Being a product consumer during the COVID-19 pandemic: profile of the Polish consumer in the organic dairy market

PurposeThe purpose of this paper was to determine the profile of dairy product consumers in the organic market.Design/methodology/approachThe study was based on a survey questionnaire developed by the author and administered to a total of 1,108 respondents. The statistical analysis (including descriptive statistics, the analysis of the discriminative function and the Chi2 test was performed with the use of Statistica 13.1 PL. The respondents' gender was the factor behind the differences in how they behaved.FindingsThe consumers indicated the channels they rely upon to find information on organic dairy products;in addition to trusting the opinions of their family members and experts, they also use web platforms. Further, they specified their preferred locations for buying favorite products during the pandemic: specialized organic food shops, large distribution chains and online stores.Practical implicationsThese outcomes will help in identifying target consumer segments and information channels for specific information and advertising messages. They also form an important resource for developing some potential strategies which the supply chain stakeholders could implement to promote organic consumption of dairy products.Originality/valueThis study identifies consumers' preferred dairy products;motives for purchasing organic dairy products;barriers that consumers believe exist in the market;sources of knowledge about products purchased by consumers;and consumers' preferred channels for purchasing organic dairy products. To the best of the author's knowledge, this is the first study of dairy product consumers in the organic market in Poland.

Challenges and Opportunities for the Energy Sector in the Face of Threats Such as Climate Change and the COVID-19 Pandemic—An International Perspective

New threats such as the COVID-19 pandemic have brought forth not only threats to human health but also changes to many other sectors of the global economy. Despite strict lockdowns, the highest annual number of global renewable energy installations were completed in 2020, including onshore wind power stations and PV power stations. The development of these two types of renewables is increasing rapidly. Transformations in terms of renewable energy require both governmental and public support;thus, it is important to note that the pandemic did not weaken the public commitment to fight climate change. This article aims to evaluate the actual level of support for renewable energy sources in different countries of the world and how the pandemic has affected public opinion regarding this issue. Our analysis suggests that, regardless of the pandemic, public support for renewable energy remains strong in different regions of the world. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Energies (19961073) is the property of MDPI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

Changing Vaccine Assessment Criteria and Focus Towards Prevention Strategies

Objectives: To understand changes to granting access to novel vaccines by NITAG and payers and how prevention has become a focus in many markets Methods: Secondary research by studying various NITAG documents and published articles followed by primary research with experts in EU4 and UK Results: For NITAG recommendations, disease burden, vaccine efficacy, vaccine safety, followed by Epidemiology and mathematical modelling are conducted by most Western countries. Published studies on efficacy, effectiveness and reactogenicity are considered as key reference. UK specifically takes into account health economic modelling outputs. Recommendations in other markets are also considered in making local decisions. For vaccine funding payers consider the efficacy, durability and dosing regimen as key drivers, followed by aspects of strain coverage, formulation and storage. Platform were not considered by payers, while physicians considered it to be very important. For cost containment reasons, many NITAGs issue a recommendation for a narrow patient population Payers in all markets indicated that there is focus or prioritization of prevention strategies from ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and are likely to remain. UK for instance has increased its prevention budgets;however, this does not mean there is higher willingness to pay. In Germany there is no ring-fenced prevention specific budget. Conclusion(s): Severity of the disease is an important criterion in assessing the burden, an influential factor in vaccine decision making. In all countries in focus, Payers anticipate that the evaluation of new vaccines launched post-COVID-19 to be faster. Structural changes in Italy (restructure of AIFA and new NITAG) and UK (new public health agency), add to uncertainties on timelines. The length of the evaluation process will depends mainly on pre-work done with availability of local data on burden, epidemiology, and cost-effectiveness modelling.Copyright © 2023

The Value-Based Price for a Bivalent COVID-19 Booster Vaccine in the United Kingdom

Objectives: The United Kingdom (UK) implemented an autumn 2022 booster programme that allowed those at higher risk from COVID-19, including those >= 50 years, to receive a booster to increase protection against infection and subsequent severe outcomes. As the UK transitions out of the pandemic, future booster campaigns may be required to maintain protection against such outcomes. The objective of this analysis was to estimate the value-based price (VBP) for a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine used in a future autumn 2023 campaign in the UK to protect people aged >= 50 years. Method(s): A Susceptible-Exposed-Infected-Recovered (SEIR) model was used to predict infections across a 1-year time horizon starting September 2023 with and without an autumn booster campaign. Initial effectiveness was predicted to be 89% and 97% against infection and hospitalization respectively based on BA.4/BA.5 antibody titers and correlates of protection. A monthly decline in protection of 1.4% and 4.8%, respectively, was assumed based on monovalent vaccine data. A decision tree was used to predict the quality-adjusted life-years (QALY) lost and costs associated with infections. Result(s): Considering a willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold of 20,000/QALY, the VBP associated with an autumn 2023 booster campaign is 343/dose. Considering a WTP threshold of 30,000, the VBP increases to 476. In sensitivity analyses, excluding the post-infection costs (e.g., long COVID), reduces the VBP by 11%. Varying the hospitalization rates by +/-25% changes the VBP by +/- 6%. Varying hospitalization unit costs only impacts the VBP by 1%. Doubling the rate of waning for booster effectiveness increases the VBP by 54% because the effectiveness provided from past campaigns falls faster and an autumn 2023 booster becomes more valuable. Conclusion(s): While the trajectory of COVID-19 incidence is highly uncertain, pricing the bivalent booster lower than the VBP is expected to result in a cost-effective strategy for the UK.Copyright © 2023

Who is willing-to-pay for sustainable last mile innovations?

The COVID-19 pandemic is accelerating the growth of e-commerce. As a result, urban freight transport volume is increasing, leading to traffic congestion and negative environmental impacts, while service quality is deteriorating. These challenges can be addressed through radical innovation of urban last mile logistics with environmental-friendly transportation modes (e. g., cargo bikes), consolidation points (e. g., micro hubs) and new digital service models (e. g., time window alignments). However, sustainability improvements lead to higher costs and will not be realized - beyond pilot studies - until they become economically viable. Therefore, willingness-to-pay (WTP) for sustainable last mile innovations (LMI) is one of the most important success factors. In our work, we aim to investigate the WTP for the additional costs of sustainable LMI. While various stakeholders such as online retailers, logistics service providers or city administrations could benefit from sustainable LMI, in our study we focus on the group that is likely to benefit the most: urban inhabitants. Therefore, we investigated consumers' WTP for sustainable LMI by conducting a questionnaire survey in Germany in September and October 2020 (n = 1,071) and analyzing the data using multivariate statistics. The results show four consumer segments, their characteristics, and their WTP for LMI. Based on the results, implications for stakeholders (especially online retailers) are derived to address the behavior of each consumer segment towards more sustainability in urban last mile logistics. Further research would be interesting to evaluate allocation scenarios for the additional costs among all last mile stakeholders empirically. © 2023 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V.

Special Issue: Recent learnings and development in healthcare financing: A global perspective. (Special Issue: Recent learnings and development in healthcare financing: A global perspective.)

This special issue contains 11 s that discuss recent learnings and developments in healthcare financing from a global perspective. The s cover a range of topics such as the impact of mental illness on poverty and catastrophic health expenditure in India, financing challenges in the American healthcare industry, comparative analysis of health system financing in India and Saudi Arabia, and the contribution of the Ghana National Health Insurance Scheme to inequality in healthcare utilisation. Other s explore the influence of socio-economic status on health financing choices in Jambi Province, households' willingness to pay for community-based health insurance in Bangladesh, and changes in household expenditures during the first wave of COVID-19 in India. The issue also includes discussions on managing the provider-purchaser split in India and reconsidering patient value to create better healthcare.

Choice preference and willingness to pay for COVID-19 vaccination in Namibia.

Background: Namibia has not been spared from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and as intervention the Namibian government has rolled out vaccination programmes. This study was conducted before the roll out of these vaccines to assess the preference for COVID-19 vaccinations. Stated preference studies provide information about social demand, access, willingness-to-pay and financing for future COVID-19 vaccination. Methods: A stated choice experiment (SCE) survey was administered to a sample of 506 participants from Namibia's general population between October 2020 and December 2020. Participants were asked to make a series of hypothetical choices and estimate their preference for different attributes of a vaccine. A latent class model was used to analyse the SCE data. The study also assessed anti-vaccination behaviour, past vaccination behaviour, impacts of COVID-19 on mental and physical health and Willingness-To-Pay (WTP) measures. The WTP measures were captured as out-of-pocket and further calculated using the marginal rate of substitution method in SCE. Results: Data from 269 participants was included in the analysis. Vaccine side effects (40.065), population coverage (4.688), payment fee to receive vaccine immediately (3.733) were the top three influential attributes for vaccine preferences. Accordingly, increases in mild and severe side effects of vaccine options had negative impacts on utility; with an average WTP of N$728.26 to reduce serious side effects. The average WTP to receive a high-quality vaccine with 90% efficient was found to be N$233.11 (US$15.14). Across classes, there was a strong preference for vaccines with high effectiveness over longer durations of time. Conclusions: The results provide useful information for the Namibian government to improve the current strategies for vaccine rollout interventions.

Exploring preferences of older adults for dental services: A pilot multi-national discrete choice experiment.

OBJECTIVES: To pilot an exploration of older adults' future preferences using discrete choice experiments to understand who should provide dental examinations and treatment, where these services should be provided, and participants' willingness to pay and willingness to travel. BACKGROUND: The proportion of older adults in the general population is increasing and is recognised as a pressing public health challenge. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Older people aged 65 years and over were recruited into this study from the UK, Switzerland and Greece. Drawing on earlier stakeholder engagement, a set of choice experiments are developed to explore the future preferences of older people for dental examinations and dental treatment, as they anticipated losing their independence. These were presented to the participants using a range of platforms, because of the COVID pandemic. Data were analysed in STATA using a random-effects logit model. RESULTS: Two hundred and forty-six participants (median age 70 years) completed the pilot study. There was a strong preference across all countries for a dentist to undertake a dental examination (Greece: ß = 0.944, Switzerland: ß = 0.260, UK ß = 0.791), rather than a medical doctor (Greece: ß = -0.556, Switzerland: ß = -0.4690, UK: ß = -0.468). Participants in Switzerland and the UK preferred these examinations to be undertaken in a dental practice (Switzerland: ß = 0.220, UK: ß = 0.580) while participants in Greece preferred the dental examination to be undertaken in their homes (ß = 1.172). Greek participants preferred dental treatment to be undertaken by a specialist (ß = 0.365) in their home (ß = 0.862), while participants from the UK and Switzerland preferred to avoid any dental treatment at home (Switzerland: ß = -0.387; UK: ß = -0.444). Willingness to pay analyses highlighted that participants in Switzerland and the UK were willing to pay more to ensure the continuity of future service provision at a family dental practice (Switzerland: ß = 0.454, UK: ß = 0.695). CONCLUSION: Discrete choice experiments are valuable for exploring older people's preferences for dental service provision in different countries. Future larger studies should be conducted to further explore the potential of this approach, given the pressing need to design services that are fit for purpose for older people. Continuity of dental service provision is considered as important by most older people, as they anticipate losing their dependence.

Modelling the significance of celebrity endorsement and consumer interest on attitude, purchase intention, and willingness to pay a premium price for green skincare products.

Due to the major shift in online purchasing during the COVID-19 lockdown, celebrity endorsement marketing has gained traction. Concurrently, COVID-19 has also transformed consumers' attitudes toward using eco-friendly products, such as green skincare products, to ensure a healthier lifestyle. This study developed a comprehensive framework based on the stimuli-organism-response theory and the parasocial interaction theory to empirically evaluate the impact of celebrities' credibility attributes and consumers' interests in celebrities on their attitudes towards advertisements for endorsed green skincare products, their intentions to make a purchase, and their willingness to pay a premium price for these products. 778 Malaysian consumers participated in the online survey, and their responses were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The results showed the positive effects of credibility traits (trustworthiness - ß = 0.100, p-value = 0.026; exquisite personality - ß = 0.075, p-value = 0.028; dignified image - ß = 0.152, p-value = 0.001; expertise - ß = 0.221, p-value <0.001), and customer attention to celebrities (ß = 0.184, p-value <0.001) on their attitudes toward endorsed advertisements. Likewise, credibility features (exquisite personality - ß = 0.116, p-value = 0.002; dignified image - ß = 0.112, p-value = 0.017; expertise - ß = 0.207, p-value <0.001) and customers' companionship with celebrities (ß = 0.142, p-value = 0.001) also have a significant positive impact on attitudes towards brands. Finally, consumers' purchasing intentions and willingness to pay premium prices for green skincare products were strongly influenced by their attitude toward advertising (ß = 0.484, p-value <0.001) and brands (ß = 0.326, p-value <0.001). Evidently, the findings of this study may help players in the cosmetics industry enhance their marketing and promotion tactics for eco-friendly beauty and personal care products.

Who is willing-to-pay for sustainable last mile innovations?

The COVID-19 pandemic is accelerating the growth of e-commerce. As a result, urban freight transport volume is increasing, leading to traffic congestion and negative environmental impacts, while service quality is deteriorating. These challenges can be addressed through radical innovation of urban last mile logistics with environmental-friendly transportation modes (e. g., cargo bikes), consolidation points (e. g., micro hubs) and new digital service models (e. g., time window alignments). However, sustainability improvements lead to higher costs and will not be realized - beyond pilot studies - until they become economically viable. Therefore, willingness-to-pay (WTP) for sustainable last mile innovations (LMI) is one of the most important success factors. In our work, we aim to investigate the WTP for the additional costs of sustainable LMI. While various stakeholders such as online retailers, logistics service providers or city administrations could benefit from sustainable LMI, in our study we focus on the group that is likely to benefit the most: urban inhabitants. Therefore, we investigated consumers' WTP for sustainable LMI by conducting a questionnaire survey in Germany in September and October 2020 (n = 1,071) and analyzing the data using multivariate statistics. The results show four consumer segments, their characteristics, and their WTP for LMI. Based on the results, implications for stakeholders (especially online retailers) are derived to address the behavior of each consumer segment towards more sustainability in urban last mile logistics. Further research would be interesting to evaluate allocation scenarios for the additional costs among all last mile stakeholders empirically. © 2023 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V.

Effect of restorative experience in reducing the risk perception of COVID-19 infection: Korean male campers' well-being and willingness to pay a premium for camping

During the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, South Korean men exhibited greater affective risk perceptions than women, displaying anxiety and fear of COVID-19 infection as well as emotional distress. Such negative psychological states can be reduced through exposure to natural environments. Natural settings often provide restorative environments promoting individual mental health, psychological stability, and well-being. Therefore, this study aims to examine the roles of restorativeness as perceived by men in mitigating the affective risk perception of COVID-19, improving well-being, and increasing the willingness to pay a premium to camp in the context of nature-based camping. An online survey was conducted with South Korean men who experienced camping during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 208 responses were used for data analysis. The results of structural equation modeling indicated significant relationships between affective risk perception and perceived restorativeness, perceived restorativeness and well-being, and well-being and willingness-to-pay-a-premium. The mediating effect of well-being was also significant. The findings of a multi-group analysis indicated a significant moderating effect of having children on the relationship between perceived restorativeness and well-being, but not on the relationship between well-being and willingness-to-pay-a-premium. The results of this study provide enhanced insight into restorative experiences in nature as a coping mechanism for increased affective risks as perceived by men during the pandemic. In particular, this study examined the psychological benefits of a natural environment in the context of camping and empirically identified the role of camping in promoting a feeling of restorativeness and inducing men's well-being perception by easing negative emotions. This study also provides practitioners with an understanding of changes in men's perceptions and emotional and behavioral responses through positive restorative experiences.Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by MRE Press.

Willingness to pay to escape COVID-19 related social restrictions

We estimate the willingness to pay to escape different bundles of social restrictions imposed by the authorities in Iceland during COVID-19 using contingent valuation methods. Average willingness to pay to escape a bundle of social restrictions for 1 month is USD 139, amounting to approximately 2% of monthly GDP per capita in Iceland. We also find a net preference for substantial entry restrictions at the country's border. © 2023 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Travel Behaviour and Perceptions of Malaysian Airline Passengers during Endemic COVID-19

The study examines Malaysian airline passengers' travel behaviour and perceptions during the endemic Covid-19 after Malaysia re-opened the border. People are free to do an activity, especially travelling by aeroplane. Data were collected through an online platform in 2023. 390 data were obtained and used for the analysis. Findings reveal that 86.15% of Malaysian have travelled by aeroplane since the endemic, and 14.10% have travelled more than five times. 54.44% strongly agree they will avoid travelling with aircraft because of a few personal issues. In addition, results revealed a significant change in passengers' behaviour and perception when travelling after the hit of Covid-19 worldwide.

Marketing opportunities and challenges for locally raised meats: An online consumer survey in South Carolina

South Carolina livestock producers are expanding their operations to include local meat sales, with a sizeable number of farmers entering the market for the first time. Little is known about South Caro-lina's local meat consumers and their buying pref-erences. This study aims to identify the demo-graphic traits of local meat consumers, their pre-ferred local meat product attributes, their desired purchasing locations, and a range of prices con-sumers are willing to pay for local meat. This study surveyed 1,048 South Carolina meat consumers. Of these survey respondents, 741 had consumed local meat products within the last 12 months and 307 had not. Results indicate that local meat consumers tend to be younger, reside in larger households, have higher household incomes, and have greater educational attainment. They also may be more likely to be long-term residents of South Carolina. These consumers are willing to pay a 1% to 24% premium for local meats to be eaten at home and US$1.00 to US$1.99 more per entree for local meats at a restaurant. The most desirable attributes of local meat are hormone-free, all-natural, no anti-biotics, and grass-fed. The most popular buying locations are the grocery store, directly from farms, farmers markets, butcher shops, and online order-ing. Most consumers are unwilling to drive more than 20 miles (32 km) to purchase local meat. The study also uncovered barriers to consumers' will-ingness to purchase (or purchase more) local meats: product unavailability, high prices, food safety concerns, convenience, and ease of prepara-tion.

Factors influencing the willingness to pay for masks during the COVID-19 pandemic: Empirical evidence from Indonesia

The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors affecting the willingness-to-pay (WTP) value of cloth and disposable masks during the pandemic. Each type of mask has its advantages, and each individual has different considerations when choosing the mask they will buy and use. Primary data were obtained from survey questionnaires, with the qualified participants being income earners. Using a snowball sampling technique, a total of 1144 people were selected as participants from 14 Indonesian provinces. Data collection was carried out and questionnaires were distributed through Google Forms and a WhatsApp group, respectively, for 7 days. The results showed that the WTP value of cloth and disposable masks was significantly influenced by similar variables, including age, education, income level, number of household members, activities outside the home, and the presence of comorbidities. All the variables had similar effects on the WTP value of cloth and disposable masks. The absence of differences in the WTP value implies that the most important consideration in reducing the risk of exposure to Covid-19 was not the type of mask but the discipline of wearing a mask when performing activities outside the home. © 2023 AESS Publications. All Rights Reserved.

Cost Effectiveness of Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir for Mild-Moderate Covid-19 in Spain

Background: A need exists for safe, affordable, and effective antiviral treatments for less severe COVID-19 outpatients that can prevent infection progression, hospitalization, and death;shorten the time to clinical recovery;and reduce transmission. In our best knowledge, there are not, so far, costeffectiveness analysis on oral antiviral COVID-19 drugs in Spain. In our study we aim to evaluate cost-effectiveness of oral nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir in COVID-19 mild to moderate outpatients with at least one risk factor for disease progression in Spain. Method(s): A simulation model was constructed in R, to assess the clinical consequences and costs associated with COVID-19 in a hypothetical cohort of non-hospitalized patients older than 65 years with mild-to-moderate COVID and at least one risk factor for progression in Spain. The intervention assessed was nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir 300 mg plus 100mg every 12 hours up to 5 days. The comparator was symptomatic treatment with no antiviral drugs against SARSCoV- 2. The study was contextualized in the Spanish National Health System and the perspective of the service provider was adopted. Quality of life adjusted life years (QALYs) was used as a measure of effectiveness. Drug effectiveness was obtained from a literature review. As a cost measure, the retail price of the drugs was used. As a threshold willing to pay, the Spanish Gross National Product per capita was used. A discount of 3% per year was applied on future health effects. We used a decisional tree model. A univariate sensitivity analysis and probabilistic sensitivity analysis was performed. Result(s): We found that nirmatrelvir/ritonavir yielded an extra 620.89 QALYs compared to a baseline scenario without it, at an increase in cost of 89,630,442 with an Incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of 144,356.4 /QALY gained. One way sensitivity analysis and probabilistic sensitivity analysis using Monte-Carlo simulations were undertaken and showed that the probability of not being costeffective was 1 at the current price and willingness to pay threshold. To meet our willingness to pay threshold, nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir 5-days treatment price should be lowered down to 70 . Conclusion(s): According to our analysis nirmatrelvir/ritonavir is not costeffective in in the Spanish National Health System for outpatients older than 65 years with at least one risk factor for COVID progression. A drug price of 70 per treatment would meet our willingness to pay threshold.

The impact of security oversight on air cargo price and demand

This paper examines the effect of security oversight on air cargo price and demand. We exploit variations in security oversight instituted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). We estimate a simultaneous equation model using proprietary operations data from a major airline in South Korea over the period 2009–2013. This study explores the shipping-charge behavior of a service provider through a modeling approach that considers air cargo security. Our findings show that security oversight increases air cargo demand, controlling for the effect of price. Improving security measures increases the air cargo price, but the magnitude of this increase is small. Our results should help policymakers gauge the benefit of improved security and help airlines design an effective model to determine future air cargo shipping charges under high uncertainty to mitigate short- and long-term financial risks.

Consumer Preferences for Smart Energy Services Based on AMI Data in the Power Sector

Advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) is becoming increasingly popular as an efficient means of energy demand management. By collecting energy data through AMI, it is possible to provide users with information that can induce them to change their behavior. To ensure that AMI continues to expand and to encourage the use of energy data, it is important to increase consumer participation and analyze their preferred service attributes. This study utilized a choice experiment to analyze consumer preferences for and acceptance of smart energy services based on AMI data. The results of a mixed logit model estimation show that consumers prefer the electricity information service for individual households and the social safety-net service among convergence services. A scenario analysis confirms that monetary compensation to offset any additional charges is important to maintain the level of consumer acceptance. These empirical findings offer insights for policymakers and companies seeking to develop policies and similar services.

Cost-Effectiveness of Workplace Covid-19 Self-Testing: A Mathematical Modeling Study

Background: As COVID-19 cases persist, one potential intervention to reduce absenteeism in the workplace due to COVID-19 is to use rapid antigen diagnostics to mitigate the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Furthermore, routine testing in the workplace offers an avenue to reaching a large proportion of the population which could lead to a greater community impact beyond solely mitigating transmission events that occur in the workplace. We sought to identify the most cost-effective workplace testing strategies at the community level and within individual workplaces. Method(s): We used two models to understand how SARS-CoV-2 AgRDTs could best be implemented within the workplace to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. In our community-level dynamic transmission model, PATAT, we evaluated the impact of symptomatic testing and asymptomatic testing of a fixed proportion of the formally employed workforce on broader community transmission. We stratified runs by asymptomatic testing frequency, vaccine coverage, vaccine effectiveness, and Rt. Simulations were informed using demographic data from Georgia, Brazil, and the Netherlands. We conducted a cost-effectiveness analysis using the results from each country and assumed a $2.50 total cost per test. Result(s): We observed a substantial decrease in the number of infections occurring in both the workplace and community when a SARS-CoV-2 AgRDTs strategy was implemented. Under all conditions, mandatory symptomatic testing and related quarantine from the workplace averted up to 72%, 79%, and 74% of community infections in Brazil, Georgia, and the Netherlands respectively. Limiting tests to symptomatic workers was always on the cost-effectiveness frontier, regardless of the vaccine coverage, efficacy, or Rt of the virus (Figure 1), at $2-$4 per workplace infection prevented. While asymptomatic testing was on the cost-effectiveness frontier, it would cost an additional $500-$6700 to prevent one additional workplace infection. The added benefit of routine asymptomatic testing was minimal until 100% of the workforce was reached. Conclusion(s): We found self-testing with AgRDTs for the formally employed workforce is both efficient at reducing workplace and community infections as well as cost-effective when targeting symptomatic individuals. Willingness to pay to avoid workplace absenteeism may differ by country, individual workplaces, and the perceived economic value of several workdays missed. If there is a higher willingness to pay, routine asymptomatic screening may be considered.

Willingness-to-pay for robot-delivered tourism and hospitality services-An exploratory study

Purpose: This paper aims to investigate potential consumers' willingness to pay for robot-delivered services in travel, tourism and hospitality, and the factors that shape their willingness to pay. Design/methodology/approach: An online survey yielded a sample of 1,573 respondents from 99 countries. Independent samples t-test, Analysis of variance (ANOVA), cluster, factor and regression analyses were used. Findings: Respondents expected to pay less for robot-delivered services than human-delivered services. Two clusters were identified: one cluster willing to pay nearly the same price for robotic services as for human-delivered services, whilst the other expected deep discounts for robotic services. The willingness-to-pay was positively associated with the attitudes towards robots in tourism, robotic service experience expectations, men and household size. It was negatively associated to travel frequency, age and education. Research limitations/implications: The paper's main limitation is its exploratory nature and the use of a hypothetical scenario in measuring respondents' willingness to pay. The data were gathered prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and do not reflect the potential changes in perceptions of robots due to the pandemic. Practical implications: Practitioners need to focus on improving the attitudes towards robots in tourism because they are strongly and positively related to the willingness to pay. The marketing messages need to form positive expectations about robotic services. Originality/value: This is one of the first papers to investigate consumers' willingness to pay for robot-delivered services in travel, tourism and hospitality and factors that shape their willingness to pay. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)