ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To estimate the association between safety perception on vaccine acceptance and adoptions of risk mitigation strategies among dental health care workers (DHCWs). METHODS: A survey was emailed to DHCWs in the New Jersey area from December 2020 to January 2021. Perceived safety from regular SARS-CoV-2 testing of self, coworkers, and patients and its association with vaccine hesitancy and risk mitigation were ascertained. Risk Mitigation Strategy (RiMS) scores were computed from groupings of office measures: 1) physical distancing (reduced occupancy, traffic flow, donning of masks, minimal room crowding), 2) personal protective equipment (fitted for N95; donning N95 masks; use of face shields; coverings for head, body, and feet), and 3) environmental disinfection (suction, air filtration, ultraviolet, surface wiping). RESULTS: SARS-CoV-2 testing of dental professionals, coworkers, and patients were perceived to provide safety at 49%, 55%, and 68%, respectively. While dentists were least likely to feel safe with regular self-testing for SARS-CoV-2 (P < 0.001) as compared with hygienists and assistants, they were more willing than hygienists (P = 0.004; odds ratio, 1.79 [95% CI, 1.21 to 2.66]) and assistants (P < 0.001; odds ratio, 3.32 [95% CI, 1.93 to 5.71]) to receive the vaccine. RiMS scores ranged from 0 to 19 for 467 participants (mean [SD], 10.9 [2.9]). RiMS scores did not significantly differ among groups of DHCWs; however, mean RiMS scores were higher among those who received or planned to receive the COVID-19 vaccine than those with who did not (P = 0.004). DHCWs who felt safer with regular testing had greater RiMS scores than those who did not (11.0 vs. 10.3, P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Understanding DHCWs' perception of risk and safety is crucial, as it likely influences attitudes toward testing and implementation of office risk mitigation policies. Clinical studies that correlate risk perception and RiMS with SARS-CoV-2 testing are needed to demonstrate the effectiveness of RiMS in dental care settings. KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER STATEMENT: Educators, clinicians, and policy makers can use the results of this study when improving attitudes toward testing and implementation of risk mitigation policies within dental offices, for current and future pandemics.
ABSTRACT
Diabetes is a metabolic disorder caused by high blood sugar levels, which can harm the kidneys, the heart, the eyes, and blood vessels. During the Covid-19 pandemic, diabetes patients were most affected. In the existing healthcare system, medical data is available in paper form or through a central server. Accessing the data from the central system and sharing it with all stakeholders would be a critical task during the pandemic. This research work deals with the design and implementation of a diabetes blockchain consortium. It can help all healthcare stakeholders to efficiently prioritize the needs of diabetes patients during a pandemic, such as oxygen beds, vaccinations, diabetes compensation, telemedicine, 5G-integrated remote location support, and other related records. The Ethereum sandbox simulation design is utilized to secure diabetes patients' healthcare records. The Interplanetary file system (IPFS) encrypts health data and sends it to the blockchain to ensure the privacy of personal healthcare information. The NEM symbol blockchain is used to develop this consortium as a proof-of-concept (PoC) model. Each stakeholder in a consortium is assigned NEM generated QR code to track records as a distributed ledger. A smart contract designed to run the diabetes blockchain application. Attribute-based encryption (ABE) authenticates users and restricts malicious nodes. Certainly, this research suggests aggregation of transactions and blocks in the blockchain, which would increase transaction speed, minimize transaction fees, and consume less power in a future blockchain design.
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This paper traces the evolution of customs cooperation as an imperative of global trade, and the origins and achievements of the World Customs Organization (WCO). The birth of the WCO marked the first attempt at multilateral customs cooperation on a global scale, and this paper examines the challenges of customs cooperation since inception as well as emerging paradigms. After briefly tracing the early limited attempts to foster customs cooperation among sovereign states, this paper analyses the indelible imprints made by the sustained efforts of the WCO to simplify and harmonise customs procedures to facilitate international trade. The authors use inductive research methodology and link analysis to examine the impact of the WCO in developing standards and enhancing compliance for the ease of doing business in member countries in general and in India in particular. Our results suggest that there is a positive and robust effect of the WCO’s instruments and programs in harnessing technology;in developing new paradigms and promoting their adoption by the customs and trade community;and in promoting communication and connectivity among member countries and peer learning. A detailed analysis on supply chain security as a contributing factor in achieving the vision of a globally networked Customs for a seamless flow of legitimate international trade is also presented. The paper argues that, in times of crisis, such as COVID-19 or any disaster of international scale, the need for a strengthened globally networked Customs becomes crucial. Under the future paradigms, a citizen-centric approach for sustainability of people, planet and prosperity is also addressed. © 2020, International Network of Customs Universities. All rights reserved.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has brought new attention to the period between signing and closing in mergers and acquisitions (M&A). Transactional planners heavily negotiate the provisions that govern the behavior of the parties during this window, not only to allocate risk between the buyer and seller, but also to manage moral hazard, opportunistic behavior, and other distortions in incentives. Prior literature, both academic and practitioner, has focused virtually exclusively on the material adverse effect (MAE) clause. COVID-19, however, has exposed an important connection between the MAE clause and the obligation for the seller to act “in the ordinary course of business” between signing and closing. This Article is the first to examine the interaction between the MAE clause and the ordinary course covenant in M&A deals. We construct a new database of 1,300 M&A transactions along with their MAE and ordinary course covenants—by far the most comprehensive, accurate, and detailed database of such deal terms that currently exists. We document how these deal terms currently appear in M&A transactions, including the sharp rise in “pandemic” carveouts from the MAE clause since the COVID-19 pandemic began. We then provide implications for corporate boards, the Delaware courts, and transactional planners. Our empirical findings and recommendations are relevant not just for the next pandemic or “Act of God” event, but also the next (inevitable) downturn in the economy more generally. © 2021, Columbia Law Review Association. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
SARS-CoV-2 better kenned as coronavirus or Covid-19 has been declared ecumenical pandemic by World Health Organization (WHO) affecting 213 countries and territories around the world and 2 international conveyances. So, far the virus has claimed 54,400 lives and has infected more than 11.8 million across the globe. The pandemic has negatively impacted businesses irrespective of their sizes or industry. In order to control the virus, lockdowns have been implemented in many of the countries across the globe. The extent of the implement for every country is directly proportional to the number of tests done and cases reported. Due to the lockdown, there have been peregrinate restrictions both domestic and international. Enforcing the organizations to work remotely but few organizations and industries like pabulum industry (in context to field work in aliment supply chain) are struggling to work remotely due to the nature of their business. Victuals supply chain resiliency is highly affected by and vulnerably susceptible due to Covid-19. It is highly critical and paramount for the ministries, regimes, and the entire aliment industry to identify and evaluate post Covid-19 possible impacts on resiliency and factors and, the degree of jeopardies in the pabulum supply chain. The paper discusses the possible type of impacts visually examined post Covid-19 (short-term, mid-term or long-term) for each of the performance criteria (quantifying the designators). The degree of jeopardy is evaluated for post Covid-19 in contrast to pre-Covid-19. © 2021 IEEE.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Chest CT is a rapid, useful additional screening tool for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in emergent procedures. We describe the feasibility and interim outcome of implementing a modified imaging algorithm for COVID-19 risk stratification across a regional network of primary stroke centers in the work-up of acute ischemic stroke referrals for time-critical mechanical thrombectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We undertook a retrospective review of 49 patients referred to the regional neuroscience unit for consideration of mechanical thrombectomy between April 14, 2020, and May 21, 2020. During this time, all referring units followed a standard imaging protocol that included a chest CT in addition to a head CT and CT angiogram to identify Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infective pulmonary changes. RESULTS: Overall, 2 patients had typical COVID-19 radiologic features and tested positive, while 7 patients had indeterminate imaging findings and tested negative. The others had normal or atypical changes and were not diagnosed with or suspected of having COVID-19. There was an overall sensitivity of 100%, specificity of 74.1%, negative predictive value of 100%, and positive predictive value of 22.2% when using chest CT to diagnose COVID-19 in comparison with the real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction test. The mean additional time and radiation dose incurred for the chest CT were 184 ± 65.5 seconds and 2.47 ± 1.03 mSv. Multiple cardiovascular and pulmonary incidental findings of clinical relevance were identified in our patient population. CONCLUSIONS: Chest CT provides a pragmatic, rapid additional tool for COVID-19 risk stratification among patients referred for mechanical thrombectomy. Its inclusion in a standardized regional stroke imaging protocol has enabled efficient use of hospital resources with minimal compromise or delay to the overall patient treatment schedule.