Indirect effects of COVID-19 pandemic on reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health services in Pakistan

Background: COVID-19 is having many impacts on health, economy and social life; some due to the indirect effects of closure of health facilities to curb the spread. Closures were implemented in Pakistan from March 2020, affecting provision of reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health (RMNCH) services. Aim: To appraise the effects of containment and lockdown policies on RMNCH service utilization in order to develop an early response to avoid the catastrophic impact of COVID-19 on RMNCH in Pakistan. Methods: Routine monitoring data were analysed for indicators utilization of RMNCH care. The analysis was based on Period 1 (January–May 2020, first wave of COVID-19); Period 2 (June–September 2020, declining number of cases of COVID-19); and Period 3 (October–December 2020, second wave of COVID-19). We also compared data from May and December 2020 with corresponding months in 2019, to ascertain whether changes were due to COVID-19. Results: Reduced utilization was noted for all RMNCH indicators during Periods 1 and 3. There was a greater decline in service utilization during the first wave, and the highest reduction (~82%) was among children aged < 5 years, who were treated for pneumonia. The number of caesarean sections dropped by 57%, followed by institutional deliveries and first postnatal visit (37% each). Service utilization increased from June to September, but the second wave of COVID-19 led to another decrease. Conclusion: To reinstate routine services, priority actions and key areas include continued provision of family planning services along with uninterrupted immunization campaigns and routine maternal and child services.

Consequences of job insecurity for hospitality workers amid COVID-19 pandemic: does social support help?

Using a time-lagged field survey, the current study examined the psycho-economic effects of job insecurity among hospitality workers during the recent pandemic of COVID-19. The study also examined social support as a buffering agent against the harmful effects of job insecurity. Data were collected from employees (N = 272) working in numerous hotels, restaurants, and travel agencies across Pakistan. Hierarchical moderated regression analysis was used to test the study’s hypotheses. The results suggested that job insecurity was negatively related to self-esteem and positively related to economic deprivation. In addition, social support significantly moderated the effects of job insecurity on mental health, self-esteem, economic self-efficacy and life satisfaction such that the negative effects of job insecurity were stronger when social support was low. The results for economic deprivation, however, were contrary to the expectations, whereby job insecurity had a strong positive effect on economic deprivation in case of high social support. (English) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] 目前的研究使用了一个时间滞后的实地调查，考察了在最近流行的COVID-19期间，酒店员工工作不安全感的心理经济影响. 这项研究还考察了社会支持作为缓冲剂对抗工作不安全的有害影响. 数据收集自在巴基斯坦各地众多酒店、餐厅和旅行社工作的员工（N=272）. 分层缓和回归分析被用来检验研究的假设. 结果表明，工作不安全感与自尊呈负相关，与经济剥夺呈正相关. 此外，社会支持显著地调节了工作不安全感对心理健康、自尊、经济自我效能感和生活满意度的影响，当社会支持较低时，工作不安全感的负效应更强. 然而，经济剥夺的结果与预期相反，即在高社会支持的情况下，工作不安全感对经济剥夺有强烈的积极影响. (Chinese) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd 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 abstract 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 abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Proposed Design of Walk-Through Gate (WTG): Mitigating the Effect of COVID-19

The world is facing a new challenge to overcome the pandemic disease of Coronavirus (COVID-19). An outbreak of COVID-19 to more than 213 countries and territories caused damage to the economy of every country. The proper vaccine to combat this pandemic disease is not invented yet. Due to the lockdown situation, there is a shortage of daily used products globally. To overcome the issue of food shortage and economic survival, the world has to ease the lockdown rules and become operational with the precautionary measures. COVID-19 has a fast transmission rate, therefore, while living with COVID-19, breaking the fast transmission chain of COVID-19 is the only vital solution. Furthermore, there is a dire need to disinfect every individual and his luggage at the entrance of every shopping mall, hospital, public and private institutions, bus stops, metro stations, and railway stations. Hence, the proposed walk-through gate (WTG) with different sensors, i.e., infrared thermal camera, UV disinfectant sensor, disinfectant spraying system, touch-less hand sanitizer, and box having a face mask with a dustbin to discard the previous mask can provide an effective and efficient relief. The world cannot stop working and cannot survive for more than 3-6 months in a lockdown, hence the proposed idea is to install the disinfectant automated spraying WTG with a security walk-through gate at every possible entrance to conform living with the COVID-19 disease such as many other diseases. Breaking the transmission chain is the only solution to win the battle against COVID-19 until an effective vaccine invention.