Compliance with Standard Precaution Practices During the Early Phase of the Covid-19 Pandemic among Nurses in Nigeria

Background: Nurses serve at the frontline during disease outbreaks. While measures have been adopted to control the rapid spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, little is known about the level of compliance of nurses to standard precaution practices during the early phase of the pandemic. Objective: This study aimed to assess compliance with standard precaution practices (SPPs) among 713 nurses in Nigerian hospitals during the early phase of the pandemic. Method: The study adopted a descriptive cross-sectional design using an anonymous online questionnaire to elicit data from respondents. Data were analysed with the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, version 25. Chisquare test and multiple regression analyses were also conducted where appropriate. Results: Findings from this study indicated that 448 (62.8%) of the respondents had good knowledge of Covid-19 and 265 (37.2%) had poor knowledge. Also, 529 (74.2%) had good compliance with the practice of standard precautions, and 184 (25.8%) showed non-compliance. A significant association was found between the age of nurses (X-2=14.034 p=0.015), years of experience (X-2=8. 636 p =0.035) and their overall compliance with the practice of standard precautions. Conclusion: During the early phase of the Covid-19 pandemic in Nigeria, although over an average of the nurses had good knowledge of the disease, over one-third had poor knowledge, and one-quarter showed poor compliance with standard precautions. Interventions to improve the knowledge and compliance of health workers during the early phase of disease outbreaks are hereby advocated, as 21.3% had no previous training on Covid-19.

The Courts and effective judicial protection during the Covid-19 pandemic. A comparative analysis

What role have the courts played during the pandemic? How different has this role been across the globe? Can lessons for a better response to health crises and emergencies be learned from litigation? Starting from these questions, the authors present the main findings of an international project on Covid-19 litigation aimed at collecting and comparing caselaw, within an openly accessible database, from more than 80 countries on all continents, concerning the impact of public health measures upon fundamental rights and freedoms of citizens during the pandemic. This comparative analysis, based on a set of around 2000 decisions from 2020-2022, shows that, although courts have faced very similar challenges, distinct legal traditions have led judges to use different balancing techniques with different outcomes in terms of the control of public powers and available remedies. Actions and omissions have been differently addressed and the evolution of science has significantly impacted judicial review. Areas of litigation have changed overtime, mirroring the evolution of the pandemic and the modifications of governmental strategies. More recently, liability claims are emerging and will probably grow in the near future, offering courts from all over the world a further opportunity to learn from each other. Based on the experience of governments, revisited through the lenses of Covid-19 litigation, scholars, scientists, and policy makers have the opportunity to build on this heritage with the objective of building a better response to future health emergencies that fully respect fundamental rights and the rule of law © 2023, BioLaw Journal.All Rights Reserved.

Media Consumption and COVID-19-Related Precautionary Behaviors During the Early Pandemic: Survey Study of Older Adults.

BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 pandemic, media sources dedicated significant time and resources to improve knowledge of COVID-19 precautionary behaviors (eg, wearing a mask). Many older adults report using the television, radio, print newspapers, or web-based sources to get information on political news, yet little is known about whether consuming news in the early phase of the pandemic led to behavior change, particularly in older adults. OBJECTIVE: The goals of this study were to determine (1) whether dosage of news consumption on the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with COVID-19 precautionary behaviors; (2) whether being an ever-user of social media was associated with engagement in COVID-19 precautionary behaviors; and (3) among social media users, whether change in social media use during the early stages of the pandemic was associated with engagement in COVID-19 precautionary behaviors. METHODS: Data were obtained from a University of Florida-administered study conducted in May and June of 2020. Linear regression models were used to assess the association between traditional news and social media use on COVID-19 precautionary behaviors (eg, mask wearing, hand washing, and social distancing behaviors). Analyses were adjusted for demographic characteristics, including age, sex, marital status, and education level. RESULTS: In a sample of 1082 older adults (mean age 73, IQR 68-78 years; 615/1082, 56.8% female), reporting 0 and <1 hour per day of media consumption, relative to >3 hours per day, was associated with lower engagement in COVID-19 precautionary behaviors in models adjusted for demographic characteristics (ß=-2.00; P<.001 and ß=-.41; P=.01, respectively). In addition, increasing social media use (relative to unchanged use) was associated with engagement in more COVID-19 precautionary behaviors (ß=.70, P<.001). No associations were found between being an ever-user of social media and engaging in COVID-19 precautionary behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrated an association between higher media consumption and greater engagement in COVID-19 precautionary behaviors in older adults. These findings suggest that media can be effectively used as a public health tool for communication of prevention strategies and best practices during future health threats, even among populations who are historically less engaged in certain types of media.

COVID-19 pandemic: Practical advice for Endoscopy Units. Mistakes to be avoided. Experience of the Italian North-Eastern Venetian Region.

Italy is the second most affected by coronavirus epidemy country in the world. In this article, members of the Italian Society of Surgical Endoscopy analyze the work of endoscopic units during the COVID-19 pandemic. Authors explain how to stratify patients according to risk groups, how to put on and off personal protective equipment, list decontamination standards for endoscopic equipment and endoscopic room.Copyright © 2020, Media Sphera Publishing Group. All rights reserved.

Impact of mass media on the population as a precautionary prevention from COVID-19 in Iraq

The aim of this study was to identify the impact of both traditional mass media and social digital media on the population to prevent the Corona virus disease-19 (COVID-19). Three hundred twenty participants were included. A questionnaire was prepared consisting of socio-demographic characteristics and the effect of traditional mass media and mobile digital media on the population. The sources used for information included TV (72.8 %), Facebook (71.2 %), health professionals (64.4 %), Instagram (28.1 %), Twitter (16.8 %), Radio (14.4 %) and mobile Apps (Viber and WhatsApp being 30.9 %). Social Media could be blamed for aiding the spread of stress and hysteria among people.Copyright © 2021 Health Biotechnology And Biopharma. All Rights Reserved.

Perioperative management strategies for surgical patients during the COVID-19 outbreak.

At present, the prevention and control situation of epidemics of Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is still serious, medical institutions should provide quality and safe routine medical services while doing their best in the prevention and control of this disease. The purpose of this article is to suggest a way to give quality and safe medical services to patients who need surgical treatment, especially to those who need emergency surgical treatment, with strict classified managements and standard precaution during perioperative period. With those suggestions, we may reduce the incidence of nosocomial infection and contribute to the prevention and control of COVID-19.Copyright © 2020 by the Chinese Medical Association.

Paradox of precaution: Infection and precautionary action during the COVID-19 pandemic

Objective: We consider the primary sources of COVID-19 infection, the main precautionary actions taken, and common understandings of their difficulty and necessity in order to understand why it has been difficult to control the pandemic. Methods: Online data collected in all 50 states during the Delta wave of the pandemic (n = 10,022) are used to examine how infection occurs and evaluate 32 precautionary actions. Results: The most common source of respondent infection was at home, from someone they lived with. While most precautions were widely practiced, avoiding close contact with cohabitants was uncommon. This precaution was considered to be the most difficult and least necessary by a wide margin. Conclusion: During the first 2 years of the pandemic, there was a mismatch between actions taken to avoid infection and the main way that people became infected. Many precautions caused people to stay at home, which may have increased their likelihood of infection. The identification of this "paradox of precaution” contributes to an understanding of why the pandemic could not be controlled in spite of the extensive and well-intended precautions that were taken. © 2023 by the Southwestern Social Science Association.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Physical and Mental Health in Lower and Upper Middle-Income Asian Countries: A Comparison Between the Philippines and China.

Objective: The differences between the physical and mental health of people living in a lower-middle-income country (LMIC) and upper-middle-income country (UMIC) during the COVID-19 pandemic was unknown. This study aimed to compare the levels of psychological impact and mental health between people from the Philippines (LMIC) and China (UMIC) and correlate mental health parameters with variables relating to physical symptoms and knowledge about COVID-19. Methods: The survey collected information on demographic data, physical symptoms, contact history, and knowledge about COVID-19. The psychological impact was assessed using the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), and mental health status was assessed by the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21). Findings: The study population included 849 participants from 71 cities in the Philippines and 861 participants from 159 cities in China. Filipino (LMIC) respondents reported significantly higher levels of depression, anxiety, and stress than Chinese (UMIC) during the COVID-19 (p < 0.01) while only Chinese respondents' IES-R scores were above the cut-off for PTSD symptoms. Filipino respondents were more likely to report physical symptoms resembling COVID-19 infection (p < 0.05), recent use of but with lower confidence on medical services (p < 0.01), recent direct and indirect contact with COVID (p < 0.01), concerns about family members contracting COVID-19 (p < 0.001), dissatisfaction with health information (p < 0.001). In contrast, Chinese respondents requested more health information about COVID-19. For the Philippines, student status, low confidence in doctors, dissatisfaction with health information, long daily duration spent on health information, worries about family members contracting COVID-19, ostracization, and unnecessary worries about COVID-19 were associated with adverse mental health. Physical symptoms and poor self-rated health were associated with adverse mental health in both countries (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest the need for widely available COVID-19 testing in MIC to alleviate the adverse mental health in people who present with symptoms. A health education and literacy campaign is required in the Philippines to enhance the satisfaction of health information.

Influence of anti-coronavirus disease 2019 policies on 10 pediatric infectious diseases.

BACKGROUND: To combat the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, many countries, including Japan, implemented policies limiting social activities and encouraging preventive behaviors. This study examines the influence of such policies on the trends of 10 infectious pediatric diseases: pharyngoconjunctival fever; group A streptococcal pharyngitis; infectious gastroenteritis; chickenpox; erythema infectiosum; hand, foot, and mouth disease; herpangina; respiratory syncytial virus; exanthem subitum; and mumps. METHODS: The research adopted a retrospective cohort study design. We collected data from Japan's National Epidemiological Surveillance Program detailing the incidences of the 10 diseases per pediatric sentinel site for a period beginning at 9 weeks before government-ordered school closures and ending at 9 weeks after the end of the state of emergency. We obtained corresponding data for the equivalent weeks in 2015-2019. We estimated the influence of the policies using a difference-in-differences regression model. RESULTS: For seven diseases (pharyngoconjunctival fever; group A streptococcal pharyngitis; infectious gastroenteritis; chickenpox; erythema infectiosum; hand, foot, and mouth disease; and herpangina), the incidence in 2020 decreased significantly during and after the school closures. Sensitivity analysis, in which the focus area was limited to the policy-implementation period or existing trend patterns, replicated these significant decreases for one of the above mentioned seven diseases - infectious gastroenteritis. CONCLUSIONS: Policies such as school closures and encouragement of preventive behaviors were associated with significant decreases in the incidences of most of the 10 diseases, which sensitivity analysis replicated in infectious gastroenteritis. To determine the long-term effects of these policies, prospective cohort studies are needed.

Using the precaution adoption process model to understand decision-making about the COVID-19 booster vaccine in England.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 continues to pose a threat to public health. Booster vaccine programmes are critical to maintain population-level immunity. Stage theory models of health behaviour can help our understanding of vaccine decision-making in the context of perceived threats of COVID-19. PURPOSE: To use the Precaution Adoption Process Model (PAPM) to understand decision-making about the COVID-19 booster vaccine (CBV) in England. METHODS: An online, cross-sectional survey informed by the PAPM, the extended Theory of Planned Behaviour and Health Belief Model administered to people over the age of 50 residing in England, UK in October 2021. A multivariate, multinomial logistic regression model was used to examine associations with the different stages of CBV decision-making. RESULTS: Of the total 2,004 participants: 135 (6.7%) were unengaged with the CBV programme; 262 (13.1%) were undecided as to whether to have a CBV; 31 (1.5%) had decided not to have a CBV; 1,415 (70.6%) had decided to have a CBV; and 161 (8.0%) had already had their CBV. Being unengaged was positively associated with beliefs in their immune system to protect against COVID-19, being employed, and low household income; and negatively associated with CBV knowledge, a positive COVID-19 vaccine experience, subjective norms, anticipated regret of not having a CBV, and higher academic qualifications. Being undecided was positively associated with beliefs in their immune system and having previously received the Oxford/AstraZeneca (as opposed to Pfizer/BioNTech) vaccine; and negatively associated with CBV knowledge, positive attitudes regarding CBV, a positive COVID-19 vaccine experience, anticipated regret of not having a CBV, white British ethnicity, and living in East Midlands (vs London). CONCLUSIONS: Public health interventions promoting CBV may improve uptake through tailored messaging directed towards the specific decision stage relating to having a COVID-19 booster.

New Approach of Covid-19 Prevention by Implemented Combination of Decision Support System Algorithm

Indonesia and Malaysia from 2020 to 2021 were exposed to COVID-19 pandemic. Both countries implemented a policy of restricting entry areas based on almost the same criteria, In Indonesia namely as PPKM which applying some level of exposure to those infected with covid-19. The determination of this level was all based on the growth in numbers exposed to covid-19, but on pandemic cases, the number of people who do not suffer from COVID-19 disease but have the same symptoms as the symptoms of COVID-19 also need to be considered as the pandemic agent to their environment. We named it as Precaution Covid-19 Pandemic (PCP) Level. The current level of the COVID-19 pandemic has not been fully determined by this idea. So, the idea of this research is to determine the pre-pandemic or precaution level of covid-19 in an area interfere by surrounding area. PCP level was not based on the growth of those infected with the covid-19 disease, but influenced by the number of patients whose have the symptoms similar to the dominant symptoms of the covid-19. The PCP Level determination can be used for precaution policy and support the previous Level Pandemic Methods. To accomplish this idea, three algorithms are used, they are K-Mean algorithm as a pattern clustering and the AHP algorithm as a level determination of the Covid-19 pandemic, While the relationship of candidate symptom pairs to Covid-19 transmission is carried out using the Naïve Bayes algorithm. The results of this study show that the combination of the three proposed algorithms provides and using data symptoms closely to dominant covid-19 symptoms can give an alternative for precaution level of covid-19 pandemic. The model for determining Covid-19 transmission based on four candidate symptoms has 89% precision and 85% accuracy. © 2022 IEEE.

Perceptions and worries about monkeypox, and attitudes towards monkeypox vaccination among medical workers in China: A cross-sectional survey.

BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization (WHO) declared monkeypox a "public health emergency of international concern" on 23 June 2022. However, there is a lack of data on monkeypox perceptions among medical workers. The purposes of this study were to evaluate perceptions, worries about monkeypox, attitudes towards monkeypox vaccination and their correlates among medical workers in China. METHODS: Data were collected from medical practitioners using an online survey questionnaire between September 1 and September 30, 2022 in China. All the subjects completed an online questionnaire including general characteristics, perceptions/knowledge/worries about monkeypox, and attitudes towards monkeypox vaccination. Logistic regression was employed to examine the correlates of perceptions, worries about monkeypox, and attitudes toward monkeypox vaccination. RESULTS: In total, this study sample included 639 medical workers. The mean age was 37.9 ± 9.4 years old. Approximately 71.8% of individuals reported perceptions of monkeypox, 56.7% worried about monkeypox, and 64.9% supported the promotion of monkeypox vaccination. Medical workers who were older than 50 years (aOR 3.73, 95%CI 1.01-13.85), worked in the Infectious Diseases/Dermatology/Venereal Diseases departments (3.09, 1.61-5.91), and provided correct answer to monkeypox transmission route (10.19, 5.42-19.17) were more likely to know about monkeypox/monkeypox virus before investigation. 30.7% reported that they were more worried about monkeypox than the coronavirus (COVID-19). Participants reported that the key population most in need of monkeypox vaccination were health practitioners (78.2%) and people with immunodeficiency (74.3%), followed by children (65.4%) and older adults (63.2%). CONCLUSION: Awareness of monkeypox was high and attitude towards the promotion of monkeypox vaccination was positive among medical staff in China. Further targeted dissemination of monkeypox common knowledge among health care providers might improve their precaution measures and improve the promotion of monkeypox vaccination among key populations.

On Precaution Versus COVID-19: Are People Really Complacent?

As of this writing, the Philippines is experiencing a surge in COVID-19, a year after implementing nationwide lockdowns and curfews. Although vaccines are being shipped and rolled out, the country appears to be regressing, with hospitals being filled to the brim. Complacency has been the usual suspect, with the government blaming individuals and business establishments for not staying at home and for not observing the minimal health protocols. But are people really complacent? This paper develops a simple game to address such a question. © 2022 by De La Salle University.

A Cross-Sectional, Questionnaire-Based Survey on Air Infection Control among Romanian People.

(1) Background: Infection control should be one of the main objectives in the comprehensive medical approach. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from June-July 2022. A questionnaire including 22 questions with multiple answers was applied online to 202 subjects selected at random. The questionnaire collected data on the subjects' knowledge about protective measures against airborne infections. For this study, a descriptive statistic was performed. Pearson's Chi-square test was used for data comparison. (3) Results: Only 61.39% (124) of the subjects consider that protective equipment is mandatory for the dental team, 40.10% (81) know to a very large extent and 44.06% (89) to a large extent that when talking, a respiratory infection can be transmitted. A rather large percentage of the subjects take into account the cost of the protective mask to a very large extent 39.60% (80). Only 30.20% (61) of the subjects would vaccinate to a very large extent and 24.75% (50) to a large extent against micro-organisms transmitted by air p > 0.05. (4) Conclusions: Most people know the aspects related to air decontamination, the priority being the promotion of control methods of airborne infections, and it is necessary to improve the level of knowledge on a large scale within the population.

Covid Explorer- A Web Based Covid Analysis and Tracking

In this paper, Covid Explorer model's aim is to provide information on Covid 19 like-how you can prevent the Corona Virus, symptoms of Corona Virus or how to book slots for the Corona Virus. You can add the current data related to Covid 19 like a graph indicated the increase or decrease of death rate from this virus, a report is given to show the death rate, the number of vaccines doses given on a particular day, state wise cases are also shown through Application Programming Interface (API) in Covid Explorer model. The model is analyzing and tracking Corona Virus. As per the data analysis this pandemic creates mental health issues but if a model gave up-to date data of the current scenario then stress can be overcome and society can fight against this pandemic. © 2022 IEEE.

Distance and Temperature Self-Monitoring Device using Radio Frequency (RF) for COVID-19 Safety Protocol

People all around the country have taken precautions to be safe since the COVID-19 outbreak began. It's critical to maintain such precautions until the virus is under control and vaccine is available to protect everyone from contracting it. Taking safety precautions is not always simple and consistent. They are, however, critically vital. This study aims to design and construct a device that will monitor the safe distance and body temperature of the user. The device does not require wi-fi and simply requires a small amount of infrastructure to charge (USB 5v). It utilizes basic technology and may be assembled with commonly available, low-cost components. The device mainly uses the NRF24L01 RF module, ultrasonic sensor and MLX90614 thermometer sensor for the monitoring system. It is also composed of other electronic components like switch, LCD display and power source. The device will prevent the virus from infecting you, your family, and your friends. Results have shown that this device is applicable for distance and temperature monitoring of a person as an aid to prevent the spread of the virus. © 2022 IEEE.

The Ophthalmic Manifestation And Transference Of Covid 19: Recommendation For Inhibition

The aim of the research was to see if there were any ocular surface symptoms in individuals who had coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) due to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). SARS-CoV2 is usually transmitted by way of intimate interaction through pulmonary secretions;therefore, ocular transmission be also a risk, relating to the conjunctiva functioning like both a means of expression and a source of infectivity. COVID-19 ocular manifestations very commonly described included eye discomfort, redness, discharge, and follicular conjunctivitis. The presence of the CD147 and ACE2 receptors in ocular cells membrane indicates which these cells may act as a gateway of entrance point for SARS Coronavirus 2. Considering the absence of virus infection in tears and conjunctival swabs, the RT-PCR findings that were negative do not, SARS CoV 2 is considered out as a risk being present into ocular fluids. Microorganisms may transfer to the nasal passages by continual tear flow through the lacrimal duct pathway, producing illness. Although the eyes are considered to be the primary mode of transmission, their significance in increase of SARS Covid2 cannot be neglected. Medical professionals must inquire about patients' eye symptoms that are compatible with SARS-CoV2, utilize protective eyewear In addition to masks, typical personal protective equipment for high-risk patients includes goggles or face shields worn by either the patients and health care providers, and detect tearing as the cause of the sickness. © The Electrochemical Society

Ensure Your Safety with Automatic Thermo-Checker

In the late December 2019, a new virus named corona virus which bewildered the world for a year. This novel coronavirus created a huge pandemic outbreak and expanded globally. The infectious virus spread from person to person through the respiratory routes of an infected person. As we all know that prevention is better than cure, we must identify the infected person first so that we can reduce the spread. It is advised to sanitize our hands often and keep our surroundings hygienic. In this pandemic situation, we prefer health and hygiene as the first and foremost way to save ourselves from this virus. And the world requires everything to be automated, so as a result our project provides automatic safety one step above in public places. Since this COVID-19 threat continues to the second wave we have to be more cautious and we cannot also give excuses to our work. In this inexorable situation, the only challenge is to continue our duties and work with more safety precautions and most importantly 'No Physical Contact!' must be ensured wherever we go. We all know that prevention is better than cure! Since mankind survived through various challenges from the early stages, the current pandemic situation is more threatening. We all are cautious about our health and personal hygiene. The aim of our project is based on attaining safety one step above in public places. It is necessary to be aware of sanitizing hands often. Since this covid19 threat continues for nearly a year, we could not keep calm and give excuses to our work. In this inevitable situation, the real challenge is how much we are conscious of our safety precautions about the diseases. We know that 'No physical contact' is the perfect slogan for this situation. The main objective is to ensure personal health wherever we go. © 2022 IEEE.

The Safety of Cold-Chain Food in Post-COVID-19 Pandemic: Precaution and Quarantine.

Since the outbreak of coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19), cold-chain food contamination caused by the pathogenic severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has attracted huge concern. Cold-chain foods provide a congenial environment for SARS-CoV-2 survival, which presents a potential risk for public health. Strengthening the SARS-CoV-2 supervision of cold-chain foods has become the top priority in many countries. Methodologically, the potential safety risks and precaution measures of SARS-CoV-2 contamination on cold-chain food are analyzed. To ensure the safety of cold-chain foods, the advances in SARS-CoV-2 detection strategies are summarized based on technical principles and target biomarkers. In particular, the techniques suitable for SARS-CoV-2 detection in a cold-chain environment are discussed. Although many quarantine techniques are available, the field-based quarantine technique on cold-chain food with characteristics of real-time, sensitive, specific, portable, and large-scale application is urgently needed.

Is stronger religious faith associated with a greater willingness to take the COVID-19 vaccine? Evidence from Israel and Japan.

Achieving high vaccination rates is important for overcoming an epidemic. This study investigates the association between religious faith and intentions to become vaccinated against COVID-19 in Israel and Japan. Most of Israel's population is monotheistic, whereas most Japanese are unaffiliated with any religion. Therefore, our findings might be applicable to various countries that differ in their religions and levels of religiosity. We conducted almost identical large-scale surveys four times in Israel and five times in Japan from March to June 2020 to obtain panel data. We found that intentions of getting vaccinated depend on people's level of religiosity in a non-linear way. Those who have strong religious beliefs are less likely to become vaccinated than those who say they are less religious. Two other factors that play a role in this relationship are religious denomination in Israel and identifying with a religion in Japan.