Articles: pandemics.
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Pol. Arch. Med. Wewn. · Aug 2023
Cardiac status and atherosclerotic cardiovascular risk of convalescents after COVID-19 in Poland.
The COVID‑19 pandemic brought about cardiac complications and unfavorable lifestyle changes that may increase cardiovascular risk. ⋯ Data collected in the convalescents indicate a relatively small number of cardiac problems that could be associated with a history of COVID‑19 in either sex, and a high risk of ASCVD, especially in men.
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Extensive efforts have been directed toward developing an effective vaccine to fight against the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19); however, hesitancy to receive COVID-19 vaccinations has become detrimental to overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the U.S. Military instated a COVID-19 vaccine mandate, some members were still hesitant to receive the vaccine. To determine the efficacy of a program focused on vaccine hesitation, a program evaluation was conducted on a COVID-19 vaccine educational intervention (hereafter COVID-19 Educational Presentation) for trainees at Lackland Air Force Base, TX, in September 2021. Objectives of the educational session included (1) determining the participants' level of confidence that the COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective, (2) understanding the concern for long-term side effects from COVID-19 vaccinations, and (3) identifying the driving forces behind hesitancy to receive a COVID-19 vaccination. ⋯ The COVID-19 Educational Presentation increased confidence and decreased hesitancy to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccine educational programs should continue in the military population to help combat misinformation and ensure that our military force is fully vaccinated and able to maintain mission readiness.
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Influenza infection in the United States results in hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations and 12,000 to 60,000 yearly deaths. Influenza season sees a sharp increase in emergency department (ED) patients nationwide, as primary care offices become overwhelmed. Because the ED is unique in its reach of underserved communities, ED vaccination programs can help maximize the number of people protected by vaccination. Influenza vaccination is one of the only vaccines that occurs yearly; therefore, successes with ED distribution of the influenza vaccine can potentially be translated into efforts of vaccinating the U.S. population more efficiently against other viral illnesses, such COVID-19. There has also not been a previous description in the literature of a vaccination program being used in a military setting. The original purpose of this study was to measure the effect of an ED vaccination program on our vaccine penetration and ED length of stay as well as to analyze the impact of provider education on vaccine uptake on vaccine refusal. ⋯ Influenza has caused multiple worldwide pandemics, contributed to countless deaths, and continues to be a challenge. ED-based influenza vaccination programs have been trialed to augment the primary care system in their effort to prevent deaths from influenza. The literature has shown that these programs are cost-effective and efficacious, but significant barriers have stunted their widespread utilization. Examining the rapid implementation and failure of this program highlights the importance of implementation models, process and barrier mapping, and proper operationalization. It is also the first such program that has been trialed in a military treatment facility. In consideration of the recent pandemic, successful ED-based vaccination programs can also offer a model for additional dissemination of other vaccines, such as the COVID-19 vaccine.
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · Aug 2023
Are We Truly Safe? Unfolding the Final Chapters of COVID-19 Walk-Through Booths.
This research proposes a safety strategy for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) walk-through booths to optimize pandemic preparedness. These booths, designed for respiratory sample collection during the COVID-19 pandemic, effectively reduce infection risk and personal protective equipment-related fatigue among healthcare workers. However, inadequate disinfection and glove management could escalate infection transmission. ⋯ In wind-affected areas, individuals nearby should not solely rely on the 2-meter distancing rule due to potential droplet spread from walk-through booths. We strongly recommend consistent and proper mask use for effective droplet blocking. Adherence to these guidelines can significantly enhance the safety and efficiency of walk-through booths, particularly in potential future pandemics.
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2023 marks the 20-year anniversary of the creation of Mexico's System of Social Protection for Health and the Seguro Popular, a model for the global quest to achieve universal health coverage through health system reform. We analyse the success and challenges after 2012, the consequences of reform ageing, and the unique coincidence of systemic reorganisation during the COVID-19 pandemic to identify strategies for health system disaster preparedness. We document that population health and financial protection improved as the Seguro Popular aged, despite erosion of the budget and absent needed reforms. ⋯ We posit that dismantling the Seguro Popular while trying to establish a new programme in 2020-21 made the Mexican health system more vulnerable in the worst pandemic period and shows the precariousness of evidence-based policy making to political polarisation and populism. Reforms should be designed to be flexible yet insulated from political volatility and constructed and managed to be structurally permeable and adaptable to new evidence to face changing health needs. Simultaneously, health systems should be grounded to withstand systemic shocks of politics and natural disasters.