ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted Europe, resulting in a high caseload and deaths that varied by country. The second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic has breached the borders of Europe. Public health surveillance is necessary to inform policy and guide leaders. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to provide advanced surveillance metrics for COVID-19 transmission that account for weekly shifts in the pandemic, speed, acceleration, jerk, and persistence, to better understand countries at risk for explosive growth and those that are managing the pandemic effectively. METHODS: We performed a longitudinal trend analysis and extracted 62 days of COVID-19 data from public health registries. We used an empirical difference equation to measure the daily number of cases in Europe as a function of the prior number of cases, the level of testing, and weekly shift variables based on a dynamic panel model that was estimated using the generalized method of moments approach by implementing the Arellano-Bond estimator in R. RESULTS: New COVID-19 cases slightly decreased from 158,741 (week 1, January 4-10, 2021) to 152,064 (week 2, January 11-17, 2021), and cumulative cases increased from 22,507,271 (week 1) to 23,890,761 (week 2), with a weekly increase of 1,383,490 between January 10 and January 17. France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom had the largest 7-day moving averages for new cases during week 1. During week 2, the 7-day moving average for France and Spain increased. From week 1 to week 2, the speed decreased (37.72 to 33.02 per 100,000), acceleration decreased (0.39 to -0.16 per 100,000), and jerk increased (-1.30 to 1.37 per 100,000). CONCLUSIONS: The United Kingdom, Spain, and Portugal, in particular, are at risk for a rapid expansion in COVID-19 transmission. An examination of the European region suggests that there was a decrease in the COVID-19 caseload between January 4 and January 17, 2021. Unfortunately, the rates of jerk, which were negative for Europe at the beginning of the month, reversed course and became positive, despite decreases in speed and acceleration. Finally, the 7-day persistence rate was higher during week 2 than during week 1. These measures indicate that the second wave of the pandemic may be subsiding, but some countries remain at risk for new outbreaks and increased transmission in the absence of rapid policy responses.
Subject(s)
COVID-19/epidemiology , Public Health Surveillance , Europe/epidemiology , Humans , Longitudinal StudiesABSTRACT
This paper aims to assess the European tax havens in terms of corporate financial misconduct risks. The study relies on an index method developed by a group of economists belonging to the international non-governmental organization - the Tax Justice Network. The method allowed the authors to calculate the Corporate Tax Harbor Index (CTHI) and determine the role of a particular jurisdiction in global corporate financial misconduct risks. The study established a ranking of European tax havens and jurisdictions with features of tax havens and classified these tax havens based on corporate financial misconduct risks. The study found that European tax havens and tax haven jurisdictions accounted for nearly 40% of global corporate financial misuse risks in 2020. The classification of European tax havens according to corporate financial misconduct risks demonstrated that the Netherlands, Switzerland, the UK, Ireland, and Luxembourg accounted for more than half of the risks. The shares of Liechtenstein (1%), Monaco (1%), Andorra, and San Marino (less than 1%) did not exceed 3% of the European share of the global risk. The results show the need for adjustments to the regulatory policy of international organizations currently focused on fighting classic tax havens. Their real share of global misuse risks is very small compared to the share of 'gray cardinals' of the offshore market.
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Purpose: There is a growing interest in the research and healthcare communities for youth mental health in times of COVID-19. In this line, there are also several calls to pay special attention to the future and the post-pandemic life. The aim of this research was to determine the characteristics of adolescents who reported an optimistic view of their future. Methods: In an online survey on the mental health of adolescents (N=1197;mean age: 16.5) in Switzerland and the Liechtenstein carried out in the spring/summer of 2021, we asked them how they thought their future looked since the beginning of the pandemic, with four possible answers: better (n=183), the same (n=505), worse (n=334), I don’t know (n=175). We divided the sample into two groups: those envisaging a better future (BF) and the other three groups were combined into Other Options. First, we compared the two groups on sociodemographic, and physical and mental health variables using chi2 for categorical variables and student’s t for continuous ones. Results are given as odds ratios (OR). All variables significant at the bivariate level (p<.05) controlling for age and gender, were included in a backward logistic regression. Results are presented as adjusted odds ratios (aOR). Results: At the bivariate level, BF teens reported a significantly higher socioeconomic status (OR: 2.97), better perceived physical health (OR: 3.18), better physical (OR: 3.63) and mental (OR: 7.64) health since the beginning of the pandemic, better emotional wellbeing (OR: 1.87), and better self-esteem (OR: 2.17). They were also significantly less inclined to report having a chronic condition (OR: 0.51) or feeling anxious (OR: 0.49) or depressed (OR: 0.31). No differences were found for age, gender, family structure, sport practice or substance use. At the multivariate level, the only variables that remained in the backward regression were having a better mental (aOR: 5.03) and physical (aOR: 1.98) health since the beginning of the pandemic, reporting an above average socioeconomic status (aOR: 2.53), and being less likely to be depressed (aOR: 0.42). Conclusions: A minority of adolescents think that their future looks better since the beginning of the pandemic. These youths also consider that both their physical and mental health is better and are less likely to be depressed. Additionally, they have an above average socioeconomic status. Interestingly, this phenomenon is independent from age, gender, family structure or substance use. Overall, they seem to be the “optimistic” group that thinks that good things can come out of the pandemic, and the fact that they belong to a more privileged and sure socioeconomic status probably can explain it. Whether these youths were already the optimistic group before the pandemic remains to be studied. In the same line, it will be interesting to analyze if they really are doing better once the pandemic will be over. If this is the case, they could open the way to find new approaches to engage and motivate young people regarding their future. Sources of Support: This research was funded by UNICEF Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
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The Covid-19 pandemic crisis has caused, in addition to the serious effects on the health systems, a sharp slowdown in the Italian and European economy, mainly weighing on the weakest sections of the population with a worrying increase in economic and social inequalities. Using a multidisciplinary approach, this study focuses on the link between socio-economic fragility and epidemic exposure to Covid-19 in Italy and Europe, with a triple objective: to monitor the main dimensions of increased inequalities within the economy and society through an academic literature review;to empirically understand the reasons for national differences in the spread and lethality of the Covid-19 virus at European level;to provide, on the basis of the results obtained in pursuing the previous two objectives, a key to understanding the main public policies for a healthier, more inclusive and sustainable Italy and Europe. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved) (Italian) La crisi pandemica da Covid-19 ha determinato, oltre ai gravi effetti sul piano sanitario, un forte rallentamento dell'economia italiana ed europea, pesando principalmente sulle fasce piu deboli della popolazione con un preoccupante aumento delle disuguaglianze economico-sociali. Mediante un approccio multidisciplinare, questo studio si concentra sul collegamento tra la fragilita socio-economica e l'esposizione epidemica al Covid-19 in Italia ed Europa, con un triplice obiettivo: monitorare le principali dimensioni delle accresciute disuguaglianze all'interno dell'economia e della societa mediante un'analisi della letteratura scientifica;comprendere empiricamente le ragioni delle differenze nazionali nella diffusione e letalita del virus da Covid-19 a livello europeo;fornire, sulla base dei risultati ottenuti nel perseguimento dei precedenti due obiettivi, una chiave di lettura delle principali politiche pubbliche per un'Italia ed un'Europa piu sane, inclusive e sostenibili. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)
ABSTRACT
In this study, the ANN approach was applied to analyze COVID-19 new cases in Liechtenstein. The employed data covers the period 1 January 2020 – 25 March 2021 and the out-of-sample period ranges over the period 26 March – 31 July 2021. The residuals and forecast evaluation criteria (Error, MSE and MAE) of the applied model indicate that the model is quite stable. The results of the study indicate that daily COVID-19 cases in Liechtenstein are likely to rise up to around 55 cases per day over the out-of-sample period. Amongst other suggested policy directions, there is need for the government of Liechtenstein to ensure adherence to safety guidelines while continuing to create awareness about the COVID-19 pandemic.
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The aim of this observational cross-sectional study was to gain information on the awareness; protective measures and economic effects of dentists in Switzerland during the global COVID-19 pandemic. All dentist were members of the Swiss Dental Association SSO from all over Switzerland-including all Swiss cantons and Liechtenstein-and received a previously calibrated questionnaire as an ad hoc online version. The questionnaire was divided into four parts: personal data; precautionary measures; awareness; perception. In total, 1324 questionnaires were analyzed; the response rate was 30.59% (ntotal = 4328). Participants stated in less than 2% common symptoms/signs of COVID-19; of which only fatigue was statistically significant (p < 0.01). A small number of dentists reported a positive test (0.91%; n = 12) or having one or more symptoms (2.65%; n = 35) of COVID-19 during the pandemic; whereas only 6.71% (n = 87) of the participants reported having treated SARS-CoV-2 infected patients. High prevalence areas were only medium-large and large Swiss cantons (p < 0.01). Face filter (FFP2/FFP3) masks were used by about half of the dentists, while disposable visor was rarely used. The majority of dentists had to reduce the dental practice activity to a minimum of 0-10% (n = 923; 69.98%) due to the lockdown. This economic impact forced 1.4% (n = 18) to close their practice permanently or by the end of 2020 due to the economic situation. These results can be helpful to better prepare dental practices for future outbreaks of infection (e.g., prophylactic storage of additional protective measures), define the best strategy and organize the dental workforce. Political decision-makers should consider drastic economic effects when deciding on drastic measures such as "lockdown", which can lead to practice closures and unemployment of dental staff after only a few weeks. This should be taken into account, especially with regard to possible financial assistance to severely impaired dental practices to maintain a high level of dental care.