Effects of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Primary Education System of Lahore, Pakistan

Background: The pandemic of Covid-19 impeded all socio-economical, pedagogic, and recreational activities. Pakistan is facing an intensified educational crisis due to previous educational differences, so the era of the pandemic has shown difficulties in the educational framework. Aim(s): Awareness among parents and students to combat challenges of pandemic. Method(s): The current study is based on random quantitatively study which gathered data from 300 respondents assembled from different areas of Lahore, Pakistan from June 2020 to July 2021. The responses were collected from students, teachers, and parents that how homeschooling compromises student's physical, psychological, and emotional health. Result(s): About 76% of the students favoured traditional classes over online classes whereas only 20% of the students found the online session interactive. In the other section, only 15.33% of the teachers were satisfied by the online results and they complained about the poor performance and interaction with the students. Overall, 81.67% parents agreed that there is a decline in the physical activity of their children. The results of this study suggested that social distancing and the emerging challenges associated with Covid- 19 have entirely changed the education system that has caused number of problems for children, parents, and teachers in Pakistan. Practical implication: This study highlights pros and cons of online study;such studies give students and teachers a way to prepare for future challenges. Conclusion(s): Considering all outcomes of study, it is highlighted that policy-level interventions were needed, along with well-designed interactive courses. Hence, integrated approaches based on the mental as well as physical capabilities of the students must be executed, and e-tools must also be practiced in traditional classes to fill the gap of homeschooling.Copyright © 2023 Lahore Medical And Dental College. All rights reserved.

Dark personalities and online reviews: A textual content analysis of review generation, consumption and distribution

This research examined the relationship of dark personality traits of narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy with online review generation, consumption, and distribution. Using TripAdvisor.com as a primary platform of data collection, we collected online reviews of 670 hotels located in New York City posted between 2003 and 2020. Reviews posted after March 2020 were excluded from consideration owing to the circumstantial effects of COVID-19 impacting data differently. Using Pennebaker, Francis & Booth's (2001) closed vocabulary lexical definitions of Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count, we studied linguistic styles of review posters as a correlate of DT traits. Our results evidenced that individuals with dark personality traits are naturally more predisposed towards being dissatisfied and prone to negative online reviews but differences in the three dark personality traits were determined in terms of review consumption and distribution. This study opens avenues for scholarly debate on how personality theories can inform tourist behavior and furnish important insights for practitioners in the tourism and hospitality industry. © 2023 Elsevier Ltd

Clinical Spectrum of COVID-19 Patients after Vaccination

Objective: To examine the clinical severity and magnitude of COVID-19 patients after the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Tertiary Care Hospital, Islamabad Pakistan, from Feb to Jun 2021. Methodology: The individuals who had two doses of the vaccine (dead inactivated-Vero Cell) and got COVID-19 at least two weeks after vaccination were included in the study. These patients were divided into Mild, Moderate and Severe categories based on their symptoms and Investigations. Results: Out of 5000 individuals vaccinated, 225(4.5%) got infected with COVID-19 later. Among these 225, 172(76.4%) had mild symptoms and recovered, with only 1(0.4%) death was reported. Conclusion: COVID-19 vaccination does not infer 100% immunity, but if someone gets infected with COVID after vaccination, there are remarkable chances of recovery. © 2022, Army Medical College. All rights reserved.

Spirometric Trends and Recovery in Severe Post COVID-19 Patients

Objective: Coronavirus disease 2019 may be associated with a white spectrum of post recovery disease complications and health impairment. The objective of this study was to evaluate and assess the different perimeters of pulmonary Function Tests and late outcome of the disease after hospital discharge at 3 and 6 months among the patients admitted with swerve COVID Pneumonia. Method(s): Our analysis consisted of comparison of the FVC at 3 and 6 months after hospital discharge in order to evaluate the disease severity with time. Result(s): A total of 41 hospitalized patients had their Pulmonary Function Tests evaluated >70% of the patients had their FVC <80% at 3 months and >12% had their FVC <80% at 6 months. To study abnormality of spirometry in severe post COVID-19 patients who were discharge from ICU hospital and complete the follow up after one month 3, 6. CONCLUSION(S): In patients who developed moderate to severe pneumonia more than 70% had abnormal FVC at 3 months. These patients were to be identified and treated with optimal management and as a result only 12% of patients had long term impairment in FVC and long term sequel. Copyright © 2022, Anka Publishers. All rights reserved.

Does change in the scoring system impact service evaluation? Evidence from Booking.com

Purpose: In September 2019, Booking.com changed from the smiley-based scoring system (2.5–10) to the purely 10-point evaluation system (1–10). The smiley-based service evaluation is based on the multi-dimensional (M-D) system, whereas the purely 10-point service evaluation is based on the single-dimensional (S-D) system. This paper aims to focus on how a change in review posting policies impacts service evaluations regarding review generation and distribution. Design/methodology/approach: The authors exploit the natural experiment using Booking.com when the site changed its scoring system from a multidimensional smiley-based service evaluation system to an S-D scoring system. The authors collected online reviews posted on two travel agencies (Booking.com and Priceline.com) between September 2019 and October 2020. A quasi-experimental approach, Difference-in-Differences, was used to isolate the impacts of the new scoring system from the impacts of the change in the service evaluation environment, i.e. COVID-19. Findings: The change in the scoring system considerably alters review distributions by decreasing the portion of positive reviews but increasing the portion of highly positive reviews. Using the theory of emotion work (Hochschild, 1979, 2001), DID is also the reason that the former M-D smiley-based system could have underrated, highly positive reviews of services. Using the information transfer theory (Belkin, 1984), the authors reason the asymmetric transfer of information when users consume reviews from the older (M-D) system but are required to generate reviews on a newer (S-D) system. Practical implications: The findings would provide online review platform management with a deeper understanding of the consequences of changes in service evaluations when the scoring system is changed. Originality/value: Though the change in the scoring system would affect how customers evaluate the services of hotels, the causal impacts of switching to the new S-D scoring system have not yet been thoroughly covered by prior hospitality and service evaluation literature, which this research aspires to do. © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Epidemiology of SARS--CoV--2 with Implications of Reinfection Update After 01 Year of Ongoing Pandemic:: Cross Sectional Study From Tertiary Care Hospital From Southern Region of Pakistan

Objective: To share the epidemiological, clinical and laboratory -based evidence of severe acute respiratory syndrome Corona Virus-2 with focus on the cases of re-infection;an update after one year of the ongoing pandemic. Study Design: Prospective observational study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Pathology, in collaboration with Department of Medicine, Combined Military Hospital, Malir, from Mar 2020 to Feb 2021. Methodology: Total 5190 nasopharyngeal swabs were collected and transported to the laboratory in viral transport media for severe acute respiratory syndrome Corona Virus-2, from all symptomatic patients with a history of exposure/traveling from endemic areas and those requiring admission in hospital and were screened for COVID-19 as per hospital standing protocols. Results: 561(10.8%) patients were PCR positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome Corona Virus-2. The mean age of patients was 39.45±31.9 years and a majority of patients were males 426 (76%). The most common symptoms were fever and dry cough followed by myalgia and shortness of breath. 37 (9%) patients died due to the severity of the illness. Total 6 (1.46%) cases of laboratory-confirmed reinfection of severe acute respiratory syndrome Corona Virus-2 were reported. 2(33%) cases of reinfection were observed in health care workers, mortality was seen in a single patient associated with old age and comorbidities. Conclusion: In our study, the severity of the disease was directly related to the age of patients and underlying comorbidities. Reinfection was associated with increased viral load and exposure to the infected environment. © 2022, Army Medical College. All rights reserved.

Halal food anxiety in a non-Muslim destination: the impact on the psychological well-being of Muslim travelers during the quarantine period in China

This study alludes to the highly relevant but scholarly underexplored phenomenon of halal food anxiety that Muslim travelers encounter in non-Muslim destinations. Set in the backdrop of pandemic travel, data were collected from Muslim travelers going through mandatory quarantine requirements of 3 weeks in Wuhan, China. Terror management theory (Greenberg et al., 1986) and conservation of resources theory (Hobfoll, 1988;1989) provided theoretical ground for this study. The results suggested that halal food is viewed as a highly valuable resource by Muslim travelers. Still, socio-spatial confinement of quarantine limits the availability of authenticated halal food, inducing halal food anxiety to settle in. Naturally, halal food anxiety was more prevalent among Muslim travelers who attach high importance to halal food to their self-concept. Halal food anxiety was positively associated with pandemic travel anxiety but negatively related to the psychological well-being of Muslim travelers. This study adds to the missing gastronomic aspect in the emerging scholarship of pandemic travel. It furthers the theoretical debate on the contingency effect of halal food resources to act as an anxiety buffer for Muslim travelers. For practitioners, various avenues are highlighted to exploit the vast commercial halal food market in non-Muslim majority destinations.

A diagnostic challenge in COVID-19 pandemic: PCP or COVID-19

This case report describes the clinical course and management of a 67-year gentleman presented with shortness of breath, fever and cough. History is significant for diabetes and hypertension. Baseline imaging and routine blood tests were consistent with respiratory tract infection. The patient clinically deteriorated, inflammatory markers increased by and the ABG showed type 1 respiratory failure. He was admitted to the ICU, and due to severe hypoxemia, he was intubated and mechanically ventilated. Treatment with broad-spectrum intravenous (IV) antibiotics was initiated but no clinical or radiological improvement was observed. Chest CT scan showed bilateral opacity/unification of the mid-inferior lungs in patch and interstitial pneumonia (Figs 1A and B). On clinical suspicion and repeated negative COVID-19 swabs, negative blood and urine cultures, treatment with PCP was initiated. There was excellent clinical improvement. Patient was extubated and then weaned off oxygen. His HIV status was negative, but his sputum and CRP showed PCP.

Psychological Effects of COVID-19

This research provides a detailed review and analysis of the data and research available online regarding the emotional and psychological impacts of COVID-19 on people of different age groups. The purpose of this review article is to identify and highlight the deep infiltrating and all-encompassing toll to the global mental health that this pandemic is causing in addition to the decline in physical functional health.

Reinfection or relapse of COVID-19 in health care workers; case series of 2 patients from Pakistan.

During an ongoing pandemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, main question which has arisen in everyone's mind is about the immune response that may protect from reinfection. Coronaviruses are known for short-term immunity. Their ability of mutations enables them to escape host immunity, thus increasing chances of reinfection. Here we report two cases of reinfection among health care workers who presented with symptoms of COVID-19 disease, after 3 months of first infectious course. Such documentations are necessary for epidemiological purposes and also to monitor response of virus on re-exposure.

A current review from recent literature on novel SARS-CoV-2 Outbreak

The outbreak of a novel coronavirus 2019 was traced back in China in late 2019, followed by their worldwide transmission as a pandemic. From January to August 2020, a total of 1,724 papers were published, where 125 were only published in August 2020, demonstrating the importance and need for current awareness and research to overcome this deleterious virus. This paper briefly highlighted the major characteristics of the SARS-CoV-2 in detail, including;a brief history of coronavirus, various transmission routes, range of mild to severe symptoms, available diagnostic tests, treatment options, measures for infection control and prevention, and particular emphasis on self-acceptance and upholding to face mask-wearing. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is limitless and has affected all the nation throughout the horizon;the voyage is indeed hard but not impossible to overcome. However, it is the responsibility of each and every individual to be cautious, know, and understand their role in this difficult situation. To conclude, due to the lack of cohesive data, this review has collated the most recent literature regarding COVID-19 and provided the reader with clear and simple knowledge and instructions on the control and prevention of COVID-19 and hence to protect the most vulnerable population.

A Diagnostic Challenge in COVID-19 Pandemic: PCP or COVID-19

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