Surface Disinfection Practice in Public Hospitals in the Era of COVID-19: Assessment of Disinfectant Solution Preparation and Use in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Background: Surface disinfection of healthcare facilities with appropriate disinfectants is among the infection control strategies against the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). As sodium hypochlorite solution (SHS) is a commonly used surface disinfectant, its preparation and proper use should be given a due attention. The current study aimed at assessing the practice of Addis Ababa public hospitals in the preparation and use of SHS. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was employed to assess the adequacy of disinfectant solution preparation and use. Checklists were used for data collection. Descriptive statistics were used for data analyses, and categorical variables were described by frequencies and percentages. Results: Out of the twelve public hospitals included in the study; only three hospitals checked the potency of the working SHS. Majority of the hospitals (8 hospitals) stored the concentrated SHS products in cool, dry, and direct sunlight protected places. It was only in one hospital where appropriate personal protective equipment was used during the preparation and quality control activities. Surfaces were not cleaned in all hospitals before disinfection; and the rooms were ventilated only in 2 hospitals during the application of the disinfectant solution. Conclusion: The study revealed that the preparations of SHS in the public hospitals did not comply with most of the requirements of good compounding practice. Moreover, standard practices were not maintained in majority hospitals during the use of SHS for surface disinfection. As a control strategy in the spread of COVID-19 and other infections, appropriate corrective actions shall be implemented in the studied hospitals to mitigate the limitations observed in the preparation and use of SHS.

Predictive stability, novel HPLC-MS analysis and semi-automatic compounding process for the emergency implementation of a production line of pancuronium in injectable solution.

During the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, the international medical product supply chain was tight, causing breaks in the availability of neuromuscular blocking agents essential for the treatment of patients in intensive care units. The present study describes the pharmaceutical development of an injectable 2 mg/mL solution of pancuronium bromide (PC) in a very short lapse of time. The sterile solution was compounded into a good manufacturing practice grade A clean room, filtered (0.2 µm) and filled into 10 mL type I glass, manually sealed with bromobutyl rubber stoppers. A novel HPLC-MS stability indicating method for pancuronium quantification and its degradation product was developed and validated. This fast, sensitive and straightforward method was used to study the stability of the formulation using a semi-predictive method, enabling a very fast attribution of a temporary shelf-life, which was confirmed by a classic prospective stability study. The production line and the analytical tools set-up were performed in six weeks and the semi-predictive stability study was conducted in 90 days, allowing us to predict a shelf life, which was successfully confirmed by prospective study. In conclusion, using innovative methods, we were able to rapidly overcome the shortage of a critical drug.

Analysis of Compounding and Broadband Extinction Properties of Novel Bioaerosols

Artificially prepared microbial spores have excellent electromagnetic attenuation properties due to their special composition and structure. At present, studies on the optical properties of microbial spores have mainly focused on those with a single band or a single germplasm, which has limitations and cannot reveal the optical properties comprehensively. In this paper, 3 kinds of laboratory-prepared microbial spores were selected for compounding, and the spectral reflectivities of single-germplasm biospores and compound biospores were measured in the wavebands of 0.25–2.4 and 3–15 μm. The complex refractive indices (CRIs) were calculated in combination with the Kramers–Kronig (K-K) algorithm. Relying on the smoke box broadband test system, the transmittance of single-germplasm bioaerosols and compound bioaerosols from the ultraviolet (UV) band to the far-infrared (FIR) band was measured, and the mass extinction coefficients were calculated. The results indicate that the trend of the complex refractive indices of the compound spores is consistent with that of the single-germplasm spores with a larger particle size. For the single-germplasm bioaerosols, the lowest transmittance values were 2.21, 5.70 and 6.27% in the visible (VIS), near-infrared (NIR) and middle-infrared (FIR) bands, and the mass extinction coefficients reached 1.15, 0.87 and 0.84 m2/g, respectively. When AO and BB spores were compounded at 4:1, the extinction performance of the bioaerosols somewhat improved in all wavebands. These results can help to comprehensively analyze the optical properties of bioaerosols and provide ideas for the development of new extinction materials.

Development of a compounded propofol nanoemulsion using multiple non-invasive process analytical technologies.

Propofol is the preferred anaesthetic for induction and maintenance of sedation in critically ill mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients. However, during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, regular supply chains could not keep up with the sudden increase in global demand, causing drug shortages. Propofol is formulated as an oil-in-water emulsion which is administered intravenously. This study explores the extemporaneous preparation of a propofol emulsion without specialized manufacturing equipment to temporally alleviate such shortages. A commercially available lipid emulsion (IVLE, SMOFlipid 20 %), intended for parenteral nutrition, was used to create a propofol loaded nanoemulsion via addition of liquid propofol drug substance and subsequent mixing. Critical quality attributes such as mean droplet size and the volume-weighted percentage of large-diameter (>5µm) droplets were studied. The evolution of droplet size and propofol distribution was monitored in situ and non-destructively, maintaining sterility, using Spatially Resolved Dynamic Light Scattering and Near Infrared Spectroscopy, respectively. Using response surface methodology, an optimum was found for a 4 % w/v propofol formulation with a ∼15 min mixing time in a flask shaker at a 40° shaking angle. This study shows that extemporaneous compounding is a viable option for emergency supply of propofol drug product during global drug shortages.

Teaching and Assessing Pharmacy Students on Sterile Compounding Accuracy Checks.

Objective: Accuracy checks are required by United States Pharmacopeia Chapter <797> to ensure patient safety when dispensing compounded sterile products (CSP). Despite the importance of this task, reports of training pharmacy students to perform CSP accuracy checks are lacking. This study aimed to (1) report a method for teaching CSP accuracy checks to students and (2) determine if increased content time and intentional focus on this skill would improve student performance in a simulated hospital environment.Methods: The laboratory teaching team identified the six most common types of errors in CSP accuracy checks. Student performance regarding these six errors and competency grades of final accuracy checks were compared between the Fall 2019 and Fall 2020 semesters.Results: Students had better overall performance on the accuracy checks competency in Fall 2019 versus Fall 2020, but students performed substantially better on the remediation in Fall 2020 versus Fall 2019. In each semester, students had different errors commonly missed during the first and second attempts.Conclusion: Despite enhanced teaching content and the incorporation of practice testing, students performed worse in Fall 2020 than Fall 2019. This effect could have been explained, in part, by the virtual environment required during the COVID-19 pandemic. To improve student performance, continued improvement in teaching methods and a restructured remediation process is needed.

Non-Sterile to Sterile Compounding: An Unconventional Response During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The drug supply chain has suffered many interruptions over the past decade. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated an already fragile infrastructure for supplying critical medications to hospitals and health-systems. The purpose of this paper is to provide insight to the history, thought-processes, and response to critical medication shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on hydromorphone infusions and the action steps taken to engage in non-sterile to sterile (NSTS) compounding. Over a period of 6 weeks, we compounded 1,613 NSTS hydromorphone infusion bags. All lots were cleared for sterility, particulate, potency, and endotoxin testing by an outside FDA registered laboratory. We did not have any safety reports filed specific to the NSTS compounded hydromorphone infusion bags. Over a period of 15 weeks, 715 infusions were consumed. The drug supply chain suffers frequent interruptions and critical shortages, particularly in times of a natural disaster or a global pandemic. Non-sterile to sterile compounding is often associated with risks of inaccuracies, impurities, and contamination. There are instances in which non-sterile to sterile compounding is appropriate and should be considered in times of drug shortages to support the care of hospitalized patients.

Basis to Aid Crisis: Favipiravir Oral Solution for Hospital Compounding During COVID-19 Drug Shortage.

The COVID-19 pandemic outbreak has been overwhelming the healthcare system worldwide. A rapidly growing number of younger pediatric patients in Thailand necessitated the formulation of favipiravir, the most locally accessible antiviral agent against COVID-19, into a child-friendly dosage form as a safer alternative to a dispersion of crushed tablets in simple syrup. While striving to quickly develop a liquid formulation that is feasible for any local hospital production units, an oral solution was chosen due to its simplicity. Despite the large dose and poor aqueous solubility of favipiravir, a combination of pH control and use of poloxamer as a solubilizing agent has enabled us to streamline the manufacturing process of a 200 mg/15 mL oral solution for hospital compounding. To ensure its efficacy and safety, a specification for quality control was also established in accordance with the ICH quality guidelines and USP. The finished product stability was subsequently demonstrated under the conditions of 5°C ± 3°C, 25°C ± 2°C/75% RH ± 5% RH, 30°C ± 2°C/75% RH ± 5% RH, and 40°C ± 2°C/75% RH ± 5% RH. The results indicated that our formulation can be stored at 30°C ± 2°C/75% RH for 30 days, which will very well serve the need to allow drug distribution and patient use during the crisis, while the shelf-life can be extended to 60 days when stored at 5°C ± 3°C. Thus, accessibility to an essential medical treatment has been successfully enhanced for pediatric patients in Thailand and neighboring countries during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Emergency compounding of COVID-19 medicines: A readiness programme to up-skill pharmacy graduates in Namibia

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated inequitable access to medicines in sub-Saharan Africa, mainly due to limited capabilities for local manufacture. Aim(s): To describe priority medicine lists and critical skill sets required for an emergency compounding of COVID-19 medicines training programme. Method(s): An evaluation of the COVID-19 emergency compounding readiness programme for the University of Namibia pharmacy graduates. The main outcomes were enhanced skill sets in compounding, quality control, and regulation of priority COVID-19 medicines. Data on outcomes were thematically analysed. Result(s): Fifty-eight pharmacy graduates demonstrated competence in emergency compounding, quality control, regulation, and provision of therapeutic information of COVID-19 medicines. A priority list and a skills set for emergency compounding of COVID-19 medicines were developed. Conclusion(s): The upskilling of pharmacy graduates on emergency compounding of COVID-19 medicines has the potential to address inequalities in the rapid response and control of epidemics. Copyright © 2020 FIP.

Study the effect of antioxidants on biological activity and on homopolypropylene, mechanical and physical properties

Exposure of polymers to temperature, atmospheric oxygen, or even light could result in some degradation of the polymer properties and features during processing (application), storage and end use. In hydrocarbon polymers, the polymer tend to free radical formation, eventually resulting in chain damage or crosslinking that leads to degradation. Antioxidants are used to terminate these chain reactions by removing radicals. Antioxidants are used in most hydrocarbon polymers including, polypropylene. a good addiction package must be existed to overcome the effect of degradation and save the polymer shape and characteristics. The practical experiment was carried out on a pure polypropylene (intermediate polypropylene resin without additives) and another practical experiment but with adding several types of additives with a certain concentration and study the behavior of polypropylene in all cases with successive extrusions. On other hand Flexible molecular docking on heme oxy-genase, an important stress protein that is involved in cellular protection, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, justified the antioxidant activity of the isolated compounds. From the binding energy 3114 and 1680 they could consider to be powerful and available antioxidant.

Should everyone in need be treated equally? A European survey of expert judgment on social vulnerability to floods and pandemics to validate multi-hazard vulnerability factors.

Several European countries were affected by severe floods in 2021. At the same time, despite the deployment of vaccines, Europe was the COVID-19 pandemic's epicenter several times during 2021. One research aim of this study is to identify socio-demographic groups vulnerable to floods and whether the groups vulnerable to floods and pandemics overlap or are disjoint. We ran a survey in four languages (English, French, German, and Spanish) and collected the judgment of 366 experts in disaster risk management and first-responders to find out how those people caring for "people in need" (be it operational or administratively) think about which persons are more at risk than others. Another research aim is to validate multi-hazard vulnerability factors by comparing judgment on groups vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic and to floods. The main findings are that experts think that socially vulnerable groups should be rescued or treated first. Treating everyone equally is less favored by comparison. Infrastructure losses, followed by economic losses, reveal better than deaths or psychological issues whether vulnerability played a role in a disaster. Regarding vulnerability characteristics, older, homeless people, and immigrants rank highest, and most factors can be used to explain both flood and COVID-19 vulnerability, while some differ; for example, mobility impairment is less important for COVID-19. There are major discrepancies between what respondents think should be done to prioritize help to certain groups and what they have experienced is being done on the field.

"Chronisch Coronisch": Neologisms with the -Corona- Component in the German Adjective Vocabulary of Covid-19 Pandemic Era

The article is devoted to the study of the structural and semantic features of German adjectives formed from the noun Corona during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic from October 2019 to May 2021. 34 lexemes selected by the continuous sampling method from lexicographic sources, articles of German news publications, messages from users of German websites and social networks served as research material. The study identifies the adjective neologisms that are not presented in the lexicographical sources. The study examines the dynamics of word-formation processes in German adjective word formation, analyzes the word-formation potential of the noun Corona, which forms the core of the lexical-semantic field "Coronavirus pandemic" in modem German. The study identifies and describes in detail the models of adjective formation that are currently productive in the German "pandemic" discourse, describes their word-formation meaning and the meaning of active affixes. The research has found that the replenishment of the German vocabulary during the coronavirus pandemic is characterized by an increase in the activity of suffix models, determinative composition, the formation of adjectives with not full-valued stems, as well as adjectivation of participles. The article analyzes the specifics of the inner valence of suffixal adjectives and points out that traditional valence restrictions, which have a genetic and structural character, are involved in the formation of the new adjectives. The article determines the frequency degree of adjectives with the stem -corona- in specific contexts presented in the text corpus of the Google search engine. Research shows that the level of use of neulogisms depends on linguistic and extra-linguistic factors: primarily on the activity of the word formation model and on the importance for society of the phenomenons and characteristics denoted by adjectives. The differences in the meaning and functioning of synonymous adjectives are shown. The features of the lexical compatibility of adjectives formed according to different models are revealed.

Stronger Together: Coalitions as Interventions Against Intersectional Stigma

In response and in a show of solidarity, global community-led networks- MPact Global Action for Gay Men's Health, the Global Network of People Living with HIV, the International Network of People Who Use Drugs, Global Action for Trans Equality, and the Global Network of Sex Work Projects- joined forces to cocreate HIV2020, the first alternative, community-led global HIV conference.7 Although most HIV conferences have narrowed their focus to treatment, clinical care, and other biomedical solutions, HIV2020 articulated a vision for and by key population communities. HIV2020 elevated necessary blunt discussions about sex and drug use from the points of view of communities engaged in these practices rather than encasing them in public health discourse, which can often be focused on disease and risk rather than identities and pleasure.8 The community-led conference endeavored to create a radically different global gathering in which intersectional coalitions and solidarity movements could be envisioned and formed to counter divisive agendas. [...]this was the first major conference to have done so, demonstrating yet again ingenuity and flexibility. People living with HIV, gay and bisexual men, people who use drugs, sex workers, and transgender people united in open recognition ofthe overlap between their communities and a common understanding about the synergistic and compounding effects of stigma faced by individuals with multiple community memberships and identities.

Modeling critical infrastructure resilience under compounding threats: A systematic literature review

Multiple threat events may disrupt critical infrastructure functioning, thereby inhibiting the provision of essential goods and services to affected communities. It is currently unclear how modeling approaches have assessed critical infrastructure resilience when facing compounding (i.e., the COVID-19 pandemic co-occurring with natural hazards) or cascading (i.e., landslides following wildland fires) threats. For both, connection across multiple domains of critical infrastructure are of crucial importance and modeling risk and resilience associated with complex threats has been proposed as a way forward in assessing and managing systemic risk and resilience. A systematic review is conducted to understand how critical infrastructure resilience was assessed in network science literature published between 2010 and 2021. The literature was classified based on phases of resilience (preparation, absorption, recovery, and adaptation) and system domains (physical, information, cognitive, social). Results indicate that literature has focused on absorption of compounding and cascading threats by critical infrastructure, particularly within the physical and information domains. Results also identified a potential gap in network science models' incorporation of the resilience phases of preparation and adaption, signifying a potential opportunity for network science methodologies to integrate all four phases into models of critical infrastructure resilience.

Impact of technology-assisted versus manual sterile compounding on safety and efficiency in a Canadian community hospital.

PURPOSE: Interventions to improve the safety and efficiency of manual sterile compounding are needed. This study evaluated the impact of a technology-assisted workflow system (TAWS) on sterile compounding safety (checks, traceability, and error detection), and efficiency (task time). METHODS: Observations were conducted in an oncology pharmacy transitioning from a manual to a TAWS process for sterile compounding. Process maps were generated to compare manual and TAWS checks and traceability. The numbers and types of errors detected were collected, and task times were observed directly or via TAWS data logs. RESULTS: Analysis of safety outcomes showed that, depending on preparation type, 3 to 4 product checks occurred in the manual process, compared to 6 to 10 checks with TAWS use. TAWS checks (barcoding and gravimetric verification) produced better traceability (documentation). The rate of incorrect-drug errors decreased with technology-assisted compounding (from 0.4% [5 of 1,350 preparations] with the manual process to 0% [0 of 1,565 preparations] with TAWS use; P < 0.02). The TAWS increased detection of (1) errors in the amount of drug withdrawn from vials (manual vs TAWS, 0.4% [5/1,350] vs 1.2% [18/1565]; P < 0.02), and (2) errors in the amount of drug injected into the final container (manual vs TAWS, 0% [0/1,236] vs 0.9% [11/1,272]; P < 0.002). With regard to efficiency outcomes, TAWS use increased the mean mixing time (manual vs TAWS, 275 seconds vs 355 seconds; P < 0.001), had no significant impact on average visual checking time (manual vs TAWS, 21.4 seconds vs 21.6 seconds), and decreased average physical checking time (manual vs TAWS, 58.6 seconds vs 50.9 seconds; P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: In comparison to manual sterile compounding, use of the TAWS improved safety through more frequent and rigorous checks, improved traceability (via superior documentation), and enhanced error detection. Results related to efficiency were mixed.

WORD-FORMATION POTENTIAL OFTHE NOUN CORONA IN THE GERMAN SUBSTANTIVE COVID-PANDEMIC VOCABULARY

This article examines the word-formation capacity of the noun base Corona, the core of the lexical-semantic field Coronavirus pandemic in modern German. It highlights the word-formation dynamics in the bulk of German nouns that are built with the noun stem Corona and are united in a thematic group. About 250 lexemes served as research material. Information on their usage was collected by examining the content presented in lexicographical editions, German news publications, on websites and social networks. The word-formation models of nouns that are currently productive in the German pandemic discourse were identified, with compounding defined as the dominant method of constructing neologisms in the German language. Among productive models the compounds with the noun stem Corona- were singled out;their word building meaning was characterized according to degrees of morpho-semantic motivation. The degree of word-formation activity of the models and affixes, which are productive in the lexical field under analyzes, was determined. Specificity of the usage and frequency level were distinguished;the lexemes that are formed after synonymous models showed semantic and functional differences. It is concluded that word formation of substantives in the time of coronavirus pandemic demonstrates the enhancement of the activity of peripheral word-formation models, in particular, paronomastic pattern.

Morphology of COVID-19 Neologisms in Modern Standard Arabic

This study investigates the morphological behavior of Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) in terms of developing neologisms related to the new requirements imposed by the outbreak of COVID-19. The data of the study was collected from the news reports of Al-Mamlakah TV, as being the most viewed channel in Jordan during the COVID-19 crisis. The findings of the study revealed that a majority of the collected neologisms were nouns, which provided further support to the theory of onomasiology (Štekauer, 1998). Compounding, borrowing (loan-translation, Arabicization, and hybridization), and semantic extension formed the major word-formation processes for creating such neologisms. Compounds fell into three categories depending on their internal structures: N+Adj, N+N, and more elaborate complex compounds. The first two types were discussed in terms of their headedness and internal syntactic structure with a special reference to the cross-linguistic criteria that were used to identify such compound constructs, whereas the analysis advanced for the third type was inspired by Carstairs-McCarthy (2017). The data analysis revealed interesting aspects in the morphology of COVID-19 neologisms, most noticeably, the higher productivity of (N+N) compounds than (N+Adj) compounds, which goes against the putative assumption that the latter is much commoner in Arabic, identifying new compound types in MSA, namely, N+A metaphoric compounds and N+N hybridized compounds, and the possibility of having newly created three-member complex compounds (i.e., compounds within compounds). © 2022 EJAL & the Authors.

On Discrete Poisson–Mirra Distribution: Regression, INAR(1) Process and Applications

Several pieces of research have spotlighted the importance of count data modelling and its applications in real-world phenomena. In light of this, a novel two-parameter compound-Poisson distribution is developed in this paper. Its mathematical functionalities are investigated. The two unknown parameters are estimated using both maximum likelihood and Bayesian approaches. We also offer a parametric regression model for the count datasets based on the proposed distribution. Furthermore, the first-order integer-valued autoregressive process, or INAR(1) process, is also used to demonstrate the utility of the suggested distribution in time series analysis. The unknown parameters of the proposed INAR(1) model are estimated using the conditional maximum likelihood, conditional least squares, and Yule–Walker techniques. Simulation studies for the suggested distribution and the INAR(1) model based on this innovative distribution are also undertaken as an assessment of the long-term performance of the estimators. Finally, we utilized three real datasets to depict the new model’s real-world applicability. © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

Widening inequities in clean cooking fuel use and food security: compounding effects of COVID-19 restrictions and VAT on LPG in a Kenyan informal urban settlement

Universal access to cleaner cooking fuels (including liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)) is a key target of Sustainable Development Goal 7. Currently, approximately 40 million Kenyans rely on polluting cooking fuels (e.g. charcoal, wood). While the Kenyan government aims to rapidly scale up use of LPG for cooking by 2030, COVID-19 restrictions and a 16% value added tax (VAT) re-introduced on LPG in 2021 have likely hampered progress in LPG uptake. We aimed to quantify the effect of these economic shocks on food and energy security in Langas informal urban settlement in western Kenya. We further evaluated whether households most adversely affected by COVID-19 restrictions were more likely to be socioeconomically impacted by the VAT re-imposition. A cross-sectional survey (n = 1542) assessed changes in cooking fuel patterns, food security and livelihoods of primary cooks due to these two economic shocks. While under COVID-19 restrictions, 75% (n = 1147) of participants reported income declines and 18% (n = 164) of participants using LPG (n = 922) switched their primary cooking fuel to charcoal, wood or kerosene. Households reporting lower income while under COVID-19 restrictions had 5.3 times (95% CI:[3.8,7.4]) the odds of experiencing food insecurity as those with no change in income. Unemployment and food insecurity under COVID-19 restrictions were substantially higher among informal sector workers (70% and 60%, respectively) compared with business/government employees (45% and 37%, respectively). Following the VAT re-introduction, 44% (n = 356) of households using LPG consumed less, and 34% (n = 276) cooked more frequently with polluting fuels. Individuals switching away from LPG under COVID-19 restrictions had 3.0 times (95% CI:[2.1,4.3]) the odds of reducing their LPG consumption due to the VAT re-introduction as those maintaining use of LPG. COVID-19 restrictions and the VAT re-introduction disproportionately negatively affected informal sector workers’ livelihoods. A zero-rating of VAT on LPG can help alleviate deepened inequities in LPG access in Kenya.

Brief Review on Potential Production of Plastic Waste Concrete Aggregates Using Water-Assisted Melt Compounding

The plastic industry is one of the biggest and essential industries, ranging from domestic to engineering products. Nowadays, plastic waste is one of the major issues human-faced worldwide. It is predicted to worsen due to the increment in online purchasing rising from the Covid-19 situations. On the other hand, the construction industry is the largest industry in different economies and the highest consumer of raw materials. Along with the growing demand for concrete aggregates, natural stone materials are overused and eventually deplete resources. Both severe problems can be mitigated by recycling these plastic wastes to serve as an alternative to aggregates in concrete. Despite accumulative efforts, the produced plastic waste aggregates (PWA) is still inferior in strengthening the concrete due to poor interaction between both particles. Therefore, steps to further improving their properties and compatibility with concrete through various approaches are crucial. This review briefly introduces the current situation of concrete industries and global plastic waste accumulation issues. The efforts in the utilization of plastic waste aggregates in concrete alongside their properties are also discussed. Lastly, the water-assisted melt compounding and advantages in the processing of thermoplastic composites are also presented to serve as the platform for a new processing approach to be utilized in PWA production. Therefore, a better insight into the potential of producing PWA with improved physical, mechanical properties corresponds to the enhancing concrete strength via water-assisted melt compounding is offered. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

Blending and Compounding in English Coroneologisms

This article focuses on English coroneologisms coined during the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to contextualise two of the main morphological mechanisms underlying the coinage of coroneologisms in non-specialised terminology, namely blending and compounding, I will discuss the whole spectrum of lexical items traditionally ascribed to these word-formation processes and their relation to other lexicogenetic mechanisms. The rapid shift in the status of the word corona from having its primary sense, "crown", in Romance languages prior to the pandemic, to being automatically perceived as a clipping of coronavirus in Romance and Germanic languages alike is illustrated, as well as the high frequency of COVID, among other base forms, in the coinage of numerous words in a matter of months. References will be made to the use of these neologisms in English and their adoption and adaptation into other languages. © 2021 Masarykova Univerzita. All rights reserved.