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1 – 10 of over 1000Steffen Roth, Lars Clausen and Sören Möller
This study aims to highlight the critical role case fatality rates (CFR) have played in the emergence and the management of particularly the early phases of the current coronavirus…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to highlight the critical role case fatality rates (CFR) have played in the emergence and the management of particularly the early phases of the current coronavirus crisis.
Design/methodology/approach
The study presents a contrastive map of CFR for the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) and influenza (H1N1 and H2N2).
Findings
The mapped data shows that current CFR of SARS-CoV-2 are considerably lower than, or similar to those, of hospitalised patients in the UK, Spain, Germany or international samples. The authors therefore infer a possible risk that the virulence of the coronavirus is considerably overestimated because of sampling biases, and that increased testing might reduce the general CFR of SARS-CoV-2 to rates similar to, or lower than, of the common seasonal influenza.
Originality/value
This study concludes that governments, health corporations and health researchers must prepare for scenarios in which the affected populations cease to believe in the statistical foundations of the current coronavirus crisis and interventions.
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Fayaz Ahmad Loan and Ufaira Yaseen Shah
The present study aims to measure the global research landscape on coronavirus indexed in the Web of Science from 1989 to 2020. The study examines growth rates, authorship trends…
Abstract
Purpose
The present study aims to measure the global research landscape on coronavirus indexed in the Web of Science from 1989 to 2020. The study examines growth rates, authorship trends, institutional productivity, collaborative networks and prominent authors, institutions and countries.
Design/methodology/approach
The research literature on coronavirus published globally and indexed in the Web of Science core collection was retrieved using the term “Coronavirus” and its related and synonymous terms (e.g. COVID-19, SARS-COV, SARS-COV-2 and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus) as per the Medical List of Subject Headings. A total of 5,625 publications were retrieved; however, the study was restricted to articles only (i.e. 4,471), and other document types were excluded. Quantitative and visualization techniques were used for data analysis and interpretation. VOSViewer software was employed to map collaborative networks of authors, institutions and countries.
Findings
A total of 4,471 articles have been published on coronavirus by 99 countries of the world with the maximum contribution from the USA, followed by the People's Republic of China. The United States, China, Canada, Netherlands and Germany are the front runners in the collaborative network and form strong sub-networks with other countries as well. More than 1,000 institutions collaborate in the field of coronavirus research among 99 contributing countries. The authorship pattern shows that 97.5% of publications are contributed by authors in collaboration in which 77.5% of publications are contributed by four or more than four authors. The range between degree of collaboration (DC) varies from 0.89 in 1993 to 1 in 2000 with an average of 0.96 from 1989 to 2020. The results confirm that the coronavirus research is carried out in teamwork at the individual, institutional and global levels with high magnitude and density of collaboration. The relative growth of the literature has shown inconsistency as a decreasing trend has been observed from 2007 onwards, thereby increasing the doubling time from 4.2 in the first ten years to 17.3 in the last ten years.
Research limitations
The study is limited to the publications indexed in the Web of Science; the findings cannot be generalized across other databases.
Practical implications
The results of the study may help medical scientists to identify the progress in COVID-19 research. Besdies, it will help to identify the prolific authors, institutions and countries in the development of research.
Social implications
The current COVID-19 pandemic poses urgent and prolonged threats to the health and well-being of the population worldwide. It has not only attacked the health of the people but the economy of nations as well. Therefore, it is feasible to know the research landscape of the disease to conquer the problem.
Originality/value
The current COVID-19 pandemic poses urgent and prolonged threats to the health and well-being of the population worldwide. It has not only attacked the health of the people but also the economy of nations as well. Therefore, it is feasible to know the research landscape of the disease to conquer the problem.
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Gangadhar Ch, Thirumal S., Ramesh R., Damaraju Sri Sai Satyanarayana, Asadi Srinivasulu and Kranthi Kumar K.
The present digital world’s challenging issue is COVID-19. This paper is related to the process of the COVID-19 treatment based on age, gender, symptoms and previous health…
Abstract
Purpose
The present digital world’s challenging issue is COVID-19. This paper is related to the process of the COVID-19 treatment based on age, gender, symptoms and previous health issues. This paper gives the deep discussion about the prevention, symptoms, tests and treatment process. In this research work, the discussion is about vaccine invention and the side effects of the consumed medication.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper gives a clear explanation of the types of vaccine, which are lopinavir, ritonavir, remdesivir, hydroxychloroquine, chloroquine and plasma therapy. Thereafter, the discussion is prolonged to Indian vaccine for COVID-19.
Findings
This paper examines some of the COVID-19 treatment processes and difficulties, and finally, this paper aims to summarize and give an overview of the present preclinical research and clinical trials of potential candidates for COVID-19 treatments and vaccines.
Originality/value
The required information has been taken from online databases such as PubMed, Science, Nature, PNAS and Cell. Papers included were published between December 2019 and July 2020. The current results indicate the most promising outcomes for dexamethasone as a treatment and vaccine. Further research is needed to identify safe and effective treatments and vaccines for COVID-19.
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Renee Fleming, Katherine Maslak Madson and Bradley Perkins
The purpose of this study was to examine how data from the World Health Organization, United States Environmental Protection Agency and Center for Disease Control have evolved…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to examine how data from the World Health Organization, United States Environmental Protection Agency and Center for Disease Control have evolved with relation to engineering controls for heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems to mitigate the spread of spread of aerosols (specifically related to the COVID-19 pandemic) in occupied buildings.
Design/methodology/approach
A document analysis of the pandemic-focused position documents from the aforementioned public health agencies and national HVAC authorities was performed. This review targeted a range of evidence from recommendations, best practices, codes and regulations and peer-reviewed publications and evaluated how they cumulatively evolved over time. Data was compared between 2020 and 2021.
Findings
This research found that core information provided early in the pandemic (i.e. early 2020) for engineering controls in building HVAC systems did not vary greatly as knowledge of the pandemic evolved (i.e. in June of 2021). This indicates that regulating agencies had a good, early understanding of how airborne viruses spread through building ventilation systems. The largest evolution in knowledge came from the broader acceptance of building ventilation as a transmission route and the increase in publications and ease of access to the information for the general public over time.
Originality/value
The promotion of the proposed controls for ventilation in buildings, as outlined in this paper, is another step toward reducing the spread of COVID-19 and future aerosol spread viruses by means of ventilation.
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Emmanuel Kosack, Merlin Stone, Karen Sanders, Eleni Aravopoulou, Davide Biron, Sergio Brodsky, Esra Saleh Al Dhaen, Mohammed Mahmoud and Anastasia Usacheva
This paper aims to review the information management aspects of the early months of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) coronavirus 19 outbreak. It…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to review the information management aspects of the early months of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) coronavirus 19 outbreak. It shows that the transition from epidemic to the pandemic was caused partly by poor management of information that was publicly available in January 2020.
Design/methodology/approach
The approach combines public domain epidemic data with economic, demographic, health, social and political data and investigates how information was managed by governments. It includes case studies of early-stage information management, from countries with high and low coronavirus disease 2019 impacts (as measured by deaths per million).
Findings
The reasons why the information was not acted upon appropriately include “dark side” information behaviours (Stone et al., 2019). Many errors and misjudgements could have been avoided by using learnings from previous epidemics, particularly the 1918-1919 flu epidemic when international travel (mainly of troops in First World War) was a prime mode of spreading. It concludes that if similar outbreaks are not to turn into pandemics, much earlier action is needed, mainly closing borders and locking-down.
Research limitations/implications
The research is based on what was known at the time of writing, when the pandemic’s exact origin was uncertain, when some statistics about actions and results were unavailable and when final results were unknown.
Practical implications
Governments faced with early warning signs or pandemics must act much faster.
Social implications
If the next virus is as infectious as SARS-CoV-2 but much more fatal, the world faces disastrous consequences if most governments act as slowly as this time.
Originality/value
This is one of the first analyses of information management practices relating to the pandemic’s early stages.
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The world is facing an unprecedented transformation in its social, economic and financial environments due to the emergence of a new pandemic called coronavirus disease 2019…
Abstract
Purpose
The world is facing an unprecedented transformation in its social, economic and financial environments due to the emergence of a new pandemic called coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The norms on social distancing, lockdowns and sealing of international boundaries are the common measures taken by almost all regions of the world. However, the Asian region is found to have a relatively lesser number of infected cases and deaths due to COVID-19 in comparison to the other regions of the world. The present study has been aimed to review the roles of various factors as approaches, such as technology, business–government collaborations, financial bailouts and policies from government side and geographical and demographical factors of the countries in slowing down the transmission of virus in the Asian region including East Asia, South Asia and South East Asia for controlling COVID-19. Besides, the present study has also emphasised the gaps which have disabled the Asian region in controlling the transmission of virus.
Design/methodology/approach
For framing the paper, various articles, national and international reports and academic papers have been reviewed, which are published in the period 2000–2020. The studies are shortlisted on the basis of keywords, such as COVID-19, coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome-like coronavirus ( SARS-CoV-2), pandemic, virus, quarantine, Asia, etc.
Findings
The study has emphasised the roles of government, technology, business–government collaborations and geographical and demographical factors of countries as relevant factors in controlling COVID-19. Also, the study has highlighted inefficient health infrastructure, fear of social stigma and misinformation amongst citizens as those gaps where Asian regions are simultaneously found to be unprepared and inefficient to control the pandemic.
Research limitations/implications
The present review would aid researchers in explaining the relevance of macro-level factors such as technology, business–government collaborations, government policies and financial bailouts and geographical and demographical factors of the region in controlling the transmission of pandemics and epidemics.
Practical implications
The study would assist decision makers, governments and individuals in framing of the various strategies and interventions to control pandemics and epidemics.
Social implications
The present study has explained the relevance of various behavioural and social factors as gaps which are responsible for speeding up the transmission of COVID-19. Here, the study would guide the society in taking various right steps during the phase of pandemic and lockdowns.
Originality/value
Previously, rarely any study has been found which has reviewed the roles of macro-level factors as approaches and gaps in the context of the Asian region to slow down the transmission of COVID-19.
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Maureen S. Golan, Benjamin D. Trump, Jeffrey C. Cegan and Igor Linkov
Despite rapid success in bringing SARS-CoV-2 vaccines to distribution by multiple pharmaceutical corporations, supply chain failures in production and distribution can plague…
Abstract
Purpose
Despite rapid success in bringing SARS-CoV-2 vaccines to distribution by multiple pharmaceutical corporations, supply chain failures in production and distribution can plague pandemic recovery. This review analyzes and addresses gaps in modeling supply chain resilience in general and specifically for vaccines in order to guide researchers and practitioners alike to improve critical function of vaccine supply chains in the face of inevitable disruptions.
Design/methodology/approach
Systematic review of the literature on modeling supply chain resilience from 2007 to 2020 is analyzed in tandem with the vaccine supply chain manufacturing literature. These trends are then used to apply a novel matrix analysis to seven Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) annual filings of pharmaceutical corporations involved in COVID-19 vaccine manufacture and distribution.
Findings
Pharmaceutical corporations favor efficiency as they navigate regulatory, economic and other threats to their vaccine supply chains, neglecting resilience – absorption, adaptation and recovery from inevitable and unexpected disruptions. However, explicitly applying resilience analytics to the vaccine supply chain and further leveraging emerging network science tools found in the academic literature, such as artificial intelligence (AI), stress tests and digital twins, will help supply chain managers to better quantify efficiency/resilience tradeoffs across all associated networks/domains and support optimal system performance post disruption.
Originality/value
This is the first review addressing resilience analytics in vaccine supply chains and subsequent extension to operational management through novel matrix analyses of SEC Filings. The authors provide analyses and recommendations that facilitate resilience quantification capabilities for vaccine supply chain managers, regulatory agencies and corporate stakeholders and are especially relevant for pandemic response, including application to the SARS-CoV-2 vaccines.
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Muhammad Farhan Jahangir Chughtai, Saira Tanweer, Samreen Ahsan, Tariq Mehmood, Atif Liaqat, Adnan Khaliq, Tahir Zahoor, Muhammad Nadeem, Nazia Khalid, Saadia Zainab and Syed Junaid-ur-Rahman
Corona viruses have spiked structure and enveloped glycoproteins in their structure, along with specific proteins in membranes. The mode of action of COVID-19 consists of three…
Abstract
Purpose
Corona viruses have spiked structure and enveloped glycoproteins in their structure, along with specific proteins in membranes. The mode of action of COVID-19 consists of three phases, i.e. viral replication, immune hyperactivity and pulmonary destruction. However, angiotensin-converting enzyme is an essential receptor that causes COVID-19. After infecting any individual, COVID-19 develops in specific pattern with the following stages: replication stage and adaptive immunity stage. After adaptive immunity stage, the clinical symptoms of patient include cough, fever, runny nose, shortness of breath and many more. To cope with this COVID-19, food and nutrition played an important role. The purpose of this review article is to emphasize the significance of food and immunity to reduce COVID-19 attack among susceptibles.
Design/methodology/approach
In the present era, corona virus, a member of crown-shaped type, created a pandemic situation around the globe owing to its capability to move from human to animals and vice versa. This virus can transfer its 35% infection to the individuals. Contemporarily, this outbreak was observed in Wuhan, China in December 2019 and affected a huge number of communities by spreading like common flu. However, after investigation, it was revealed that COVID-19 is different from common flu regarding respiratory illness created by this novel coronavirus along with its taxonomy.
Findings
Over and above to all the aforementioned food safety concerns, it is suggested to use sufficient supply of green leafy vegetables along with fiber-rich foods such as legumes, beans, whole grains and vegetables. It is further good for health to get all these varieties whole and organic. The individuals should use probiotics (lactobacillus) on daily basis as a source of diary probiotic that can further bind to the virus directly and then can inhibit the viral attachment with body cells; also the probiotics are claimed to enhance the immune system of the body.
Research limitations/implications
In the case of fruits and vegetables purchased, it must be thoroughly washed with water and then disinfected; after pat drying, these fruits and vegetables can be moved to the refrigerator and stored along with other foods. During the outbreak of COVID-19, the partially cooked or ready-to-eat foods should be avoided, especially eggs, meat, meat products, milk and milk-related products. On the other side, nuts should not be consumed; if required, then it must be properly roasted at home before consumption.
Practical implications
The baked product right after coming out of oven is completely safe; however, these are contaminated during handling such as crumb in case of bread and with knives; so in the breakout of any viral attack, the individuals should avoid slicing of the bread. Moreover, it is recommended to place the baked products in personal bags instead of bulk quantity. Before the consumption, the baked products should be toasted, microwaved or heated with the help of pan (traditional) to reduce the amount of viral load.
Social implications
Dietary supplements are taken by most of the people on daily basis or sporadically especially when they are suffering from inflammation or cold. They have options while selecting these types of supplements such as probiotics, Echinacea, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins D and E, calcium glucosamine, garlic and iron. These supplements are beneficial for the group of population who do not eat diversity of food as sufficient amount of essential nutrients is provided through this pathway.
Originality/value
This work is original in its novelty.
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Jameela Al-Salman, Sarah Alghareeb, Eman Alarab, Haitham Jahrami and William B. Grant
This study aims to investigate the association between vitamin D measured in serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] and outcomes of COVID-19 patients in Bahrain. This paper…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the association between vitamin D measured in serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] and outcomes of COVID-19 patients in Bahrain. This paper hypothesized that lower serum 25(OH)D concentration in COVID 19 patients is associated with longer viral clearance time (VCT) and higher risk of admission to the intensive care unit (ICU).
Design/methodology/approach
This study used a retrospective cohort design of patients admitted to Salmaniya Medical Complex, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain, from February to June 2020. This study included patients with positive, confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis made using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), World Health Organization diagnosis manual and local diagnostic guidelines. Primary outcome measures were: VCT measured as the time in days between the first positive RT-PCR test result and the first of two consecutive negative RT-PCR results on recovery and admission need to ICU.
Findings
A total of 450 patients were analyzed; mean age was 46.4 ± 12.4 years and 349 (78%) were men. Mean 25(OH)D concentration was 41.7 ± 23.7 nmol/L for the entire sample. Severe vitamin D deficiency (<25 nmol/L) was present in 20%, mild-to-moderate deficiency (25–50 nmol/L) in 55%, insufficiency (50 to <75 nmol/L) in 18% and sufficiency (=75 nmol/L) in 7%. The mean VCT was 12.9 ± 8.2 days. Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that severe vitamin D deficiency was associated with longer VCT, with an average of three extra days after correction for age and sex (β = 3.1; p = 0.001). Multinomial regression analysis showed that vitamin D deficiency was associated with an 83% increased risk of admission to ICU after correction for age and sex (odds ratio = 1.8; p = 0.03).
Originality/value
The results showed that severe vitamin D deficiency was associated with longer recovery time from COVID-19. Low serum 25(OH)D is associated with increased need for critical care in an ICU. Large-scale randomized controlled trials are necessary to further investigate the complex association between vitamin D and COVID-19 infection.
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Habtamu Legese, Wondmagegn Biru, Frezer Tilahun and Henock Semaw
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of civil liberties, global health security, median age and population size on the spread of COVID-19 across the globe.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of civil liberties, global health security, median age and population size on the spread of COVID-19 across the globe.
Design/methodology/approach
This study was done by taking data from 166 different countries from the Economist Intelligence Unit, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, World Bank, Johns Hopkins University and United Nations Population Division (UNPD). After conducting all the necessary standard econometric tests, the study was analyzed using the ordinary least squares (OLS) regression.
Findings
The finding of the study indicated that COVID-19 tests per million people (LTT/PM), Population Size (LPOP), Civil Liberty Index (CLI) are statistically significant and positively affect the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases; on the other hand, the Health Security Index (HSI) negatively affects the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases.
Practical implications
In emergency circumstances, the government ought to have a special responsibility to align civil rights with the protection of public health cautiously. However, measures to restrict civil liberties must be proportionate.
Originality/value
Besides other variables, the study included and considered civil liberties as a significant factor to affect the spread of COVID-19, which is a new contribution to the existing body of knowledge in the field.
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