Project description:The on-going COVID-19 pandemic and consequent lockdowns cast significant impacts on global economy in the short run. Their impact on stability of global electric vehicles (EVs) supply chain and thus our climate ambition in the long run, however, remains hitherto largely unexplored. We aim to address this gap based on an integrated model framework, including assessing supply risks of 17 selected core commodities throughout the EV supply chain and further applying the supply constraints to project future EV sales until 2030. Our model results under three pandemic development scenarios indicate that if the pandemic is effectively contained before 2024, the global EV industry will recover without fundamentally scathed and thus can maintain the same growth trend as in the no-pandemic scenario by 2030. We suggest that fiscal stimulus in the postpandemic era should be directed more toward upgrading the quality of battery products, rather than expanding the production capacity.
Project description:Impacts of COVID-19 in maritime transportation and its related policy measures have been investigated by more and more organizations and researchers across the world. This paper aims to examine the impacts of COVID-19 on seaport transportation and the maritime supply chain field and its related issues in India. Secondary data are used to analyze the performance indicators of major seaports in India before and during the COVID-19 crisis. We further explore and discuss the expert's views about the impact, preparedness, response, and recovery aspects for the maritime-related sector in India. The results on the quantitative performance of Indian major seaports during the COVID-19 indicate a negative growth in the cargo traffic and a decrease in the number of vessel traffic compared to pre-COVID-19. The expert survey results suggest a lack of preparedness for COVID-19 and the need for developing future strategies by maritime organizations. The overall findings of the study shall assist in formulating maritime strategies by enhancing supply chain resilience and sustainable business recovery process while preparing for a post-COVID-19 crisis. The study also notes that the Covid-19 crisis is still an ongoing concern, as the government, maritime organizations, and stakeholders face towards providing vaccine and remedial treatment to infected people. Further, this study can be expanded to the global maritime supply chain business context and to conduct interdisciplinary research in marine technical fields and maritime environment to measure the impact of COVID-19.
Project description:Due to COVID-19, horseracing was required to cease all activity in March 2020; however, little is known about the pandemic's impact on staff working practices. This study investigated the impact of COVID-19 on staff working practices during the initial lockdown phases. An online survey about working conditions during lockdown was answered by 287 participants. Chi-squared tests for independence and binary logistic regression (BLR) analysis was undertaken. A total of 53.7% (n = 154) of staff were working during lockdown. Pandemic-specific workplace changes were reported as effective by 87.8% (n = 115) of staff. Flat grooms reported workplace changes as less effective (χ2 (52, n = 131) = 92.996, p < 0.001). A total of 67.2% (n = 193) of staff were positive about job security. Trainers and grooms were significantly less likely to report jobs as secure (χ2 (52, n = 287) = 75.653, p < 0.05). The findings suggest that most of the racing industry positively received changes made by their employers to tackle the pandemic, and for staff still working during lockdown, their health and safety was prioritised. Continued development of employee support structures to promote job security and workforce stability is advised, which will minimise the disruption of staff changes on the care and welfare of the horses.
Project description:ObjectivePast research shows that media coverage of medicine side effects can produce a nocebo response. New Zealand news media discussed myocarditis following the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. This study examined whether side effects mentioned in the media increased compared to control symptoms not mentioned.MethodsThe study analysed 64,086 vaccine adverse reaction reports, retrieved from the medicine safety authority. Generalised linear regressions compared the side effect rate during three discrete periods of media reporting (August 2021, December 2021, April 2022) with the pre-media baseline rate. The outcomes were weekly reports of chest discomfort, monthly reports of chest, heart and breathing symptoms, and myocarditis, pericarditis, and anxiety. Control symptoms were fever, numbness, and musculoskeletal pain. Logistic regressions investigated factors associated with side effect reporting.ResultsThe reporting rate of chest discomfort was 190% greater in the five weeks after the first media item (p < .001). The monthly reporting rates of the symptoms mentioned in the media were significantly greater after the news coverage (ps ≤ 0.001). There was no effect of media on the control side effect fever (p = .06). There was an effect of media on myocarditis, pericarditis and anxiety (ps < 0.001). Anxiety, male gender, and younger age were significantly associated with side effects.ConclusionThe results indicate that a media-induced nocebo response occurred. This is most likely due to increased expectations and awareness of COVID-19 vaccine side effects, elevated symptom experience from anxiety, and consequently greater reporting of the symptoms in line with the media coverage.
Project description:A farm-level survey and a market survey were conducted in China to study the impact of the COVID-19 on the shellfish supply chain in the early stage of the pandemic in 2020. 114 farms of 36 cites participated in an online survey from mid-July to late August, and 23 markets in five cities were investigated from June to November. The series results are expected to provide an insight for the fisheries and aquaculture sector to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on participants in the shellfish supply chain and to improve of the ability of the government to respond to such events in the future. Shellfish farmers and sellers have experienced a sharp drop in profits, largely due to shrinking demand. Relying on local employees and suppliers, shellfish farming activities have rapidly resumed since the gradual reopening from February. Nevertheless, demand has been slow to recover due to public concern about contamination of seafood with the virus. Additionally, we analyzed the ability and attitude of farms of different size to cope with the pandemic and the plight of shellfish sellers, and discussed government supports for different size farms and improvements in seafood distribution channels.
Project description:BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted global health supply chains including manufacturing, storage, and delivery of essential medicines, testing kits, personal protective equipment, and laboratory reagents. We sought to document how pandemic impacted the procurement, prices, and supply chain of medical products in Zimbabwe.MethodsWe conducted semistructured in-depth key informant interviews with 36 health system stakeholders in Zimbabwe involved in medicine procurement. Respondents included pharmacists, regulatory officers, and procurement and supply chain management professionals from public and private sectors.ResultsBefore the COVID-19 pandemic, respondents described experiencing long-standing resource constraints, medicine shortages, foreign currency shortages, and supply chain inefficiencies. The pandemic exacerbated this situation due to supply constraints, export restrictions, medicine shortages, and movement restrictions that disrupted logistical and stock management systems. Competitive bidding and tendering processes experienced reduced participation by international suppliers. Significant price increases were initially observed among internationally shipped medicines and for personal protective equipment to cover additional freight costs. COVID-19 pandemic impacts were moderated by reduced patient demand and lower health services utilization, resulting in fewer supply shocks and less price volatility. Further, health system adaptations such as switching treatment regimens, modifying dispensing schedules based on stock availability, redistributing stock of medicines among facilities, and new service delivery models such as integrated outreach services helped ensure continued patient access to medicines.ConclusionsOur findings highlight the need for policies that ensure continuity in access to health services and medical products, even during a pandemic, by avoiding blanket restrictions on medical product exports and imports. Pooled procurement, especially at regional and global levels, with long-term service agreements may help achieve greater resiliency to supply and price shocks from supply chain disruptions. Interventions across manufacturing, trade, and regulatory policy and service delivery models are also needed for supply chain resiliency.
Project description:In Bangladesh, the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to have substantial effects on the livelihood of people, but smallholder vegetables growers will be even more affected because of the perishability nature of the product. The first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Bangladesh on 8th March, 2020 and consequently the country went into lockdown on 26 March, 2020. This study has made a survey of vegetables farmers through a mobile phone to understand the impact of COVID-19 on vegetables supply chain, gross margin and the future production plan of the growers. In Bangladesh, the lockdown has disrupted the food supply chain and increases the likelihood of food insecurity. Lockdown has impeded vegetable farmers' access to markets, thus limiting their productive and sales capacities. The price of yield has dropped by more than half resulting in huge loss for vegetable growers. The loss incurred by the farmers for producing Brinjal, Cucumber, Pointed gourd, Yardlong beans and Bottle gourd are BDT 4900, BDT 10900, BDT 57400, BDT 52500 and BDT 18500 per acre respectively as a result of COVID-19. The decreased income increases farmers' likelihood of vulnerability and food insecurity and poses a challenge to continued produce. 'Cash support' is more important than 'food support' in order to keep vegetable farmers in farming, to ensure a ready supply of necessary low-cost resources, and to help fight against the upcoming food shortage.
Project description:AimIn 2020, due to the pandemic, the lack of specific knowledge on breaking bad news over the phone became apparent. This study aims at assessing the differences, or lack thereof, in satisfaction reported by participants in the different formats of a course in telephone communication for breaking bad news to families of patients, developed based on the previous experience of a team dedicated to this task during the peak of the pandemic.MethodsFour courses were delivered, two in a fully streamed format and two in a blended format, part pre-recorded, part streamed. There were 41 attendants, mostly doctors, but also nurses, social workers, occupational therapists, and administrative staff who deal with families. Subsequently, a survey was conducted to assess the degree of satisfaction of the participants.ResultsBoth formats scored very positively, with small advantages for the fully streamed format, mainly due to the difference in interaction activities.ConclusionsThe main conclusion is the need for these courses, which are demanded by the professionals themselves, without forgetting the benefit obtained from interprofessional education that enriches interaction and learning.InnovationThe inclusion of administrative staff allows for a global vision of care for family members, which improves it.