The effect of filtering face piece grade 2 (FFP2) masks for infection prevention is essential in health care systems; however, it depends on supply chains. Efficient methods to reprocess FFP2 masks may be needed in disasters. Therefore, different UV-C irradiation schemes for bacterial decontamination of used FFP2 masks were investigated.

Seventy-eight masks were irradiated with UV light for durations between 3 and 120 seconds and subsequently analyzed for the presence of viable bacteria on the inside. Ten masks served as the control group. Irradiation on the inside of the masks reduced bacteria in proportion to the dose, with an almost complete decontamination after 30 seconds. Outside irradiation reduced the quantity of colonies without time-dependent effects. Both sides of irradiation for a cumulated 30 seconds or more showed almost complete decontamination.

Overall, this study suggests that standardized UV irradiation schemes with treatment to both sides might be an efficient and effective method for FFP2 mask decontamination in times of insufficient supplies.

For the first time in history, the United States surpassed 100 000 overdose-related deaths in a 12-month period, driven by synthetic opioids such as fentanyl. Also, for the first time, potential chemical weapons are readily available on the streets and the dark web. Opioids represent a rare trifecta, used for licit pain management, as an illicit drug of abuse, and with potential use as a weapon of terror. Community-based Response to Drug Overdose (CReDO) is an initiative to unite agencies, disciplines, government, and private partners in 1 coordinated opioid emergencies response plan under nationwide standards, and can be integrated into the disaster medicine discipline due to the risk of mass casualty incidents involving fentanyl or its derivatives. Attention to the opioid crisis through CReDO will save lives by promoting information sharing between disciplines, shortened response time to overdose clusters, community collaboration to identify criminal distribution networks, and holistic approaches to addiction.

Engaging communities is a key factor in efficient response to public health emergencies (PHE). Previous and recent outbreaks have shown that civil society organizations (CSOs) can mobilize the communities to better prepare and respond to a PHE. Consequently, the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa (AFRO) implemented an initiative to partner with community leaders by engaging CSOs. The Civil Society Organization Initiative (CSO Initiative) aims to work directly with well-established community-based organizations to accelerate whole-of-society preparation and response. Twenty-three CSOs from 12 WHO African Region Member States have been supported financially and technically to implement effective community-based interventions to respond to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. After 1 year of implementation (2021), the successes, challenges, and recommendations for maximizing future engagements with CSOs are outlined. As the COVID-19 outbreak is again underlining, partnering with established CSOs to engage diverse social groups from various communities can help provide a timely and efficient response to a PHE.

Age-related frailty and cognitive decline are complex multidimensional conditions that significantly impact the ability of older adults to sustain functional capacity and independence. While underlying causes remain poorly understood, nutrition continually emerges as one associated risk element. Many studies have addressed the importance of adequate nutrition in delaying the onset of these conditions, but the specific role of micronutrients is not well established. The consideration of pre-frailty as an outcome variable is also limited in the current literature. In this review, we focus on the potential value of maintaining micronutrient sufficiency to sustaining the health of the ageing population. Using data from the Irish longitudinal study on ageing, we consider several vitamins known to have a high prevalence of low status in older adults and their impact on pre-frailty, frailty and cognitive impairment. They include vitamin B12 and folate, both of which are associated with multiple biological mechanisms involved in long-term health, in particular in cognitive function; vitamin D, which has been associated with increased risk of musculoskeletal disorders, depression and other chronic diseases; and the carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin, that may help mitigate the risk of frailty and cognitive decline via their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. We show that low concentrations of folate and carotenoids are implicated in poorer cognitive health and that the co-occurrence of multiple nutrient deficiencies confers greatest risk for frailty and pre-frailty in the Irish longitudinal study on ageing cohort. These health associations contribute to evidence needed to optimise micronutrient status for health in the older adult population.

The current coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has placed unprecedented strain on underfunded public health resources in the Southeastern United States. The Memphis, TN, metropolitan region has lacked infrastructure for health data exchange.

This manuscript describes a multidisciplinary initiative to create a community-focused COVID-19 data registry, the Memphis Pandemic Health Informatics System (MEMPHI-SYS). MEMPHI-SYS leverages test result data updated directly from community-based testing sites, as well as a full complement of public health data sets and knowledge-based informatics. It has been guided by relationships with community stakeholders and is managed alongside the largest publicly funded community-based COVID-19 testing response in the Mid-South. MEMPHI-SYS has supported interactive Web-based analytic resources and informs federally funded COVID-19 outreach directed toward neighborhoods most in need of pandemic support.

MEMPHI-SYS provides an instructive case study of how to collaboratively establish the technical scaffolding and human relationships necessary for data-driven, health equity-focused pandemic surveillance, and policy interventions.

Previous pandemics have been (mis)used for (geo)political reasons, for terrorism purposes, and in times of conflict. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has been no exception with populist politicians challenging the relations with China, calling it the “Chinese virus,” certain state actors setting up cyberterrorist actions against health care organizations in the United States and Europe, and a reported increase of violent acts against health care workers.

Aside from state-driven factors, both left- and right-wing activists and anti-vaccination activists adhering to conspiracy theories are a threat for health care organizations. Furthermore, socioeconomic, religious, and cultural factors play a role in why health care is a possible target of violence. Fear of viral pathogens, fury about financial losses due to the pandemic and governmental measures such as lockdowns, anger because of mandatory quarantines, and the disruption of burial rituals are among the reasons for people to revolt against health care providers.

Here, we provide a narrative review of the impact of violence against health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and earlier pandemics, and suggest preventive strategies.

In this review, the relevance of selenium (Se) to viral disease will be discussed paying particular attention to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Se, the active centre in selenoproteins has an ongoing history of reducing the incidence and severity of viral infections. Host Se deficiency increased the virulence of RNA viruses such as influenza A and coxsackievirus B3, the latter of which is implicated in the development of Keshan disease in north-east China. Significant clinical benefits of Se supplementation have been demonstrated in HIV-1, in liver cancer linked to hepatitis B, and in Chinese patients with hantavirus that was successfully treated with oral sodium selenite. China is of particular interest because it has populations that have both the lowest and the highest Se status in the world. We found a significant association between COVID-19 cure rate and background Se status in Chinese cities; the cure rate continued to rise beyond the Se intake required to optimise selenoproteins, suggesting an additional mechanism. Se status was significantly higher in serum samples from surviving than non-surviving COVID-19 patients. As regards mechanism, SARS-CoV-2 may interfere with the human selenoprotein system; selenoproteins are important in scavenging reactive oxygen species, controlling immunity, reducing inflammation, ferroptosis and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. We found that SARS-CoV-2 significantly suppressed mRNA expression of GPX4, of the ER selenoproteins, SELENOF, SELENOM, SELENOK and SELENOS and down-regulated TXNRD3. Based on the available data, both selenoproteins and redox-active Se species (mimicking ebselen, an inhibitor of the main SARS-CoV-2 protease that enables viral maturation within the host) could employ their separate mechanisms to attenuate virus-triggered oxidative stress, excessive inflammatory responses and immune-system dysfunction, thus improving the outcome of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Given the unstoppable spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the development of a vaccine was needed to contain the pandemic. In such a situation of global emergency, regulatory authorities ensured timely, safe, and equitable access to the vaccine.

This article aims to outline the roles of the Tunisian regulatory authority, the Directorate of Pharmacy and Medicines (DPM) at the Ministry of Health, in registration and procurement of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Requirement to grant the Exceptional Provisional Authorizations of Marketing (EPAM) for COVID-19 vaccines was 27 days versus 869 days for conventional marketing authorizations (MAs). The DPM has optimized its activity through: early dialogue with manufacturers, online submission, the use of distance communication technologies. It has demonstrated unprecedented flexibility through the continuous and rolling review approach.

Regulatory authorities in Tunisia and around the world have partnered with manufacturers to speed up administrative procedures while ensuring the quality, safety, and efficacy of vaccines.

The manifestation of a new pathogen, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), constitutes a new problem for modern health care systems. Developing updated standards for all emergency services working at an accident site during the pandemic has been a continuous challenge. The principal method of preventing the transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is the use of personal protective equipment, such as protective suits, masks and goggles, or face shields. The study aims to present the recommended on-site procedures during the coronavirus pandemic based on the description of an accident of an ambulance transporting a patient with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, emphasizing the actions taken by the emergency services sent to the accident site.

This article presents management processes for dealing with the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak at the West China Hospital of Sichuan University. From January to March 2020, the West China Hospital of Sichuan University established response structures and protocols, as well as integrated out-of-hospital resources, to deal with the COVID-19 outbreak. A total of 8066 patients were screened, and 345 COVID-19 patients were isolated for treatment. Hospital command systems, emergency management protocols, as well as process, space, and personnel management, strengthening material reserves, and social responsibility strategies were implemented. Outbreak management aspects that required improvement included estimates of the anticipated number of cases, timely collection of patient information and feedback on the effect of outreach and online consultation methods.

In view of the COVID-19 surge, the construction of the Burns and Plastic Surgery Block at AIIMS, New Delhi was expedited at war footing level and converted into a COVID-19 Emergency response Centre (ERC). Engineering works were completed in a speedy manner and various patient care areas were equipped as deemed necessary for providing tertiary care to COVID-19 patients. A highly spirited team comprising of Emergency Medicine Specialists, Anesthesia and Critical Care specialist, Hospital Administrators and Nursing Officers was formed. Effective segregation of patient care areas into clean, contaminated, and intermediate zones was done using physical barriers and air conditioning modifications. The screening area for patients suspected of having COVID-19 was created in addition to a 2-step process i.e., Triage 1 and Triage 2, thereafter, patients requiring admission would be referred to the emergency area. An in-house designed and fabricated sampling booth was created to bring down the use of PPEs and for better infection control. The ERC has a general ward and state of the art intensive care units. Mobilizing resources (machinery, manpower, consumables etc.) during the lockdown required commitment from top leadership, motivated teams, expeditious procurement, coordination with multiple agencies working on site, expediting statutory clearances, coordination with police services, transportation of labor etc.