Project description:Objectives:This paper aims at providing an overview of the COVID-19 situation, health policies, and economic impact in Greece, Iceland, New Zealand, and Singapore. The four countries were chosen due to their ability to contain the spread and mitigate the effects of COVID-19 on their societies. Methods:We use document analysis based on the available national reports, media announcements, official coronavirus websites and governmental decrees in each of the four countries starting from the 1st of January o the 9th of August announcements. We apply a policy gradient to compare and examine the policies implemented in the four countries. Findings:The four countries have different demographic, epidemiological, socioeconomic profiles but managed to control the pandemic at an early stage in terms of total number of positive cases. The four countries managed to absorb the health system shock and decrease the case fatality ratio of COVID-19. Early interventions were crucial to avoid expected life lost in case of no early lockdown. The pandemic triggered several economic stimulus and relief measures in the four countries; the impact or the economic rebound is yet to be fully observed. Conclusions:We conclude that early, proactive and strict interventions along with leveraging previous experience on communicable diseases and the evolution of testing strategies are key lessons that can be synthesized from the interventions of the four countries and that could be useful for a potential second wave or similar pandemics.

| S-EPMC7452848 | biostudies-literature

Modelling, analysis and optimization of socio-economic measures for reducing the negative consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic (in Bulgarian)

Project description: Not available

| S-BSST1076 | biostudies-other

Lessons Learnt From the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Project description:The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, has been characterized by unprecedented rates of spatio-temporal spread. Here, we summarize the main events in the pandemic's timeline and evaluate what has been learnt by the public health community. We also discuss the implications for future public health policy and, specifically, the practice of epidemic control. We critically analyze this ongoing pandemic's timeline and contrast it with the 2002-2003 SARS outbreak. We identify specific areas (e.g., pathogen identification and initial reporting) wherein the international community learnt valuable lessons from the SARS outbreak. However, we also identify the key areas where international public health policy failed leading to the exponential spread of the pandemic. We outline a clear agenda for improved pandemic control in the future.

| S-EPMC8365337 | biostudies-literature

Ethics of participation and social inclusion of older persons in research: lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore.

Project description:The COVID-19 pandemic brought about safe distancing measures that are unprecedented. This article details the impact of the pandemic across research studies involving older persons in Singapore, and assesses the different strategies used to adapt to their needs in the context of evolving public health measures. The pandemic exposed diverse experiences of vulnerability among older persons, pushing for critical reflections on ethics of participation and social inclusion as the new research normal. We emphasize the importance of practicing flexibility: consideration for differentiated approaches to recruitment and data collection that should be proactively embedded in research designs for older persons during the pandemic and beyond.

| S-EPMC9706825 | biostudies-literature

Occupation and COVID-19: Lessons From the Pandemic.

Project description:Recognition that an individual's job could affect the likelihood of contracting coronavirus disease 2019 created challenges for investigators who sought to understand and prevent the transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Considerable research resources were devoted to separating the effects of occupational from nonoccupational risk factors. This commentary highlights results from studies that adjusted for multiple nonoccupational risk factors while estimating the effects of occupations and occupational risk factors. Methods used in these studies will prove useful in future infectious disease epidemics and pandemics and may potentially enrich studies of other occupational infectious and noninfectious respiratory diseases.

| S-EPMC11325298 | biostudies-literature

Lessons from clinical practice during COVID-19 pandemic

Project description: Not available

| S-EPMC7326415 | biostudies-literature

Association of COVID-19 pandemic with meteorological parameters over Singapore.

Project description:Meteorological parameters are the critical factors affecting the transmission of infectious diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), and influenza. Consequently, infectious disease incidence rates are likely to be influenced by the weather change. This study investigates the role of Singapore's hot tropical weather in COVID-19 transmission by exploring the association between meteorological parameters and the COVID-19 pandemic cases in Singapore. This study uses the secondary data of COVID-19 daily cases from the webpage of Ministry of Health (MOH), Singapore. Spearman and Kendall rank correlation tests were used to investigate the correlation between COVID-19 and meteorological parameters. Temperature, dew point, relative humidity, absolute humidity, and water vapor showed positive significant correlation with COVID-19 pandemic. These results will help the epidemiologists to understand the behavior of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus against meteorological variables. This study finding would be also a useful supplement to help the local healthcare policymakers, Center for Disease Control (CDC), and the World Health Organization (WHO) in the process of strategy making to combat COVID-19 in Singapore.

| S-EPMC7289735 | biostudies-literature

COVID-19 pandemic experience of diagnostic radiographers: A Singapore survey.

Project description:IntroductionDiagnostic Radiographers (DR) are the frontline responders during the COVID-19 outbreak, providing essential diagnostic imaging services for screening and monitoring of suspected and confirmed patients. Understanding the experience and perceptions of DR towards the COVID-19 outbreak enables radiography leaders to guide changes in the approach to managing response to future health outbreaks. This study aims to document the experiences of DR in Singapore during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsAll DR practising in Singapore institutions were invited to participate in an online survey, disseminated by the Singapore Society of Radiographers (SSR). The survey assessed the attitudes and perceptions of the respondents on the COVID-19 pandemic. The Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale was used to identify the respondents' life events closely related to the pandemic. Data collection took place from 5 July 2020 to 5 September 2020.ResultsA total of 123 DR responded to the survey, where 89.4% of the respondents had been involved in the imaging of suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patients. Those performing General Radiography had the highest number of cases - 300 cases a month. The fear of transmitting COVID-19 to their family presented as the primary stressor (77.2%), followed by the lack of manpower (73.2%). The global themes that emerged from the study were (1) adapting to change and (2) quality of support.ConclusionRadiology departments in Singapore were able to cope with the high demands of the pandemic in terms of the provision of information, supplies, and physical equipment. However, they were less prepared to handle human factors such as mental health and staff morale. The safety and well-being of staff should not be compromised to reduce staff anxiety while performing their duties. Strategies to improve their ability to adapt to changes and provision of quality support are necessary measures in future pandemic situations.

| S-EPMC9910016 | biostudies-literature

Physical activity and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic among individuals with amputation

Project description: Not available

| S-BSST1055 | biostudies-other