Effective transmission across the globe: the role of climate in COVID-19 mitigation strategies.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: O'Reilly KM
PROVIDER: S-EPMC7202845 | biostudies-literature | 2020 May
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Publications
Effective transmission across the globe: the role of climate in COVID-19 mitigation strategies.
O'Reilly Kathleen M KM Auzenbergs Megan M Jafari Yalda Y Liu Yang Y Flasche Stefan S Lowe Rachel R
The Lancet. Planetary health 20200506 5
Similar Datasets
Project description:This paper reports a Scopus-based systematic literature review of a wide variety of transportation policies and mitigation strategies that have been conducted around the world to minimize COVID-19 contagion risk in transportation systems. The review offers a representative coverage of countries across all continents of the planet, as well as among representative climate regions - as weather is an important factor to consider. The readership interested in policies and mitigation strategies is expected to involve a wide range of actors, each involving a particular application context; hence, the literature is also characterized by key attributes such as: transportation mode; actor (users, operators, government, industry); jurisdiction (national, provincial, city, neighborhood); and area of application (planning, regulation, operations, research, incentives). An in-depth analysis of the surveyed literature is then reported, focusing first on condensing the literature into 151 distinct policies and strategies, which are subsequently categorized into 25 broad categories that are discussed at length. The compendium and discussion of strategies and policies reported not only provide comprehensive guidelines to inform various courses of action for decision-makers, planners, and social communicators, but also emphasize on future work and the potential of some of these strategies to be the precursors of meaningful, more sustainable behavioral changes in future mobility patterns.
| S-EPMC9289094 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The COVID-19 pandemic has inflicted major economic and health burdens across the world. On the other hand, the potential airborne transmission of SARS-COV-2 via air can deeply undermine the effectiveness of countermeasures against spreading the disease. Therefore, there is an intense focus to look for ways to mitigate the COVID-19 spread within various indoor settings. This work systematically reviewed articles regarding airborne transmission of SARS-COV2 in various indoor settings since the onset of the pandemic. The systematic search was performed in Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed databases and has returned 19 original articles carefully screened with regard to inclusion and exclusion criteria. The results showed that the facilities, such as dormitories and classrooms, received the most attention followed by office buildings, healthcare facilities, residential buildings, and other potential enclosed spaces such as a metro wagon. Besides, the majority of the studies were conducted experimentally while other studies were done using computer simulations. United States (n = 5), Spain (n = 4) and China (n = 3) were the top three countries based on the number of performed research. Ventilation rate was the most influential parameter in controlling the infection spread. CO2 was the primary reference for viral spread in the buildings. The use of natural ventilation or a combination of mechanical and natural ventilations was found to be highly effective in the studies. The current work helps in furthering research on effective interventions to improve indoor air quality and control the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases.Supplementary informationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40201-023-00847-0.
| S-EPMC9968468 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Carbon fixed by vegetated coastal ecosystems (blue carbon) can mitigate anthropogenic CO2 emissions, though its effectiveness differs with the spatial scale of interest. A literature review compiling carbon sequestration rates within key ecosystems confirms that blue carbon ecosystems are the most efficient natural carbon sinks at the plot scale, though some overlooked biogeochemical processes may lead to overestimation. Moreover, the limited spatial extent of coastal habitats minimizes their potential at the global scale, only buffering 0.42% of the global fossil fuel carbon emissions in 2014. Still, blue carbon plays a role for countries with moderate fossil fuel emissions and extensive coastlines. In 2014, mangroves mitigated greater than 1% of national fossil fuel emissions for countries such as Bangladesh, Colombia and Nigeria. Considering that the Paris Agreement is based on nationally determined contributions, we propose that mangrove blue carbon may contribute to climate change mitigation at this scale in some instances alongside other blue carbon ecosystems.
| S-EPMC6227866 | biostudies-literature
Project description:During the past 6 months, the world has lost almost 950,000 lives because of the outbreak of COVID-19, with more than 31 million individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 worldwide. In response, lockdowns, and various other policies have been implemented. Unfortunately, many individuals are violating those policies and governments have been urging people to comply with the behavioral guidelines. In this paper, we argue that personality traits need to be considered to understand and encourage more effective public compliance with COVID 19 transmission mitigation behavioral guidelines. Using a sample of 8,548 individuals from Japan, we show that certain personality traits are related to the tendency to comply with COVID-19 transmission mitigation behavioral guidelines. We emphasize the importance of understanding why people respond differently to the same authority's messages and provide actionable insights for government policy makers and those who implement policies.
| S-EPMC7544078 | biostudies-literature
Project description:We use a simple SIR-like epidemic model integrating known age-contact patterns for the United States to model the effect of age-targeted mitigation strategies for a COVID-19-like epidemic. We find that, among strategies which end with population immunity, strict age-targeted mitigation strategies have the potential to greatly reduce mortalities and ICU utilization for natural parameter choices.
| S-EPMC7380601 | biostudies-literature
Project description:With more than three billion people in isolation, the status of digital spaces is switching from an amenity to a necessity, as they become not only the main way to access information and services, but also one of the only remaining vectors for economic, educational, and leisure activities as well as for social interactions to take place. However, not all are equals in terms of access to networks or connected devices, or when it comes to the skills required to navigate computerized spaces optimally. Digital inequalities were already existing, yet the COVID-19 crisis is exacerbating them dramatically. On the one hand, the crisis will worsen digital inequalities within the population. On the other hand, digital inequalities represent a major risk factor of vulnerability for exposure to the virus itself, and for the non-sanitary consequences of the crisis. Therefore, this paper aims at exploring the reciprocal impacts of the COVID-19 crisis and digital inequalities, and to propose operative solutions to help fight the nefarious consequences of the crisis. We first describe how digital inequalities are a determinant of health. We then investigate how COVID-19 can potentiate digital inequalities, and how digital inequalities potentiate vulnerability to COVID-19. Finally, in order to contribute to the mitigation of this crisis, we propose a set of multi-layered strategies focusing on actionability that can be implemented at multiple structural levels, ranging from governmental to corporate and community levels.
| S-EPMC7213963 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundSchools are an integral part of the community; however, congregate settings facilitate transmission of SARS-CoV-2, presenting a challenge to school administrators to provide a safe, in-school environment for students and staff.MethodsWe adapted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's COVIDTracer Advanced tool to model the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in a school of 596 individuals. We estimate possible reductions in cases and hospitalizations among this population using a scenario-based analysis that accounts for (a) the risk of importation of infection from the community; (b) adherence to key Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-recommended mitigation strategies: mask wearing, cleaning and disinfection, hand hygiene, and social distancing; and (c) the effectiveness of contact tracing interventions at limiting onward transmission.ResultsLow impact and effectiveness of mitigation strategies (net effectiveness: 27%) result in approximately 40% of exposed staff and students becoming COVID-19 cases. When the net effectiveness of mitigation strategies was 69% or greater, in-school transmission was mostly prevented, yet importation of cases from the surrounding community could result in nearly 20% of the school's population becoming infected within 180 days. The combined effects of mitigation strategies and contact tracing were able to prevent most onward transmission. Hospitalizations were low among children and adults (<0.5% of the school population) across all scenarios examined.ConclusionsBased on our model, layering mitigation strategies and contact tracing can limit the number of cases that may occur from transmission in schools. Schools in communities with substantial levels of community spread will need to be more vigilant to ensure adherence of mitigation strategies to minimize transmission. Our results show that for school administrators, teachers, and parents to provide the safest environment, it is important to utilize multiple mitigation strategies and contract tracing that reduce SARS CoV-2 transmission by at least 69%. This will require training, reinforcement, and vigilance to ensure that the highest level of adherence is maintained over the entire school term.
| S-EPMC8556416 | biostudies-literature
Project description: Not available
| S-EPMC7184329 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The COVID-19 pandemic began in late 2019 and its uneven impact across different communities globally was quickly evident. In Canada, South Asian communities were disproportionately affected. In response, the South Asian COVID-19 Task Force (SACTF) emerged, seeking to address the unique challenges faced by the South Asian community. The embedded single case study design was employed to explore the role of SACTF in COVID-19 mitigation in Ontario. Informed by critical race theory and a public engagement conceptual framework published by the Canadian Health Services Research Foundation (2010), we analyzed how contexts guided the goals, processes, and outcomes of SACTF activities. We conducted one-on-one semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions with SACTF's Board of Directors and analyzed SACTF-produced knowledge dissemination materials and media coverage of SACTF spanning March 2020 to February 2022. SACTF's success in educating and advocating for South Asians offers important insights into the gaps in public health communication and the inequities in healthcare delivery. It emphasizes the importance of tailoring emergency responses to community-specific needs and the role of racialized healthcare workers in facilitating trust-building within minority communities. By incorporating insights of racialized healthcare workers in health system decision-making, both public engagement and community health outcomes can be improved. This study contributes to a nuanced understanding of community-centric pandemic responses and demonstrates the need for diverse representation in decision-making processes for long-term health system resilience. Both healthcare knowledge and lived experiences made SACTF alert to how pandemics unfold differently and have differential effects on racialized populations. SACTF's responses offer practical recommendations for future pandemic preparedness and emergency responses, emphasizing the role of advocacy groups in addressing public health gaps and serving as crucial allies for communities and governments.
| S-EPMC11446452 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Purpose. To estimate the impact on mortality of nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) implemented early in the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods. We implemented an agent-based modified SEIR model of COVID-19, calibrated to match death numbers reported in Pennsylvania from January 2020 to April 2021 and including representations of NPIs implemented in Pennsylvania. To investigate the impact of these strategies, we ran the calibrated model with no interventions and with varying combinations, timings, and levels of interventions. Results. The model closely replicated death outcomes data for Pennsylvania. Without NPIs, deaths in the early months of the pandemic were estimated to be much higher (67,718 deaths compared to actual 6,969). Voluntary interventions alone were relatively ineffective at decreasing mortality. Delaying implementation of interventions led to higher deaths (∼9,000 more deaths with just a 1-week delay). School closure was insufficient as a single intervention but was an important part of a combined intervention strategy. Conclusions. NPIs were effective at reducing deaths early in the COVID-19 pandemic. Agent-based models can incorporate substantial detail on infectious disease spread and the impact of mitigations. Policy Implications. The model supports the importance and effectiveness of NPIs to decrease morbidity from respiratory pathogens. This is particularly important for emerging pathogens for which no vaccines or treatments exist, but such strategies are applicable to a variety of respiratory pathogens.HighlightsNonpharmaceutical interventions were used extensively during the early period of the COVID-19 pandemic, but their use has remained controversial.Agent-based modeling of the impact of these mitigation strategies early in the COVID-19 pandemic supports the effectiveness of nonpharmaceutical interventions at decreasing mortality.Since such interventions are not specific to a particular pathogen, they can be used to protect against any respiratory pathogen, known or emerging. They can be applied rapidly when conditions warrant.
| S-EPMC11191394 | biostudies-literature