Articles: sars-cov-2.
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · Feb 2025
Healthcare Professionals' Knowledge, Views, and Perceptions of the Roles and Functions of Research Ethics Committees: A Web-Based Cross-Sectional Survey.
This survey examined healthcare professionals' knowledge, views, and perceptions of the responsibilities and functions of Research Ethics Committees (RECs). The study aimed to analyze ethical principles and operational issues faced by RECs and guide researchers, journal editors, and publishers on publication ethics notes. ⋯ Healthcare professionals comprehend the basics of REC duties and responsibilities. However, improvements in the consistency and efficiency of ethics evaluations are still warranted. The COVID-19 pandemic stressed the importance of adaptive REC procedures; researchers, editors, and publishers learned a vitally important lesson. More efforts are warranted to increase REC member training, simplify administrative procedures, and define standard operating procedures in times of crisis. Continuous progress in these areas will allow RECs to maintain high ethical standards while supporting productive research. Editors and publishers will greatly benefit from related advances in research ethics considerations.
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The positive effects of vaccination status on the course of Long COVID symptoms have not been fully elucidated. Our aim is to determine the most common Long COVID symptoms in patients monitored in the COVID-19 follow-up clinic and to examine whether there is a difference between the recovery rates of those who are vaccinated and those who are not vaccinated. ⋯ This study showed that receiving vaccination may be effective in improving Long COVID symptoms. Although there were no statistically significant differences between the inactive vaccine CoronaVac, the mRNA vaccine BNT162b2, and the heterologous (CoronaVac+ BNT162b2) vaccine in terms of reducing Long COVID symptoms, higher recovery rates were detected in those who received the mRNA vaccine BNT162b2.
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The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has significantly impacted the supply and transfusion of blood components. This study aims to evaluate changes in blood collection and transfusions during the period following the nationwide Level 3 alert (May-July 2021). ⋯ During the Level 3 alert, the most significant decline in both RBC collection and transfusions was observed in Taipei. In non-Taipei regions, the decrease in RBC use was only marginal. Notably, there was a significant decrease in RBC use in hematology/oncology in Taipei. This study supports transfusion specialists in seeking efficient ways to address similar future challenges.
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To investigate the impact of vaccines on sociodemographic characteristics, clinical profiles, and outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infection among healthcare workers in South China during the period of Omicron variant dominance, a retrospective, analytical cross-sectional study was conducted. The findings revealed that while full vaccination could not prevent Omicron variant infection efficiently (26.51% uninfected vs 14.29% uninfected between vaccinated and unvaccinated participants, p = 0.506), it did substantially reduce the length of viral clearance significantly (p < 0.05), potentially facilitating quicker patient recovery. Unvaccination was found to be an independent risk factor for slow clearance when a linear regression analysis model was used (Coefficient: -3.516; 95% CI: -6.425 to -0.607; p = 0.020). Therefore, all eligible individuals should be fully vaccinated to get prepared for a potential wave of epidemic in the future.
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The SARS-CoV-2 virus, responsible for COVID-19, has the potential to induce the formation of antibodies that target self-antigens. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of antinuclear antibodies (ANA), the most common type of autoantibody, in both healthy individuals and those recovered from COVID-19. ⋯ One in every two to three individuals with COVID-19 exhibited ANA positivity, indicating that the SARS-CoV-2 virus poses a significant risk regarding autoimmunity. Furthermore, the incidence of ANA in healthy individuals was observed to be higher than the literature average.