Personal protective equipment and micro-nano plastics: A review of an unavoidable interrelation for a global well-being hazard.

The usage and the demand for personal protective equipments (PPEs) for our day-to-day survival in this pandemic period of COVID-19 have seen a steep rise which has consequently led to improper disposal and littering. Fragmentation of these PPE units has eventually given way to micro-nano plastics (MNPs) emission in the various environmental matrices and exposure of living organisms to these MNPs has proven to be severely toxic. Numerous factors contribute to the toxicity imparted by these MNPs that mainly include their shape, size, functional groups and their chemical diversity. Even though multiple studies on the impacts of MNPs toxicity are available for other organisms, human cell line studies for various plastic polymers, other than the most common ones namely polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS) and polypropylene (PP), are still at their nascent stage and need to be explored more. In this article, we cover a concise review of the literature on the impact of these MNPs in biotic and human systems focusing on the constituents of the PPE units and the additives that are essentially used for their manufacturing. This review will subsequently identify the need to gather scientific evidence at the smaller level to help combat this microplastic pollution and induce a more in-depth understanding of its adverse effect on our existence.

Optimistic and pessimistic impacts of COVID-19 scenario on waste management in developing nations: A review

During the lockdown period due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the heaps of unusual wastes of packaging from panic buying, medical wastes from Covid-19 centres and isolation places, as well as discarded single-use safety gears like personal protective equipments are posing challenges not only for health hazards but also escalating the probability of the spread of diverse variants of Novel Corona Virus SARS-COV-2. Unfortunately, the containment of the spreading of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown measures are impacting waste management adversely like anything in almost all corners of the world, especially, in developing nations where there exists lesser awareness with regard to this deadly disease and orderly disposal of these pandemic wastes. Also, the waste hierarchy of the "4R concept”, i.e., Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and recovery is negatively influencing during the prevailing epidemic circumstances which hinder the methodical waste disposal useful to save the environments and human health. The scenario of haphazard dumping of this waste is found worst in developing nations which are not fully prepared to face such thorny and all of a sudden difficulty of disposal of piles of these new risky wastes with their limited facilities and staff. However, the developing nations have instituted policies to ensure sustainable management of waste but it proved inadequate against the giant pandemic situations. Surprisingly, both - optimistic and pessimistic, types of impacts are being monitored on environments during the Covid-19 lockdown. Particularly, in the context of developing nations, the present review manuscript assesses both the optimistic and pessimistic impacts of the COVID-19 epidemic on the waste management sector and environment comprehensively along with the ways to address this gigantic Covid-19 waste crisis systematically. © 2023 MIM Research Group. All rights reserved.

Prevention and Management of SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among the Health Care Workers

COVID-19 is currently threatening the globe. SARS-CoV-2 is the cause of COVID-19, which spreads via droplets/airborne and direct contact. Health care workers (HCWs) are the front-line workers, which are directly involved in taking care of patients affected by COVID-19. HCWs are at a higher risk of infection during the caring of COVID-19 patients. This focused review high-lighted the higher risk for COVID-19 infection among health care professionals during close contact with patients and their preventive management in COVID-19 pandemic.Copyright © 2021 Bentham Science Publishers.

Production of Hydrocarbon Liquid Fuels from waste Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) through Pyrolysis

A novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19) epidemic identified in a capital of Hubei territory of China in the month of December 2019. Covid-19 was caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) and WHO announced it as pandemic. Health professionals were found at more risk due to frontline patronage during the pandemic. The only way to protect the health of frontliners is to appropriate utilization of PPEs. In this situation, there is always a concern about the shortage of PPEs;on the other hand, environmental consequence is the major issue because of its disposal. Plastic waste pyrolysis may play a major role to modify this waste. Pyrolysis is known as a tertiary recovery process which gives three recyclable end products: an oil, gas, and char. Generally, PPE waste has predominant hydrocarbon polymers which can be utilized as a fuel or feedstock by the synthetic enterprises. In this study, we have used pyrolysis method to transform 50gm PPE waste into hydrocarbons, which can be utilized either as powers or as feedstock in the petrochemical business. The maximum yield of fluid (35 %) was acquired at the reaction performed at 100 degrees C along with the cooling water at 17.59 degrees C. Maximum wax (11.02 %) was produced at 500 degrees C. The findings of this study indicate that non-biodegradable plastic waste may be transformed into useful products which may further be utilized in demanding segments. We have also tried to explore various potential applications of another product of this study i. e., oil.

Assessment of the Psychological Stress Experienced by COVID Warriors during COVID-19 Pandemic in India

Introduction: In the fight against COVID-19, doctors, nurses, administrative staff, police personnel and other supporting staff have been in the frontline providing emergency services. While performing their duties, they are at risk of getting infections and transmitting them to their near and dear ones. This can lead to increased psychological stress levels among them. This study was conducted to assess the level of stress among health care workers and police personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic period in Delhi. Methodology: This is a cross-sectional study among the COVID-19 warriors working in designated COVID-19 hospitals using Google forms. The relationship between various social, demographic, and administrative factors and the level of stress experienced by the study subjects was assessed using Perceptive Stress Scale (PSS-10). Results: The results describe heightened severity of perception of stress among the study cohort. We found at least 10 risk factors that showed statistically significant association with increased TPSS in the studied cohort group. Conclusion: There is an urgent need for screening, proper diagnosis, and management of psychiatric issues among FLCWs, and for expanding mental health services for reducing stress among the target population. © 2021 Indian Society for Malaria and Communicable Diseases. All rights reserved.

PPE pollution in the terrestrial and aquatic environment of the Chittagong city area associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and concomitant health implications.

The present study focuses on the indiscriminate disposal of personal protective equipment (PPEs) and resulting environmental contamination during the 3rd wave of COVID-19-driven global pandemic in the Chittagong metropolitan area, Bangladesh. Because of the very high rate of infection by the delta variant of this virus, the use of PPEs by the public is increased significantly to protect the ingestion/inhalation of respiratory droplets in the air. However, it is a matter of solicitude that general people throw away the PPEs to the dwelling environment unconsciously. With the increase of inappropriate disposal of PPEs (i.e., mostly the disposable face masks made from plastic microfibers), the possibility of transmission of the virus to the general public cannot be neglected completely. This is because this virus can survive for several days on the inanimate matter like plastics and fibers. At the same time, the result of environmental contamination by microplastic/microfiber has been widespread which eventually creates the worst impact on ecosystems and organisms. The present results may help to increase public perception of the use and subsequent disposal of PPEs, especially the face masks.

Attitudes and Commitment Toward Precautionary Measures Against COVID-19 Amongst the Jordanian Population: A Large-Scale Cross-Sectional Survey.

Aims: This study aimed to (1) assess the non-pharmaceutical intervention (NPI) measures that were used by the Jordanian population against COVID-19, and (2) determine the sociodemographic and behavioral predictors of contracting COVID-19 with a focus on the utilization of personal precautionary measures. Methods: A descriptive questionnaire-based cross-sectional survey was used in this study. A structured web-based questionnaire was disseminated to the Jordanian community through social media platforms. Participants were asked a series of questions about socio-demographic characteristics, in addition to the knowledge, attitudes, and commitment toward using various personal precautionary measures (e.g., face mask, hand washing, social distancing) against the COVID-19. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, cross-tabulation, and binary logistic regression through SPSS®. Results: Responses from 7,746 participants were included in our final analyses. Descriptive statistics showed that most participants (82.6%) believed that face mask protects against COVID-19. Around 69.5% of the participants were completely committed to wearing a face mask, while 65% of the participants were completely committed to hand washing. The results of the regression analysis revealed that female gender (AOR = 1.2; 95% CI: 1.07-1.35; p = 0.002), having a family member infected with COVID-19 (AOR = 8.5; 95% Cl: 7.51-9.70; p = 0.001), having a health-related work or study (AOR = 1.2; 95% Cl: 1.09-1.38; p = 0.001), believing that face masks do not protect against COVID-19 (AOR = 1.3; 95% Cl: 1.12-1.47; p = 0.001), and partial commitment to handwashing (AOR = 1.2; 95% Cl: 1.11-1.75; p = 0.006) were all associated with an increased odds of contracting COVID-19 among the participants. Conclusion: Overall, commitment to non-pharmaceutical intervention (NPI) measures, such as wearing a face mask, hand washing, and physical distancing, was not optimal among Jordanians. This might explain the dramatic increase in the infectivity rate of the COVID-19 virus in the past few months in the country. More sustainable efforts regarding health promotion and strict policies are required to prevent a third wave of hitting the country and to prevent similar infectious threats in the future.

Infection prevention measures for patients undergoing hemodialysis during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan: a nationwide questionnaire survey.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has become a global pandemic affecting a variety of medical treatments, including hemodialysis. This study aims to investigate the implementation of infection control measures, to examine the shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) and disinfectants, and to quantify the number of nosocomial COVID-19 transmissions in hemodialysis facilities in Japan during the pandemic. METHODS: We conducted a nationwide questionnaire survey between 20 October and 16 November 2020 (i.e., between the "second wave" and "third wave" in Japan) in the 4198 dialysis facilities of the Japanese Association of Dialysis Physicians and the Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy. A total of 2227 facilities (53.0%) responded. The questionnaire consisted of (i) characteristics of facilities, (ii) infection prevention measures in routine dialysis practices, (iii) shortage of PPE, (iv) feasibility of various isolation measures, and (v) nosocomial transmission. RESULTS: Half of the responding facilities were hospitals with multiple departments, and the other half were clinics specialized in dialysis. Several infection prevention measures such as health checks of staff and patients, donning of masks before and after hemodialysis, and disinfection of frequently contacted areas were implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. There was a significant improvement in the implementation rate of these measures during the pandemic, compared to before it, which reached over 90%. More than half of the facilities reported a shortage of disposable masks (67.2%) and hand sanitizer alcohol (56.7%). Isolation of COVID-19 patients in private rooms was possible only in 52.7% of the facilities. The majority of facilities (73.3%) could not accept COVID-19 dialysis patients due to lack of space and manpower. Nosocomial transmission of COVID-19 occurred in 4.0% of the facilities. Of those infected, 51.9% were staff. CONCLUSIONS: This survey revealed that most hemodialysis facilities in Japan had improved implementation of infection control measures and had shortage of PPEs and disinfectants, though some facilities did not implement infection prevention measures adequately, mainly due to the limited space of the facility. It may be recommended that each facility immediately establishes isolation measures to prepare for the pandemic of COVID-19. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s41100-021-00350-y.

At the Epicenter of COVID-19-the Tragic Failure of the Global Supply Chain for Medical Supplies.

The tragic failure of the global supply chain in the face of the current coronavirus outbreak has caused acute shortages of essential frontline medical devices and personal protective equipment, crushing fear among frontline health workers and causing fundamental concerns about the sustainability of the health system. Much more coordination, integration, and management of global supply chains will be needed to mitigate the impact of the pandemics. This article describes the pressing need to revisit the governance and resilience of the supply chains that amplified the crisis at pandemic scale. We propose a model that profiles critical stockpiles and improves production efficiency through new technologies such as advanced analytics and blockchain. A new governance system that supports intervention by public-health authorities during critical emergencies is central to our recommendation, both in the face of the current crisis and to be better prepared for potential future crises. These reinforcements offer the potential to minimize the compromise of our healthcare workers and health systems due to infection exposure and build capacity toward preparedness and action for a future outbreak.

Plastics in the time of COVID-19 pandemic: Protector or polluter?

The COVID-19 pandemic has reemphasized the indispensable role of plastics in our daily life. Plastics in terms of personal protective equipment (PPEs) and other single-use medical equipment along with packaging solutions owing to their inherent properties have emerged as a life-savior for protecting the health and safety of the frontline health workers and the common citizens during the pandemic. However, plastics have been deemed as evil polluter due to their indiscriminate littering and mismanagement amid increased plastic usage and waste generation during this unprecedented crisis. This article reviews and assesses to dwell upon whether plastics in the time of pandemic are acting as protector of the public health or polluter of the environment. Considering the utilities and limitations of plastic along with its management or mismanagement, and the fate, an equitable appraisal suggests that the consumers' irresponsible behavior, and attitude and poor awareness, and the stress on waste management infrastructure in terms of collection, operation, and financial constraints as the major drivers, leading to mismanagement, turn plastic into an evil polluter of the environment. Plastic can be a protector if managed properly and complemented by the circular economy strategies in terms of reduction, recycle and recovery, and thereby preventing leakage into the environment. To safeguard the supply chain of PPEs, several decontamination techniques have been adopted worldwide ensuring their effective reprocessing to prioritize the circular economy within the system. Policy guidelines encouraging to adopt safer practices and sustainable technical solutions along with consumers' education for awareness creation are the need of the hour for preventing plastic to turn from protector with high utility to polluter.

Adaptations and Safety Modifications to Perform Safe Minimal Access Surgery (MIS: Laparoscopy and Robotic) During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Practice Modifications Expert Panel Consensus Guidelines from Academia of Minimal Access Surgical Oncology (AMASO).

The pandemic of COVID-19 across the globe triggered national lockdowns hampering normal working for all the essential services including healthcare. In order to reduce transmission and safety of patients and healthcare workers, the elective surgeries have been differed. The visits to the hospitals for follow-ups and consultations received temporary halt. However, we cannot halt the treatment for cancer patients who may or may not be COVID-19 positives. These are emergencies and should be treated ASAP. Conducting emergency surgeries during pandemic like COVID-19 is challenge for surgeons and the entire hospital infrastructure. The available information about COVID-19 and its propensity of contamination through droplets and aerosol need some modifications for conducting surgeries successfully without contaminating the hospital buildings, protecting healthcare teams and the patient. With these objectives, some modifications in the operating theater including surgical techniques for minimal access, laparoscopy, and robotic surgery are proposed in this review article. This review article also discusses the safety measures to be followed for the suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patient and the guidelines and recommendations for healthcare teams while treating these patients. Although there is little evidence of viral transmission through laparoscopic or open approaches, modifications to surgical practice such as the use of safe smoke evacuation and minimizing energy device used to reduce the risk of exposure to aerosolized particles to healthcare team are proposed in this review article.