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According to expert opinion, the incorporation of effective adjuvants that can trigger both mucosal and systemic immune responses are necessary for noninvasive vaccine delivery, and a more extensive understanding of mucosal immunity is required (4). To overcome these potential issues, it has been suggested by some experts that gelling agents, such as polymers, included in the formulation could increase the residence time of the vaccine in the nasal passage (5). Another potential intranasal candidate from Altimmune is no longer in development as a result of inadequate immune response in healthy volunteers (8).
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The COVID-19 pandemic has had its impact on research and researchers, and hence potentially on the future of academia. Yet, empirical evidence on the impact of COVID-19 on PhD candidates is limited. This study explores the influences of the pandemic on PhD candidates' progress and wellbeing. In addition, the aim is to identify potentially particularly vulnerable candidate groups. In total, 768 PhD candidates from a Finnish research-intensive multidisciplinary university participated in the mixed method study in spring 2021. The data were collected with the doctoral experience survey. In general, the PhD candidates estimated that the COVID-19 pandemic had hindered their progress and decreased their study wellbeing. The negative impact boiled down to the reduced access to data or participants, erosion of scholarly support networks, reduced access to the institutional resources, poor work-life balance and mental health problems. Results further implied that the international candidates, those studying at the university full-time, engaging in research teams, candidates from natural sciences and those at the mid-phase of their studies employed increased risk of suffering from negative COVID-19 pandemic influences. Results can be used in building well-fitted re-creative actions in supporting the PhD candidates to overcome challenges set by the pandemic. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)
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Purpose: The coronavirus (COVID-19) has had a tremendous impact on companies worldwide. However, researchers have no clear idea of the key issues requiring their attention. This paper aims to close this gap by analysing all business-related posts on a coronavirus subreddit ("r/coronavirus") and identifying the main research streams that are guiding the research agenda for a post-coronavirus world. Design/methodology/approach: We use data from reddit, particularly the subreddit "r/coronavirus" to identify posts that reveal the impact of coronavirus on business. Our dataset has more than 200,000 posts. We used an artificial intelligence-based algorithm to scrape the data with business-related search terms, clean it and analyse the discussion topics. Findings: We show the key topics that address the impact of coronavirus on business, combining them into four themes: essential service provision, bricolage service innovation, responsible shopping practices and market shaping amid crisis. We discuss these themes and use them to develop a service research agenda. The results are reported against the backdrop of service research priorities. Originality/value: The study identifies four key themes that have emerged from the impact of coronavirus on business and that require scholarly attention. Our findings can guide service research with unique insights provided immediately after the coronavirus outbreak to conduct research that matters to business and helps people in vulnerable positions in a post-coronavirus world. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)
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In this study, we investigated the household income of families with children. Our specific interest was the earned income losses during the COVID‐19 pandemic, and how social transfers have mitigated those losses. We assessed the monthly income levels by comparing the information on the year prior to pandemic to income levels during COVID‐19 pandemic. We found that the pandemic affected all studied subgroups of families with children, with the most negative economic influence in May 2020. In addition, our results indicate that in Finland the social transfers protected fairly well against the negative economic impacts of the pandemic among families with children, especially among vulnerable families (those with lowest income level prior COVID‐19, with low parental education, single‐parent families and families with non‐Finnish‐born parents). The information gained from this analysis can be useful in economic recovery during and after COVID‐19 pandemic, and when preparing for future challenges. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of International Journal of Social Welfare is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)
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BackgroundPatients with chronic inflammatory diseases (CID) have an increased risk for contracting infections. For patients with rheumatic diseases EULAR recommends protecting them from vaccine-preventable diseases.ObjectivesTo assess the knowledge and awareness of common vaccinations and extent of immunization among patients with CID in Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden (Nordics), and to identify gaps between the existing EULAR vaccination recommendations and current practice as experienced by patients.MethodsA structured anonymous online survey for patients with CID ((rheumatological disease (RD), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and dermatological diseases (DD)) was conducted in 2022.The survey was answered by 1748 respondents (1031 patients with RD, 543 with IBD and 563 with DD).ResultsAmong respondents, 89% were female and 58% had disease duration of above 10 years. In total, 56% were treated in specialised and 32% in primary care. Majority had ongoing systemic immunosuppressive treatment (IT) (65%). Majority of RD (59%) and IBD (66%) patients were treated in specialised care whereas minority of DD patients (38%) were treated in specialised care.Forty-nine percent (49%) responded that their healthcare professional (HCP) did not inform them about the increased risk of infection – however, 55% of the respondents believed they are somewhat or much more likely to suffer from infections than those without CID or treatment, 33% thought there is no difference and 13% did not know there is a difference.In total 68% of respondents considered it important to get vaccinated due to CID or IT. The number was particularly high in RD group (74%), although 63% stated they had not received any information regarding vaccinations at the start of their treatment.Commonly recommended vaccinations by the HCP were COVID 19 (66%), influenza (63%) and pneumococcal (45%) vaccination. When comparing respondents ≥65 and <65 years, there was a difference in how often the influenza (71% vs. 57%) and pneumococcal (57% vs. 38%), but not COVID 19 vaccination (68% vs. 65%), were recommended. In addition, 74% and 75% of respondents receiving IT were recommended influenza and COVID 19 vaccination, respectively.In total, 22% had their vaccination status checked before initiating treatment;the lowest percentage was in DD (16%) and the highest in RD (25%). However, 44% of respondents received influenza vaccination before initiation of treatment. Moreover, 62% and 74% of respondents received influenza and COVID 19 vaccination while on treatment, respectively.Eighty-six percent (86%) did not receive a vaccination plan in relation to their CID and treatment. Moreover, 64% of the respondents (RD 57%;DD 71% and IBD 66%) did not have vaccination status assessed on a regular basis. Forty-three percent (43%) were dissatisfied with the follow-up of vaccination status by their HCP. Respondents of age ≥65 years were more satisfied than the younger ones (34% vs. 25% very satisfied) and respondents with RD were more satisfied than those with IBD or DD (33% vs. 25% vs. 20%).Forty-four percent (44%) responded that the information on vaccinations related to their CID and treatment was difficult to find and 71% would like to receive more information.The respondents with RD had different level of awareness regarding EULAR vaccination recommendations. The degree of awareness among patients with RD treated with IT are presented in Figure 1.ConclusionThis Nordic survey provides insights on patients' information needs, information sources and own experiences related to recommendations on vaccinations in relation to their CID and IT. The results confirm a gap between patients' expectations and needs vs. the information they actually receive. Our findings demonstrate a need for increased awareness among patients, providers and HCP regarding EULAR vaccination recommendations in patients with RD.Reference[1]Furer V, et al. 2019 update of EULAR recommendations for vaccination in adult patients with autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases. Ann Rheum Dis 2020;79: 9–52.Acknowledgements:NIL.Disclosure of InterestsMeliha C Kapetanovic Grant/research support from: Received independent research grants from Roche and Pfizer, Randeep Mandla Shareholder of: Pfizer, Employee of: Current employee of Pfizer Norway, Maria Seddighzadeh Shareholder of: Pfizer, Employee of: Current employee of Pfizer Sweden, Susanne Thiesen Gren Shareholder of: Pfizer, Employee of: Current employee of Pfizer Denmark, Maaria Palmroth Consultant of: Employee of MedEngine Oy and contractor for Pfizer Oy, Employee of: Contractor for Pfizer Oy, Finland, Dan Henrohn Shareholder of: Pfizer, Employee of: Current employee of Pfizer AB, Sweden, Anne Grete Frostrup Shareholder of: Pfizer, Employee of: Current employee of Pfizer Denmark, Anna-Maria Hiltunen Consultant of: Pfizer. Employee of Nordic Healthcare Group, Jussi Ranta Consultant of: Pfizer. Employee of Nordic Healthcare Group, Anna-Kaisa Asikainen Consultant of: Pfizer. Employee of Nordic Healthcare Group, Veli-Jukka Anttila Speakers bureau: Lectures for Pfizer, MSD, Astellas, Roche, GSK, BMS, Biogen, Sandoz, Gilead, Unimedic Pharma, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Astra-Zeneca, Consultant of: Consultant for Pfizer and MSD.
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The article analyses political approaches in Finland and Sweden towards free movement restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Border closures were previously unthinkable in the Norden, where borders have been open since the establishment of the Nordic Passport Union in the 1950s. For decades, Nordics have been used to cross borders on a daily basis, especially in the so-called twin cities in the border regions. The article analyses Finnish and Swedish parliamentary debates on the Nordic border restrictions from the perspective of the arguments on the basis of which the restrictions are defended or criticised. While the Finnish MPs supported the restrictions that were considered a direct consequence of Covid-19, the Swedish MPs criticised the other Nordic governments for their uncoordinated restrictions. In both debates, Nordic-free movement is not discussed in connection with EU rules but is seen to precede the establishment of free movement within the European Union.
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PurposeThe aim of this study is to explore the extent to which a transnational pedagogical training affected university teachers' approaches to teaching, as well as their efficacy beliefs and cultural perceptions, and to examine how such training could stimulate teachers' pedagogical-development processes beyond the specific context.Design/methodology/approachAn explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was adopted for the study. Quantitative data were collected through an online self-reported questionnaire from two-independent samples, both before (n = 119) and after (n = 110) the training. Qualitative data were collected after the training through episodic narrative interviews with five teachers.FindingsThe quantitative and qualitative findings indicate contradictory aspects of the teaching approach and perceived culture. While the questionnaire responses highlighted the dominance of teacher-centred teaching approaches and an individualistic culture, a thematic analysis of the interview data showed that teachers experienced pedagogical development as (1) increasing student engagement, (2) improving their own teaching practices, (3) a community activity and (4) an institutionalised process.Research limitations/implicationsThe design of the current research may have limited the authors' potential to deeply investigate the effect of the transnational pedagogical training, as only snapshots of the teachers' perceptions were elicited. Future studies might consider a within-subject longitudinal design to thoroughly follow teachers' trajectories in learning and development over time.Practical implicationsThe research findings suggest that transnational pedagogical training initiatives are to be promoted amidst these uncertain times. Even though the focus of the study was not to explore the teachers' perceptions of teaching development during the pandemic, the current results imply that the mentioned training helped teachers in tailoring their pedagogical practices to suit the unexpected online teaching settings.Originality/valueThe study adds to the relatively new literature on the perceived effect of transnational pedagogical training initiatives. This study's findings contribute to the body of knowledge related to pedagogical development in fragile and conflict-affected contexts.
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The COVID-19 pandemic impacted social work practices, given limitations to practitioners' possibilities to meet with clients face-to-face since spring 2020. In this article, we examine the kinds of changes the COVID-19 pandemic brought about in relation to assessment practices in Finnish family and child welfare services. Collected in 2021 and 2022, data consist of 17 interviews with supervisors who work in family and child welfare services and who are responsible for organising the assessment of children's well-being. To analyse the data, we employed a thematic analysis. As a result of our study, we identified and named three different themes to describe changes to practices from different perspectives. These themes are moving to remote communication, delays in the availability of social and health services and assessment deadlines as well as the challenges of conducting assessments.
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Undocumented migrants are among the most imperiled groups in the contemporary world as they live in a world divided into states. These migrants do not have a legal right to remain in the countries in which they currently reside. This chapter studies how undocumented migrants in Finland and Iran were affected during the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, attention was paid to how they were assisted by public authorities and NGOs and to which agencies they showed themselves. Major challenges initially for undocumented migrants were about from where and how they could receive accurate information about the virus, how to prevent exposure to the virus, and what to do if one suspected he or she had the virus. Long-term issues were how to cope with everyday restrictions on mobility and access to public spaces and NGOs, how to overcome challenges in maintaining employment, and how to become vaccinated against the virus. Undocumented migrants in Finland and Iran faced similar and different challenges during the pandemic. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022.
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This chapter provides insight into traveling changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in Finland. Tourism is globally one of the most severely hit industries by the pandemic and the drastic restrictions in travel, commuting, and spatial freedoms are clear examples of changes implemented by national governments. The chapter reviews key characteristics of the COVID-19 spread in Finland and provides a selection of key geographical concepts through which the pandemic impact on tourism is assessed. The data are state-of-the-art open data statistics currently available in Finland. Tourism data are applied on a regional level in order to demonstrate the depth of significantly diminished customer demand in the number of nightly stays and length per visit. The chapter also provides snapshot examples of the most tourist dependent regions such as Lapland. The results indicate that domestic tourism has a limited capability to support the whole industry. The overall impact of COVID-19 was negative in every region of the country. In terms of international tourists, the demand level practically declined to zero due to global travel limitations and lockdowns. International traveling from abroad to Finland was almost solely international migrant workers. Their impact on short term housing and accommodation demand may be considered limited during the pandemic. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022.
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The aim of this article was to use an interpretivist approach to analyse the state–citizen nexus in general and the conflict between civil and social rights imposing restrictions on people's freedom of movement during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Nordic countries: Sweden (restrictions were voluntary and relied on nudging and individual implementation), Norway (restrictions of movement were for everyone and was enforced by authorities), and Finland (restrictions of movement were for the capital region and was enforced by authorities). Sweden focused more on upholding the civil rights vis-à-vis social rights whereas in Norway and Finland social rights have trumped civil rights in the face of the pandemic. Thus, the analysis suggests that the Nordic countries cannot be understood as monoliths in all respects. The article thereby contributes to a greater understanding of how the Nordic governments prioritise civil and social rights differently when they are forced to choose.
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Inevitable and constant change is challenging school systems worldwide, and COVID-19 has further intensified the debate on the future. This article examines the possible futures of Finnish comprehensive schools through three scenarios generated by analysing data from a Delphi panel of 30 Finnish experts in the field of education. This study contributes to two major intertwining debates: first, who or what determines the content and goals of the curriculum. The study's theoretical framework builds on the curriculum as a social practice model, which views curriculum work as interwoven layers and sites of practice. Another topical debate concerns the tension between powerful knowledge and competences in the curricula. This is explored through Young and Muller's model of three types of knowledge: knowledge of power, tacit knowledge and powerful knowledge. The results show that Finnish comprehensive schools have various substantially divergent trends. In the three scenarios, the role of the teacher as a curriculum maker varies from non-existent to a strong interpreter. International policy flows can be transferred to schools to varying degrees. The three types of knowledge included in Young and Muller's model can be recognised in the three scenarios. Competences can be identified as learning outcomes in all scenarios, but the intensity varies. Scenarios are not predictions of the future or policy recommendations but an efficient tool for provoking strategic debate, generating new visionary thinking and considering the need for system-wide change in education.
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This study focuses on local ice-breaking tourism initiatives in Kemi (Finland), Mombetsu (Japan), and Abashiri (Japan). It adds to research on winter and cruise tourism and analyzes multiscalar challenges— ranging from the global warming and COVID-19 pandemic to dependency on local governmental support—threatening the future of tourism dependent on frozen maritime conditions and vulnerable to changing climate conditions. As the case study cities have invested significantly in tourism built around the uncontrollable natural phenomenon, changes in this industry can lead to substantial spillover effects in the surrounding communities. This qualitative comparative research is based on extensive fieldwork and utilizes the concept of resilience to discuss the means of responding to existing and predicted disturbances. The results of this study show that the recent adaptation and resiliency-building strategies have focused on searching for alternative use of old, new, and renovated ice-breaking vessels, attraction of new types of (often domestic) visitors, and development of activities and facilities that are less sensitive to seasonal variation and climate change. While introducing new local ideas concerning ecological and educational tourism, e-tourism, and community-oriented tourism, this article contributes to the understanding of resilience-building processes in tourism © 2023 Cognizant, LLC
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AIM: The main aim of this study was to examine leisure engagement and loneliness among older adults before and during the COVID-19 pandemic by analysing population-based data from western Finland and northern Sweden. METHODS: The data originated from the Gerontological Regional Database (GERDA) postal questionnaire study conducted in 2016 (n=7996) and 2021 (n=8148) among older adults aged 65, 70, 75, 80 and 85 years. Associations between loneliness and leisure engagement were analysed using logistic regression. RESULTS: In total, 10% and 9% of the older adults reported loneliness in 2016 and 2021, respectively. The results showed that a lack of engagement in socialising and pleasure was independently associated with loneliness in both study years, while a lack of engagement in cultural activities was associated with loneliness in 2016 only. In 2021, the likelihood of experiencing loneliness was higher in the Finnish region than in the Swedish region. In addition, those reporting a decrease in hobby and socialising leisure activities due to the COVID-19 pandemic were more likely to report loneliness. CONCLUSIONS: Most leisure activities decreased during the pandemic, suggesting an increase in social isolation. However, this did not reflect an increase in loneliness in the studied regions. The evidence suggests that leisure engagement, especially socialising activities, continued to be important for well-being among older adults during the pandemic. Further, loneliness was affected by contextual factors as well as individual-level characteristics. Thus, according to the measures reported here, the pandemic seemed to have a slightly weakened well-being impact in Finland.
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COVID-19 , Loneliness , Humans , Aged , COVID-19/epidemiology , Pandemics , Social Isolation , Leisure ActivitiesABSTRACT
Background: In the current knowledge age, the performance of logistics firms increasingly depends on knowledge and capabilities they can leverage in value-creation processes. The objective of this paper is to investigate the relationship between knowledge-based human resource management (HRM) practices and organizational performance mediated by logistics capability. Methods: Data from 93 small Finnish logistics service providers was collected by a questionnaire survey. Structural equation modeling and partial least squares analysis were used to test the hypothesized relationships between HRM practices and the organizational performance of logistics companies, as well as the mediating impact of logistics capability. Results: The results demonstrate that logistics capability fully mediates the relationship between HRM practices and the organizational performance of small logistics companies. Each of the three knowledge-based HRM practices-knowledge-based recruitment, training and development, and motivation-significantly influences logistics capability, which is, in turn, associated with the organizational performance of companies. Conclusions: This paper is one of the few among discussing knowledge-based HRM practices in logistics service research. The paper contributes to the literature on logistics by demonstrating the value of knowledge-based HRM practices in acquiring, developing, and leveraging knowledge to create organizational capabilities and ensure organizational performance. This study provides an improved understanding of the role of HRM and the resulting logistics capability in the performance of small logistics service companies.
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In the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring the safety of health care services remains a serious, ongoing challenge. This once-in-a-century global health crisis exposed the vulnerability of healthcare delivery systems and the subsequent risks of patient harm. Given the scale of the occurrence and costs of preventable patient safety events, intervention and investment are still relatively modest. Good patient safety governance focuses on what leaders and policy makers can do to improve system performance and reduce the financial burden of avoidable care. Moreover, it is essential in driving progress in improving safety outcomes. This report examines how patient safety governance mechanisms in OECD countries have withstood the test of COVID-19 and provides recommendations for countries in further improving patient safety governance and strengthening health system resilience.
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Background: Since the start of the COVID-19 epidemic in late 2019, there have been more than 152 affected regions and countries with over 110,000 confirmed cases outside mainland China. Methods: We analysed COVID-19 cases among travellers from mainland China to different regions and countries, comparing the region- and country-specific rates of detected and confirmed cases per flight volume to estimate the relative sensitivity of surveillance in different regions and countries. Results: Although travel restrictions from Wuhan City and other cities across China may have reduced the absolute number of travellers to and from China, we estimated that more than two thirds (70%, 95% CI: 54% - 80%, compared to Singapore;75%, 95% CI: 66% - 82%, compared to multiple countries) of cases exported from mainland China have remained undetected. Conclusions: These undetected cases potentially resulted in multiple chains of human-to-human transmission outside mainland China.
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This paper investigates the relative importance of confidence in public institutions to explain cross-country differences in the severity of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. We find that a 1 SD increase (e.g., the actual difference between the United States and Finland) in confidence is associated with 56.3% fewer predicted deaths per million inhabitants. Confidence in public institutions is one of the most important predictors of deaths attributed to COVID-19, compared to country-level measures of health risks, the health system, demographics, economic and political development, and social capital. We show for the first time that confidence in public institutions encompasses more than just the unobserved quality of health or public services in general. If confidence only included the perceived quality, it would be associated with other health and social outcomes such as breast cancer recovery rates or imprisonment as well, but this is not the case. Moreover, our results indicate that fighting a pandemic requires citizens to cooperate with their governments, and willingness to cooperate relies on confidence in public institutions.Copyright © 2023 The Authors. World Medical & Health Policy published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Policy Studies Organization.
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In light of the high demand for skilled professionals and talents internationally, STEM skills carry special significance in today's competitive economy. Drawing on the Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) and insights gleaned from the extant literature, our study sought to investigate the factors that are likely to predict students' interest in a STEM-related career in Qatar. An online survey was administered online via computer-assisted web interviewing (CAWI) and paper-and-Pencil Interviewing (PAPI) during the Spring term of 2021. Data was gathered from a sample of 1505 secondary school students, including 278 in grade 11 and 764 in grade 12) students in Qatar. Findings concluded from a two-level mixed-effects logistic regression revealed statistically significant differences based on students' age, nationality, and support from the family. Non-Qatari (expatriate) students attending private schools are significantly more likely to display interest in STEM-related careers. Additionally, taking a STEM course and teachers' use of experiments emerged as additional significant factors that affect student interest in a STEM-related career in Qatar. Our results point to the need for instruction to incorporate and emphasize practical activities to encourage students to engage in real-life STEM learning.
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The purpose of the study was to describe the experiences of nurse managers in change management in a hospital organization during the COVID-19 pandemic. The data were collected in thematic interviews of nurse managers (n=20) working in frontline or middle management positions between June and October 2021 in one central hospital. Based on the results, the experiences of nurse managers in change management during the COVID-19 pandemic were formed of maintaining communality, manageability of change and decision-making, meaningfulness of management, and functionality of communication. [...]nursing management is perceived to be very important in successful change implementation and management in hospital organization.