Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) in Italians and in immigrants in an area of Northern Italy (Reggio Emilia).

It has been hypothesized that bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG), the anti-tuberculosis vaccine, can be protective against Covid-19. Using data of performed swabs and RT-PCR results for SARS-CoV-2 in the Reggio Emilia province (Emilia-Romagna Region, Northern Italy) from March 6th to March 26th, 2020, we computed age, gender, and place of birth (Italy or abroad) specific risk of being tested, prevalence of positive tests, and probability of testing positive given that a swab has been taken during the epidemic peak. We report that immigrants resident in Reggio Emilia province, mostly coming from Countries with high BCG vaccination coverage, and Italians had a similar prevalence of infection (odds ratio - OR 0.99; 95%CI 0.82-1.20) and similar probability of being tested (OR 0.93; 95%CI 0.81-1.10). Our data do not support the hypothesis that immigrants from Countries where BCG vaccination is recommended have a lower risk of Covid-19 infection.

COVID-19 Pandemic and Resilience of the Transnational Home-Based Elder Care System between Poland and Germany.

As COVID-19 puts older people in long-term institutional care at the highest risk of infection and death, the need for home-based care has increased. Germany relies largely on migrant caregivers from Poland. Yet the pandemic-related mobility restrictions reveal the deficiencies of this transnational elder care system. This article asks if this system is resilient. In order to answer this question, the research team conducted interviews with 10 experts and randomly selected representatives of brokering and sending agencies in Germany and Poland. We interviewed 13 agencies in Germany and 15 in Poland on the agencies' characteristics, recruitment strategies, challenges of the pandemic, and impact of legal regulations in the sector. The analysis shows that the system could mobilize adaptive capacities and continue to deliver services, but its absorptive capacity is limited. To enhance resilience, policies working toward formalization and legalization of care services across national borders are required.

Environmental stress and the quality of life connected with COVID-19 among people in Poland and the Netherlands.

OBJECTIVES: In addition to physical damage, COVID-19 also has a serious impact on the mental health of society. For many people, this involves the necessity of adapting to new conditions, uncertainty about the future and a tremendous mental burden. It was investigated whether there were any differences between the 2 measures (before and during the COVID-19 pandemic) in the levels of perceived stress, anxiety, life satisfaction and experienced emotions. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study, conducted in Poland and the Netherlands, involved 168 people. The metric, the Positive and Negative Experience Scale, the Perceived Stress Scale, the and the Satisfaction With Life Scale were used. The subjects were divided into 3 groups: non-immigrants living in Poland (N = 50), Dutch citizens (N = 56), and Polish immigrants living in the Netherlands (N = 62). RESULTS: The level of stress and negative emotions was higher in the groups of Poles living in Poland and Poles living in the Netherlands than in the group of Dutch citizens. Therefore, access to psychological care should be improved during the pandemic, especially for immigrants, due to the increased risk of developing stress-induced mental disorders. CONCLUSIONS: In the groups of Poles, there was an increase in perceived stress and trait anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. The group of Dutch citizens experienced a reduction in the anxiety level during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the group of Polish immigrants, there was an increase in life satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2021;34(2):177-88.