Travel behavior adjustment based epidemic spreading model and prediction for COVID-19

Owing to the continuous variant of the COVID-19 virus, the present epidemic may persist for a long time, and each breakout displays strongly region/time-dependent characteristics. Predicting each specific burst is the basic task for the corresponding strategies. However, the refinement of prevention and control measures usually means the limitation of the existing records of the evolution of the spread, which leads to a special difficulty in making predictions. Taking into account the interdependence of people' s travel behaviors and the epidemic spreading, we propose a modified logistic model to mimic the COVID-19 epidemic spreading, in order to predict the evolutionary behaviors for a specific bursting in a megacity with limited epidemic related records. It continuously reproduced the COVID-19 infected records in Shanghai, China in the period from March 1 to June 28, 2022. From December 7, 2022 when Mainland China adopted new detailed prevention and control measures, the COVID-19 epidemic broke out nationwide, and the infected people themselves took "ibuprofen” widely to relieve the symptoms of fever. A reasonable assumption is that the total number of searches for the word "ibuprofen” is a good representation of the number of infected people. By using the number of searching for the word "ibuprofen” provided on Baidu, a famous searching platform in Mainland China, we estimate the parameters in the modified logistic model and predict subsequently the epidemic spreading behavior in Shanghai, China starting from December 1, 2022. This situation lasted for 72 days. The number of the infected people increased exponentially in the period from the beginning to the 24th day, reached a summit on the 31st day, and decreased exponentially in the period from the 38th day to the end. Within the two weeks centered at the summit, the increasing and decreasing speeds are both significantly small, but the increased number of infected people each day was significantly large. The characteristic for this prediction matches very well with that for the number of metro passengers in Shanghai. It is suggested that the relevant departments should establish a monitoring system composed of some communities, hospitals, etc. according to the sampling principle in statistics to provide reliable prediction records for researchers. © 2023 Chinese Physical Society.

The Application of PageRank model in urban epidemic prevention and control

The ongoing COVID-19 epidemic has had a great impact on social activities and the economy. The usage technical analysis tools to provide a more accurate and efficient reference for epidemic control measures is of great significance. This paper analyzes the characteristics and deficiencies of the existing technical methods, such as regression model, simulation calculation, differential equation and so on. By analyzing past outbreak cases and comparing the epidemic prevention measures of different cities, we discuss the importance of early and timely prevention in controlling the epidemic, and the importance of analyzing and formulating plans in advance. We then make the key observation that the spread of the virus is related to the topology of the urban network. This paper further proposes an epidemic analysis model of the optimized PageRank model, and gives a ranking algorithm for virus transmission risk levels based on road nodes, forming a visual risk warning level map, and applies the algorithm to the epidemic analysis of Yuegezhuang area in Beijing. Finally, more in-depth research directions and suggestions for prevention and control measures are put forward. © 2023 SPIE.

Intelligent Tourism Platform Model Construction Based on Artificial Intelligence: Taking Wudang Mountain as an example

The COVID-19 pandemic, which began in December 2019, has brought huge changes to people's lives. In terms of tourism, the prevention and control measures taken to stop the spread of the epidemic have led to a decline in the number of global trips, and the development of the tourism economy has entered a trough. The economic losses caused by the tourism industry and its corresponding service industry need to be resolved urgently. At the same time, with the development of artificial intelligence, virtual reality and other technologies, the concept of smart tourism was proposed. Based on this, we put forward a website platform model for tourists to inquire about tourism, which takes Wudang Mountain as an example and uses artificial intelligence as technical support. This platform model can meet the needs of users to carry out cloud tour of scenic spots online and enjoy scenic spots without leaving home. It can also conduct intelligent query of offline scenic spots, including route customization, ticket ordering, scenic spot recommendation and many other contents, to meet the various needs of tourists. In addition, the highlight of the platform model is the guide assistant that can conduct dialogues. Based on artificial intelligence technology, it can solve users' specific problems and give feasible solutions in the process of dialogues with users. © 2023 IEEE.

Divided When Crisis Comes: How Perceived Self-Partner Disagreements over COVID-19 Prevention Measures Relate to Employee Work Outcomes at Home.

As a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, our societies went into a lockdown model and many organizations required or permitted their employees to work from home. As a result, employees need to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic while they work from home, providing an opportunity to examine how COVID-19 prevention experiences influence those who are working from home. Based on the interpersonal self-regulation perspective, we propose that employees who perceive having more disagreements with their partners over COVID-19 prevention measures are more likely to experience a reduction in their identification with the partner which is subsequently associated with their negative work outcomes through emotional exhaustion. Results from a two-wave survey study with a sample of 282 employees who worked from home during the COVID-19 pandemic supported our predictions: perceived self-partner disagreements over COVID-19 prevention measures related to a reduction in identification with the partner, which was subsequently associated with exhausted regulatory resources and undermined work outcomes. Furthermore, these negative effects were particularly salient for individuals who were not married. Theoretical and practical implications for family-to-work interference and working from home in times of crisis are discussed.

Stability of SARS-CoV-2 on inanimate surfaces: A review.

The stability of SARS-CoV-2 for varying periods on a wide range of inanimate surfaces has raised concerns about surface transmission; however, there is still no evidence to confirm this route. In the present review, three variables affecting virus stability, namely temperature, relative humidity (RH), and initial virus titer, were considered from different experimental studies. The stability of SARS-CoV-2 on the surfaces of six different contact materials, namely plastic, metal, glass, protective equipment, paper, and fabric, and the factors affecting half-life period was systematically reviewed. The results showed that the half-life of SARS-CoV-2 on different contact materials was generally 2-10 h, up to 5 d, and as short as 30 min at 22 °C, whereas the half-life of SARS-CoV-2 on non-porous surfaces was generally 5-9 h d, up to 3 d, and as short as 4 min at 22 â„ƒ. The half-life on porous surfaces was generally 1-5 h, up to 2 d, and as short as 13 min at 22 °C. Therefore, the half-life period of SARS-CoV-2 on non-porous surfaces is longer than that on porous surfaces, and thehalf-life of the virus decreases with increasing temperature, whereas RH produces a stable negative inhibitory effect only in a specific humidity range. Various disinfection precautions can be implemented in daily life depending on the stability of SARS-CoV-2 on different surfaces to interrupt virus transmission, prevent COVID-19 infections, and avoid over-disinfection. Owing to the more stringent control of conditions in laboratory studies and the lack of evidence of transmission through surfaces in the real world, it is difficult to provide strong evidence for the efficiency of transmission of the contaminant from the surface to the human body. Therefore, we suggest that future research should focus on exploring the systematic study of the entire transmission process of the virus, which will provide a theoretical basis for optimizing global outbreak prevention and control measures.

Evaluation of Serial Testing After Exposure to COVID-19 in Early Care and Education Facilities, Illinois, March-May 2022.

OBJECTIVE: To understand SARS-CoV-2 transmission in early care and education (ECE) settings, we implemented a Test to Stay (TTS) strategy, which allowed children and staff who were close contacts to COVID-19 to remain in person if they agreed to test twice after exposure. We describe SARS-CoV-2 transmission, testing preferences, and the number of in-person days saved among participating ECE facilities. METHODS: From March 21 through May 27, 2022, 32 ECE facilities in Illinois implemented TTS. Unvaccinated children and staff who were not up to date with COVID-19 vaccination could participate if exposed to COVID-19. Participants received 2 tests within 7 days after exposure and were given the option to test at home or at the ECE facility. RESULTS: During the study period, 331 TTS participants were exposed to index cases (defined as people attending the ECE facility with a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result during the infectious period); 14 participants tested positive, resulting in a secondary attack rate of 4.2%. No tertiary cases (defined as a person with a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result within 10 days after exposure to a secondary case) occurred in the ECE facilities. Most participants (366 of 383; 95.6%) chose to test at home. Remaining in-person after an exposure to COVID-19 saved approximately 1915 in-person days among children and staff and approximately 1870 parent workdays. CONCLUSION: SARS-CoV-2 transmission rates were low in ECE facilities during the study period. Serial testing after COVID-19 exposure among children and staff at ECE facilities is a valuable strategy to allow children to remain in person and parents to avoid missing workdays.

Conditions Matter: Considerations on the Use of Auditory and Visual Stimuli in Promoting Population Attitudes and Behaviors During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Brazil

Previous studies show that the type of content and format of messages employed in campaigns about COVID-19 can influence the attitudes and behaviors of the population, increasing their commitment and engagement with measures to contain the disease. This study describes two experiments with 998 Brazilian adults, which main objective was to investigate whether behavioral intentions that contribute to the fight against COVID-19 would be significantly influenced by videos that address the disease from different strategies: one message was informative only, and the other was framed to mobilize empathy in viewers. The results indicate that exposure to both messages contributed to an increase in behavioral intentions of participants, when compared to others who formed a control group. Data also suggest that socioeconomic conditions are an important factor to consider when analyzing the effects of these messages on people's behavior. We discuss the importance of considering the scientific evidence regarding the format and content of messages aired to the population. We also discuss the need to implement initiatives to protect people in more vulnerable socioeconomic conditions, so that actions in the field of Health Education may effectively contribute to combat the pandemic. © 2022, Sociedad Interamericana de Psicologia. All rights reserved.

Burnout among healthcare workers during public health emergencies in sub-Saharan Africa: Contributing factors, effects, and prevention measures

Countries in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are expected to experience more public health emergencies (PHEs) in the near future. The fragile health systems emanating from poor health governance, inadequate health infrastructure, shortage of healthcare workers (HCWs), inadequate essential medicines and technology, and limited funding will make responses to these outbreaks slow and ineffective as seen with the COVID-19 pandemic. The workload for HCWs will grow due to these PHEs, which will increase the likelihood that they may experience burnout. This narrative review loosely followed the guidelines provided in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) statement. Google Scholar, PubMed, and ScienceDirect databases were used to retrieve relevant articles. Two reviewers assessed the titles and abstracts of all identified articles and extracted the data independently and compared their results thereafter. The causes of burnout among HCWs, its impact on patients, HCWs, and healthcare institutions, as well as preventive steps that should be taken to safeguard HCWs from burnout, are all covered in this article.Copyright © 2023 The Author(s)

Millennials' perception of safety and hygiene measures, perceived health risk, satisfaction and behavioural intention at upscale restaurants amid COVID-19 pandemic

The new normal of social distancing policy and health risks has shaped customers' dining out behaviors at restaurants. This study applied qualitative and quantitative methods to explore the written comments of consumer-generated media on food and service quality and safety and hygiene prevention measures at upscale restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic. The current study also investigated the impact of safety and hygiene prevention measures on perceived health risks, customer satisfaction, and behavioral intention via the stimulus-organism-response model. Written comments from 10 upscale restaurants were collected, and a purposive sampling approach was used to recruit Millennial respondents to participate in a self-administered survey. Results show different areas of comments provided by customers in the aspects of staff issues, hardware, amenities and other measures. Relationships among safety and hygiene prevention measures, perceived health risks, customer satisfaction and behavioral intention exist. Theoretical development on motivation factors to dine out and managerial implications were discussed. © 2023 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Impact of COVID-19 Prevention and Control Measures on Expressway Transportation in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area

Under the background of normalized COVID-19 prevention and control, regional epidemics occur frequently in China. How to quantify the impact of COVID-19 prevention and control measures on economic operation and passenger and freight transportation has become an urgent problem. To this end, we design a calculation method for expressway transportation indicators, propose the level and stage division process of COVID-19 prevention and control measures, and then establish a difference-in-difference model to further analyze their impact on expressway transportation indicators. Taking major cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area as an example, case studies are conducted based on the expressway toll data and COVID-19 prevention and control information from May 2020 to April 2022. The results show that in the level I (strengthened) stage, the passenger vehicle flow has dropped significantly, the drop in each case is between 8% and 27%, and the freight indicators have not changed significantly. In Shenzhen and Dongguan, both passenger and freight indicators dropped sharply in the level II (strict) stage. Passenger vehicle flow in the two cities dropped by 46.3% and 33.7%, and truck flow by 42.7% and 27.6%, respectively, and cargo and turnover decreased as much as truck flow. The average inter- city distance of expressway passenger cars has a downward trend under the level I stage, but under the level II stage, the average inter-city distance of passenger cars and trucks has increased significantly. This study can provide a certain reference value for the formulation and implementation of COVID-19 prevention and control measures in cities and urban agglomerations. © 2022 Science Press. All rights reserved.

COVID-19 Contact-Tracing Technology, Users' Privacy and Security

Nowadays, the entire world is struggling to adapt and survive the SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 pandemic, the new mutations in the Coronavirus disease is causing damage and disruption across the world. Taking preventive measures to control the spreading of the virus, including lockdowns, curfews, social distancing, masks, vaccination are not enough to stop the virus. Many countries have sought to support their contact tracers with the use of digital contact tracing apps to manage and control the spread of the virus. Using the new technologies to adapt the prevention measures furthermore enhancing the existing ones, will definitely be more efficient. There are many contact tracing apps that have already been launched and used since 2020. There has been a lot of speculations about the confidentiality and security aspects of these apps and their possible violation of data protection principles. In this paper we propose a system of contact tracing, we explain how this system treats sensible information to preserve the user's identity and protect their personal information. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COVID-19 PREVENTION MEASURES AND QUALITY OF LIFE OF ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH HYPERTENSION DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Cardiovascular diseases, including arterial hypertension, are common comorbidities among the elderly due to COVID-19. This study aimed to determine the relationship between COVID-19 prevention measures and the quality of life for the elderly with hypertension during the COVID-19 pandemic. This was a descriptive correlation study that applied a cross-sectional approach that involved 133 respondents who were selected using the convenience sampling technique. Data were collected using questionnaires from the WHOQOL-BREF and COVID-19 prevention. The collected data were processed using the Chi-Square test. The results showed that the number of elderly participants who took positive and negative efforts in preventing COVID-19 transmission was almost equal, with a slightly higher number of participants taking positive efforts, with a total of 69 people (51.9%). There was also a higher number of elderly participants with a good quality of life, with 71 people (53.4%). The results indicated a relationship between COVID-19 prevention measures and the quality of life of elderly patients with hypertension during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a p-value of 0.008. Therefore, it can be concluded that prevention efforts in the form of health behaviors for the elderly with certain chronic diseases comorbid with COVID-19 can affect their quality of life. © 2022, Universitas Jenderal Soedirman. All rights reserved.

Research on Influence Factors of Prevention and Control Measures on Economy-based on Netlogo Simulation and Big Data Computation

Emergencies have a significant impact on the economy. Thus, effective prevention and control measures can reduce economic losses to the greatest extent. Taking the novel coronavirus outbreak as the starting point, we proposed the SEEIR-E model, an optimization model of the SEIR. The model compares two different prevention and control modes, 'fence mode' and 'free-range mode' Combined with the big data of the epidemic, systematic simulation and analysis were carried out in the Netlogo simulation environment. When environmental factors are the same, the 'fence model' can control the spread of the disease more quickly, and the economic impact is less. At the same time, the impact of various environmental factors on economic recovery was simulated and analyzed. The result provides a basic understanding in economic recovery after the epidemic. © 2022 IEEE.

An Overview on COVID-19: Clinical Features, Treatment and Prevention

Background: The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a transmissible illness produced by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). It has now quickly expanded since its outbreak in Wuhan City of Hubei region of China to the other parts of the world. In accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the spread of COVID-19 emerges typically hu-man-to-humans through respiratory droplets within an area of 1-2 meters. Aims and Objective: In the present perspective, we have discussed some of the measures taken to pre-vent and treat the patients suffering from COVID-19, and how to restrict further spread of COVID-19 due to SARS-CoV-2. Result(s): The general clinical properties are fever, cough, sore throat, headache, tiredness, myalgia and difficulty in breathing. Presently no approved treatments for COVID-19, as of now, no pharmaceutical products have been revealed to be harmless and efficient for the management of COVID-19. Various anti-viral medicines e.g. ribavirin, lopinavir, and ritonavir have been utilized supported on the familiar-ity with SARS and MERS. Many drugs and vaccines are currently being studied in clinical trials, jointly (Solidarity trial) co-sponsored by the WHO. Conclusion(s): The use of a mask by fit people in community areas to guard against respiratory viral disease is presently recommended by WHO. Patients must be kept in individual rooms, the rooms, surfaces and equipment should go through standard sanitization, possibly with sodium hypochlorite. Conse-quently, apart from restricting this epidemic, efforts should be made to plan wide-ranging procedures to thwart potential outbreaks of the zoonotic sources.Copyright © 2021 Bentham Science Publishers.

Modeling for Implications of COVID-19 Pandemic on Healthcare System in India

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the global healthcare system in many countries. India has faced complex multidimensional problems concerning the healthcare system during the COVID-19 outbreak. This article explores some of the implications of COVID-19 on the health system. Also, we attempt to study health economics and other related issues. We have developed the susceptible-exposed-infection-recovered model, logistic growth model, time interrupted regression model, and a stochastic approach for these problems. These models focus on the effect of prevention measures and other interventions for a pandemic on the healthcare system. Our study suggests that the above models are appropriate for COVID-19 at break and effective models for the implications of the pandemic on the healthcare system. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

Development of Personnel Epidemic Prevention Monitoring Access Control System

Because of coronavirus variants, it is necessary to pay attention to epidemic prevention measures in the cultivation or product packaging processes. In addition to giving customers more peace of mind when using the products, it also ensures that operators wear masks, work clothes and gloves in the work area. This paper constructs an access control system for personnel epidemic prevention monitoring, which uses IoTtalk [1] to connect IoT devices (such as magnetic reed switches, intelligent switches, RFID readers, and RFID wristbands), utilizes RFID for personnel identification, and employs real-time streaming protocol [2] to take the image of IP Cam for YOLOv4 [3] identification program. The identification program detects whether the personnel is indeed wearing the required equipment. If the personnel is not wearing the required device, the detector will trigger a push broadcast system constructed by LINE Notify to inform the operator for processing. Moreover, we developed an emergency entry mechanism;if an emergency happens, the personnel can trigger the emergency door opening by swiping the card multiple times within a specified time. This function allows the person to enter without wearing the required equipment. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

Difficulties of Vulnerable Groups in Accessing the Public Information Service During COVID-19 Pandemic in China

The outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic seriously threatens people's lives and health all over the world. Public information service is an important way for the public to understand the pandemic development and pandemic prevention and control measures. However, more people become vulnerable rather than the typical vulnerable groups due to the pandemic encounter difficulties in accessing public information services. To better help vulnerable people during the emergencies, based on related vulnerable groups theory, this chapter identifies two types of vulnerable groups in China. It collects information from news, journal papers, conference papers and other relevant perspectives to examine the difficulties that vulnerable people have encountered. Moreover, this chapter puts forward some suggestions from the aspect of policies and regulations, technologies and information systems, service content, and operating mechanism of public information services to better meet the information needs of vulnerable people. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Perceived Benefits and Barriers of a COVID-19 Test to Stay Program in a School District Serving Black or African American People With Low Income, December 2021.

OBJECTIVES: Quarantine after exposure to COVID-19 has resulted in substantial loss of in-person learning in schools from prekindergarten through grade 12. Test to Stay (TTS), a strategy that limits the spread of SARS-CoV-2 while prioritizing in-person learning, requires substantial investment in resources. The objective of this study was to assess the perceived benefits, barriers, and facilitators of implementing TTS in an urban school district in the Midwest serving primarily Black or African American people with low income. METHODS: In December 2021, we used a concurrent mixed-methods approach to understand perceived benefits, barriers, and facilitators of implementing TTS by combining quantitative analysis of telephone surveys conducted with parents (n = 124) and a qualitative inquiry involving key informants from the school district and local health department (n = 22). We analyzed quantitative data using descriptive statistics. We used thematic analysis to analyze qualitative data. RESULTS: Quantitative findings showed that parents supported TTS because it was convenient (n = 83, 97%) and effective (n = 82, 95%) in keeping students learning in person (n = 82, 95%) and preventing the spread of COVID-19 (n = 80, 93%). Qualitative interviews with informants found that having a clear protocol and assigning staff to specified tasks allowed for successful TTS implementation. However, insufficient staffing and testing resources, parent mistrust of testing, and lack of communication from schools were perceived barriers. CONCLUSION: The school community strongly supported TTS despite the many implementation challenges faced. This study emphasized the importance of ensuring resources for equitable implementation of COVID-19 prevention strategies and the critical role of communication.

The Impact of Urban Rail Transit Epidemic Prevention Measures on Passengers' Safety Perception.

In 2020, COVID-19 triggered concern about the safety of public transport. To meet passengers' expectations regarding safety, the public transport department has stepped up its pandemic prevention services. Some prevention services require passengers to follow mandatory requirements. However, whether and to what extent these requirements affect passenger satisfaction with public transportation services remains unclear. This study aims to construct an integrated framework to explore the direct and indirect relationships between four constructs (regular services quality, pandemic prevention service, psychological distance, and safety perception) and passengers' satisfaction in the context of urban rail transit services. Based on survey data collected from 500 passengers on the Shanghai Metro, this paper examines the relationships between routine service, pandemic prevention measures, safety perceptions, and satisfaction with the service. The results from the structural equation model indicate that routine service (0.608), pandemic prevention measures (0.56), and safety perception (0.05) have positive effects on passenger satisfaction. Psychological distance negatively impacts safety perception (-0.949) and has indirect effects on passenger satisfaction. Further, in order to identify the service improvements that public transportation departments should focus on, we use the three-factor theory to identify the services that should be improved: Basic factors, such as "punctual arrival of metros", "treatment of harmful garbage", "increasing frequency of platform disinfection", and "measurement of station temperature" should be treated as the first priority. As the second improvement priority, "the planning of metro stations can accommodate my travel scope" can be considered. Last, public transportation departments can enhance the exciting factor by installing "metro entrance signs" when resources are available.

Transition from physical to online shopping alternatives due to the COVID-19 pandemic - A case study of Italy and Sweden.

Using 530 responses from an online questionnaire, this study aims to investigate the transition from physical to online shopping alternatives during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic at the individual level. The focus areas of the study are Sweden and Italy, two European countries that implemented contrasting prevention measures. This study analyses the impacts of the pandemic on the transition to online shopping activities, and identifies who among the respondents changed their shopping behaviour the most and how; and what the different shopping strategies are and who adopted them. Multivariate statistical analyses, including linear and binary logistic regressions and multinomial logit models, were used to analyse the dataset. In the analysis, the dataset was split between Italy and Sweden to take into account the contrasting prevention measures and the different social and economic backgrounds of the two countries; the results of this study confirm and highlight these differences. Moreover, the socio-demographic and household structures of the respondents were found to influence the amount and the direction of change in shopping behaviour during the first wave of the pandemic. The study also indicates some policies that can be implemented and/or further strengthened to increase the resilience of citizens in facing pandemics and to derive benefit from the behavioural changes that took place during the first wave of the pandemic.