The benefits, costs and feasibility of a low incidence COVID-19 strategy.

In the summer of 2021, European governments removed most NPIs after experiencing prolonged second and third waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most countries failed to achieve immunization rates high enough to avoid resurgence of the virus. Public health strategies for autumn and winter 2021 have ranged from countries aiming at low incidence by re-introducing NPIs to accepting high incidence levels. However, such high incidence strategies almost certainly lead to the very consequences that they seek to avoid: restrictions that harm people and economies. At high incidence, the important pandemic containment measure 'test-trace-isolate-support' becomes inefficient. At that point, the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and its numerous harmful consequences can likely only be controlled through restrictions. We argue that all European countries need to pursue a low incidence strategy in a coordinated manner. Such an endeavour can only be successful if it is built on open communication and trust.

Feedback of Individual Genetic Results to Research Participants: Is It Feasible in Europe?

BACKGROUND: There is growing consensus that individual genetic research results that are scientifically robust, analytically valid, and clinically actionable should be offered to research participants. However, the general practice in European research projects is that results are usually not provided to research participants for many reasons. This article reports on the views of European experts and scholars who are members of the European COST Action CHIP ME IS1303 (Citizen's Health through public-private Initiatives: Public health, Market and Ethical perspectives) regarding challenges to the feedback of individual genetic results to research participants in Europe and potential strategies to address these challenges. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A consultation of the COST Action members was conducted through an email survey and a workshop. The results from the consultation were analyzed following a conventional content analysis approach. RESULTS: Legal frameworks, professional guidelines, and financial, organizational, and human resources to support the feedback of results are largely missing in Europe. Necessary steps to facilitate the feedback process include clarifying legal requirements to the feedback of results, developing harmonized European best practices, promoting interdisciplinary and cross-institutional collaboration, designing educational programs and cost-efficient IT-based platforms, involving research ethics committees, and documenting the health benefits and risks of the feedback process. CONCLUSIONS: Coordinated efforts at pan-European level are needed to enable equitable, scientifically sound, and socially robust feedback of results to research participants.

Situação de insegurança alimentar de famílias atendidas na Unidade de Saúde da Família Comunidade São João Baptista, Petrópolis/Rio de Janeiro / Food insecurity situation of households in income transfer Programs at the Family Health Unit of St. John the Baptist Community, Petrópolis / Rio de Janeiro

O direito à alimentação é parte dos direitos fundamentais da humanidade. Considera-se que há segurança alimentar se a população tem, permanentemente, acesso a alimentos em quantidade suficiente a fim de garantir uma vida saudável. Isso depende da disponibilidade de renda para comprar alimentos. O presente estudo tem como objetivo quantificar a prevalência de insegurança alimentar (IA) em 172 famílias que recebem auxílio dos Programas Bolsa Família e Cesta Cheia, Família Feliz na comunidade adstrita à Unidade de Saúde da Família São João Baptista, no município de Petrópolis, RJ, relacionando-a com o perfil socioeconômico das famílias. Foi aplicado um questionário padronizado sobre a experiência, nos últimos três meses, de insegurança alimentar em seus diversos níveis de intensidade. Da amostra estudada, 28% encontravam-se em segurança alimentar e 12% em insegurança alimentar grave. Além do baixo nível socioeconômico e cultural, foi possível perceber as precárias condições higiênico-sanitárias em que vive a população estudada. Conclui-se, a partir deste estudo, que a prevalência de insegurança alimentar na população estudada é maior que a referida em estudos semelhantes na região, sendo a renda uma variável significativa, embora indicador indireto e não suficiente para medida da insegurança alimentar.

The right to food is part of the fundamental rights of humanity. It is considered that food security exists if the population has, at all times, access to enough food to ensure a healthy life. This depends on the availability of income to buy food. This study aims to quantify the prevalence of food insecurity (FI) in 172 households receiving assistance from the Family Grant and the Full Basket, Happy Family Programs in the community tied to the St. John the Baptist Family Health Unit in the city of Petrópolis, RJ, relating it with the socioeconomic profile of the households. We administered a standardized questionnaire about the experience, over the prior three months, of food insecurity at various levels of intensity. Of the sample studied, 28% were food secure and 12% in a serious food insecurity situation. Besides the low socioeconomic and cultural level, the precarious health-hygiene living conditions of the study population could be seen. From this study it was determined that more than 70% of this population is in a situation of food insecurity, a result higher than similar studies in the region, and that income is a significant variable, albeit an indirect indicator and insufficient to measure food insecurity.