A context-sensitive collectivism during the COVID-19 pandemic: Effect on the adoption of containment measures in China and the US.

This study investigates individuals' adoption of containment measures (e.g., wearing masks) from the perspectives of cultural values and trust in two countries-China and the US. Distinguished from previous definitions that characterise cultural values as rigid and fixed concepts, this study reconceptualizes collectivism to be a context-sensitive construct. With survey data from a collectivism-prevalent culture (China, n = 1578) and an individualism-prevalent culture (the US, n = 1510), it unfolds the underlying mechanism by which collectivism influences people's adoption of containment measures in both countries. Results indicate that institutional trust serves as a significant mediator in this relationship. In both countries, individuals who hold a collectivistic value on the pandemic are more likely to endorse the adoption of containment measures. This endorsement is driven by their trust in public institutions, which stems from their collectivistic values. Additionally, slight distinctions emerge, revealing that collectivistic values directly predict the behaviours among Chinese individuals, whereas such a direct effect is not observed in the US. Practical implications will be offered.

High-income ZIP codes in New York City demonstrate higher case rates during off-peak COVID-19 waves.

Introduction: Our study explores how New York City (NYC) communities of various socioeconomic strata were uniquely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: New York City ZIP codes were stratified into three bins by median income: high-income, middle-income, and low-income. Case, hospitalization, and death rates obtained from NYCHealth were compared for the period between March 2020 and April 2022. Results: COVID-19 transmission rates among high-income populations during off-peak waves were higher than transmission rates among low-income populations. Hospitalization rates among low-income populations were higher during off-peak waves despite a lower transmission rate. Death rates during both off-peak and peak waves were higher for low-income ZIP codes. Discussion: This study presents evidence that while high-income areas had higher transmission rates during off-peak periods, low-income areas suffered greater adverse outcomes in terms of hospitalization and death rates. The importance of this study is that it focuses on the social inequalities that were amplified by the pandemic.

Exploring the working life of people with multiple sclerosis during the COVID-19 pandemic in Sweden.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic led to vast changes in working life and conditions in which we work. These changes may affect people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) differently. We aimed to describe the working situation of PwMS during the COVID-19 pandemic and the pandemic's impact on their working lives. METHODS: All individuals aged 20-50 listed in the Swedish Multiple Sclerosis Registry were invited to participate in an online survey in 2021. Closed and open-ended responses linked to individual-level register data were used in this exploratory mixed-methods study. Differences in the proportions reporting specific impacts were assessed with chi-square tests by sex, MS severity, education, and profession. The open-ended answers were analysed through content analysis. RESULTS: Over 8500 PwMS were invited (52% response rate). We included the 3887 respondents who answered questions about the impact of the pandemic on working life. Most (93.7%) reported being in paid work. An impact of the ongoing pandemic to one's daily occupation was reported by 26.2%, with different characteristics observed across the impacts. Four categories of type of answers were identified from the open-ended answers: Direct impact on one's occupation, Disclosing or concealing MS in the workplace, Worry and uncertainty, and Broader impact to life situation. CONCLUSIONS: PwMS navigated the pandemic by interrupting as well as continuing their working lives. Many PwMS reported that the pandemic did not affect their work situation. However, the reported impacts differed among the participants and a sense of uncertainty and worry was often underlying their statements. Lessons from the pandemic may support future work participation.

The spread in time and space of COVID-19 pandemic waves: the Italian experience from mortality data analyses.

Introduction: Italy was the first European country affected by COVID-19. Thanks to governmental containment measures (9 March 2020), the spread of COVID-19 was limited. However, in this context, accurate data assessment is crucial and mortality is a more reliable indicator of the virus spread compared to the count of positive cases. This study aimed to retrospectively evaluate the impact of the pandemic in different areas of Italy using the time series analysis of official deaths and excess COVID-19 deaths. Methods: Mortality data (23 February-30 April 2022) by Istituto Nazionale di Statistica (ISTAT) were analyzed, including four waves of COVID-19. Previous mortality data (January 2015-November 2019) were used to estimate a Poisson regression model of the pre-pandemic mortality pattern and derive the excess COVID-19 deaths as the difference between the actual deaths number and the extrapolation of the previous mortality pattern to the pandemic period, separately for Northern, Central, and Southern Italy, to compare the impact of mortality across time periods and geographical areas. Results: Estimated excess compared with official COVID-19 mortality shows that, during the first wave, there was an underestimation of deaths. COVID-19 mortality rate almost doubled the official rate in the North (1.60‰ vs. 0.86‰) and nearly tripled it in the South (0.22‰ vs. 0.08‰). In late 2020-early 2021, official and estimated mortality curves are closer, displaying just a small gap at the start of the second wave. During the fourth wave (end of 2021-early 2022), Northern and Central Italy show reasonable agreement; the South presents a large relative underestimation of deaths (+90% increase), with a large increase in its excess deaths national quota, 9% in the first wave to 42% in the fourth. Discussion: The results provide a measure of the COVID-19 excess deaths and an unbiased estimate of Italian mortality rates. In the first wave, the gap between official COVID-19 and excess mortality was particularly high and lockdown measures may have reduced the spread of the infection. In the fourth wave, the gap for the South increases again, probably because the healthcare system may not have coped with the prolonged pressure of the pandemic, or for a decreased compliance with the official paper-based mortality surveillance system that could be overcome in the future by digitalizing the process.

Biological Containment for African Swine Fever (ASF) Laboratories and Animal Facilities: The Italian Challenge in Bridging the Present Regulatory Gap and Enhancing Biosafety and Biosecurity Measures.

The African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV) is a DNA virus of the Asfarviridae family, Asfivirus genus. It is responsible for massive losses in pig populations and drastic direct and indirect economic impacts. The ever-growing handling of ASFV pathological material in laboratories, necessary for either diagnostic or research activities, requires particular attention to avoid accidental virus release from laboratories and its detrimental economic and environmental effects. Recently, the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689 of 17 December 2019 repealed the Commission Decision of 26 May 2003 reporting an ASF diagnostic manual (2003/422/EC) with the minimum and supplementary requirements for ASF laboratories. This decision generated a regulatory gap that has not been addressed yet. This paper aims to describe the Italian National Reference Laboratory (NRL) efforts to develop an effective and reliable biological containment tool for ASF laboratories and animal facilities. The tool consists of comprehensive and harmonized structural and procedural requirements for ASF laboratories and animal facilities that have been developed based on both current and repealed legislation, further entailing a risk assessment and internal audit as indispensable tools to design, adjust, and improve biological containment measures.

General infection prevention, mitigation, and control procedures implemented in the university education during the COVID-19 pandemic to achieve classroom attendance: a successful community case study.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic entailed confinement and elimination of face-to-face university classes in Spain. The Francisco de Vitoria University in Madrid (UFV by its Spanish acronym) implemented risk management systems to enable on-campus university activity to avoid a negative impact on students, teachers, and faculties. Methods: A tracking/registry system was implemented to collect data, identify COVID-19-related cases, implement containment measures, and do follow-up in the UFV community (administration/services personnel [ASP], teaching/research personnel [TRP], and students), from September 2020 to April 2022. In addition, a prevention plan was implemented on campus to avoid COVID-19 spreading. Satisfaction with these measures was assessed through an online questionnaire. Results: A total of 7,165 suspected COVID-19 cases (84.7% students, 7.7% ASP, 6.5% TRP) were tracked (62.5% female cases, mean age (±SD) 24.8 years (±9.2 years)), and 45% of them confirmed (82% symptomatic/16% asymptomatic), being the student group that with the highest percentage (38.3% total tracked cases). The source of infection was identified in 50.6% of the confirmed cases (90.2% located off-campus). Nineteen COVID-19 outbreaks were registered (inside-10/outside-9). COVID-19 incidence rates were similar or lower than those reported in the Community of Madrid, except in the last wave, corresponding to Omicron variant. The degree of satisfaction (scale 1-6) with the implemented measures was high (scores 4.48-5.44). Conclusion: During the COVID-19 pandemic, UFV control measures, periodic monitoring, and the effectiveness of the tracking system have contributed to maintaining classroom teaching, guaranteeing health and safety. UFV has adapted to a new reality as an example of good practice for future pandemics or emergency situations.

Suicides in the COVID-19 Pandemic - Are We Well Informed Regarding Current Risks and Future Prospects?

Background: Suicides are predicted to drop in the acute phase of any crisis that poses a threat to the entire population, though data on this are inconsistent. A pandemic is the most severe global crisis one can imagine. There is an urgent need to identify objective trends in suicide rates across countries and populations in a real-time manner in order to be better informed regarding prospects and adaptation of preventive strategies. Objectives: To evaluate suicidal behaviour in a metropolis immediately after the introduction of severe containment measures due to the pandemic. Methods: Cases of completed suicides in St. Petersburg were obtained from the local city Bureau of Forensic Medical Examinations for the period 1 January 2016 to 31 July 2020. Data were accurately collected and monthly frequencies per 100,000 of the population in April-May 2020 (introduction of the most severe stay at home measures) were compared with corresponding data from 2016-2019. Confidence intervals were calculated according to Wilson. Results: Suicide frequencies in the population of St. Petersburg in April 2020 did not go up, in contrast, they were 30.3% lower than the average for the previous four years. The decrease in April was more pronounced in males than in females (36.3% and12.4%, respectively). When looking at age groups it was found that the biggest drop in suicides was in older males ( 55 years). In this group, suicide indices were 58.5% lower than average for the previous four years. However, in females, there was a 50% rise in suicides in June, while in young males (15-34 years) there was an 87.9% rise in May. Total number of suicides for the first half of 2020 was very close to the average seen in previous years. None of the registered changes were statistically significant. Conclusions: The analysis is preliminary and does not account for possible seasonality, however, we consider that the reduction in completed suicides immediately after crisis exposure deserves attention. It supports views that in the acute phase of the crisis, suicidal behaviour may decline, which may be quickly replaced by a rise. Such a rise in females and younger males points on possible risk groups and requires a response from society. More studies are needed to have a clearer picture of suicide dynamics in Russia during the different waves of the pandemic, and prevention should be prioritized regardless of the tendencies.