Acceptance and Perceptions of COVID-19 Booster Dose;A Survey among Residents of Rawalpindi

ABSTRACT Objective: To determine public acceptance of COVID-19 booster dose, to know about perceptions and possible barriers regarding the vaccine. Study Design: Analytical cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Conducted regarding the acceptance and perception of the vaccine booster dose among the residents of Rawalpindi Pakistan, from Jun till Aug 2022 Methodology: The sample size was 320 and collected using convenient sampling technique. The study included residents of Rawalpindi between ages 18 and 65. Google forms based on Health Belief Model were used for data collection. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 28 and summary statistics were produced using frequencies, percentages and mean. Chi-square test was also used to determine associations between categorical variables. Results: The results revealed that 74% of the participants' primary reason for getting booster dose was their own safety w hile major barrier to booster dose vaccination was side effects related to vaccine-62%. 81.3% people were willing to get the booster dose and 87.9% people agreed to receive booster dose for free. Chi-square test indicated a significant association between acceptance and perceived susceptibility, benefits and severity. Conclusion: In conclusion, our findings reveal that majority of people were willing to get booster dose primarily for own safety. However, counselling is required to decrease the perceived barriers to vaccination regarding side effects of the vaccine.

Exploring the anti-SARS-CoV-2 main protease potential of FDA approved marine drugs using integrated machine learning templates as predictive tools.

Since the inception of COVID-19 pandemic in December 2019, socio-economic crisis begins to rise globally and SARS-CoV-2 was responsible for this outbreak. With this outbreak, currently, world is in need of effective and safe eradication of COVID-19. Hence, in this study anti-SAR-Co-2 potential of FDA approved marine drugs (Biological macromolecules) data set is explored computationally using machine learning algorithm of Flare by Cresset Group, Field template, 3D-QSAR and activity Atlas model was generated against FDA approved M-pro SARS-CoV-2 repurposed drugs including Nafamostat, Hydroxyprogesterone caporate, and Camostat mesylate. Data sets were categorized into active and inactive molecules on the basis of their structural and biological resemblance with repurposed COVID-19 drugs. Then these active compounds were docked against the five different M-pro proteins co-crystal structures. Highest LF VS score of Holichondrin B against all main protease co-crystal structures ranked it as lead drug. Finally, this new technique of drug repurposing remained efficient to explore the anti-SARS-CoV-2 potential of FDA approved marine drugs.

Myths, misconceptions, and hesitancy in people residing in Qatar toward mRNA COVID-19 vaccines: An experience exchange from Qatar University health center.

The hesitancy in taking COVID-19 vaccines is a complex process influenced by several factors, including individual, social, and cultural. Health literacy and community awareness around mRNA COVID-19 vaccines are critical for successfully combating the pandemic. Healthcare professionals, including family physicians and nurses, can help increase community awareness and mitigate some misconceptions and hesitancy regarding mRNA COVID-19 vaccines in people's attitudes. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to explore how the interaction between an individual's social identities such as gender, ethnicity, culture, knowledge, and belief impact their hesitancy and attitudes toward mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. We aimed to describe our experience in dealing with people residing in Qatar from the perspective of healthcare practitioners from the Qatar University Health Center during the period when mRNA COVID-19 vaccines was introduced in a time frame of 6 months (April to October, 2021). We identified several factors associated with the reluctance to receive mRNA COVID-19 vaccines once vaccination services were available, affordable, and accessible to everyone in Qatar (Table 1). Most individuals were hesitant and refused to take mRNA COVID-19 vaccines owing to the unjustified myths and fear about potential side effects of vaccines in general and unknown long-term effects of vaccination, especially among women who were uneducated. We believe we have been able to put forth a fair, unbiased, and balanced argument between an individual's right to take or refuse the vaccine and the overall benefits to the public and community health in terms of the overall community immunity when the vast majority of the population will be vaccinated. Our experience could assist in developing culturally sensitive and tailored community outreach programs to increase community awareness as it is the cornerstone on which public health can fight the irrational myths, fear, misconceptions, vaccine hesitancy, and improve vaccination coverages. Moreover, our shared experiences might be able to better prepare future launching of pandemic vaccination campaigns in order to minimize vaccine hesitancy.

Ivermectin: An Anti-Parasitic Drug that has Potential for Repurposing for COVID-19

After global health catastrophe due to Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), a deep impact on the way we perceive our world and our everyday lives has been imprinted. Till now, no specific antiviral drug has been proven effective for curing patients. Ivermectin, the broad-spectrum macrocyclic lactone has proven to exert antiviral activity against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), dengue virus and now capability to reduce viral RNA up to 5,000-fold after 48 h of infection with SARS-CoV-2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Biomedica is the property of Knowledge Bylanes and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)