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This work had the general objective of analyzing how the Brazilian Federal Government, through tax incentive laws, has enhanced the economic activity of companies, highlighting the current socioeconomic scenario caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The research was classified as qualitative, documental, bibliographic, basic and descriptive. The federal rules on tax incentives that exist in Brazil until March 2020 were analyzed, totaling eleven rules. Then, it was verified if there were any changes in the period from March 2020 to December 2021, and if there were publications of new federal rules on tax incentives. The conclusions are that of the federal norms already instituted, in March 2020, six have undergone changes: Rouanet Law;Informatics Law;Audiovisual Law;Sports Incentive Law;Payroll Exemption Law;and Drawback Law. Regarding the federal regulations instituted in the period, there was no institution of tax incentives, which the companies needed to be able to maintain their cash flow, enhance their socio-economic activities and mitigate the impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which highlighted a certain slowness in the approval procedures of the Law projects. Possibly, the benefits already granted would need to be extended or adjusted.
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Currently, digital transformation is a process that cuts across different sectors of activity, including banks. One of the examples is the availability of products and services on digital channels. This study aims to identify the changes implemented in the digital channels of banks in Portugal that were driven by the covid-19 pandemic, contributing to the acceleration of digital transformation. 30 Reports and Accounts from 10 banks were selected from 2019 to 2021 and analyzed using the Leximancer software to identify the main themes and concepts. The results allowed the identification of 4 themes and 40 most relevant concepts. It is concluded that banks have reinforced digital channels in terms of products and services with evident concerns associated with security. This study, at an academic level, aims to contribute with a conceptual map of the measures adopted. At the business level, it aims to enable managers to define other initiatives and enhance those already implemented. © 2022 Associacao Portuguesa de Sistemas de Informacao. All rights reserved.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has led to significant impacts on global public health and as a result, on various economic sectors with tourism being one of the most affected. In this context, this work aimed to identify the impacts on tourism in the municipalities of Sao Luis, Barreirinhas and Tutoia, in addition to confrontational actions in the sector. Methodologically, this is a qualitative, descriptive and exploratory study built on bibliographical and documentary research, and semistructured interviews with tourism administrators held between November 2020 and March 2021. The reflections are based on content analysis. The results pointed out that the key impacts involved drop in tourism flows, reduction/disruption in sales, unemployment and company bankruptcy. In terms of adopted strategies, government measures based on decrees and laws have been verified, in addition to those in direct responsibility of entrepreneurs e.g. the adoption of sanitary protocols and customers communication backed up by technology. The government's support for economic recovery came in the form of public policies, which were its greatest ally.
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This article assumes that international tourism is facing a deep crisis as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic that brought about the paralysis of the sector, resulting in trillions of losses. However, its effects occur unevenly in space-time, which requires localized studies to decipher the specificities of its impacts on tourism in different places. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the implications on tourism, specifically, on tourism services in the city of Aracaju/SE, from the restrictive measures instituted with the pandemic. The methodological procedures adopted in this exploratory research were the bibliographic survey, the documental research, as well as interviews with public agents and application of forms with city residents, with a quantitative-qualitative analysis approach. The results point to new challenges for the destination with regard to the resumption and attraction of tourist flows. In this sense, it is urgent to prepare creative proposals and protocols adjusted in the world scenario for the reactivation of the sector's activities.
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INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: There is a lack of information regarding bronchoscopy practice in adults in Portugal. Our objective was to obtain an overview of the characteristics, resources, techniques and behaviors in national interventional pulmonology (IP) units, before and after SARS-CoV-2 outbreak. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An online survey was developed by an expert panel with a total of 46 questions comprising the specifications of each unit, namely physical space, equipment, staff, procedure planning, monitoring, technical differentiation, and numbers pre- and post-COVID-19. Forty-one interventional pulmonology centers were invited to participate between April and May 2021. RESULTS: 37 units (90.2%) responded to the survey. The majority (64.9%) have a fully dedicated space with a weekly presence of ≥3 chest physicians (82.1%) and support of an anesthesiologist on specific days (48.6%). There is marked heterogeneity in the IP unit's equipment, and 56.8% acquired disposable bronchoscopes after COVID-19 pandemics. Pre-bronchoscopy hemogram, platelet count and coagulation tests are regularly asked by more than 90% of the units, even when deep sedation or biopsies are not planned. In 97.3% of cases, topical anesthesia and midazolam are utilized. Propofol (21.6%) and fentanyl (29.7%) are occasionally employed in some institutions. Most units use ancillary sampling techniques to diagnose central or peripheral lesions, with radial EBUS being used for guidance of distal procedures in 37.8% of centers, linear EBUS and EUS-B-FNA for mediastinal diagnosis and/or staging in 45.9% and 27.0% of units, respectively. Cryobiopsies are used by 21.6% of respondents to diagnose diffuse lung diseases. Rigid bronchoscopy is performed in 37.8% of centers. There was a decrease in the number of flexible (p < 0.001) and rigid (p = 0.005) bronchoscopies and an upscale of personal protective equipment (PPE) during the COVID-19 outbreak. CONCLUSIONS: IP units have variable bronchoscopic practices, but during the COVID-19 pandemic, they complied with most international recommendations, as elective procedures were postponed and PPE levels increased.
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The current COVID-19 pandemic is likely to have a strong negative impact on African countries. This is due to the fact that poverty has reduced the ability of these countries to implement health measures that are necessary to address the pandemic. In this article, I contend that colonialism has a role to play in this reduced ability to respond to the current crisis. Hence I argue that Ubuntu ethics imposes responsibility on European governments to aid Africans during this period.
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Context: The pandemic crisis caused by COVID-19, introduced a breakdown in the world and Brazilian economies. It also caused the premature and unnecessary deaths in society, known as mistanásia, with nexus and legal implications bound into distinct agents of the public structure. Objective: The aim of this paper is to demonstrate, based on the privation of the access to health, to life and dignity rights, the main legal implications concerning to the State responsibility for the mistanasia among citizens, especially those in the lower social layers, under the effects of COVID-19. Method: This work, of a qualitative stamp, has subjective nature, and it is categorized as a theoretical one. The premises, linking legal implication, are demonstrated by means of conceptual interpretation, evidence and processes that exacerbate the phenomenon of mistanasia, as a malefic social consequence from the spreading of COVID-19. Results: The analysis of the emergency scenario caused by COVID-19 points to three main areas of legal implications as a result of the exacerbation of mistanasia in Brazilian society. One refers to the State role and the public system corruption, chronically ravaging the society. The other comes from the structural context, adjunct to the judiciary power, interfering on national unity. It generates litigation among public agents to win political power. And the still another encompasses the State responsibilities. Conclusions: Main conclusions indicate that in any case, the State, coated by the executive, judiciary and legislative powers is, ultimately, the main responsible for undermining the constitutional rights of people to health, to life and to human dignity, especially of the citizens with less resources. This undermining let individuals at the mercy of a growing mistanasia. It is objectively demonstrated that the exacerbation of mistanasia in society, in times of COVID-19, comes as a result of the structural ineptitude of the State, obliterating its own guiltiness and self-protecting of legal sanctions for not accomplishing its constitutional obligations. © 2021, Centro Universitario Curitiba - UNICURITIBA. All rights reserved.
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Background/Introduction: Brazil is among the 10 biggest pharmaceutical markets in the world [1] and local recent publications show that prevalence of adverse events of medicines on Brazilian population is around 6.6% [2] and hospitalizations caused by potential side effects can reach a prevalence of approximately 46% [3]. Despite that, population does not have enough information about rational use of medicines. Besides, there is lack of capacity building among healthcare professionals (HCPs) and health services (HS) about their role in the healthcare with regards to safe use of medicines. Objective/Aim: HCPs need to be instructed and encouraged to recognize and report adverse events of medicines inside and outside of the HS. With this, they will be able to make communities aware of the importance of taking care and paying special attention on medicine's use. Methods: Through a partnership between different stakeholders (pharmaceutical industry, academia, clinical practice), it was built a e-learning-set for HCPs based on the real need of target audience by sharing knowledge and experiences about correct, safe and rational use of medicines. Results: A 30-h online "Patient Safety and Pharmacovigilance" Course split in 4 modules was offered by Pharmacy College (Universidade de Sao Paulo) and FIPFARMA (Fundacao Instituto de Pesquisas Farmaceuticas) in Nov 2020. There were recorded classes, synchronous meetings and also workshops about the main topics: Overview of Healthcare and Pharmacovigilance (PV);Drug Safety and Management of Drug Utilization;Patient Safety Culture. 51 participants were approved and they expressed the importance of the course to improve adverse event notification flow in HS, enhance quality of existing processes, promote activities of education to other HCPs, including the development of a PV system from scratch in a covid-19 HS. Conclusion: The e-learning format course was an effective tool to achieve and integrate HCPs in pandemics time, providing knowledge and changing mindset about PV. This initiative demonstrated that cocreation by different stakeholders with one common purpose "patient safety" can make the difference improving people's live preventing and avoiding any unnecessary risk related to medicines.
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Parallel to the millions of lives that it killed across the planet and the various consequences brought to different spheres of social life, the Covid-19 pandemic also brought to light a series of debates of a moral, ideological, cultural and social order. Biomedical guidelines to try to contain the advance of the coronavirus, especially social isolation, created great tension around some highly complex issues, such as between the commitment to the collectivity versus individual freedom, the right to live life versus the unrestricted defense of life, economic needs versus maintaining health. The purpose of this article was precisely to reflect on these issues, seeking to problematize the place of Sociology - as a field of scientific knowledge - within this debate.
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In March 2020, the United Kingdom (UK) government ruled that householders must stay home as a response to the COVID-19 outbreak to help flatten the curve of the epidemic and reduce the exponential growth of the virus. Commercial activities, workplaces and schools were obliged to temporarily close in compliance with the government rules. This first and most restrictive lockdown took place from late March to early May 2020 when occupants had to stay in their homes except for very restricted essential activities. Two other lockdowns were introduced in November 2020 and January 2021, alongside with a range of restrictive measures during 2020. This offered an unprecedented opportunity to investigate the impact of a prolonged period of occupancy on household electricity consumption. In this work, the authors compared electricity consumption data collected from 21 energy-efficient houses in Nottingham, UK, during these lockdown periods to the same period in the previous year. The findings indicated that the monthly electricity consumption in April 2020, during the strictest lockdown, increased approximately 7% in comparison to the same period in 2019. Hourly average electrical power demand profile during this lockdown showed earlier and longer peaks in the evenings with the emergence of a new midday peak in comparison to typical daily peaks prior to lockdown. Total electricity consumption increased by 17% in 2020–2021, when restrictive measures were in place. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
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Introduction: Coronavirus (SARS-CoV2) infection occurs through the receptor's angiotensin converting enzyme 2, present in the pulmonary, biliary, and hepatic epithelial cells. Therefore, the liver is a potential target for infection. Objectives: To analyze liver changes resulting from Sars-Cov-2 infection in patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of the Rondônia Tropical Medicine Center (CEMETRON). Methods: Patients admitted between April and August 2020 in the CEMETRON ICU were included in the study. Project approved by the Research Ethics Committee. For statistical analysis, the SPSS® program was used. Results: 307 patients were admitted to the CEMETRON ICU. 81 (26.4%) non-COVID and 226 (73.6%) diagnosed with COVID. Among the 226 tested positive for COVID, 52.3% and 54.3% had, respectively, an increase in ALT and AST up to three times the upper limit of normal (40-120U/L). Non-COVID patients showed this increase in 20.8% for ALT and 33.3% for AST, being statistically significant (p: <0.005 for both). Transaminases above 120U/L had no statistically significant difference between the two groups. Regarding liver function assessed through bilirubin, albumin and platelets, there was no statistically significant difference in any of the variables (p: 0.93 p: 0.45 p: 0.599 respectively). The means varied within the normal range, except for both groups there was a tendency towards hypoalbuminemia (3.1 g / dL). Conclusion: Patients with COVID evolved in more than 50% of the cases with changes in liver enzymes, showing that despite the inflammation, liver function was not directly affected. We associate hypoalbuminemia more with basal malnutrition than with hepatic impairment.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has brought significant challenges to healthcare systems worldwide, and in Africa, given the lack of resources, they are likely to be even more acute. The usefulness of Traditional African Healers in helping to mitigate the effects of pandemic has been neglected. We argue from an ethical perspective that these healers can and should have an important role in informing and guiding local communities in Africa onhowto prevent the spread of COVID-19. Particularly, we argue not only that much of the philosophy underlying Traditional African Medicine is adequate and compatible with preventive measures for COVID-19, but also that Traditional African Healers have some unique cultural capital for influencing and enforcing such preventive measures. The paper therefore suggests that not only given the cultural context of Africa where Traditional African Healers have a special role, but also because of the normative strength of the Afro-communitarian philosophy that informs it, there are good ethical reasons to endorse policies that involve Traditional Healers in the fight against COVID-19. Wealso maintain that concerns about Traditional African Healers objectionably violating patient confidentiality or being paternalistic are much weaker in the face of COVID-19.
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This article aims to make some reflections, based on a sociological approach, about the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the functioning of social systems and subsystems. To this end, we draw on the theoretical-epistemological assumptions of the theory of society developed by the German sociologist Niklas Luhmann, the main representative of systemic thinking in the Social Sciences. We argue that the new coronavirus pandemic causes a systemic disturbance that has a profound impact on the functioning of the entire global society, as well as on its social systems and subsystems, imposing a series of challenges on the reproduction of social life. © 2021
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Problem Statement:The COVID-19 pandemic led to significant changes in the life routines of preschool children, both during lockdown and post-lockdown periods. Approach:An online survey completed by parents, in-loco assessment scales filled in by a researcherand semi-structured interviews with preschool teacherswere used to investigate the effects of the adjustments, which occurred in preschool children’s lives, in the lockdown and post lockdown periods.Purpose:To characterize the levels of physical activity that Portuguese children had during the lockdown period and to understand what changed in their school routines in the post-lockdown period, regarding the organization of school spaces and routines.Results:Parents reported that children aged 3 to 5spent most of their time during lockdownundertaking sedentary activities (72% of their daily activities). In the post-lockdown period,results indicate that in June there was an increase in the number of preschools with a poor quality of environment compared to the pre-pandemic period (October/November).Taking into account the measures implemented in preschools to prevent the COVID-19 transmission,teachers were of the opinion that limiting the number of children sharing material was the worst measure imposed, since it hampered children’s socialization. Conversely, increasing the use of the outdoor space was deemed positive because it improved children’s happiness and action possibilities outside.Conclusions: TheCOVID-19pandemic has had a clear impact on Portuguese children’s overall levels of physical activity during lockdown. In some schools, the implementation of health guidelines has also led to further negative effects on children’s play opportunities. However, many schools seem to be successful in finding strategies to ensure a healthy balance between promoting children’s physical activity and ensuring risk control. © JPES.
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ABSTRACT Several studies on the pathophysiological and epidemiological characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 indicate the extracorporeal viability of the virus and the possibility of faecal-oral transmission through contaminated natural water and wastewater' suggesting a potential risk of spreading in socially vulnerable areas' such as the Brazilian Amazon' where access to sanitation and health services is lacking. [...]an attempt we made to outline an overview of sanitation in the Brazilian Amazon and its possible impacts on the most vulnerable populations and on the health system in a pandemic situation' based on bibliographic and documentary review and exploratory analysis of data related to basic sanitation and health. The absence or insufficiency of sanitation services, especially with regard to the promotion of drinking water supply and the collection and adequate treatment of sanitary sewers, directly affects the health of the population, increasing the spread of viral, bacterial and parasitic diseases, especially in urban and periurban areas, where these services are even more precarious or simply non-existent. In addition to being an important indicator of a country's level of development, sanitation is an indispensable aspect of health promotion, especially in reducing hospitalizations and mortality from infectious diseases, notably those related to water and excreta. [...]this study aims to analyse the situation of access to drinking water supply and sewage collection in the Amazon region, presenting an overview of basic sanitation in a pandemic scenario of COVID-19 and the possible risk of transmission of the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) through contaminated natural water and wastewater. 2 MATERIAL AND METHODS This study starts initially from a literature review that, according to Gil (2008), makes use of materials already published, mainly scientific articles. With the exponential increase in the number of cases, the World Health Organization declared, on January 30, 2020, the Chinese outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Interest, with high risk for countries with vulnerable health systems.