Tourisation Theory and the Pandiscipline of Tourism

It is argued in this letter that tourism studies, as an autonomous field of academic study, can better position itself in the COVID-19 era as a "pandiscipline” which synthesizes concepts and theories from other disciplines to better describe and explain tourism-related phenomena. Universal core tourism structures and processes, in turn, are captured in "tourisation theory,” which describes the increasing embeddedness of tourism in places as manifested in six tentative propositions and associated impulse, amplification, ubiquity, ascendancy, concentration, and endorsement effects. © The Author(s) 2022.

Tropospheric and Surface Nitrogen Dioxide Changes in the Greater Toronto Area during the First Two Years of the COVID‐19 Pandemic

We present tropospheric nitrogen dioxide (NO2) changes observed by the Canadian Pandora measurement program in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Canada, and compare the results with surface NO2 concentrations measured via in situ instruments to assess the local emission changes during the first two years of the COVID‐19 pandemic. In the City of Toronto, the first lock-down period started on 15 March 2020, and continued until 24 June 2020. ECMWF Reanalysis v5 (ERA‐5) wind information was used to facilitate the data analysis and reveal detailed local emission changes from different areas of the City of Toronto. Evaluating seven years of Pandora observations, a clear NO2 reduction was found, especially from the more polluted downtown Toronto and airport areas (e.g., declined by 35% to 40% in 2020 compared to the 5‐year mean value from these areas) during the first two years of the pandemic. Compared to the sharp decline in NO2 emissions in 2020, the atmospheric NO2 levels in 2021 started to recover, but are still below the mean values in pre-pandemic time. For some sites, the pre‐pandemic NO2 local morning rush hour peak has still not returned in 2021, indicating a change in local traffic and commuter patterns. The long‐term (12 years) surface air quality record shows a statistically significant decline in NO2 with and without April to September 2020 observations (trend of −4.1%/yr and −3.9%/yr, respectively). Even considering this long‐term negative trend in NO2, the observed NO2 reduction (from both Pandora and in situ) in the early stage of the pandemic is still statistically significant. By implementing the new wind‐based validation method, the high‐resolution satellite instrument (TROPOMI) can also capture the local NO2 emission pattern changes to a good level of agreement with the ground‐based observations. The bias between ground‐based and satellite observations during the pandemic was found to have a positive shift (5–12%) than the bias during the pre‐pandemic period. © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

Navigating the Coronavirus Infodemic: Exploring the Impact of Need for Orientation, Epistemic Beliefs and Type of Media Use on Knowledge and Misperception about COVID-19

The present study explores the relationship between the need for orientation (NFO) and knowledge/misperception about COVID-19 using a two-wave panel survey of U.S. adults (W-1: N = 1,119;W-2: N = 543). The findings suggest that moderate-active NFO rather than high NFO better predicts individuals' level of knowledge and misperception. We also found that different media use (vertical media and horizontal media) and individuals' epistemic beliefs (intuitionism and rationalism) have distinct implications for knowledge and misperception about COVID-19.

Pediatric eye in the wild blue yonder

Purpose/Relevance: This workshop will discuss the unique challenges of establishing and maintaining a practice in pediatric ophthalmology in a location far from an academic center. Emphasis will be placed on clinical situations encountered in remote locations and on some of the solutions employed by a panel of experienced clinicians. Remote approaches have become especially relevant for pediatric ophthalmologists since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Target Audience: Pediatric ophthalmologists and trainees. Current Practice: Pediatric ophthalmology is a multifaceted subspecialty which frequently interfaces with other pediatric specialists typically located in an academic center. Current standard of care mandates timely and accurate diagnosis and treatment regardless of geographic location. Establishing vision screening protocols, ROP coverage, genetic counseling, and post-operative care are but a few of the challenges in non-academic practice settings. Best Practice: Pediatric ophthalmologists will benefit from discussion of approaches to medical and surgical challenges that present in remote practice locales. Many of these same problems are encountered by practitioners in urban settings, when performing mission eye care, and more recently during COVID. Expected Outcomes: At the conclusion of the workshop members of the audience can be expected to learn from the collective experience of the panelists. Many of these innovative approaches are applicable to the practice of pediatric ophthalmology in any setting, thus improving patient outcomes. Format: Didactic lecture, case presentation, and open question and answer forum. Summary: This workshop will present innovative approaches to common problems encountered by pediatric ophthalmologists. These approaches are applicable to remote locations, many urban settings, mission eye care, and patient care during the current coronavirus pandemic.