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The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the underlying fiscal challenges that the GCC governments were facing. The transition to carbon neutrality, as well as investments in renewables from significant areas, such as the European Union and China, have lessened the long-term forecast for fossil fuel consumption. This chapter looks at these developments with regard to Qatar, its LNG sector, and its growth potential in the blue ammonia sector. It argues that blue ammonia will serve as a key transitional fuel as part of the energy transition and will increasingly become a strategic growth area for Qatar's energy sector. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2023, corrected publication 2023.
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This paper explores a case of public contention against the censoring of a feature article about a COVID-19 whistleblower on the Chinese social media, WeChat. Moving beyond the normative theory of the public sphere and publics, we draw on Kavada and Poell's theory of 'contentious publicness' which is flexible enough to capture the complexity, diversity and hybridity of digital contention in the context of China. Through a combination of textual analysis and participatory observation, this article analyses how citizens challenged the censorship system and attempted to keep Dr Fen's story online through what we call 'relay activism'. Informed by the three dimensions of 'contentious publicness', we analyse the materiality of the communication infrastructure of WeChat and the temporal and spatial relations of the public contention (focusing primarily on WeChat and GitHub). In doing this, the paper contributes a more comprehensive approach to examining the social, structural and participatory characteristics of the contestation of censorship in China.
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Background/Aims Significant changes to working practices within rheumatology have occurred since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic: virtual consultations have now become commonplace. This audit was undertaken as part of ongoing quality improvement work to assess the standards of care provided to patients with SLE attending rheumatology departments across Wales. Care was audited against the standards outlined in the 2018 British Society of Rheumatology guideline for the management of adults with SLE. Results were compared with the previous multi-centre audits of SLE care in Wales and the UK. We were interested to see whether changes to working practices had significantly affected the care of patients with SLE across Wales. Methods Rheumatology services in Wales were invited via email to participate. Data collection occurred between June and August 2021. Data was collected via online questionnaire, held securely by the Dudley Group NHSFT. Unit questionnaires were submitted by a lead clinician in each centre. Five centres across Wales submitted data from 62 clinical encounters with patients with SLE. Result(s): Conclusion Results of this multi-centre audit do not demonstrate any widespread significant changes in care for patients with SLE in Wales between 2019 and 2021, despite 48% of consultations audited being undertaken virtually. Blood pressure and urinalysis were not consistently measured in 2021, likely secondary to the increased prevalence of virtual consultations. Group education has been undertaken as to the importance of facilitating observations in the virtual environment and centres have shared their experiences of how they tackle this challenge locally. (Table Presented).
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In this issue of Learning and Teaching: The International Journal of Higher Education in the Social Sciences, authors from New Zealand, Canada, the United States, Malaysia, the United Kingdom, Denmark and Australia write about women as doctoral supervisors, white academics as anti-racist allies, what creates a sense of belonging amongst distance education students and the experiences of students and staff during the COVID-19 pandemic. © The Author(s)
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Risky sexual behaviors in adolescents and young adults often result in negative outcomes, such as sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unwanted pregnancies. This case study compares the experience of implementing a digital app-based platform aimed at reducing adolescent sexual risk behavior in a rural medical clinic and a university-based mental health clinic in an effort to better understand how the cliexa-OPTIONS mobile app can inform care and enhance the overall quality of treatment in very different clinical health settings. Clinicians in charge of the implementation of the digital app report that it opens up more transparent discussions with patients/clients, allowing them to provide better care in both medical and mental health settings. The differences in context provide different demographic-related challenges at the two sites. Challenges in online recruitment and workflow were evident only at the university-based mental health clinic as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Implementers at both sites indicated a highly positive overall experience with cliexa-OPTIONS and a desire to use the digital app in the future. Patient/client satisfaction surveys indicate that patients/clients enjoy using the digital app and find it easy to use. © 2023 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
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During the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, a group of academic geographers got together across borders to share our varied experiences. In this paper we illustrate how this storying of pandemia helped us critically and collaboratively understand, (re)imagine and reconfigure ways of living during a global pandemic. We were especially interested in exploring different forms and practices of collective thinking and academic labour, within and beyond the academy. This paper foregrounds emotions and lived experiences, power and positionality, natures, bodies, and relations, and how they have come to our attention in new, different, or more pronounced ways, through everyday geographies of pandemia. Our aim is to emphasise two important aspects: that pandemia is a state of being with/as/through pandemic, and, as a collective noun, pandemia centres plurality, focusing on the potential to attend to the ways experiences of pandemic are redolent with multiple, overlapping exclusions and belongings, openings and closures. © 2023 American Association of Geographers.
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Objective: To determine the the clinical epidemiology of respiratory condition requiring admission at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation Pediatric Medical Ward (GPHC PMW). Method(s): Retrospective, cross sectional study design with a sample size of 531.Inclusion criteria included 29 days-13 years old, admitted to PMW from 1 Jan 2019-31 Dec 2020 with a respiratory diagnosis. Data such as date of admission, diagnosis, age and gender were collected from records. The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board. Data was analyzed using IBM SPSS Results: 1. The most common respiratory pathology was Pneumonia 244 of the 531 cases. Mixed infections accounted for 132 , Bronchiolitis 78, Asthma 69, croup 5, RAD 2, Tonsilitis 1. 2. The most frequent age group admitted were the Infants 44%. 3. The male gender dominated at 64% while female accounted for 36% of total admissions. 4. The most documented admissions occurred in the months of November at 11.1% followed by July at 10.9%. 5. Of the total admissions for respiratory pathology in this study, 90% occurred in the Pre-COVID era (2019) while 10% occurred Post-COVID (2020). Conclusion(s): Pneumonia predominantly affected the younger generations, specifically the infants. With increasing age however, the infectious respiratory pathologies were less frequent while the obstructive causes took the lead. The increase in respiratory admissions was associated with a seasonal pattern and there was a significant decline in admissions in the early post COVID outbreak period.
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The concept of place attachment is generally studied in relation to terrestrial environments. Few have examined a connection between ‘sea-place’ and those living or spending extended periods on recreational sailboats. Rarer still are studies of women sailors. Sea-place attachment for women appears to be strongly influenced by social bonding to sea-faring partners and nature bonding to the ocean. These elements of place attachment appear to overcome natural fears of the ocean and related dangers that would ordinarily be considered to weaken place dependence. A common identity-related theme for those living on the water is freedom - to escape land-bound regulations. This aspect appears particularly important for men while women also seek a simpler life: sea-place attachment entails freedom from regulation and societal and consumer pressures. The restrictions on mobility imposed due to COVID-19 have therefore been keenly felt and engendered deep emotions related to the loss of sea-place, termed here psycho-oceanic grief. © Robyn Bartel and Jennifer Carter 2021.
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Background. Based on national recommendations,1 Beth Israel Lahey Health (BILH) in Eastern Massachusetts (MA) prioritized vulnerable communities in our distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. We hypothesized that creating prioritized access to appointments for patients in these communities would increase the likelihood vaccination. Methods. The BILH health system sent vaccine invitations first to patients of two clinics in vulnerable neighborhoods in Boston (Wave 1), followed by other patients from vulnerable communities (Wave 2) up to 1 day later, and then by all other patients (Wave 3) after up to 1 more day later. To identify whether early access/prioritization increased the likelihood of receipt of vaccine at any site or a vaccine at a BILH clinic, we compared patients in Wave 1 in a single community with high cumulative incidence of COVID-19 (Dorchester) to patients in Wave 2 during a period of limited vaccine access, 1/27/21-2/24/21. Each wave was modeled using logistic regression, adjusted for language and race. By taking the difference between these two differences, we are left with the impact of early vaccination invitation in Wave 1 for a subset of our most vulnerable patients (termed difference-in-differences;Stata SE 16.0). Results. In our study of Waves 1 and 2, we offered vaccinations to 24,410 patients. Of those, 6,712 (27.5%) scheduled the vaccine at BILH (Table 1). Patients in Wave 1 were much more likely to be vaccinated at BILH than patients in Wave 2. Patients offered the vaccine in Wave 1 and living in Dorchester were 1.7 percentage points more likely to be vaccinated at all (p=0.445) and 9.4 percentage points more likely to be vaccinated at BILH than another site in MA (p-value = 0.001), relative to patients living outside of Dorchester and offered the vaccine in Wave 2 (Table 2). The coefficient of interest is on Wave1∗Dorchester, 0.094. This indicates that residents of Dorchester who were offered the vaccine in Wave 1 were 9.4 percentage points more likely to receive the vaccine at BILH, given that they were vaccinated, relative to patients living outside of Dorchester and offered the vaccine in Wave 2. Conclusion. Patients residing in an urban community given prioritized access to vaccination had a higher likelihood of vaccination at our health system, given that they were vaccinated, than patients in other urban communities without prioritized access. We provide an example of a successful effort to move towards equity in access to COVID-19- vaccines, in contrast to larger national trends.2,3 Health systems can use a prioritization approach to improve vaccination equity.
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Objective: Paediatric neurologists are concerned about the risk of COVID-19 in children with demyelinating disorders receiving immunomodulatory treatment. To investigate this, we collected data via the UK Childhood Neuro-Inflammatory Disorders (UK-CNID) network of the British Paediatric Neurology Association (BPNA). Methods: Survey of paediatric neurologists managing unvaccinated UK children (<18 years) with a demyelinating disorder (multiple sclerosis [MS];neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder [NMOSD] and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody disease [MOGAD]) on immunomodulatory therapy with SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) of nasopharyngeal swabs between March and December 2020. Results: Of 151 UK children (MS 98, MOGAD 37, NMOSD 16) with a median age of 9 years (range 6-18y), with a demyelinating disorder, nine (6.0%) had a positive PCR for SARS-CoV-2. Five had MS and four MOGAD. Four were from south Asian or south-east Asian, four were White and one was mixed White and south Asian. Seven children had COVID-19 symptoms;two were asymptomatic. Two required a brief hospital admission for typical COVID-19 respiratory symptoms and the remaining five had mild symptoms including fever, rash, cough and headache. One with MOGAD, treated with azathioprine, developed transverse myelitis 12 days after COVID-19 onset. She recovered fully with a course of corticosteroids. MS patients were on following disease modifying therapies;dimethylfumarate (n=2), fingolimod (n=1);natalizumab (n=1) and ocrelizumab (n=1). MOGAD cases were on the following immune therapy: combination of oral prednisolone and intravenous immunoglobulin (n=2), prednisolone steroids (n=1) and azathioprine (n=1). Conclusions: In contrast to adult patients, who often have underlying co-morbidities and advanced neurological disabilities, we have identified that children treated for demyelinating disorders appear to have a milder COVID-19 course. Whilst the number of children treated for demyelinating disorders that developed COVID-19 is low, the overall mild course described may provide reassurance to neurologists, patients and family members.
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As higher education undergoes rapid and fundamental change, eco‐educators need to be prepared to promote the inclusion of the ecological sciences in the biological sciences curriculum of the future. Here, we present an instructional alignment for an introductory ecology course, which is informed by and integrated with the Four‐Dimensional Ecology Education (4DEE) Framework. Our instructional alignment was created collaboratively among faculty involved in teaching the course and emphasizes the relevance and utility of the ecological sciences. We believe that this approach positions the ecological sciences for continued success and inclusion in the biological sciences curriculum of tomorrow.
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Background Recently there have been high-profile publications about in surge in child abuse cases during the COVID-19 nationwide lockdown beginning on the 23rd of March 2020. Due to limited services and increased isolation, it was difficult to identify this abuse and intervene through the traditional channels. This study used a proxy measure, that is to see if there was an increase in referrals to Paediatricians for child protection medicals. Objectives This study intends to assess the impact of lockdown on child abuse during school closure. Methods We performed a retrospective observational study of all child protection medical examinations undertaken at the Pinderfields General Hospital, England during April and May 2019, in comparison to the same period of 2020. The outcome measurements included the number and sources of referrals, previous contact with social services, risk factors for abuse, and the outcome at discharge. Results The difference in age and gender referrals was insignificant. The highest numbers of referrals were for physical abuse in both years. Although neglect remained the second highest cause for referral in 2020, this could be due to the reasons previously stated. Domestic violence, mental health, and drug abuse in parents have remained the predominant causes of risk factors for abuse in children in both years. The majority of children in 2020 went home with social services' input rather than the support of family members like grandparents (due to isolation or shielding). This caused a high financial impact on the Government. Conclusions COVID-19 has led to a demonstrable increase in child abuse, with the possibility of gross underestimation due to school closures. The results show fewer children are being referred by schools and there are fewer referrals from children who are not under the radar of social services with child protection plans. This may reflect an increase in hidden abuse. The direct impact of the increased presence of children within the home and the indirect impact of the virus on unemployment, mental health, domestic violence and substance abuse may offer some explanation to rising levels of child abuse All Paediatric referrals should be treated with a higher degree of suspicion during this pandemic. School closure risks rising levels of hidden abuse in the UK, this needs to be considered by policymakers.
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Purpose: COVID-19 has drastically impacted healthcare systems since its declaration as a pandemic in March 2020. Evidence of this impact persists among solid organ transplant programs, with vast disruptions to kidney transplant reported nationwide. Little is known about the influence of COVID-19 on early transplant steps occurring at the dialysis facility level. We sought to describe the staff-reported impact of COVID-19 on kidney transplant referrals and evaluations. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was emailed to n=579 dialysis facility staff in ESRD Network 6 (Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina) in April 2020. Responses were linked to 2015-2018 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Dialysis Facility Report data, and patient and facility characteristics were compared using t-tests, Wilcoxon rank-sum tests, and chi-square tests. Results: Among 280 survey responses received from unique dialysis facilities, 28.9% of respondents disclosed that transplant referrals were affected by COVID-19, and 60.4% described transplant evaluations as affected (Table 1). When describing barriers to quality improvement activities due to COVID-19, the most prominent concerns were “dependent institutions not operating as usual” (48.6%), an “over- whelmed healthcare system” (33.6%), and transportation issues (26.8%). Facilities were comparable with regards to patient and facility demographic, clinical, and socioeconomic characteristics. Conclusions: Our findings provide further evidence that kidney transplant has been substantially affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, even at the dialysis facility level. Policies surrounding transitions to normal operations among dialysis facilities in the Southeastern United States must consider the long-term implications of these delays related to transplant access. (Table Presented).
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For the Gulf states, the COVID-19 pandemic has acted as an accelerant to systemic fiscal challenges the states were projected to face. These longer-term fiscal challenges were a result of fundamental shifts in the global energy market towards lacklustre demand, oversupply of oil and gas, and depressed prices. Moreover, the shift towards carbon-neutrality and investment in renewables by key regions such as the European Union and China, have added to the long-term outlook on fossil fuel demand. This article examines such trends and concludes that the Gulf region is facing a looming fiscal cliff, whereby public policy within the Gulf states will necessarily reflect the three main areas of taxation, austerity and increased activity in the bond market to raise liquidity. Such trends have been made more pronounced by the pandemic. It is argued that in the context of rising debt, the immediate challenge identified for these states will be their peg to the United States Dollar. Such fiscal conditions will necessitate a drive by these states to attract foreign direct investment, and greater engagement with China through the Belt and Road Initiative is identified as a likely outcome. Therefore, this article concludes that the impact of the pandemic will hasten a shift in both public policy, state-society-relations, and in the international relations of the region. © Bristol University Press 2020.
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On Gumbaynggirr Country (mid-north coast New South Wales, Australia), an act of violence against the sacredness of life and Country resulted in Wirriiga, the Two Sisters, making the sea. When the waters rose, the people made their way back to their homeland by following a gut-string bridge made by Dunggiirr, the Koala Brothers. While the people were on the bridge, mischievous Baalijin, the eastern quoll, threatened to chop it down and made waves that nearly washed them off. Baalijin challenges complacency and forces change, and on that understanding in this article we consider what it means to be living this present time of instability and changes wrought by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19);ours is a perspective grounded in story and Gumbaynggirr Law/Lore. We write as Yandaarra, a research collective guided by the Old Fellas (ancestors) and led by Aunty Shaa Smith, storyholder for Gumbaynggirr Country, and her daughter Neeyan Smith, a young Gumbaynggirr woman. Learning from a Gumbaynggirr-led understanding of COVID-19—as one manifestation of Baalijin and relationships fallen out of balance—re-situates the pandemic in wider and longer histories of colonisation and destructive patterns of existence and broken agreements. Those learnings prompt us to call for Juungambala—work involved in setting things right as a way to heal. Let Baalijin and COVID-19 be the wake-up call that forces the change that Country (and we) need. © 2020 Institute of Australian Geographers