Cognitive influences on biosecurity measure compliance during a global pandemic.

Introduction: During the first years of the pandemic, COVID-19 forced governments worldwide to take drastic measures to reduce the spread of the virus. Some of these measures included mandatory confinements, constant use of masks, and social distancing. Despite these measures being mandatory in many countries and the abundance of evidence on their effectiveness at slowing the spread of the virus, many people failed to comply with them. Methods: This research explored the role of cognitive factors in predicting compliance with COVID-19 safety measures across two separate studies. Building on earlier work demonstrating the relevance of cognitive processes in health behaviour, this study aimed to identify key predictors of adherence to safety guidelines during the pandemic. Utilising hierarchical regression models, we investigated the influence of age, sex, cognitive control, cognitive flexibility (Study 1), working memory, psychological health, and beliefs about COVID-19 (Study 2) on compliance to biosafety measures. Results: Demographic variables and cognitive control were significant predictors of compliance in both studies. However, cognitive flexibility and working memory did not improve the models' predictive capacities. In Study 2, integrating measures of psychological health and beliefs regarding COVID-19 severity significantly improved the model. Further, interaction effects between age and other variables also enhanced the predictive value. Discussion: The findings emphasise the significant role cognitive control, age, psychological health, and perceptions about COVID-19 play in shaping compliance behaviour, highlighting avenues for targeted interventions to improve public health outcomes during a pandemic.

Manejo de medidas de bioseguridad en el personal de enfermería que labora en el área de emergencia del hospital general norte de Guayaquil IESS los ceibos / Management of biosecurity measures for nursing personnel working in the emergency area of the Hospital General Norte de Guayaquil IESS Los Ceibos

Las medidas de Bioseguridad son un conjunto de normas preventivas que debe aplicar el personal de salud y de enfermería para evitar el contagio por la exposición de agentes infecciosos, sean físicos, químicos o biológicos. Objetivo: Determinar el manejo de las medidas de bioseguridad del personal de enfermería del servicio de emergencia del Hospital General Norte de Guayaquil IESS Los Ceibos. Fundamentándose en la gran problemática del manejo de los riesgos biológicos en el personal sanitario, que con frecuencia omite aplicar normas de seguridad, lo que aumenta el riesgo de contraer una enfermedad infectocontagiosa de tipo laboral. Materiales y métodos: La metodología empleada fue diseño descriptivo, con corte transversal, Cuali-cuantitativo. La recolección de datos se la realizó mediante la aplicación de cuestionarios pre estructurado, los cuales ayudaron a establecer el nivel de conocimientos y manejo de las medidas de bioseguridad por parte del personal. La muestra la conformaron 90 enfermeras y enfermeros que laboran en el área de emergencia. Resultados: Los resultados revelaron que el nivel de conocimiento del personal de enfermería es alto o adecuado con un porcentaje promedio de 77,67%, por ende, el 22,33% del personal desconoce estas medidas preventivas o tiene conocimiento deficiente. Con respecto a la aplicación de las medidas de bioseguridad se obtuvo un porcentaje general de 47%, es decir se considera la aplicación de estas normas por parte del personal deficiente e insuficiente. Conclusión: Se menciona que hay riesgos en el área de emergencia, prevaleciendo entre ellos el biológico de acuerdo a la opinión del personal encuestado, por otra parte, se determinó un conocimiento eficiente de las medidas de bioseguridad, pero su aplicación en relación al conocimiento es deficiente, situación que incrementa el riesgo laboral(AU)

Biosafety measures are a set of preventive rules to be applied by health and nursing personnel to avoid contagion by exposure to infectious agents, whether physical, chemical or biological. Objective: To determine the management biosecurity measures of the nursing staff of the emergency service of the Hospital General Norte de Guayaquil IESS Los Ceibos. Based on the great problem of the management of biological risks in health personnel, who often fail to apply safety standards, which increases the risk of contracting an occupational infectious-contagious disease. Materials and methods: The methodology used was a descriptive, cross-sectional, qualitative-quantitative design. Data collection was carried out through the application of pre-structured questionnaires, which helped to establish the level of knowledge and management biosafety measures by the personnel. The sample consisted of 90 nurses working in the emergency area. The results: The results revealed that the level of knowledge of the nursing personnel is high or adequate with an average percentage of 77.67%; therefore, 22.33% of the personnel are unaware of these preventive measures or have deficient knowledge. With respect to the application biosecurity measures, an overall percentage of 47% was obtained, i.e. the application of these norms by of personnel is considered deficient and insufficient. Conclusion: It is mentioned that there are risks in the emergency area, prevailing among them the biological risk, according to the opinion of the personnel surveyed. On the other hand, an efficient knowledge of the biosecurity measures was determined, but their application in relation to the knowledge is deficient, a situation that increases the occupational risk(AU)

Influenza activity during the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 in Chinese mainland.

Since coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) might circulate in the following seasons, it is essential to understand how COVID-19 influences other respiratory diseases, especially influenza. In this study, we analyzed the influenza activity from mid-November 2019 to March 2020 in Chinese mainland and found that the influenza season ended much earlier than previous seasons for all subtypes and lineages, which may have resulted from the circulation of COVID-19 and measures such as travel control and personal protection. These findings provide rudimentary knowledge of the co-circulation patterns of the two types of viruses.