RESUMEN
Despite the progress made to attain the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2: zero hunger in other regions of the world, the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation notes that Asia and Africa are still lagging in this regard. The advent of COVID-19 is exacerbating the situation. This study examines how the impact of natural disasters compounded by COVID-19 (COVID-19 plus) affected the state of food security and nutritional status of the populace in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the consequences of these on development. The study used secondary and archival data from field assessments conducted by SADC member countries and other critical secondary data sources. The study found that extreme weather patterns, such as droughts, flooding and intense rainfall, coupled with sociopolitical instability and the outbreak of COVID-19 would further limit the region's ability to meet targets set under SDG 2 (zero hunger) and other SDG targets it has synergies with, particularly those related to health (SDG3). Increased food insecurity is a threat to the health, social and economic well-being of the region's population, with detrimental implications for the present and future security of the region. The study calls for support, such as extended social safety net programmes to deal with food insecurity challenges in the short to medium term, if the situation is to be harnessed from further deterioration. There is also a need to put in place measures to address increasing poverty and inequality meted on the populations by COVID-19 induced lockdowns. Such interventions must be sensitive to gender and prioritise the needs of the youth population. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2023.
RESUMEN
The advent and rapid spread of the coronavirus resulted in the need and demand for timely and reliable information about the contagion. The absence of such information led to a massive COVID-19 infodemic paddled on different forms of media. Myths, conspiracies, rumours and misinformation about the disease rapidly spread across the globe causing panic, anxiety, racism and sometimes false hope. The chapter examines the different sources of COVID-19 misinformation that led to the infodemic and then analyses the implications of the infodemic on Zimbabwe. The chapter uses secondary data in the form of available documents and reports on COVID-19 misinformation. Qualitative thematic analysis was used to analyse the collected data. The results show that COVID-19 infodemic is one of the factors that have prolonged and intensified the pandemic. This is because there was an overabundance of false information, especially on social media platforms, which made it difficult for affected people to get reliable guidance when they needed it. Zimbabwe, like most African countries, has been equally impacted because there is limited capacity to counter health misinformation. There are no specific indicators permitting the monitoring of misinformation and its impact. There is therefore a need for different stakeholders in the country to partner in the development of robust infodemic management strategies and/or policies. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2023.
RESUMEN
Th e cruise ship industry was one of the fastest growing subsectors of the tourism industry before the advent of COVID-19. Th is paper examines the prospects and recovery of the cruise ship industry from the devastating impacts of COVID-19 on the industry. Th e study relied mostly on event study and secondary data, including survey data from authoritative sources, data from representative organisations, news reports and academic literature. Th e results show that the industry exhibited high levels of customer loyalty and resilience to the COVID-19-induced downturn. Th e industry also adopted additional protocols to improve public health on board and protect the health and safety of customers, crews and visited communities. However, continued travel restrictions at both source and destination markets, as well as the continued resurgence of the virus and related uncertainties, threaten the recovery of the industry. Mandatory vaccination of both crew and passengers needs to be considered. © 2022 Sciendo. All rights reserved.
RESUMEN
The restaurant and hospitality industries are crucial socio-economic sectors that contribute immensely to the global economy. However, these sectors are vulnerable and sensitive to natural hazards such as the COVID-19 pandemic and any resultant economic downturns. This study investigates the impact of COVID-19 on the global restaurant industry using data from OpenTable and other sources. The study found that sit-in guests dropped to zero in many countries as governments across the world instituted social distancing initiatives, movement restrictions and lockdowns. COVID-19 also led to an unprecedented loss of employment and revenue, resulting in millions of jobs and billions of dollars in potential revenue lost. The work recommends extra-ordinary financial and other support measures for the sector. It further recommends a raft of safety and health protocols as the industry gradually reopens.