ABSTRACT
Background: Since 2019 the National Allergy Strategy (NAS) 250K youth project has run annual camps to support school-aged teens living with severe allergies. In 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic presented several challenges for conducting camps. To reduce the risk of potential COVID-19 exposure, the NAS conducted a 250K fun day for school-aged teens, supported by local peer mentors, staff and volunteers. This study compares confidence levels for a range of allergy based self-management indicators, between the fun day and camp offerings. Method: The 250K fun day was held in Perth, Western Australia, in February 2021. Perth-based NAS staff and volunteer health professionals attended. School-aged teens and peer mentors from Perth were invited to participate. Several meetings with volunteers and catering staff were held prior. Findings: Fourteen school-aged teens with severe allergies and 1 peer mentor participated in the fun day, and 14 school-aged teens and 8 peer mentors participated in the 2020 camp. Confidence levels were measured using a participant survey. Table 1 provides a comparison of the results of the 2021 fun day and the 2020 camp. Conclusion: The 250K fun day helped connect young people with food allergy. The fun day as a one-day event substantially improved confidence levels in allergy self-management, however, did not increase confidence to the same level as the 2020 camp. Should COVID-19 continue to restrict access to camps, the fun day model represents a good option to engage youth and still provide significant benefit to participants.
ABSTRACT
This work describes of the risk of human or animal exposure to SARS-CoV-2 through contact with, handling or consumption of wild, domestic and aquatic animal species or their products;current knowledge gaps regarding the zoonotic origin or animal-human spillover of SARS-CoV-2 and recommendations for priority studies;evidence for SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility of different animal species;evidence-based recommendations on how to prioritize animal species for targeted field investigations or research studies and recommendations for targeted One Health investigations and epidemiological, laboratory, anthropological or seasonality studies to fill critical knowledge gaps. Understanding the risk of exposure of humans or animals to SARS-CoV-2 from animals and their products is essential for containing virus spread, prioritizing research, protecting food systems and informing national One Health investigations and mitigation measures.
ABSTRACT
Some newly emerging viral lung infections have the potential to cause large outbreaks of severe respiratory disease amongst humans. In this contribution we discuss infections by influenza A (H5N1), SARS and Hanta virus. The H5N1 subtype of avian influenza (bird flu) has crossed the species barrier and causes severe illness in humans. So far, 328 humans in twelve countries have contracted the disease and 200 have died. The young are particularly affected. Oseltamivir is the antiviral drug of choice and should be given as early as possible. Patients require supportive care, often including invasive ventilation. If H5N1 develops the ability to transmit efficiently between humans, an influenza pandemic is likely. Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) was first seen in China in 2002. The outbreak was finally contained in 2003, by which time 8098 probable SARS cases had been identified with at least 774 deaths. The virus was identified in 2003 as belonging to the coronaviridae family. SARS is transmitted between humans and clusters have been seen. The mainstay of treatment is supportive. Various antiviral agents and adjunctive therapies were tried but none were conclusively effective. Hanta virus is an emerging cause of viral lung disease. In 1993, a new species of Hanta virus was recognized, after an outbreak of a new rapidly progressive pulmonary syndrome in the US, 465 cases of ‘Sin Nombre’ virus have now been seen in the US with a mortality rate of 35%. Many of the confirmed cases had contact with rodents (the major host of hanta viruses). Treatment is supportive, as there is no specific therapy. FAU - Roberts, Helen