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Fulltext Factors Associated with the Perception of Risk and Knowledge of Contracting the SARS-Cov-2 among Adults in Bangladesh: Analysis of Online Surveys

Abir T, Kalimullah NA, Osuagwu UL, Yazdani DMN, Mamun AA, Husain T, et al.

Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2020 Jul 21;17(14).
PMID: 32708161 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17145252

This study investigated the perception and awareness of risk among adult participants in Bangladesh about Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). During the lockdown era in Bangladesh at two different time points, from 26-31 March 2020 (early lockdown) and 11-16 May 2020 (late lockdown), two self-administered online surveys were conducted on 1005 respondents (322 and 683 participants, respectively) via social media. To examine risk perception and knowledge-related factors towards COVID-19, univariate and multiple linear regression models were employed. Scores of mean knowledge (8.4 vs. 8.1, p = 0.022) and perception of risk (11.2 vs. 10.6, p < 0.001) differed significantly between early and late lockdown. There was a significant decrease in perceived risk scores for contracting SARS-Cov-2 [β = -0.85, 95%CI: -1.31, -0.39], while knowledge about SARS-Cov-2 decreased insignificantly [β = -0.22, 95%CI: -0.46, 0.03] in late lockdown compared with early lockdown period. Self-quarantine was a common factor linked to increased perceived risks and knowledge of SARS-Cov-2 during the lockdown period. Any effort to increase public awareness and comprehension of SARS-Cov-2 in Bangladesh will then offer preference to males, who did not practice self-quarantine and are less worried about the propagation of this kind of virus.

Matched MeSH terms: Quarantine
Fulltext Gene flow and genetic structure of Bactrocera carambolae (Diptera, Tephritidae) among geographical differences and sister species, B. dorsalis, inferred from microsatellite DNA data

Aketarawong N, Isasawin S, Sojikul P, Thanaphum S

Zookeys, 2015.
PMID: 26798262 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.540.10058

The Carambola fruit fly, Bactrocera carambolae, is an invasive pest in Southeast Asia. It has been introduced into areas in South America such as Suriname and Brazil. Bactrocera carambolae belongs to the Bactrocera dorsalis species complex, and seems to be separated from Bactrocera dorsalis based on morphological and multilocus phylogenetic studies. Even though the Carambola fruit fly is an important quarantine species and has an impact on international trade, knowledge of the molecular ecology of Bactrocera carambolae, concerning species status and pest management aspects, is lacking. Seven populations sampled from the known geographical areas of Bactrocera carambolae including Southeast Asia (i.e., Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand) and South America (i.e., Suriname), were genotyped using eight microsatellite DNA markers. Genetic variation, genetic structure, and genetic network among populations illustrated that the Suriname samples were genetically differentiated from Southeast Asian populations. The genetic network revealed that samples from West Sumatra (Pekanbaru, PK) and Java (Jakarta, JK) were presumably the source populations of Bactrocera carambolae in Suriname, which was congruent with human migration records between the two continents. Additionally, three populations of Bactrocera dorsalis were included to better understand the species boundary. The genetic structure between the two species was significantly separated and approximately 11% of total individuals were detected as admixed (0.100 ≤ Q ≤ 0.900). The genetic network showed connections between Bactrocera carambolae and Bactrocera dorsalis groups throughout Depok (DP), JK, and Nakhon Sri Thammarat (NT) populations. These data supported the hypothesis that the reproductive isolation between the two species may be leaky. Although the morphology and monophyly of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequences in previous studies showed discrete entities, the hypothesis of semipermeable boundaries may not be rejected. Alleles at microsatellite loci could be introgressed rather than other nuclear and mitochondrial DNA. Bactrocera carambolae may be an incipient rather than a distinct species of Bactrocera dorsalis. Regarding the pest management aspect, the genetic sexing Salaya5 strain (SY5) was included for comparison with wild populations. The SY5 strain was genetically assigned to the Bactrocera carambolae cluster. Likewise, the genetic network showed that the strain shared greatest genetic similarity to JK, suggesting that SY5 did not divert away from its original genetic makeup. Under laboratory conditions, at least 12 generations apart, selection did not strongly affect genetic compatibility between the strain and wild populations. This knowledge further confirms the potential utilization of the Salaya5 strain in regional programs of area-wide integrated pest management using SIT.

Matched MeSH terms: Quarantine
Fulltext Recent perspectives and awareness on transmission, clinical manifestation, quarantine measures, prevention and treatment of COVID-19 among people living in Malaysia in 2020

Alabed AAA, Elengoe A, Anandan ES, Almahdi AY

Z Gesundh Wiss, 2020 Oct 14.
PMID: 33078089 DOI: 10.1007/s10389-020-01395-9

Background: There is a major public health challenge threatening the world with the rapid spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which emerged in December 2019 from Wuhan, China.
Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice regarding COVID-19 and its transmission, causes and prevention among people living in Malaysia.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among people living in Malaysia by using an online survey in March and April 2020.
Results: Out of 520 respondents, the mean age was 36.9 ± 14.9, between 19 and 67 years with the majority being female. Most respondents had good knowledge, attitude and practice towards COVID-19 with mean ± sd 18.2 ± 1.7, 5.2 ± 1.1 and 4.1 ± 1.4, respectively. In addition, the majority had good knowledge regarding cause, mode of transmission, signs and symptoms, prevention and treatment and quarantine measures after answering 21 questions.
Conclusion: To date, there is no specific treatment or vaccine for COVID-19, thus staying at home is the best preventive measure to curb the further growth of positive cases in the country. These findings could provide an insight in designing effective preparedness for future pandemic outbreaks.

Matched MeSH terms: Quarantine
Fulltext Factors influencing mHealth adoption and its impact on mental well-being during COVID-19 pandemic: A SEM-ANN approach

Alam MMD, Alam MZ, Rahman SA, Taghizadeh SK

J Biomed Inform, 2021 Apr;116:103722.
PMID: 33705856 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbi.2021.103722

The objectives of this study are to examine the factors affecting the intention and actual usage behavior on mHealth adoption, investigate the effect of actual usage behavior of mHealth on mental well-being of the end-users, and investigate the moderating role of self-quarantine on the intention-actual usage of mHealth under the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic situation. The required primary data were gathered from the end-users of mHealth in Bangladesh. Using the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2), this study has confirmed that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, hedonic motivation, and facilitating conditions have a positive influence on behavioral intention whereas health consciousness has an impact on both intention and actual usage behavior. mHealth usage behavior has an affirmative and meaningful effect on the mental well-being of the service users. Moreover, self-quarantine has strong influence on actual usage behavior but does not moderate the intention-behavior relationship. In addition, due to the existence of a non-linearity problem in the data set, the Artificial Neural Network (ANN) approach was engaged to sort out relatively significant predictors acquired from Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). However, this study contributes to the emergent mHealth literature by revealing how the use of the mHealth services elevates the quality of patients' mental well-being under this pandemic situation.

Matched MeSH terms: Quarantine/psychology; Quarantine/statistics & numerical data
Fulltext Prediction of Epidemic Peak and Infected Cases for COVID-19 Disease in Malaysia, 2020

Alsayed A, Sadir H, Kamil R, Sari H

Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2020 Jun 08;17(11).
PMID: 32521641 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17114076

The coronavirus COVID-19 has recently started to spread rapidly in Malaysia. The number of total infected cases has increased to 3662 on 05 April 2020, leading to the country being placed under lockdown. As the main public concern is whether the current situation will continue for the next few months, this study aims to predict the epidemic peak using the Susceptible-Exposed-Infectious-Recovered (SEIR) model, with incorporation of the mortality cases. The infection rate was estimated using the Genetic Algorithm (GA), while the Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) model was used to provide short-time forecasting of the number of infected cases. The results show that the estimated infection rate is 0.228 ± 0.013, while the basic reproductive number is 2.28 ± 0.13. The epidemic peak of COVID-19 in Malaysia could be reached on 26 July 2020, with an uncertain period of 30 days (12 July-11 August). Possible interventions by the government to reduce the infection rate by 25% over two or three months would delay the epidemic peak by 30 and 46 days, respectively. The forecasting results using the ANFIS model show a low Normalized Root Mean Square Error (NRMSE) of 0.041; a low Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) of 2.45%; and a high coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.9964. The results also show that an intervention has a great effect on delaying the epidemic peak and a longer intervention period would reduce the epidemic size at the peak. The study provides important information for public health providers and the government to control the COVID-19 epidemic.

Matched MeSH terms: Quarantine
Fulltext Psychological consequences of COVID-19 home confinement: The ECLB-COVID19 multicenter study

Ammar A, Mueller P, Trabelsi K, Chtourou H, Boukhris O, Masmoudi L, et al.

PLoS One, 2020;15(11):e0240204.
PMID: 33152030 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0240204

BACKGROUND: Public health recommendations and government measures during the COVID-19 pandemic have enforced restrictions on daily-living. While these measures are imperative to abate the spreading of COVID-19, the impact of these restrictions on mental health and emotional wellbeing is undefined. Therefore, an international online survey (ECLB-COVID19) was launched on April 6, 2020 in seven languages to elucidate the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on mental health and emotional wellbeing.
METHODS: The ECLB-COVID19 electronic survey was designed by a steering group of multidisciplinary scientists, following a structured review of the literature. The survey was uploaded and shared on the Google online-survey-platform and was promoted by thirty-five research organizations from Europe, North-Africa, Western-Asia and the Americas. All participants were asked for their mental wellbeing (SWEMWS) and depressive symptoms (SMFQ) with regard to "during" and "before" home confinement.
RESULTS: Analysis was conducted on the first 1047 replies (54% women) from Asia (36%), Africa (40%), Europe (21%) and other (3%). The COVID-19 home confinement had a negative effect on both mental-wellbeing and on mood and feelings. Specifically, a significant decrease (p < .001 and Δ% = 9.4%) in total score of the SWEMWS questionnaire was noted. More individuals (+12.89%) reported a low mental wellbeing "during" compared to "before" home confinement. Furthermore, results from the mood and feelings questionnaire showed a significant increase by 44.9% (p < .001) in SMFQ total score with more people (+10%) showing depressive symptoms "during" compared to "before" home confinement.
CONCLUSION: The ECLB-COVID19 survey revealed an increased psychosocial strain triggered by the home confinement. To mitigate this high risk of mental disorders and to foster an Active and Healthy Confinement Lifestyle (AHCL), a crisis-oriented interdisciplinary intervention is urgently needed.

Matched MeSH terms: Quarantine/psychology*
Fulltext Malaysia's Health Systems Response to COVID-19

Ang ZY, Cheah KY, Shakirah MS, Fun WH, Anis-Syakira J, Kong YL, et al.

Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2021 Oct 22;18(21).
PMID: 34769629 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182111109

This study aimed to highlight the COVID-19 response by the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Government of Malaysia in order to share Malaysia's lessons and to improve future pandemic preparedness. The team conducted a rapid review using publicly available information from MOH, PubMed, and World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Research on Coronavirus Disease Database to compile Malaysia's responses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Measures taken between 31 December 2019 and 3 June 2020 were classified into domains as well as the pillars described in the WHO COVID-19 Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan (WHO SPRP). Malaysia's response incorporated all pillars in the WHO SPRP and consisted of five domains, (i) whole-of-government, (ii) cordon sanitaire/lockdown, (iii) equity of access to services and supports, (iv) quarantine and isolation systems, and (v) legislation and enforcement. Some crucial measures taken were activation of a centralised multi-ministerial coordination council where MOH acted as an advisor, with collaboration from non-government organisations and private sectors which enabled an effective targeted screening approach, provision of subsidised COVID-19 treatment and screening, isolation or quarantine of all confirmed cases, close contacts and persons under investigation, with all strategies applied irrespective of citizenship. This was provided for by way of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988. A combination of these measures enabled the nation to contain the COVID-19 outbreak by the end of June 2020.

Matched MeSH terms: Quarantine
Fulltext Mathematical epidemiologic and simulation modelling of first wave COVID-19 in Malaysia

Ariffin MRK, Gopal K, Krishnarajah I, Che Ilias IS, Adam MB, Arasan J, et al.

Sci Rep, 2021 Oct 20;11(1):20739.
PMID: 34671103 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-99541-0

Since the first coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak appeared in Wuhan, mainland China on December 31, 2019, the geographical spread of the epidemic was swift. Malaysia is one of the countries that were hit substantially by the outbreak, particularly in the second wave. This study aims to simulate the infectious trend and trajectory of COVID-19 to understand the severity of the disease and determine the approximate number of days required for the trend to decline. The number of confirmed positive infectious cases [as reported by Ministry of Health, Malaysia (MOH)] were used from January 25, 2020 to March 31, 2020. This study simulated the infectious count for the same duration to assess the predictive capability of the Susceptible-Infectious-Recovered (SIR) model. The same model was used to project the simulation trajectory of confirmed positive infectious cases for 80 days from the beginning of the outbreak and extended the trajectory for another 30 days to obtain an overall picture of the severity of the disease in Malaysia. The transmission rate, β also been utilized to predict the cumulative number of infectious individuals. Using the SIR model, the simulated infectious cases count obtained was not far from the actual count. The simulated trend was able to mimic the actual count and capture the actual spikes approximately. The infectious trajectory simulation for 80 days and the extended trajectory for 110 days depicts that the inclining trend has peaked and ended and will decline towards late April 2020. Furthermore, the predicted cumulative number of infectious individuals tallies with the preparations undertaken by the MOH. The simulation indicates the severity of COVID-19 disease in Malaysia, suggesting a peak of infectiousness in mid-March 2020 and a probable decline in late April 2020. Overall, the study findings indicate that outbreak control measures such as the Movement Control Order (MCO), social distancing and increased hygienic awareness is needed to control the transmission of the outbreak in Malaysia.

Matched MeSH terms: Quarantine
Fulltext Community responses to COVID-19 pandemic first wave containment measures: a multinational study

Aung MN, Stein C, Chen WT, Garg V, Saraswati Sitepu M, Thu NTD, et al.

J Infect Dev Ctries, 2021 08 31;15(8):1107-1116.
PMID: 34516418 DOI: 10.3855/jidc.15254

INTRODUCTION: National strategies to control COVID-19 pandemic consisted mostly of social distancing measures such as lockdowns, curfews, and stay-home guidelines, personal protection such as hand hygiene and mask wearing, as well as contact tracing, isolation and quarantine. Whilst policy interventions were broadly similar across the globe, there were some differences in individual and community responses. This study explored community responses to COVID-19 containment measures in different countries and synthesized a model. This exaplains the community response to pandemic containment measures in the local context, so as to be suitably prepared for future interventions and research.
METHODOLOGY: A mutlinational study was conducted from April-June 2020 involving researchers from 12 countries (Japan, Austria, U.S., Taiwan, India, Sudan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand). Steps in this research consisted of carrying out open-ended questionnaires, qualitative analyses in NVivo, and a multinational meeting to reflect, exchange, and validate results. Lastly, a commuinty response model was synthesized from multinational experiences.
RESULTS: Effective communication is key in promoting collective action for preventing virus transmission. Health literacy, habits and social norms in different populations are core components of public health interventions. To enable people to stay home while sustaining livelihoods, economic and social support are essential. Countries could benefit from previous pandemic experience in their community response. Whilst contact tracing and isolation are crucial intervention components, issues of privacy and human rights need to be considered.
CONCLUSIONS: Understanding community responses to containment policies will help in ending current and future pandemics in the world.

Matched MeSH terms: Quarantine
Detection of Sugarcane yellow leaf virus in Quarantine and Production of Virus-free Sugarcane by Apical Meristem Culture

Chatenet M, Delage C, Ripolles M, Irey M, Lockhart BEL, Rott P

Plant Dis, 2001 Nov;85(11):1177-1180.
PMID: 30823163 DOI: 10.1094/PDIS.2001.85.11.1177

Sugarcane yellow leaf virus (SCYLV) was detected for the first time in 1996 in the Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD) sugarcane quarantine at Montpellier by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in varieties from Brazil, Florida, Mauritius, and Réunion. Between 1997 and 2000, the virus was found by RT-PCR and/or tissue-blot immunoassay (TBIA) in additional varieties from Barbados, Cuba, Guadeloupe, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Taiwan, suggesting a worldwide distribution of the pathogen. An excellent correlation was observed between results obtained for the two diagnostic techniques. However, even though only a few false negative results were obtained by either technique, both are now used to detect SCYLV in CIRAD's sugarcane quarantine in Montpellier. The pathogen was detected by TBIA or RT-PCR in all leaves of sugarcane foliage, but the highest percentage of infected vascular bundles was found in the top leaves. The long hot water treatment (soaking of cuttings in water at 25°C for 2 days and then at 50°C for 3 h) was ineffective in eliminating SCYLV from infected plants. Sugarcane varieties from various origins were grown in vitro by apical bud culture and apical meristem culture, and the latter proved to be the most effective method for producing SCYLV-free plants.

Matched MeSH terms: Quarantine
A Filippov model describing the effects of media coverage and quarantine on the spread of human influenza

Chen C, Chong NS, Smith R

Math Biosci, 2018 02;296:98-112.
PMID: 29273381 DOI: 10.1016/j.mbs.2017.12.002

Mass-media reports on an epidemic or pandemic have the potential to modify human behaviour and affect social attitudes. Here we construct a Filippov model to evaluate the effects of media coverage and quarantine on the transmission dynamics of influenza. We first choose a piecewise smooth incidence rate to represent media reports being triggered once the number of infected individuals exceeds a certain critical level [Formula: see text] . Further, if the number of infected cases increases and exceeds another larger threshold value [Formula: see text] ( [Formula: see text] ), we consider that the incidence rate tends to a saturation level due to the protection measures taken by individuals; meanwhile, we begin to quarantine susceptible individuals when the number of susceptible individuals is larger than a threshold value Sc. Then, for each susceptible threshold value Sc, the global properties of the Filippov model with regard to the existence and stability of all possible equilibria and sliding-mode dynamics are examined, as we vary the infected threshold values [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] . We show generically that the Filippov system stabilizes at either the endemic equilibrium of the subsystem or the pseudoequilibrium on the switching surface or the endemic equilibrium [Formula: see text] depending on the choice of the threshold values. The findings suggest that proper combinations of infected and susceptible threshold values can maintain the number of infected individuals either below a certain threshold level or at a previously given level.

Matched MeSH terms: Quarantine*
Preventive measures with special reference to quarantine

DORAISINGHAM M

Med J Malaya, 1956 Sep;11(1):76-9; discussion, 79-80.
PMID: 13399545
Matched MeSH terms: Quarantine*
Fulltext A data driven change-point epidemic model for assessing the impact of large gathering and subsequent movement control order on COVID-19 spread in Malaysia

Dass SC, Kwok WM, Gibson GJ, Gill BS, Sundram BM, Singh S

PLoS One, 2021;16(5):e0252136.
PMID: 34043676 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0252136

The second wave of COVID-19 in Malaysia is largely attributed to a four-day mass gathering held in Sri Petaling from February 27, 2020, which contributed to an exponential rise of COVID-19 cases in the country. Starting from March 18, 2020, the Malaysian government introduced four consecutive phases of a Movement Control Order (MCO) to stem the spread of COVID-19. The MCO was implemented through various non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs). The reported number of cases reached its peak by the first week of April and then started to reduce, hence proving the effectiveness of the MCO. To gain a quantitative understanding of the effect of MCO on the dynamics of COVID-19, this paper develops a class of mathematical models to capture the disease spread before and after MCO implementation in Malaysia. A heterogeneous variant of the Susceptible-Exposed-Infected-Recovered (SEIR) model is developed with additional compartments for asymptomatic transmission. Further, a change-point is incorporated to model disease dynamics before and after intervention which is inferred based on data. Related statistical analyses for inference are developed in a Bayesian framework and are able to provide quantitative assessments of (1) the impact of the Sri Petaling gathering, and (2) the extent of decreasing transmission during the MCO period. The analysis here also quantitatively demonstrates how quickly transmission rates fall under effective NPI implementation within a short time period. The models and methodology used provided important insights into the nature of local transmissions to decision makers in the Ministry of Health, Malaysia.

Matched MeSH terms: Quarantine
Krian quarantine and cholera, 1906

Gerrard PN

Journal of the Malaya Branch of the British Medical Association, 1905.

Matched MeSH terms: Quarantine
Fulltext Modelling the Effectiveness of Epidemic Control Measures in Preventing the Transmission of COVID-19 in Malaysia

Gill BS, Jayaraj VJ, Singh S, Mohd Ghazali S, Cheong YL, Md Iderus NH, et al.

Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2020 Jul 30;17(15).
PMID: 32751669 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17155509

Malaysia is currently facing an outbreak of COVID-19. We aim to present the first study in Malaysia to report the reproduction numbers and develop a mathematical model forecasting COVID-19 transmission by including isolation, quarantine, and movement control measures. We utilized a susceptible, exposed, infectious, and recovered (SEIR) model by incorporating isolation, quarantine, and movement control order (MCO) taken in Malaysia. The simulations were fitted into the Malaysian COVID-19 active case numbers, allowing approximation of parameters consisting of probability of transmission per contact (β), average number of contacts per day per case (ζ), and proportion of close-contact traced per day (q). The effective reproduction number (Rt) was also determined through this model. Our model calibration estimated that (β), (ζ), and (q) were 0.052, 25 persons, and 0.23, respectively. The (Rt) was estimated to be 1.68. MCO measures reduce the peak number of active COVID-19 cases by 99.1% and reduce (ζ) from 25 (pre-MCO) to 7 (during MCO). The flattening of the epidemic curve was also observed with the implementation of these control measures. We conclude that isolation, quarantine, and MCO measures are essential to break the transmission of COVID-19 in Malaysia.

Matched MeSH terms: Quarantine
Fulltext Assessing social support impact on depression, anxiety, and stress among undergraduate students in Shaanxi province during the COVID-19 pandemic of China

Guo K, Zhang X, Bai S, Minhat HS, Nazan AINM, Feng J, et al.

PLoS One, 2021;16(7):e0253891.
PMID: 34297731 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0253891

Following the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in China, undergraduate students may experience psychological changes. During emergency circumstances, social support is an important factor influencing the mental health condition among undergraduate students in Shaanxi province. This study aims to find the factors associated with mental health symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress among undergraduate students in Shaanxi province during the COVID-19 pandemic in China. A cross-sectional study was conducted from Feb 23 to Mar 7, 2020. A total of 1278 undergraduate students from the universities located in Shaanxi province participated in this study. The mental health symptoms were measured by 12-item Perceived Social Support Scale (PSSS) and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21) instruments. This survey showed that females receive more social support compared to males (t = -5.046, P<0.001); males have higher-level depression symptoms (t = 5.624, P<0.001); males have higher-level anxiety symptoms (t = 6.332, P<0.001), males have higher-level stress symptoms (t = 5.58, P<0.001). This study also found participants who have low social support was negatively correlated with mental health symptoms. In Conclusion, Males and low social support were associated with having the higher level of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms among undergraduate students in Shaanxi province during the COVID-19 pandemic in China. Therefore, it is suggested that people should supply more social support for undergraduate students in Shaanxi province during COVID-19 pandemic.

Matched MeSH terms: Quarantine*
Fulltext Social distancing and the use of PPE by community pharmacy personnel: Does evidence support these measures?

Hasan SS, Kow CS, Zaidi STR

Res Social Adm Pharm, 2021 Feb;17(2):456-459.
PMID: 32387229 DOI: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2020.04.033

Community pharmacists are one of the most accessible healthcare professionals and are often served as the first point of contact when it comes to minor ailments and health advice. As such, community pharmacists can play a vital role in a country's response to various preventative and public health measures amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Given the essential nature of community pharmacy as a health service, community pharmacies are unlikely to shut down in any foreseeable lockdown scenario. It is therefore important to assess the preventative measure directives for community pharmacies that are in place to safeguard community pharmacy personnel from SARS-CoV-2 in the various parts of the world. Upon reviewing the recommendations of 15 selected countries across five continents (Asia, Europe, Oceania, North America, and Africa) on social distancing and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) in community pharmacies, we found inconsistencies in the recommended social distance to be practiced within the community pharmacies. There were also varying recommendations on the use of PPE by the pharmacy personnel. Despite the differences in the recommendations, maintaining recommended social distance and the wearing of appropriate PPE is of utmost importance for healthcare workers, including community pharmacy personnel dealing with day-to-day patient care activities, though full PPE should be worn when dealing with suspected COVID-19 patients.

Matched MeSH terms: Quarantine/statistics & numerical data*
Animal health emergencies: prevention and preparedness in Asia

Hashim HD

Rev. - Off. Int. Epizoot., 1999 Apr;18(1):47-51.
PMID: 10190203

Besides response and recovery, prevention and preparedness are the two critical components of any contingency plan. The author discusses the various elements which must be present in the prevention and preparedness plan of countries in Asia. As the continent has such diverse peoples and veterinary infrastructures, the actual plan may vary from one country to another, but must incorporate those elements which are crucial to ensure the success of the preparedness plan.

Matched MeSH terms: Quarantine/organization & administration; Quarantine/veterinary
Fulltext Historical perspective on the synonymization of the four major pest species belonging to the Bactrocera dorsalis species complex (Diptera, Tephritidae)

Hee AK, Wee SL, Nishida R, Ono H, Hendrichs J, Haymer DS, et al.

Zookeys, 2015.
PMID: 26798266 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.540.6028

An FAO/IAEA-sponsored coordinated research project on integrative taxonomy, involving close to 50 researchers from at least 20 countries, culminated in a significant breakthrough in the recognition that four major pest species, Bactrocera dorsalis, Bactrocera philippinensis, Bactrocera papayae and Bactrocera invadens, belong to the same biological species, Bactrocera dorsalis. The successful conclusion of this initiative is expected to significantly facilitate global agricultural trade, primarily through the lifting of quarantine restrictions that have long affected many countries, especially those in regions such as Asia and Africa that have large potential for fresh fruit and vegetable commodity exports. This work stems from two taxonomic studies: a revision in 1994 that significantly increased the number of described species in the Bactrocera dorsalis species complex; and the description in 2005 of Bactrocera invadens, then newly incursive in Africa. While taxonomically valid species, many biologists considered that these were different names for one biological species. Many disagreements confounded attempts to develop a solution for resolving this taxonomic issue, before the FAO/IAEA project commenced. Crucial to understanding the success of that initiative is an accounting of the historical events and perspectives leading up to the international, multidisciplinary collaborative efforts that successfully achieved the final synonymization. This review highlights the 21 year journey taken to achieve this outcome.

Matched MeSH terms: Quarantine
Fulltext The effects of super spreading events and movement control measures on the COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia

Herng LC, Singh S, Sundram BM, Zamri ASSM, Vei TC, Aris T, et al.

Sci Rep, 2022 02 09;12(1):2197.
PMID: 35140319 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-06341-1

This paper aims to develop an automated web application to generate validated daily effective reproduction numbers (Rt) which can be used to examine the effects of super-spreading events due to mass gatherings and the effectiveness of the various Movement Control Order (MCO) stringency levels on the outbreak progression of COVID-19 in Malaysia. The effective reproduction number, Rt, was estimated by adopting and modifying an Rt estimation algorithm using a validated distribution mean of 3.96 and standard deviation of 4.75 with a seven-day sliding window. The Rt values generated were validated using thea moving window SEIR model with a negative binomial likelihood fitted using methods from the Bayesian inferential framework. A Pearson's correlation between the Rt values estimated by the algorithm and the SEIR model was r = 0.70, p

Matched MeSH terms: Quarantine

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