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Background: Non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) and vaccines have been used by many countries to manage the dynamics of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite numerous studies, considerable uncertainty remains about the effects of these public health interventions due to data quality issues and methodological challenges to estimating effects. However, producing accurate and precise estimates of the effects of these interventions is of utmost importance for the preparedness of any new epidemic. Method(s): We developed a population-based mechanistic compartmental model that includes the effect of NPIs on SARS-CoV-2 transmission and the effect of vaccination on the transmission and the rate of hospitalization. Our statistical approach estimated all parameters in one step, thus accurately propagating uncertainty, and representing spatial heterogeneity. We fitted the model to all available epidemiological data (hospital admissions and occupancy, cases, and deaths) from March 2020 to October 2021 in France. Hence, we estimated the time-varying transmission rate, and derived the effect of NPIs through an integrated regression model. We simulated counterfactual scenarios of the interplay of NPIs and vaccine availability and rollout with the same model. Result(s): We found that the first lockdown reduced transmission by 84% (95% CI [83-85]) and was more effective than the second and third lockdowns (reduction of 75% [72-77] and 9% [6-13], respectively). A 6pm curfew was more effective than an 8 pm curfew (transmission reduction of 69% [67-70] vs. 50% [48-53]). School closures had a smaller effect on transmission (15% [12-19]). By the end of the study period, the protection conferred by vaccines against hospitalization and against infection, considering viral variants and population vaccine coverage, ranged between 69-92% and 29-40%, respectively. In a scenario without vaccines, we predicted 209% (95% PI [34-520]) more deaths and 346% [101-798] more hospitalizations throughout the study period. Conversely, if an effective vaccine had been available after 100 days, 65% [36-80] deaths and 72% [45-84] hospitalizations could have been averted. Conclusion(s): Our results provide reliable effect and uncertainty estimates of each NPI and demonstrate that NPIs and vaccination synergistically reduced COVID-19 transmission, hospitalization, and deaths. This emphasizes the importance of stringent NPIs and a high vaccination rate to prevent further epidemic resurgences and control other emerging respiratory infectious diseases.
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The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic led to rapid and unexpected changes across the world, particularly in road safety. Thus, this work assesses the impact of COVID-19 accompanied by government preventive policies on road safety in Saudi Arabia by investigating the crash frequency and crash rates. A 4-year crash dataset relating to 2018-2021 was collected, covering about 71,000 km in total road length. It covers all intercity roads and some of the major intercity roads in Saudi Arabia with over 40,000 data logs of involved crashes. We considered three different time phases to observe road safety. These time phases were identified by the duration of government curfew measures against COVID-19 (before, during, and after). The crash frequency analysis showed that the curfew during COVID-19 significantly impacted the crash reduction. At a national level, the crash frequency decreased during 2020 and reached a 33.2% reduction compared to 2019 (the previous year), and it surprisingly continued decreasing in 2021 (the consequent year) to another 37.7% reduction although the government measures were lifted. Moreover, considering the traffic volume and road geometry, we analyzed crash rates for 36 selected segments, and the results showed a significant reduction in the crash rate before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, a random effect negative binomial model was developed to quantify the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The results showed that the reduction in crashes was significant during and after COVID-19. Also, single roads (two-lane, two-way) were found to be more dangerous than other types of roads.
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Study Objectives: Limited studies show that adverse behavioral outcomes such as physical activity (PA), Dietary Behaviors (DB) are increasing among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) because of COVID 19. However, the effects of the pandemic on children with ASD are little known. This study aimed to evaluate the factors that may affect the PA, DS, and DB of individuals with ASD before and during the curfew brought by the COVID-19 epidemic. Method(s): A total of 64 ASD participants (40 boys and 24) girls aged 6-18 years, were included in the study. The mean age of the participants was (13.75 +/- 1.67). An online questionnaire consisting of sociodemographic data, PA, DS, and DS habits was applied to the participants. Result(s): BMI (kg/m2) increased compared to pre-COVID-19 (< 0.001). It was determined that the physical activity levels of the participants with ASD were greatly reduced compared to pre-COVID-19 (<0.001). Duration of PA conducted 1 time a week, 3 times a week, and >7 days/week were found to be <30 minutes (< 0.001). Compared to pre-COVID-19, breakfast habits were changed (71.9%;< 0.001). Eating and snacking although not feeling hungry increased, (< 0.310;< 0.120 respectively). Vitamin C (53.1%), vitamin D (70.3%), vitamin B12 (50.0%), Calcium (75.0) and Magnesium (67.1%) use was determined to increase significantly (< 0.001) in participants with ASD during COVID-19. Conclusion(s): It was determined that individuals with ASD have significant decreases in physical activity, and nutritional behavior and significant increases in supplement use during the COVID-19 epidemic.Copyright © 2022 Mattioli 1885. All rights reserved.
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The new Coronavirus spread in the world, forming a global pandemic, which led to curfews and staying in homes for long periods, so the research problem appeared due to the imposition of a new lifestyle. So, the study aimed to determine the extent to which the interior design of Jordanian houses met the needs of the residents in exceptional circumstances due to the impact of the Corona pandemic. The methodology followed is the descriptive analytical approach, and the questionnaire tool was used to collect data and information. Where the sample size should not be less than 384 respondents, and the questionnaire was distributed electronically, and as a result of the high turnout, the sample size increased to reach 457 respondents. The study hypotheses were tested and its statistical data was analyzed. The most important results of the study concluded that there are statistically significant differences in the respondents' answers about their statements. The research questions were answered, and many results of the research emerged, the most prominent of which was the residents' knowledge of their home needs in exceptional circumstances, their desire to make some household changes, as well as the importance of changing the uses of some home spaces, and preparing suitable places in the home to do work, study or hospitalization. As well as the importance of preparing places for home quarantine for the injured and those in contact. © 2022 DSR Publishers/ The University of Jordan.
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Objective: It is aimed to detect the disruptions experienced in Healthy Child Follow-ups in the COVID-19 Pandemic. Material(s) and Method(s): The files of the patients who applied to the Healthy-Child Outpatient Clinic of our hospital from March 14, 2020, when the curfews began in Turkey, until March 31, 2021, were reviewed retrospectively. Result(s): During this period, 5036 patients applied for healthy-child follow-ups. It was found that 1.44% (n=73) of these patients missed some of their follow-ups. Of these patients, 35.6% were citizens of the Republic of Turkey, 32.9% were Syrian, and 31.5% were Iraqi refugees. 78.1% of the patients were not taking iron prophylaxis. Hip ultrasonography was not performed in 72.6% of the patients. It was found that 80.8% of the patients were missing vaccination and other follow-ups, while 31.5% were only missing vaccination while other follow-ups were complete. It was determined that 38.3% of the patients did not have more than one vaccination, and 12.3% did not have any vaccination since birth due to vaccine rejection. There was no difference between Turkish citizens and Syrian or Iraqi citizens in terms of missing follow-ups (p=0.213). In terms of missing vaccinations, it was determined that Syrian and Iraqi refugees missed more vaccinations (p<0.001). Conclusion(s): In order to raise healthy children, it is thought that public should be informed about the importance of followups, and patients should be guided without delay in every case of missing follow-ups.Copyright © 2022 Ankara Pediatric Hematology Oncology Training and Research Hospital. All rights reserved.
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Background and purpose Community individuals and sectors worldwide, including health, security, economy, education, and occupation, are being challenged to confront the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The deadly virus originated in Wuhan city in China and spread globally to other countries on account of its rapid mode of transmission. Solidarity and cooperation were vital elements in mitigating the COVID-19 pandemic all around the globe. Actions of solidarity among countries included gathering the world's leading experts to discuss the latest research and innovation while working to promote knowledge and empowerment across the communities. The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on different aspects of the Saudi community, including health, education, finance, lifestyle, and others. We also wanted to identify the perceptions of the general Saudi population regarding the impact of the pandemic and its long-term effects. Methodology This cross-sectional study was conducted from March 2020 to February 2021 among individuals across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The online self-developed survey was disseminated to thousands of individuals in the Saudi community and yielded 920 responses. Results Roughly 49% of the studied participants postponed their dental and cosmetic center appointments, and 31% reported delayed periodic health appointments in hospitals and primary healthcare centers. Around 64% reported missing hearing "Tarawih/Qiyam" Islamic prayers. Furthermore, 38% of the study respondents reported being anxious and stressed, 23% reported having sleeping disorders, and 16% wanted to be isolated from the community. On the other hand, the COVID-19 pandemic helped approximately 65% of the studied participants to abstain from ordering from restaurants and cafes. Additionally, 63% of them reported gaining new skills or behaviors during the pandemic. Many participants (54%) thought that after the curfew recession, they will face financial challenges while 44% assumed that life will not return to what it used to be. Conclusion The COVID-19 pandemic has had a multidimensional impact on Saudi society, which has affected both individuals and the community as a whole. Some of the short-term perceived impacts involved interruption in the provision of health care, poor mental well-being, financial hardship, challenges related to homeschooling and working from home, and the inability to fulfill spiritual needs. On the bright side, community individuals demonstrated the ability to learn and develop during the pandemic by striving to acquire knowledge and new skills.
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Objective: It is aimed to detect the disruptions experienced in Healthy Child Follow-ups in the COVID-19 Pandemic. Material and Methods: The files of the patients who applied to the Healthy-Child Outpatient Clinic of our hospital from March 14, 2020, when the curfews began in Turkey, until March 31, 2021, were reviewed retrospectively. Results: During this period, 5036 patients applied for healthy-child follow-ups. It was found that 1.44% (n=73) of these patients missed some of their follow-ups. Of these patients, 35.6% were citizens of the Republic of Turkey, 32.9% were Syrian, and 31.5% were Iraqi refugees. 78.1% of the patients were not taking iron prophylaxis. Hip ultrasonography was not performed in 72.6% of the patients. It was found that 80.8% of the patients were missing vaccination and other follow-ups, while 31.5% were only missing vaccination while other follow-ups were complete. It was determined that 38.3% of the patients did not have more than one vaccination, and 12.3% did not have any vaccination since birth due to vaccine rejection. There was no difference between Turkish citizens and Syrian or Iraqi citizens in terms of missing follow-ups (p=0.213). In terms of missing vaccinations, it was determined that Syrian and Iraqi refugees missed more vaccinations (p<0.001). Conclusion: In order to raise healthy children, it is thought that public should be informed about the importance of followups, and patients should be guided without delay in every case of missing follow-ups.
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Ongoing life in public spaces where people from all ages and segments of society interact, is a lifestyle especially in Mediterranean societies. The question of how and in which direction the importance of pub-lic spaces in our lives will change after the Covid 19 pandemic has formed the starting point of this study. With this study, it was aimed to analyze the location of public spaces especially in the lives of users over 65 years of age and to predict how and in what direction this place will change. In this context, a survey was conducted with 68 people over 65 years of age between when the curfew to this user group was approved. As a result of the study, it was observed that the prevention of the use of public spaces, which constitute a large place in their lives, highlighted their need for these spaces. And those who participated in the questionnaire were evaluated these spaces as the most important places where they would never regret after the pandemic. The study also discussed the measures to be taken and new approaches in urban areas despite the risk of a pandemic. (c) 2022 THE AUTHORS. Published by Elsevier BV on behalf of Faculty of Engineering, Ain Shams University This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
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Background. The aim of the research was to analyze the changing exercising frequency, the well-being, the mental health, and the social relationships before and during the curfew of the COVID-19 first wave. Material and methods. The data collection was May-June in 2020 via an online questionnaire survey amongst the sportsmen and professionals in the sports sector. The descriptive and inferential statistical methods were used with the SPSS 27.0 software (Chi-square test, Wilcoxon, Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests). Results. The respondents were 44.17% female and 55.83% male. The average age was 36.36 +/- 16.52 years. The sample was classified into four sectors: elite sportsmen (20.60%), recreational sportsmen (34.29%), sports professionals (28.21%) and multiple roles (16.90%). There was a significant difference at the exercising frequency before and during the curfew between the sectors (p<0.001). The well-being, the mental health and the social relations did not show any significant differences. Regarding physical activity, there were decreases in every category:-268.36 minutes weekly average in the elite sportsmen,-194.90 minutes weekly average in the recreational sportsmen and-250.33 minutes weekly average in the multiple roles' category (p<0.001). Conclusions. The curfew of the COVID-19 pandemic had a major impact on the exercising frequency and physical activity amongst the sportsmen and professionals in the sports sector.
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This study applied the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines to redesign the Portable Health Clinic (PHC), as a Remote Healthcare System (RHS), for the spread of COVID-19 containment. Additionally, the proposed drone-based system not only collects people data but also classifies the case according to the main symptoms of coronavirus using the COVID-19 triage process (CT-process) based on the analysis of measurement readings taken from patients, where drones are used in a swarm as a PHC platform and are equipped with the required sensors and essential COVID-19 medications for testing and treating people at their doorstep autonomously when a full curfew is imposed. This paper describes a complete framework and proposes currently in production hardware to build the suggested system, considering the effect of the extra payload weight on drone's durability. In addition, part of the proposed application was simulated using OPNET simulation tool. This work highlights the main aspects that should be considered when designing drone swarm-based system and distributing the roles on system nodes with the main focus on the controlling messages for inter-swarm and intra-swarm communication and coordination.
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Objective: It is aimed to detect the disruptions experienced in Healthy Child Follow-ups in the COVID-19 Pandemic. Material(s) and Method(s): The files of the patients who applied to the Healthy-Child Outpatient Clinic of our hospital from March 14, 2020, when the curfews began in Turkey, until March 31, 2021, were reviewed retrospectively. Result(s): During this period, 5036 patients applied for healthy-child follow-ups. It was found that 1.44% (n=73) of these patients missed some of their follow-ups. Of these patients, 35.6% were citizens of the Republic of Turkey, 32.9% were Syrian, and 31.5% were Iraqi refugees. 78.1% of the patients were not taking iron prophylaxis. Hip ultrasonography was not performed in 72.6% of the patients. It was found that 80.8% of the patients were missing vaccination and other follow-ups, while 31.5% were only missing vaccination while other follow-ups were complete. It was determined that 38.3% of the patients did not have more than one vaccination, and 12.3% did not have any vaccination since birth due to vaccine rejection. There was no difference between Turkish citizens and Syrian or Iraqi citizens in terms of missing follow-ups (p=0.213). In terms of missing vaccinations, it was determined that Syrian and Iraqi refugees missed more vaccinations (p<0.001). Conclusion(s): In order to raise healthy children, it is thought that public should be informed about the importance of followups, and patients should be guided without delay in every case of missing follow-ups. Copyright © 2022 Ankara Pediatric Hematology Oncology Training and Research Hospital. All rights reserved.
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The effectiveness and cost implications are always top factors for policy makers while deciding upon the appropriate air pollution abatement measures. The present study aimed to understand the actual particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) patterns during different phases of COVID-19 lockdown periods and depict their spatial distributions covering the 36 major areas in Delhi, India. Drastic visible reduction in both the pollutants was found during lockdown phase 1 and 2. Average PM2.5 reductions of 41.97%, 39.24%, 56.04%, and 56.77% were recorded comparing lockdown and/or study period with the years 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2022, respectively. Similar average reduction of PM10 to the magnitude of 51.72%, 48.95%, 48.24%, and 49.00% was found for the referred years. However, the reduction during the before-lockdown period of 2018 and 2019 and the year 2020 did not follow such radical reduction returning the values for PM2.5 as 7.66-14.88% and that for PM10 as 12.86-20.67%. The geospatial maps generated for Delhi city followed the similar findings at macro level depicting huge reduction in PM distribution classes for the study period. For instance, the percent surface area under "moderately high"polluted due to PM2.5 came down to 0.61 during lockdown phase 2 from 13.96 during January 2020. Further, about 15 of the 36 locations reported compliance to the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for either of the pollutants during the study period. Nevertheless, such reductions are short-lived because the levels went up again in the years 2021 and 2022 (except similar lockdowns) as the situation got back to normal daily life activities postlockdown. Although, lockdown may be imposed in case of severe ambient air quality in a densely populated megacity like Delhi, it remains a temporary or quick-fix solution, to be looked as a last line of defense. © 2023 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers.
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Introduction: Restrictive measures were taken to protect people aged 65 years and older during coronavirus pandemic;however, these measures negatively affected their physical and mental health. Ageist attitudes and age discrimination have also become evident during the pandemic. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between perceived ageism, sense of autonomy, perceptions of curfews, and anxiety and depression levels in older psychiatric patients who comprised a vulnerable and disadvantaged group during the pandemic. Material(s) and Method(s): In this cross-sectional study, 171 participants older than 65 years, followed up at Hacettepe University Psychiatry outpatient clinic between December 2019 and February 2020, were interviewed via phone using a survey on sociodemographic characteristics, measures of perceived ageism and autonomy, Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale, and Geriatric Depression Scale-Short Form. Result(s): Of 171 total participants, 57 (34.8%) reported an increase in perceived ageism during the pandemic. Almost one-third of the participants found the curfew decisions for the elderly to be unsuitable. Participants with higher education levels and those who found curfews for the elderly inappropriate showed a greater increase in perceived ageism scores (p<0.001). Additionally, perceived ageism scores were significantly correlated with depression and anxiety (p<0.001). Anxiety and depression scores were significantly lower among participants who reported more autonomy in their lives (p<0.05). Conclusion(s): During pandemic, state and health authorities should consider the needs of vulnerable groups, such as older individuals and psychiatric patients, when making plans, and ensure that these groups are minimally affected by the disease, restrictive measures, and ageist attitudes. Copyright © 2022, Geriatrics Society. All rights reserved.
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Aim: During the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, visiting the hospital and getting regular infusions can be difficult for patients with chronic illnesses. Telemedicine may offer a good option for the management of chronic diseases such as lysosomal storage diseases (LSD). Material(s) and Method(s): LSD patients at the Unit of Metabolic Diseases of Ege University were contacted by phone between April, 2020 and March, 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Telemedicine appointments were performed at intervals every month or three months, depending on the patients' compliance with their treatment. Result(s): Ninety-two LSD patients [Mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) I, MPS II, MPS IVA, MPS VI, MPS VII, Gaucher, Fabry, and Pompe] were included in this study. The total skipped treatment rate within one year was 17.1%. Most of the months of interruption were consonant with the time of social isolation. The treatment interruption in patients under 18 years was lower than in patients over 18 years. A positive correlation was detected between the age of patients and the interruption of treatment. Conclusion(s): The curfew periods might be one of the causes of missed treatment sessions. Telemedicine is a good method to improve the continuity of treatment. This study showed that the number of interrupted enzyme replacement treatments could be decreased via ongoing telemedicine appointments. © Copyright 2022 by Ege University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics and Ege Children's Foundation The Journal of Pediatric Research, published by Galenos Publishing House.
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This research aims to analyze the relationship between monthly energy consumption and age of users of Barrio San Agustin in Machachi Canton in the province of Pichincha in the EEQ by its Spanish acronym, Empresa Electrica de Quito, before and after the curfew measures issued by the national COE (by its Spanish acronym) in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic. It is carried out taking into account a stratum distributed by the level of energy consumption, conducting age surveys of users in the area, determining its variation in relation to the years 2018, 2019 2020 and 2021, applying the curvilinear regression method to estimate the average monthly demand in relation to the average age of users, and as a result thereof, the group that reaches the peaks of power consumption in the period from March to November 2020, corresponds to an average age ranging from 27 to 33 years old and the average age groups that present the lowest average consumption are those ranging from 20 to 25 and from 40 to 45 years old. © The author.
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COVID-19 lockdowns enabled researchers to examine air quality in response to economic shifts. However, sub-Saharan African studies are limited, and lockdowns in tropical countries coincided with the wet season. We provide the first record of variations (including diurnal change, daytime and nighttime curfew) in concentrations of black carbon related to fossil fuel burning (BCff) and biomass burning (BCbb) for 2020, focused on three periods: before lockdown (P1: February 8–March 21), lockdown (P2: March 22–May 3), and after lockdown (P3: May 04–June 14) in 2020, with the same periods in 2018 and 2019 used as a control. The annual average BC concentration in Kigali City was 7.8 μg/m3 in 2020. During curfew hours, BCff was reduced by 59% between P2 and P3 (not observed in previous years), which indicates that the lockdown improved transport-related air pollution in Kigali only during curfew hours. No significant change was observed in BCbb concentrations. When COVID-19 restrictions were lifted, black carbon exceeded the same period in previous years. There is evidence for a link between the decline in Rwanda's vehicle use and a reduction in BCff, suggesting that air pollution in African cities could be reduced by promoting sustainable transportation.
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Background: An unusual increase in the number of gout cases was observed in Cameroon in 2020. Was there a link with lifestyle changes during confnement, especially the consumption of certain types of beverages (beer, liquor, water, sweetened drinks)? Objectives: To determine if there was a correlation with the consumption of different beverages (water, beer, liquor, sweetened drinks). Methods: Cross-sectional study in the rheumatology consultation of the Douala General Hospital, from January 1 to December 31, 2020, including all patients with a diagnosis of gout (ACR/EULAR criteria of 2015). Pearson's correlation (r) was used to determine the effect of the consumption of the different beverages on the increase in the number of gout cases. A p<0.05 was signifcant. Results: We included 1952 patients, including 111 gout cases (107 men;median age: 51 years [36-81]). Compared with the same period in 2018 and 2019, a peak in gout cases was observed between May and November 2020 (Figure 1). In the same period, a positive correlation existed between the number of gout cases and the increase in sales of liquor (r=0.8434, p=0.034) and sweetened beverages (r=0.8436, p=0.034). This correlation was not signifcant for beer sales (r=0.7980, p=0.057) [Table 1]. The COVID-19 PCR test was negative in all patients. Conclusion: The real 'outbreak' of gout observed during the curfew related to COVID-19 between May and November 2020 was favored by a punctual increase in the consumption of liquors and sweetened drinks.
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Background: Treatment of patients with osteoporosis was inadequate even before the COVID-19 pandemic. Not only patients without fracture, but only a small proportion of patients with osteoporotic fracture have treated. In Hungary only 30% of patients with osteoporosis received adequate antiporotic treatment before the pandemic. Almost 90% of whom were women, less than 10% of men. The incidence of fractures is increasing dramatically worldwide. In 2010, the vertebral fracture rate was 3.5 million in Europe but it is expected to reach 4.5 million by 2025. In 1990, osteoporosis caused 1.26 million hip fractures and by 2025 this is estimated at 2.6 million worldwide. The care for patients with osteoporosis was further aggravated by the restrictions necessarily imposed due to the coronavirus. Objectives: The aim of the study was to explore the extent and consequences of diagnostic and therapeutic failure in patients with osteoporosis. Methods: I determined the number of osteoporosis examinations performed in our centre in 2019-2021 from the medical database. I surveyed how many patients were discontinued the antiporotic treatment during the pandemic according to the different drug groups in Hungary and also in our centre as well as the prevalence of wrist and hip fractures due to minor trauma in our county in the pre-and post-pandemic period. Results: In our centre an average of 30 DEXA examinations were performed daily in the pre-pandemic period. From the end of October 2021 to the end of May 2021 there was not perform any ODM examinations. It means 3.980 missed exams and at least 1.000 missed osteoporosis diagnoses and therapy starts. More than 20% of patient were lost from the antiporotic care in Hungary. Drop-out was mainly seen in patients treated with bisphosphonates. There were 20730 bisphosphonate-treated patient in 2019, 19813 in 2020 and 17315 in 2021. Antiporotic treatment was discontinued in 30% of patients treated with bisphosphonate+vitamin-D (7849 in 2019, 6950 in 2020, 5484 in 2021) or bisphosphonate+calcium+vitamin-D fxed combination products (3256-2876-2289). In our centre, the prescribing of bisphosphonates has also decreased more than half. Patients treated with iv. bisphosphonates were interrupted or switched to oral formulations. Denosumab therapy was continuous: 581 injections were prescribed in the 12 months before and 579 during the pandemic. However, no new treatment started. In case of teriparatide, the initiated therapies were continued and even the number of prescriptions increased. As a consequence, an increase in the occurrence of fractures due to minor trauma is expected. Although epidemiological restrictions in this regard, the curfew has had some positive effects. According to international data, the number of wrist fractures has almost halved, while the data for hip fractures are controversial. The decrease of wrist fractures can also be verifed in our county. The number of wrist fractures was 598 in April-May 2019, 393 in the same period in 2020, and 372 in 2021. After a signifcant reduction in hip fractures in 2020, there is already an upward trend in 2021 (470 in 2019, 358 in 2020, 393 in 2021). The real consequences of failure to treat osteoporosis are expected only after years. Conclusion: Missed doctor-patient appointments were associated with missed diagnoses and interruptions of ongoing treatments. Fear of the virus, immobilisation due to home office and curfews, lack of exercise, sun exposure, caused depressive symptoms, increased alcohol consumption and caloric intake are all increase the risk of osteoporosis. Thus, traditional risk factors for osteoporosis expanded with the direct effects and the introduced restrictions because of the pandemic.
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Introduction: The recent pandemic of the new coronavirus, COVID-19, has had financial and social repercussions apart from its consequences to the physical and mental health of humans. Aim: The aim of this work was to study the way of the self-management of stress and fear which has been caused by the pandemic crisis, as well as the impact of the pandemic on daily living. More specifically, the factors which influenced the management of the symptoms of fear, either in a positive or in a negative way, were studied, and also the ways individuals and their families use to manage fear. Method: The method which was used was the case study of an adult female who lives and works in a Greek town, during the third curfew, in March 2021. The tool which was used for data collection was the semistructured interview, by utilizing a questionnaire consisting of 10 open-ended questions. Before the start of the interview, a signed informed consent form was obtained. The questions were divided into three topic areas, with the first concerning the demonstration of stress before the pandemic broke out, the second concerning the fear during the pandemic, and the third dealing with the ways of managing fear, the availability of persons capable of helping, as well as the kind of help she could have sought to cope with this situation. Results: The results of this study showed the impact of the curfew restrictions for the management of the pandemic on the daily lives of the people who experience them. Before the start of the pandemic, stress was primarily related to work and to the need of maintaining a routine. Public fear intensified during the pandemic and the lockdown, both in relation to work and in relation to the pandemic itself, and also in relation to its effects on work and social life, and certainly on physical and mental health. Her stress affected the rest of her family members;however, her social network proved to be a significant support. Conclusions: Stress and fear increased during the pandemic and the lockdown which was imposed in Greece in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This stress, which prior to the pandemic was focused mainly on work-related issues, spread to other areas of daily life, a fact that affected all the family members. Discussions and support from the husband, and also from the wider circle of family and friends, helped deal with and manage the situation which was caused by the pandemic, due to the special living conditions which were in force.
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On March 2, 2020, Saudi Arabia announced the first coronavirus case. A complete lockdown started in Makkah on April 2, 2020. The holy capital of Islam has always been packed with pilgrims, but the situation was different with COVID-19. The full lockdown continued in Makkah even during the holy month of Ramadan. This study discusses the experience of full lockdown in the context of Makkah with its unique status as a holy city, with the longer period of its complete lockdown compared to other Saudi cities. The article presents a case study focusing on the interior design students at Umm al-Qura University in Makkah. The students’ experiences of the pandemic and the full curfew are discussed using descriptive and analytical methods. This article highlights the students’ challenges and difficulties regarding their emotions, specifically concerning the house and considers the functionality of its interior space. The study concludes with an evaluation of the inconveniences and discomforts of the domestic space. This article highlights some key observations, such as the lack of fresh air and natural light in some zones. Finally, the study notes several cultural issues that had a major impact and suggests some recommendations for future house planning. © 2022, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Indonesia. All rights reserved.