An online RCT on behavioural expectations effects of COVID-19 certification policies in England.

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the effects of different types of COVID-19 certification policy on subsequent behavioural expectations. Design: 4 × 2 between-subjects pre-registered randomised controlled trial. Method: In August 2022, participants (n = 2726) in England were presented with a scenario describing a rise in COVID-19 infections and the introduction of new protective measures. The protective measures described varied with regards to the setting (healthcare vs. recreational) and the type of policy (no certification vs. vaccination vs. vaccination or free Lateral Flow test vs. vaccination or Lateral Flow test at personal cost). Participants then answered questions on their expectations to receive another dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, to receive the seasonal influenza vaccine and to adhere to other protective behaviours following the announcement, as well as questions based on Self-Determination Theory, COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and broader vaccine hesitancy. Results: We found no main effects of setting or type of certification on expectation to receive the next dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, to receive the seasonal influenza vaccine, or to adhere to other protective measures, when controlling for baseline expectations. Conclusions: These findings suggest that it is unlikely that the concept of certification, however it is framed, alters inclinations in the English population towards COVID-19 and seasonal flu vaccination or inclinations towards adhering to other protective behaviours within settings to which certification would apply. These findings are based on a hypothetical scenario and should be interpreted with caution.

Investigating an outbreak of equine viral arteritis at two connected premises.

In early 2019, four stallions in the south of England tested positive for equine viral arteritis following routine prebreeding screening. Here, a team from Defra and the APHA describe the epidemiological investigation that was carried out to determine the origin of infection and the potential for its transmission across the country.

Characterization of the epidemiology of bat-borne rabies in Chile between 2003 and 2013.

Rabies is a zoonotic disease of great impact to public health. According to the World Health Organization, the country of Chile is currently declared free from human rabies transmitted by dogs. An epidemiological characterization and description was conducted using rabies data from 2003 to 2013 held by the National Program for Prevention and Control of Rabies from the Ministry of Health, consisting of bats samples reported as suspect and samples taken by active surveillance (bats brain tissue). Spatial autocorrelation analysis was performed using Local Indicators of Spatial Association (LISA) statistics, particularly Moran's I index, for the detection of spatial clusters. Temporal descriptive analysis was also carried out. Nine hundred and twenty-seven positive cases were reported, presenting an average of 84 cases per year, mainly originated from passive surveillance (98.5%), whilst only 1.5% of cases were reported by active surveillance. Global positivity for the study period was 7.02% and 0.1% in passive and active surveillance respectively. Most of the cases were reported in the central zone of Chile (88.1%), followed by south zone (9.1%) and north zone (2.8%). At a regional level, Metropolitana (40.6%), Valparaíso (19.1%) and Maule (11.8%) regions reported the majority of the cases. Tadarida brasiliensis (92%) presented the majority of the cases reported, with viral variant 4 (82%) being most commonly diagnosed. Only two cases were detected in companion animals. The central zone presented a positive spatial autocorrelation (Moran's I index=0.1537, 95% CI=0.1141-0.1933; p-value=0.02); north and south zones returned non-significant results (Moran's I index=0.0517 and -0.0117, 95% CI=-0.0358-0.1392 and -0.0780-0.0546, and p-values=0.21 and 0.34 respectively). The number of rabies cases decreased between May and August (late fall and winter) and tended to increase during the hot season (December to March), confirmed with the evidence from Autocorrelation analysis and the Ljun-Box test (X2=234.85 and p-value<0.0001). Knowledge of animal rabies epidemiologic behaviour becomes relevant when designing prevention and control measures and surveillance programs. This is especially important considering the high impact to Public Health of this disease and that wildlife rabies in bats remains endemic in Chile.

Influences on the provision of drug services in England: the experiences and views of front line treatment workers.

Whilst service users' views of treatment have been explored, little research exists that has examined front line treatment workers' views on what they perceive are the facilitators and barriers to service provision. This study aimed to fill that gap using a qualitative methodology to explore the experiences of treatment workers. A purposive sample of four Drugs Action Teams or Drug and Alcohol Teams was selected and, in total, 32 front line treatment workers were interviewed across a range of services. Participants indicated that the influences on treatment delivery occurred at three levels. The first level was structural impacts. These included the degree to which services were resourced, the role of targets and a competitive tendering environment, and challenges to partnership working between criminal justice services and community-based services. At the second level, participants identified the influence of the local organisation of services, in particular, the importance of co-ordination in care planning and streamlining for complex cases. The final level was the impact of specific working practices. Good communication was seen as facilitating information sharing; however, a lack of support by management could undermine the benefits of both supervision and peer-support. Unmet training needs were identified by staff across a range of services and particular issues in the relationship between drug treatment and mental health services were identified. Overall, the participants indicated that drug treatment in England was delivered within a complex structure by services that had varied treatment philosophies and that sometimes competed for funding. Despite this, the system was seen as functioning due to the high level of commitment of the people who work within it.