, 15.9% experienced severe to extreme level of anxiety compared to 10.6% among the males. Females from Bangladesh, China, Malaysia, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia experienced significantly higher levels of anxiety compared to their male counterparts. Acceptance was the most used and Seeking Social Support was the least used coping strategies among the students. There were significant differences in the usage of the four strategies by countries. Stressors are predominantly financial constraints, remote online learning, and uncertainty related to their academic performance, and future career prospects.

Coping with COVID-19: The Strategies Adapted by Pakistani Students to Overcome Implications.

COVID-19 has speedily immersed the globe with 72+ million cases and 1.64 million deaths, in a span of around one year, disturbing and deteriorating almost every sphere of life. This study investigates how students in Pakistan have coped with the COVID-19. Zung's self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) was used for measuring anxiety and the coping strategies were measured on four strategies i.e., seeking social support, humanitarian, acceptance, and mental disengagement. Among 494 respondents, 61% were females and 77.3% of the students were in the age group of 19-25 years. The study findings indicate that approximately 41 percent of students are experiencing some level of anxiety, including 16% with severe to extreme levels. Seeking social support seemed to be the least preferred coping strategy and that female students seek social support, humanitarian, and acceptance coping strategies more than males. Students used both emotion-based and problem-based coping strategies. The variables of gender, age, ethnicity, level and type of study, and living arrangement of the students were associated with usage of coping strategies. Findings showing that students do not prefer to seek social support. The study outcomes will provide basic data for university policies in Pakistan and the other countries with same cultural contexts to design and place better mental health provisions for students.

Mental health and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic in higher education: Evidence from G20 countries.

Background: The spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) has resulted in a drastic alteration to billions of individuals' emotional, physical, mental, social, and financial status. As of July 21st, 2020, there had been 14.35 million confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 0.60 million deaths in 216 countries. Design and Methods: The study explores health and wellbeing in universities within the G20 countries (19 member countries and the European Union) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The sample selection of these countries was considered since it serves around 80% of the world's economic output, two-thirds of the global population (including more than half of the world's poor), and 75% of international trade. Specifically, due to this public health concern, schools' nationwide closures are impacting over 60% of the world's student population to promote their quality of life and well-being. Results: This study investigates the G20 policies and procedures within higher education regarding health and well-being measures during the COVID-19 epidemic. The findings reveal that the lockdown, social distancing, and self-isolation requirements are stressful and detrimental for many individuals and have caused students' health and well-being concerns. Conclusions: Several countries within the G20 have taken significant steps to support health and well-being issues for university students; however, numerous countries are far behind in addressing this issue. Hence, government leaders of G20 countries, policymakers, and health providers should promptly take the necessary measures to regulate the outbreak, improve safety measures to decrease disease transmission, and administer those who demand medical attention.

Social distancing and reopening universities after the COVID-19 pandemic: policy complexity in G20 countries.

Background: The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has affected the entire globe, and various mythologies argue about its diagnosis, cure, and prevention. Globally, as of September 18th, 2020, there have been 30.055 million confirmed cases, including 0.943 million deaths. The nationwide closures are impacting over 60% of the world's student population. This study aimed to explore the social distancing policies and universities' reopening after COVID-19 in G20 countries (19 member countries and the European Union). Design and Methods: The study is based on documentary analysis. G20 members represent around 80% of the world's economic output, two-thirds of the global population (including more than half of the world's poor), and 75% of international trade. Based on documentary analysis, the study revealed that there is a policy dilemma among G20 countries regarding school reopening and a variety of conflicting policies within each country. Results: Based on a sample of 838 universities in the USA, 66% of universities (552 of 838) plan for in-person instruction, while only 7% are planning for a completely online teaching mode in the fall 2020 semester. Conclusions: Interestingly, none of the private universities in this study are planning to implement an online teaching mode. Policymakers need an integrated set of policy guidelines for school reopening, considering the evaluation of current COVID- 19 pandemic circumstances and social distancing capacity.

Socio-psychological impact on Bangladeshi students during COVID-19.

Background: The socio-psychological impact of COVID-19 has affected the whole world. Bangladesh, one of the most dangerous places as stated by WHO, was first infected at the beginning of March 2020, later than other countries. Bangladesh is now one of the 20 most affected countries in the world, but the psychological effects for university students during the epidemic period are not researched. Design and methods: To address this gap, the present study attempts to discover the socio-psychological impact of COVID-19 on university students in Bangladesh. We conducted an online survey using a questionnaire with a simple random sampling technique and we received 474 responses. Results: In this study, numerous psychological concerns were reported. The study is limited to university students, which may affect the generalizability of the research. Conclusions: Our findings suggest a need to build awareness of the mental health implications of the pandemic for university students.

COVID-19: exploring impacts of the pandemic and lockdown on mental health of Pakistani students.

BACKGROUND: As of the present, the twenty-first century is experiencing what may be one of its most devastating events, in respect to infected and dead people by the virus. Now known to the world as COVID-19, the devastating disease of what has become a pandemic started its spread from Wuhan, China and swiftly engulfed the whole world with almost 11 million cases, in a span of around six months. It has not only increased the global burden of disease but has heavily dented many social institutions, including education. METHODS: This study investigates how the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent measures of lockdown, quarantine, and social distancing have affected students. We look specifically into the effects on individuals' mental health, that is, the stress and anxiety levels of college and university students using the Zung Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS). RESULTS: Among 494 respondents, 61% were females, and the majority (77.3%) of the students were in the age group of 19-25 years. Among the respondents, 125 (25.3%), 45 (9.1%) and 34 (6.9%) experienced minimal to moderate, severe, and most extreme levels of anxiety, respectively. The variables of gender, age and year of study were significant at the 0.25 level by univariate analyses. Nevertheless, the ordinal regression indicates that only gender was significant. The odds of a female student being more anxious are higher compared to a male student (OR = 1.779, 95% CI [1.202-2.634], P = 0.004). The most prominent stressors attained from the qualitative feedback from the Pakistani students are associated with online teaching, concerns about their academic performance and completion of the current semester, uncertainty related to exam dates, and the status of the following semester. CONCLUSIONS: This study will add to the existing body of literature on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the social and psychological health of students. The study outcomes will provide basic data for further applied and action research and a framework for universities and policy makers in Pakistan and the neighboring countries in the region with the same cultural contexts. Thus, relevant health interventions can be designed for better mental health and educational attainments of students from higher educational institutions. This pathological pandemic may well lead to another pandemic of mental and behavioral illness. All stakeholders should join force regardless of pre-existing differences and inequalities to ensure the well-being of future generations, specifically students from higher educational institutions. The long-lasting impacts and the aftermath of this pandemic will unquestionably need further and future investigations. Keywords: Anxiety, students, mental health, COVID-19, Pakistan.

How students in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are coping with COVID-19 pandemic.

The novel coronavirus is the worst pandemic of this century. Unfortunately, there is no clear solution for how to cope with such an epidemic. This study examines the coping strategies used by university students in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. From March to May 2020, a questionnaire was administered and completed by 400 students. This study used the Zung Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) to examine the respondents' level of anxiety. The results indicate that 35% of students experienced some levels of anxiety. Moreover, there was a moderate use of four types of coping strategies: Seek social support, acceptance, mental disengagement, and humanitarian. These findings can guide policymakers on the importance of developing practical guidelines to handle such lethal diseases. Moreover, the results inform the Saudi community what strategies were used to cope so far with the pandemic. Future research is expected to address the validity and appropriateness of these strategies and encourage other approaches.

Anxiety Level of University Students During COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia.

COVID-19 is the worst pandemic of this millennium, and it is considered to be the "public enemy number one." This catastrophe has changed the way we live in the blink of an eye. Not only has it threatened our existence and health status, but the damage associated with it could equally affect our economic, social, and educational systems. The focus of this study was on the anxiety level of university students during the COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia. The study was conducted between March and June 2020. A questionnaire was administered online, and 400 completed questionnaires were returned. In this study, the Zung self-rating anxiety scale was used to determine the anxiety levels among the respondents. The results indicated that about 35% of the students experienced moderate to extreme levels of anxiety. Anxiety was highly associated with age, sex, and level of education. These findings can enlighten government agencies and policy makers on the importance of making prompt, effective decisions to address students' anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers are encouraged to focus their future studies on how to develop strategies to boost students' resilience and enhance their adaptability skills for similar disasters in the future.

Coping with COVID-19 and movement control order (MCO): experiences of university students in Malaysia.

This study examined how university students in Malaysia coped with the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions on movement (also known as MCO). A total of 983 students participated in a survey conducted online between April 20 and May 24, 2020. The psychological impact was measured using Zung's Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS). The students were assessed on the usage of adaptive (humanitarian and seeking social support) and maladaptive coping strategies (acceptance and mental disengagement). The results showed that the students used maladaptive coping strategies more than adaptive coping strategies to deal with anxiety caused by the pandemic and the effect of restriction of movement. Seeking social support and acceptance coping strategies were significantly associated with the level of anxiety. The student's gender, age, ethnicity, level and type of study, and living arrangement were associated with coping strategies. The students' selection of coping strategies mirrors typical Asian culture, that is, submissiveness. The study proposes several practical and professional suggestions to address students' mental health issues.

Psychological Impact of COVID-19 and Lockdown among University Students in Malaysia: Implications and Policy Recommendations.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown has taken the world by storm. This study examines its impact on the anxiety level of university students in Malaysia during the peak of the crisis and the pertinent characteristics affecting their anxiety. A cross-sectional online survey, using Zung's self-rating anxiety questionnaire was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown. Out of the 983 respondents, 20.4%, 6.6%, and 2.8% experienced minimal to moderate, marked to severe, and most extreme levels of anxiety. Female gender (OR = 21.456, 95% CI = 1.061, 1.998, p = 0.020), age below 18 years (OR = 4.147, 95% CI = 1.331, 12.918, p = 0.014), age 19 to 25 (OR = 3.398, 95% CI = 1.431, 8.066, p = 0.006), pre-university level of education (OR = 2.882, 95% CI = 1.212, 6.854, p = 0.017), management studies (OR = 2.278, 95% CI = 1.526, 3.399, p < 0.001), and staying alone (OR = 2.208, 95% CI = 1.127, 4.325, p = 0.021) were significantly associated with higher levels of anxiety. The main stressors include financial constraints, remote online teaching and uncertainty about the future with regard to academics and career. Stressors are predominantly financial constraints, remote online learning, and uncertainty related to their academic performance, and future career prospects.