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Currently, businesses located all over the world are adjusting to a new standard of operation. Customers are encouraged to make their purchases of necessities through the favored e-commerce platform of the organization. For the purpose of marketing web-based enterprises, websites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest are utilized. The purpose of the study was to investigate how the COVID-19 epidemic altered the purchase patterns of Pakistani customers shopping online, with a particular emphasis on the role played by social media. The study utilized a quantitative research model and a descriptive research technique in its data collection and analysis. In order to obtain responses from 400 Pakistani clients, an online questionnaire employing the "purposive sampling" method was used. When looking at the data and putting the hypothesis to the test, PLS-SEM analysis was utilized. During the COVID-19 pandemic in Pakistan, a PLS-SEM study indicated that advertising tools, online reviews, and endorsements from celebrities had a favorable and significant effect on how individuals bought products online. According to the findings of this study, online businesses can improve their use of social media for marketing and advertising by following a number of particular measures. Customers have a greater propensity to make purchases via social media platforms when they come across favorable evaluations and recommendations from celebrities.
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Purpose: The unresolved crisis scenario and a prolonged COVID-19 pandemic increased social inequalities, mainly affecting the most vulnerable groups to access health services. The data in Pakistan show that health coverage benefits less than half of the population and a weak health system forces households to finance their health with out-of-pocket expenses. Therefore, it is a pending task to guarantee universal health coverage and design sustainable and inclusive policies to finance and provide health services. This study aims to offer a unique solution for health financing to Pakistan. Design/methodology/approach: This study uses the VECM model by employing the data from Pakistan to indicate sustainable policies for health financing. Finding(s): The results of this research show that direct taxes have a positive impact on public health expenditure;on the contrary, indirect taxes have a negative impact;it also confirms the importance of considering the direct tax based on high-income quintiles to guarantee equality and Access to health for all that contributes to human development. Practical implications: This article leads to the design of a new health system that will be useful for improving the health of Pakistan by presenting a solution to enhance health financing. Meanwhile, Pakistan will experience better conditions in the face of health crises. Social implications: Improving health financing through the equality approach can provide public access to the health system and strengthen the positive effects of the health system on socio-economic relations. Originality/value: This paper provides a unique solution for the ministry of health of Pakistan, International organisations and national authorities to reach a high level of health coverage without any cost to the financial system and increase the cost of living of the Pakistani people. Highlights: Increase efficient health financing by integrating health coverage programmes. Implementing direct taxes based on income quintiles improves health equality. Indirect tax policies will not positively contribute to health financing. Improving health financing efficiency decreases health inequality.Copyright © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited.
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Introduction: Patients on hemodialysis may mount impaired response to COVID-19 vaccination as seen against Influenza and HBV vaccination. Recently published data had shown that immunogenicity of COVID-19 vaccination in HD population is attenuated when compared to non-dialysis population. Medium and long term response to COVID-19 Vaccination in dialysis population of Pakistan is unknown. Method(s): CDC recommends SARS-Cov2 Vaccination in HD patients. The study was performed at dialysis unit of Jinnah hospital Lahore, Pakistan on patients who had completed 2 vaccine series of SARS-Cov-2. Anti-spike antibody titer with' Abbott-Alinity CI technique' was checked during the month of April, 2022.A comparative analysis of antibody titers was done between patients who completed two dose vaccine series less than 6 months ago and more than 6 months ago Results: Total of 101 dialysis patients were included in the study during the month of April, 2022. All patients had completed two dose series of COVID-19 vaccines. Females comprised 28.7% (29/101) of study population. About 40/101 (38.6%) of patient had diabetes and 75% patients had hypertension. About 19% patient had history of hepatitis C infection. Majority of patients (72.2%) had two doses of either Sinovac or Sinopharm vaccine administered. COVID 19 spike protein antibodies were measured for all participants. Mean COVID-19 spike antibody titers were 1892.4 BAU/mL and median titers were 971 BAU/ML. About 30% patients had their second COVID19 vaccine administered within 6 months of checking antibody titers, while 70% patients have had second dose of vaccine administered more than 6 months ago when their antibody titers were checked. Seropositivity was defined as BAU/mL of equal to or more than 7.1 as per manufacturer guidelines. Only 3 patients (2.9%) were seronegative in the whole sample. All patients who received 2nd COVID vaccines dose less than 6 months ago were seropositive. Meanwhile 65 out of 68 (95.5%) patients among subgroup who received 2nd COVID vaccine more than 6 months ago were seropositive. This small difference was not statistically significant (P value 0.55). A comparative analysis was done between patients who completed two dose vaccine series less than 6 months ago and more than 6 months ago when their antibody levels were measures (Table1). This reflects that there was no significant difference among two groups regarding antibody titers. Moreover, there was also no significant difference regarding antibody titers among subgroups defined by diabetes, hypertension, CAD or gender. Median age of the whole sample was 50 years. Sample was divided into two groups, 50 years or less (young) and >50 years of age (old). Surprisingly, older patients had significantly higher anti-spike antibody titers as compared to younger patients (2417.8 BAU/mL vs 1377.3 BAU/mL, P value 0.008) [Formula presented] Conclusion(s): Contrary to published data, hemodialysis Patients in our study had excellent antibody response to SARS-CoV 2 vaccination without any difference in medium and long term response. This is comparable to the antibody response in non-dialysis Pakistani population who has been vaccinated against Sinopharm & Sinovac. Surprisingly, Older populations had significantly higher anti-spike antibody titers as compared to younger population. This difference could be due to higher risk of SARS-CoV2 infection in older population. No conflict of interestCopyright © 2023
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The Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) assesses the fear of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and has been translated and validated into over 20 languages. The present study conducted confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and item response theory (IRT) analyses on the FCV-19S among a sample of 937 Pakistani adults (mean [SD] age of 25.83 [11.80] years; 537 [57.3%] females). The CFA and IRT confirmed the unidimensionality of the FCV-19S. The Likert-type scale used in the FCV-19S was supported by the proper threshold orderings. Additionally, no DIF contrast had an absolute value larger than 0.5 regarding the participants' characteristics of gender, age, living status, and education in the IRT findings. The FCV-19S was found to be valid and reliable with strong psychometric properties among the Pakistani adult population.
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OBJECTIVES: This research aimed at investigating the general public perception of social media (SM), impact of COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, and related misconceptions among the Pakistani population. METHODOLOGY: Cross-sectional study conducted during the peak of COVID-19 in Pakistan between May and June, 2020 comprised of 2307 Pakistani male and female participants. Subjects under 18 years of age and nationality other than Pakistani were excluded. An online questionnaire was administered via the Internet using various kinds of social media. RESULTS: The study was comprised of 2307 male and female participants; 2074 (89.90%) used SM for seeking COVID-19 information, 450 (20%) used both Facebook (FB) and WhatsApp (WA), and 267 (11.6%) used FB, WA, Twitter, and Instagram. Respondents' perceptions showed that: 529 (23%) believed in SM information and 1564 (67.8%) stated that COVID-19 affected their social and mental wellbeing. Respondents' knowledge revealed that: 1509 (65.40%) had poor knowledge (≤ 50% score), and 798 (34.6%) had good knowledge (> 50% score) (P < 0.001) about COVID-19. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that higher-earning positively correlated, while private jobs were negatively associated, with good knowledge. CONCLUSION: FB and WA were the 2 common social media used by study participants (a third had good knowledge). COVID-19 affected the social, mental, and psychological well-being of individuals. Good knowledge was greater in individuals with higher earning and less with private job involvements.
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Muslim immigrants are vulnerable to COVID-19. They are not only at risk being infected due to extended households and frontline jobs, but they are also vulnerable to moral panics, stigmatization and corona-racism. When Danish Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen in March 2020 closed down society, she appealed to the samfundssind (civic consciousness) of all citizens in Denmark, as a means to fight the invisible enemy of the global pandemic. The idea of samfundssind outlined a moral community between those citizens who did their best to follow the instructions of the authorities and those who deliberately ignored them. This article discusses the establishment of "Taskforce COVID-19”, an ad hoc network of Danish-Pakistanis that in 2020–21 collaborated with municipalities and different health authorities in order to fight the virus. However, despite their aspiration to be accepted and included in the collective of citizens exhibiting samfundssind their efforts were questioned and regarded with suspicion. © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
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Recent advances, in information and communication technology (ICT), have significantly impacted some critical sectors of societies (such as transport, health, business, and communication) across many developed and developing countries. Nevertheless, the Internet has proliferated unequally across the world, resulting in global digital inequalities. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic led to the dependence on online education to prevent the interruption of academic progress in schools and universities worldwide. The global pandemic further worsened the situation for Pakistan, which is neither economically strong nor is the country's ICT infrastructure well-established to facilitate the successful accomplishment of virtual courses and classes. Thus, this study aimed to analyze the level of Internet access among the Pakistani universities' teachers and students, and their ICT skills as they applied to online education during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study used the qualitative method of email interviews and thematic analysis to present the study's results. This study revealed that most Pakistani students, especially those from rural and remote areas, experienced challenges because they neither had proper Internet access, nor could they use laptops and virtual learning systems. Students, who belonged to the upper and middle classes of urban areas and enrolled in private-sector universities, were not as directly affected by Pakistan's pervasive digital divide to carryout their education during the COVID-19 pandemic. © 2023 SAGE Publications.
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Introduction: A novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was initially reported in China in December 2019. In a few months, the virus spread rapidly across the globe, and on 30 January 2020 the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. Objective(s): The main objective of the study is to find the frustration intolerance, self-efficacy and sleep quality in medical students during pandemic of COVID-19. Material(s) and Method(s): This cross sectional study was conducted in University of Lahore during 2021-2022. The data was collected through questionnaire. The questionnaire covered sleep conditions, stores of infection control supplies, mood and stress, usage of social media and sources of acquiring COVID-19 information, risk perception, and sociodemographic data. Result(s): The data was collected from 200 patients. About half of them were young-aged (55.0%) and married (49.1%). In terms of social media use, 57.8% spent more than 2 h per day. With regard to sleep deterioration after the COVID-19 outbreak, the weighted proportions of those who reported worsening sleep quality, worsening sleep initiation, and shortened sleep duration were 38.3%, 29.8%, and 29.1%, respectively. The weighted prevalence of current clinical insomnia was estimated at 29.9%. Practical implication: This study will help to find out the effect of COVID-19 on sleep quality, sleep initiation and duration among Pakistani population. Conclusion(s): It is concluded that COVID-19 is widely spreading in Pakistan and it effects on their sleep quality, sleep initiation, and sleep duration had worsened since the outbreak of COVID-19. This study identified high prevalence of frustration intolerance and poor sleep quality in medical students during pandemic of Covid-19.Copyright © 2023 Lahore Medical And Dental College. All rights reserved.
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Objective: To find out an association between covid and sleep and how covid lockdown has affected the sleeping habits of the youth in Pakistan compared to pre-lockdown sleeping patterns. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration: Current research was conducted at HITEC (IMS-HITEC) Institute of Medical Sciences, Taxila Cantt Pakistan from 5th may to 15th may 2020). Material(s) and Method(s): It was a quantitative study in which participants filled out an online survey form. The data was collected on Google forms shared through social media focusing on undergraduate individuals from 16 to 24 years of age to acquire a homogenous example of responders, since youth are more liable to digital media use and their routine is more prone to be affected by the lockdown. The participation rate was 98.2%. SPSS was used for the data entry and analysis purpose. The data obtained was compiled, tabulated and analysed statistically. Chi square test was used to check whether the variables yielded significant or insignificant results. Result(s): Out of a total of 100 participants, 60 (60%) were females and 40 (40%) were males. The mean age was 21 years and the participants were mostly university students. A set of questions were also asked to determine which social media apps the participants were increasingly using, most of the participants spent time on Instagram (68%) and YouTube (64%), while modest people spent time on Netflix (41%), Snapchat (30%) and Facebook (33%). Lesser participants spent time on TikTok (11%) and Skype/Zoom (25%). Practical Implications: The use of e-learning and other forms of social interaction are becoming increasingly significant in the education of our young people. The findings of the current research make it possible for us to evaluate the influence of lockdown measures on Pakistani population in light of previously published studies that were carried out during the same time period in other countries and continents. Conclusion(s): Participants in the lockdown reported spending more time in front of screens and suffering delayed sleep habits. It was found that risky behaviours were associated with increased screen screen time.. Copyright © 2022 Lahore Medical And Dental College. All rights reserved.
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Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the acceptance of the coronavirus vaccine and the attitude of people residing in the southern part of Karachi, Pakistan. Method(s): This web-based cross-sectional research was conducted among the citizens of the southern part of Karachi from Oct to Dec 2021. The survey for the study was adopted and modified from the formerly conducted study by El-Elimat et al, comprising individuals aged more than 18 years of age. Acceptance and predictors of vaccine acceptance were assessed using the Chi-square test and Binary logistic regression. Result(s): The acceptance rate for the coronavirus vaccine was quite high (87%). Males demonstrated a higher acceptance rate. The older aged individuals (>35 years old) also showed higher acceptance when likened to younger participants (OR = 1.84, 95 CI% = 2.893-1.171, p < .008). Individuals not infected with COVID-19 showed less acceptance towards vaccina-tions (OR = 0.431, 95CI% = 0.233- 0.799, p < .008). Similarly, respondents believing the COVID-19 vaccine to be a conspiracy were less likely to show acceptance towards the vaccination process (OR= 0.893, 95 CI% = 0.575-1.387, p= 0. 614). Conclusion(s): Differences in the acceptance rate between males of older age as compared to younger population and females have demonstrated higher acceptance towards vaccination. Sinopharm followed by Sinovac was the most frequently used to provide immunization to the Pakistani population. Copyright © 2022, Khyber Medical College. All rights reserved.
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World has transformed to a new era after the outbreak of a virus named COVID-19 in late 2019, a virus that consequently spread worldwide, forced the governments to declare smart, partial, or complete lockdowns. The constant and prolonged lockdowns resulted in the uncertainty over disease status, inadequate information, food supplies and boredom that led to anger and confusion, emotional breakdowns, and development of aggressive behaviors. During the pandemic and constant lockdown, one of the major differences in day-to-day activities was the transformation of the working and learning environment from the physical to the online realm. The prime objective of the study is to highlight that during pandemic how transferring towards online working helped people to stabilize their emotions, anxieties, aggressions, anger and frustration. The study is designed to find out how online working has negatively connected with the development of aggression and how emotional intelligence has mediated this effect. The study design is non-experimental, correlational and comparative, followed by quantitative research analysis. The survey technique used in the data collection process where validated and reliable questionnaire were used for data collection and hypothesis testing. A sample size of 233 (144 females, 88 males, 1 participant did not disclose gender) participants from the metropolis city of Karachi participated in an online survey. Results have indicated that engaging people in online working improved mental and emotional stability as well as the suppressed level of direct, indirect and displaced aggression. Moreover, emotional intelligence has acted as a negative influencing mediator towards different forms of aggression, where an expansion in online working, positively impacted emotional intelligence and negatively co-related with direct, indirect and displaced aggression. No gender difference is found in terms of emotional intelligence, however, a distinctive difference in terms of indirect and direct form of aggression is reported. It is concluded that emotional intelligence is acting as a mediator between online working and direct, indirect and displaced aggression. It means that engaging people in online working helped to stabilize themselves in terms of emotions and helped them to control their anxieties during isolation. © Italian e-Learning Association.
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BACKGROUND: Healthcare providers may improve healthcare delivery and make it available to more people by combining advanced technologies with high-quality network services. In this regard, telemedicine has improved healthcare providers' ability to provide services for a large number of individuals without their physical presence. Pakistan's healthcare system is a mix of government infrastructure, parastatal healthcare, the private sector, civil society, and charitable contributions. However, unawareness, poor education, lack of skills, lack of resources, and technical issues including internet connectivity, and load shedding have limited the accessibility of the Pakistani population towards advancement in the healthcare industry. METHODOLOGY: It was a cross-sectional study conducted at a private tertiary care hospital from April to June 2022 in Karachi. To recruit the study participants, a purposive sampling technique was used. Practicing doctors (n=100), who were aware of telemedicine technology and agreed to participate in the study, were included as study participants. A self-developed proforma was administered to doctors to assess the study's objectives. RESULTS: Out of 100, 64% (n=64) of the participants have no experience working in telemedicine while only 36% have worked with telemedicine for at least one year. When asked about the application of telemedicine technology only 46% of the doctors knew the technology used. While only 42% of the doctors were familiar with the telemedicine tools, including a virtual stethoscope, pulse oximeter, etc. views regarding continue using telemedicine, 26% of the participants having no experience with telemedicine agreed that they would like to use telemedicine, 35% agreed to use telemedicine with improvement whereas 3% of them do not want to use the telemedicine technology. CONCLUSION: The participants of the current study were aware of telemedicine technology and its advantages. However, despite their agreement, the majority of the doctors emphasized the improvement of the system to deliver better services by using this technology.
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This paper reports on a study that begins to address the paucity of research around the religious motivations of Muslim carers of family members with dementia. Seven carers were recruited for interviews from the British Pakistani Muslim community concentrated in the Midlands and North of England. Interview transcripts were analysed thematically using an iterative collaborative methodology. The findings suggested that the Muslim faith plays a pivotal role as a support mechanism for individual carers and their families, but the wider faith community and its leaders did not typically offer support and could impede access to external care. This was a result of cultural pressure and lack of awareness both among religious leaders and the community as a whole. The study concluded that the inequality in access to dementia services may be constructively addressed if service providers engage with these faith concerns in the community and religious leaders to meet the needs of Muslims of British Pakistani origin.
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Post-COVID educational planning demands an urgent re-evaluation of the inclusivity of our educational systems, now that almost 24 million learners, a majority of these girls and the poor in developing countries, are at the risk of dropping out. This paper explores the discursive inclusivity of some primary level textbooks used in government and low-fee private schools in Pakistan. An analysis of the intersection of gender and class in 38 ‘imagined' educational spaces (classrooms/schools and related contexts) appearing in the textbooks revealed that the discourse strongly excluded and legitimized the absence of working class females, while marginalizing those from middle class. Education appears to be largely irrelevant to the lives of females across classes, just as they themselves appear to be knowledge construction. The normalized presence in education is that of middle-class males, with some peripheral space for those from working-class males. Foucault's theoretical framework reveals exclusionary techniques of: a) spatial exclusion b) exclusivity of the right to speak what counts as knowledge;c) construction of differential enabling possibilities. Although transgressive at times, the discourse never challenges the dominant norms, highlighting a worrisome aspect in textbooks that need to be addressed by policy makers and educationists. © 2022 The Author(s). This open access article is distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 license.
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This paper takes a “state-in society” approach to understanding the evolution of Pakistan’s COVID-19 response, which was laid claim to and contested by multiple agencies within and adjacent to the state, and by multiple levels of government. The capacity of the health system of Pakistan was already overstretched by the needs of its population but in recent years it has been hamstrung by ongoing protests by the medical community concerning the privatization of public-sector hospitals, to which were added protests over the lack of personal protective equipment in the public sector. These protests resulted in frequent closures of outpatient departments at major hospitals. When the government announced a relief package to mitigate the effects of COVID-19, traders and big businesses lobbied the government to obtain the lion’s share in the form of concessions such as loan deferments and tax refunds. The government touted the unconditional cash grants program but the cash for the poor could not be disbursed effectively due to the absence of local governments at the grassroots level. As an appropriate response to the pandemic, especially in relation to the lockdown policies, was contested and negotiated among multiple actors in the Pakistani state and society, the Pakistani military emerged as a dominant force in this “field of power.”1 In this paper, I present an account of Pakistan’s response to COVID-19 as it evolved in 2020 and discuss the implications for democratic culture in Pakistan. © Pacific Affairs.
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Objective: This study attempted to investigate the reading preferences and habits among young Pakistani medical doctors. The reading time, preferred source of information, preferred medical journals, and ways of reading medical journals were explored. Methods: A survey approach was used for data collection. The study participants were young medical professionals in Pakistan. An online survey was sent to more than 300 individuals through various physicians and their professional groups/bodies. A total of 155 responded to the questionnaire, and 128 of the questionnaires were considered worthy of data analysis. Results: Among respondents, 40% read printed journals, 49% read online journals, 60% read case reports, and 55% read newspapers for 1-5 h per week. Continuing medical education was the preferred source of information, and the Pakistan Journal of Cardiology & Thoracic Surgery was the preferred medical journal. Reading the abstract and the conclusion was the preferred way of reading journal articles. Conclusion: Young physicians are enthusiastic in participating in research activities and spending time gaining updated information. Physicians read articles methodically. Online sources of information are preferred over printed sources.
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INTRODUCTION: British Pakistani women have exceptionally high rates of obesity and yet are seldom heard in a research priority setting concerning weight management. The objectives of this study were (i) to ascertain what multisectoral professionals perceive to be the most pressing unmet obesity needs or topic areas that need more research in relation to Pakistani women living in deprived areas of Bradford and (ii) to determine the top 10 obesity health priorities for this group to develop an obesity research agenda. METHODS: A two-step process was adopted using the following: (i) a survey of a wide range of multisectoral professional stakeholders (n = 159) and (ii) a ranking exercise involving Pakistani women living in deprived areas of Bradford (n = 32) to select and prioritize their top 10 obesity health concerns and unmet needs from a list of 31 statements identified in the survey and previous research. Survey data were analysed using inductive content analysis and themes were identified. Themes were translated into statements to be ranked by Pakistani women. The ranking exercise was conducted by telephone either via voice or video call. Data were analysed using a reverse scoring system. RESULTS: Survey responses were grouped into statements reflecting the following three categories: education needs; healthy behaviour barriers and mental well-being. The highest rankings were given by Pakistani women to statements on mental health and the need for education. The top 10 prioritized statements were developed with members of the public into an obesity research agenda that reflected the target population. CONCLUSION: Actively engaging British Pakistani women in setting research priorities provided a unique opportunity to understand the key areas they think are important for future research. The culminating research agenda can be used by researchers to advance the field of obesity research in Pakistani communities, thus producing research outputs that are relevant to and have impact in this population. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: Participants in the ranking exercise collected data. Public contributors were involved in developing the prioritized statements into a research agenda.
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Health Priorities , Health Services Needs and Demand , Health Services Research , Obesity , Poverty Areas , Social Determinants of Health , Biomedical Research/methods , Biomedical Research/organization & administration , Female , Health Care Surveys , Health Priorities/organization & administration , Health Services Research/methods , Health Services Research/organization & administration , Humans , Intersectoral Collaboration , Obesity/epidemiology , Obesity/therapy , Pakistan/ethnology , Social Determinants of Health/statistics & numerical data , Stakeholder Participation , United Kingdom/epidemiologyABSTRACT
Objective: To determine the awareness of preventive measures, knowledge and attitude of the suspected, documented cases of covid-19 or their close family members also, admitted through corona filter counter in corona suspected units in a tertiary care hospital of Multan (Pakistan). Study Design: Descriptive cross sectional study Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at the suspected wards of Pandemic Corona Virus, Nishtar hospital-Multan from December, 2020 to December, 2021. Materials and Methods: Patients or their attendants admitting through corona filter counter for the suspicion of corona virus infection on the basis of history like cough, shortness of breath, fever from last two weeks, infiltrates on X-ray chest or HRCT sent through corona filter to corona suspected wards were included in the study. Main variables of study were use of preventive measures, knowledge about disease and attitude. SPSS version 23 was used for data analysis. Results: Most of the patients 52.2%, arrived from Multan. 33.3% patients had travel history. Only thirteen patients traveled to abroad and 49.1% had family contact. It was seen that preventive measures, knowledge and attitude were associated with Covid-19 effected patients. Conclusion: Knowledge, attitude and practice of preventive measures was not good in Pakistani population, factors which are influencing good practice were area of living and family contact. Most of infective patients in our study were those who travel recently in high infective areas.
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Objective: The current review aims at portraying the high-resolution CT (HRCT) chest findings of corona virus pandemic that emerged in 2019 amongst the COVID-19 patients, admitted to the tertiary healthcare facilities in Punjab, Pakistan. It also aims to study the imaging features and dispensation of COVID-19 infection in different segments of the lungs. Moreover, a survey was also conducted for the job to analyze the chest CT severity score index (CT-SS) aims at identifying those patients with acute infections. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive analysis led from May 15, 2020 to November 26, 2021, incorporates 97 diagnosed patients of the COVID-19 who received the HRCT scan in the tertiary healthcare facilities in Punjab, Pakistan. The HRCT chest of the infected patients was collected following the proper protocol. Each case was assessed for the presence of imaging features such as ground glass opacities (GGOs), consolidation, mixed pattern, crazy paving appearance and other findings along with their distribution in lung segments. Furthermore, to determine the CT-SS we divided each lung into 20 sub segments. The Linkert Score system of degree of 0,1 and 2 was provided. This indicates the intensity of involvement. It states that zero score indicates no involvement, whereas the Linkert figure 1 shows the involvement which is less than <50%. However, the remaining figure Linkert indicator figure 2 indicates the intensity of involvement if more than >50% by one zone. The total range of score for this test lies between 0-40. This score helps us to categories the patients based on their mild and severe cases. Here the score of less than <20 indicated mild infection, whereas, the score which appears more than >20 indicates the severity of the case. Results: The ground glass opacities which are trailed by consolidation of 49.4% and that of crazy paving by 21.64% was recorded as the most recognized finding. In most of the patients, the distribution of disease, with basal predilection, was recorded as bilateral, peripheral as well as multilobar. The ratio of vascular dilatation was recorded 19.5% and that of bronchiectasis was noted at 13.4% in patients. 3% of the patients showed the Halo, whereas reverse halo sign was noted in 1% of patients. None of the patients was seen to be carrying the Pleural effusion. Lung cavitation was seen in 2% of patients and isolated lobar consolidation without GGO was seen in 1% of patients. The segment which was most commonly involved bilaterally was the posterior segment of the lower lobes. As per the data collected from CT-SS, 80(82.4%) patients had mild and 17 (17.4%) patients had an acute disease symptoms respectively. Conclusion: GGOs are the most common imaging findings of COVID-19 pneumonia on HRCT chest having multilobar, bilateral and peripheral involvement with basal predilection. This proves CT-SS as a useful mechanism in placing pneumonia patients as mild and acute types. This helps categorizing the distinguishing the acute or severe patients from mild and to manage them accordingly.
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The pandemic has exposed firms in global value chains (GVCs) to unprecedented disruptions and risks. This has highlighted the importance of resilience as a mechanism for recovery and adaptation that can underpin the survival of GVC firms. As such, researchers and practitioners alike are keen to understand the implications of suppliers’ resilience for GVCs and how these suppliers can absorb the tough shocks (e.g., sheer disruptions in supply and demand) caused by global incidents. We examined this issue by analysing data collected from firms in the Pakistani apparel sector that are part of the apparel GVC. Overall, we identified three main types of suppliers: 1) socio-sustainable, 2) adaptive and 3) oblivious. These suppliers implemented different resilience strategies (bridging, buffering and floating, respectively) during two phases of resilience (robustness and response). Importantly, we found that the distinctiveness of resilience strategies across different types of suppliers was influenced mainly by the GVC governance mode and suppliers’ upgrading practices before the crisis. We offered a detailed discussion of the implications of these findings for theory and practice.