10.3389/fpsyg.2021.563193

Background: Healthcare workers are frontline responders facing a disproportionate increase in occupational responsibilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Added work-related stress among healthcare personnel may lead to personal and work-related repercussions, such as burnout or decreased quality of care for patients; however, little is known about how the COVID-19 pandemic affects the daily work and life of these workers. This study aimed to evaluate the personal and occupational impacts of the COVID-19 induced partial lockdown in Vietnam among hospital staff. Methods: A cross-sectional web-based study was carried out to collect demographic data and the personal and job impacts of respondents during the second week of national lockdown in April 2020. Snowball sampling technique was applied to recruit 742 hospital staff. The exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to examine the validity of the instrument. Results: Of the 742 respondents, 21.2% agreed that “working attitude well-maintained,” followed by 16.1% of respondents who reported that there were “enough employees at work.” Only 3.2% of respondents agreed that “their work was appreciated by society.” Furthermore, healthcare workers in the central region were less likely to have experienced “Avoidance of disclosure and discrimination related to COVID-19” than other areas (Coef. = – 0.25, CI: −0.42 to −0.07). Being women also had a negative association with scores in “Avoidance of disclosure and discrimination related to COVID 19” domain (Coef. = −0.27, CI: −0.43 to −0.12) while having a positive association with “negative attitude towards working conditions” domain (Coef. = 0.19, CI: 0.09 to 0.3). In addition, working in administrative offices (Coef. = 0.20; 95% CI = 0.05 to 0.36) and infectious departments (Coef. = 0.36; 95% CI = 0.09 to 0.63) had a positive association with “Increased work pressure due to COVID 19” domain. Conclusion: These findings revealed marginal impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the work and life of hospital staff in Vietnam. Furthermore, this study highlighted the importance of implementing preventive strategies during the nationwide partial lockdown to manage hospital admissions and the burden on healthcare workers. Finally, this study characterizes targeted demographics that may benefit from appreciation by employers and society during a national pandemic.

Impacts of COVID-19 on the Life and Work of Healthcare Workers During the Nationwide Partial Lockdown in Vietnam

10.3389/fpsyg.2021.685115

COVID-19 has brought a massive psychological impact on individuals' life. The current study sets a significant purpose to test the model whether post-traumatic stress and coping strategies affect stress-related growth regarding the COVID-19 event. One hundred and ninety-nine participants have participated in an online survey in the period of lockdown. The proposed hypotheses model is further tested using PLS-SEM. The first model explains a significant moderate, 46% amount of variance for stress-related growth. With gender as moderator, the second model explains a significant 29% amount of variance for stress-related growth, which is also moderate. This study shows that active coping strategies and positive affirmation significantly influence individual stress-related growth. The trauma event (COVID-19) does not significantly affect growth. Women experience trauma compared to men, besides active coping with the COVID-19 situation is higher in men than women. Using the Bio-centric perspective, having a positive connection through acceptance and awareness of the situation, self-care, and affective interaction with others would develop growth regarding traumatic situations. Further, interventions about coping skills and positive affirmations are essential to give, especially to vulnerable groups such as women.

The Consequences of COVID-19 Toward Human Growth: The Role of Traumatic Event and Coping Strategies Among Indonesian Sample

PS: PHE report here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/990177/Variants_of_Concern_VOC_Technical_Briefing_13_England.pdf… Sanger data here: https://covid19.sanger.ac.uk/downloads I'm also kinda sick of people minimising this the whole time. The speed of spread has been so quick.

We need to stop obsessing about 21st June and start worrying about where we are *now* and how we can get cases down *now*. Oh and massively discourage international travel - not least to protect other, less vaccinated, countries from this variant. https://twitter.com/chrischirp/status/1398955136756617219?s=20… 7/7

Reported cases in England have risen 27% in last week. Hospital admissions to 26 May have risen 15%. Cases are going up steeply in many local authorities. https://twitter.com/julesmchamish/status/1399059877226504194?s=20… 6/7

There are still reasons why this might be higher other than just higher transmissibility - but note this estimate has got *higher* since previous report, as more data has come in. Also, SAGE's bad scenarios start from 40% more transmissible variant. https://twitter.com/Dr_D_Robertson/status/1396568757892489217?s=20… 5/7Quote Tweet

The PHE report last week also looked at "secondary attack rates" - chance that a close contact of a confirmed case will also test positive (NB contacts with no symptoms not necessarily tested) They estimate that person with B.1.617.2 is 67% more likely to infect a contact. 4/7

B.1.617.2 is now dominant in almost every region of England. Even NE and Yorks are catching up very fast. 3/7

Firstly, B.1.617.2 is now dominant in England. This data excludes traveller data and surge testing as much as possible. In absolute numbers, B.1.617.2 ("India") overtook B.1.1.7 ("Kent") about 15 May. PHE report estimates a few days earlier. 2/7

THREAD latest on B.1.617.2 variant in England: B.1.617.2 (1st discovered in India) is now dominant in England. Here is a thread summarising latest PHE report and Sanger local data. TLDR: it is NOT good news. 1/7

10.1101/2021.06.25.21259519

Purpose Beliefs that the risks from the vaccine outweigh the risks from getting COVID-19 and concerns that the vaccine development process was rushed and lacking rigor have been identified as important drivers of hesitancy and refusal to get a COVID-19 vaccine. We tested whether messages designed to address these beliefs and concerns might promote intentions to get a COVID-19 vaccine.Method An online survey fielded between March 8-March 23, 2021 with US Veteran (n=688) and non-Veteran (n=387) respondents. In a between-subjects experiment, respondents were randomly assigned to a control group (with no message) or to read one of two intervention messages: 1. a fact-box styled message comparing the risks of getting COVID-19 compared to the vaccine, and 2. a timeline styled message describing the development process of the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines.Results Most respondents (60%) wanted a COVID-19 vaccine. However, 17% expressed hesitancy and 23% did not want to get a COVID-19 vaccine. The fact-box styled message and the timeline message did not significantly improve vaccination intentions, F(2,359)=0.91, p=.402, <img class="highwire-embed" alt="Embedded Image" src="https://www.medrxiv.org/sites/default/files/highwire/medrxiv/early/2021/07/02/2021.06.25.21259519/embed/inline-graphic-1.gif"/>, or reduce the time respondents wanted to wait before getting vaccinated, F(2,307)=0.76, p=.468, <img class="highwire-embed" alt="Embedded Image" src="https://www.medrxiv.org/sites/default/files/highwire/medrxiv/early/2021/07/02/2021.06.25.21259519/embed/inline-graphic-2.gif"/>, compared to no messages.Discussion We did not find an impact on vaccine intention based on providing information about vaccine risks and development. Further research is needed to identify how to effectively address concerns about the risks associated with COVID-19 vaccines and the development process and to understand additional factors that influence vaccine intentions.

Communicating about COVID-19 vaccine development and safety

maybe, just maybe, VAERS is being flooded with false reports from bad actors with ulterior motives?

Crashing computers, three-week delays tracking infections, lab results delivered by snail mail: State officials detail a vast failure to identify hotspots quickly enough to prevent outbreaks.

Inside America’s Covid-reporting breakdown

Here's some really simple modeling that hopefully will help provide some insight into why having a large, unvaccinated minority in Ontario is a problem for the population as a whole.

There is SO MUCH misunderstanding about what a #vaccine #mandate IS & what a vaccine mandate DOES. No one is calling for anyone to be banned. No one is calling for anyone to be forcibly vaccinated. Please, gather 'round and listen up, so you know what we're talking about... 1/n

It’s part of their Dine On campaign to encourage support of local eateries.

OpenTable Will Tell You What Vaccine Requirements Your Local Restaurants Have

10.31234/osf.io/98v2n

Many of the global problems humanity is facing concern acting appropriately given the available evidence. However, issues including climate change denial (McGlade and Ekins, 2015; Steffen et al., 2015) and anti-vaccination movements (Hargreaves, Lewis, and Speers, 2003; Petrovic, Roberts, and Ramsay, 2001) appear to run contrary to overwhelming evidence. The investigation of these issues has pointed to two possible causes; either insufficient exposure to the evidence at hand, or ulterior / biased motives5. Here I show such explanations are unnecessary, and further, why current counterarguments focussed on scientific evidence may not only be ineffective, but may backfire. I highlight that denialist arguments focusing on credibility-based attacks can provoke rational scepticism of the issue at hand, requiring a shift in counterargument strategy – away from the evidence itself. I show the maximally effective counterargument strategy is to separately and directly address credibility-attacks, salvaging both the immediate issue, and future debate.

Why scientific evidence is no longer enough in public debate

We all love French fries, but recently a Harvard professor made headlines with the claim that we should only eat 6 fries per serving.

Are 7 French fries too many?

10.1136/bmj.n1971

Eight notable variants of SARS-CoV-2 have been found since September 2020. Elisabeth Mahase reviews the line-up so far

Covid-19: How many variants are there, and what do we know about them?

One of the most important things I was looking for in reporting on #SARSCoV2 evolution was a way of making sense of all the virus variants, putting them in some framework. And one of the most useful things I found for that is this antigenic map. It’s worth explaining a bit:

10.31234/osf.io/7mysg

Hoorens and Bruckmüller (2015) reported that people are more likely to judge comparison statements to be true when the comparison is framed as \textit{A is more than B} than when it is framed as \textit{B is less than A}. Skylark (2021) recently provided further evidence for this \textit{more-credible effect}, but found that it did not emerge for all stimulus sets. In particular, there was very little effect of comparative when participants evaluated the truth of statements comparing the amount of land required to produce certain foodstuffs. The present report describes two further pre-registered studies that probe the generality of the more-credible effect. Study 1 used the same land-use comparisons as Skylark (2021) but increased the masses of the foodstuffs from 1 kilo to 1000 tons (the idea being that 'less than' framing might only reduce credibility when the compared quantities are large). A manipulation check found that the change in stated mass increased the subjective size of the items, but there was still little effect of comparative on judgments of truth: more-than statements were judged true about 3\% more often than less-than statements, and the effect was not reliably different from zero. Study 2 asked people to judge the truth of statements comparing the CO2 production of pairs of countries selected from the most polluting countries in the world. A modest, 'significant' more-credible effect emerged, with more-than framing boosting perceived truth by approximately 5\%. Exploratory cross-study comparison indicated that the more-credible effect did not meaningfully differ between the two studies. The factors that determine when, and how far, more-than framing boosts the credibility of comparative statements remains an important topic for inquiry.

When is there a more-credible effect?

Apple Inc (AAPL.O) is delaying its return to corporate offices to January at the earliest because of surging COVID-19 cases and new variants, Bloomberg News reported on Friday, citing a staff memo.

Apple delays office return to January as Delta variant spreads - Bloomberg

Understaffed and underpowered, a Brussels taskforce tries to fight a fake news tide that threatens to undermine the union itself

‘Spreading like a virus’: inside the EU’s struggle to debunk Covid lies

Heidi Siegmund Cuda investigates how the QAnon movement modelled itself on popular gaming culture

A ‘Brainwashed Death Cult’The Gamification of Conspiracy

Read on for the facts about Sars-CoV-2, backed up by science

Common myths about Covid – debunked

Ideology is a primary source of COVID-19 vaccine resistance among respondents to a new survey from Indiana University’s Observatory on Social Media about misinformation related to the vaccine. Demographic, political and media use patterns factored heavily into participants’ views on the safety of the vaccine and on their willingness to be vaccinated.

Vaccine resistance rooted in ideology, new survey shows

Most religions have no prohibition against vaccinations, however some have considerations, concerns or restrictions regarding vaccination in general, particular reasons for vaccination, or specific vaccine ingredients. Below is a list of the current position of some of the more common religious faiths.

Immunizations and Religion

Unvaccinated Israeli elderly are eight times more likely to experience a severe case of COVID-19 than their immunized counterparts, according to Health Ministry data

These Israeli COVID-19 Graphs Prove Pfizer Vaccine Works

There’s no evidence yet that top-up shots are needed, so let’s help those around the world who urgently need the vaccine

We shouldn’t be giving Covid boosters while millions wait for a first dose

10.1136/bmjnph-2021-000272

Background Several studies have hypothesised that dietary habits may play an important role in COVID-19 infection, severity of symptoms, and duration of illness. However, no previous studies have investigated the association between dietary patterns and COVID-19.Methods Healthcare workers (HCWs) from six countries (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, UK, USA) with substantial exposure to COVID-19 patients completed a web-based survey from 17 July to 25 September 2020. Participants provided information on demographic characteristics, dietary information, and COVID-19 outcomes. We used multivariable logistic regression models to evaluate the association between self-reported diets and COVID-19 infection, severity, and duration.Results There were 568 COVID-19 cases and 2316 controls. Among the 568 cases, 138 individuals had moderate-to-severe COVID-19 severity whereas 430 individuals had very mild to mild COVID-19 severity. After adjusting for important confounders, participants who reported following ‘plant-based diets’ and ‘plant-based diets or pescatarian diets’ had 73% (OR 0.27, 95% CI 0.10 to 0.81) and 59% (OR 0.41, 95% CI 0.17 to 0.99) lower odds of moderate-to-severe COVID-19 severity, respectively, compared with participants who did not follow these diets. Compared with participants who reported following ‘plant-based diets’, those who reported following ‘low carbohydrate, high protein diets’ had greater odds of moderate-to-severe COVID-19 (OR 3.86, 95% CI 1.13 to 13.24). No association was observed between self-reported diets and COVID-19 infection or duration.Conclusion In six countries, plant-based diets or pescatarian diets were associated with lower odds of moderate-to-severe COVID-19. These dietary patterns may be considered for protection against severe COVID-19.

Plant-based diets, pescatarian diets and COVID-19 severity: a population-based case–control study in six countries

As I didn't realize this thread would blow up, some additional clarifications: 1) My claim is based on my past analysis on the effectiveness of restrictions in the US: https://twitter.com/youyanggu/status/1397230156301930497… 2) Here is the original source which my Tweet was based from: https://businessinsider.com/uk-lifting-restrictions-increase-cases-euros-mystery-2021-8

To clarify, I am not anti-lockdown. If lockdown/restrictions work and the benefits are worth the trade-offs, then I'm all for it. I just haven't seen solid evidence of causal effectiveness & a thorough discussion of the trade-offs. I'm anti-bad science.

While cases in the UK reached similar levels as the Winter wave, deaths are less than 10% of the Winter wave. Unlike the fuzzy evidence on the effectiveness of restrictions, there is overwhelming evidence that vaccines are effective at reducing severe illness/death.

Many bad papers looked at these curves in 2020 & concluded that more restrictions is followed by a decline in cases, when the decline would've happened regardless. If we apply the same flawed logic here, one can say that the lifting of restrictions is followed by fewer cases.

It's interesting that some experts would rather question the accuracy of the data than acknowledge this reality.

People were worried cases would spike further when the UK lifted almost all remaining restrictions in July. The opposite happened. We must acknowledge that restrictions aren't all that effective in Western countries. (Except Australia, who just entered their 6th lockdown)

Most of those numbers are in the column, which focuses on a) the risk of the Delta variant to children under 12 and b) the 29% of Canadians who are not fully vaccinated. Brace yourself for more COVID-19 nastiness https://theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-brace-yourself-for-more-covid-19-nastiness/…Quote Tweet

The initial case — man in his 20s — had been infectious in the community since SundayChief Minister Andrew Barr said the new cases posed a "serious health risk"The snap shutdown, which began at 5:00pm, is the first time the ACT has entered lockdown since early in 2020

ACT enters lockdown for seven days as four cases of COVID-19 recorded

There are early signs that people who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 may be able to transmit the Delta variant of the virus as easily as those who have not, scientists at Public Health England (PHE) said on Friday.

Emerging signs COVID-19 vaccines may not stop Delta variant transmission, England says

14 inmates at Ela Prison catch virus as ministers set to discuss a slew of new restrictions expanding Green Pass

Serious COVID patients hit 400 as nearly 6,000 cases diagnosed Tuesday

TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami) – The Office of Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that the Florida Board of Education could withhold the salaries of superintendents and school board members who defy the governor’s executive order prohibiting mask mandates.

Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Office: State Education Board Could Withhold Salaries Of Superintendents, School Board Members Who Implement Mask Mandates

10.1136/bmj.n1906

Grief is an opportunity to offer empathy by honouring brokenness to support healing, writes Amy PriceAfter the loss of my husband to covid-19, I kept working and tried not to think about it, confident that grief was part of life and time would heal.1 After all, I signed on for the marriage knowing one of us would die first. Even though our last words were, “I love you,” my grieving did not go as planned. I find I am not alone.2Grief’s pain is raw, chronic, unremitting, and cumulative, and we become isolated. Negative thoughts are etched below consciousness. There is no respite from the things we can’t unsee. Without joy, we identify as the problem instead of the problem solver. In pain we can react in anger, freeze in confusion, or retreat, paralysed by fear. Collaborations become laboured, motivation is lost, and inspiration dies.3 Our power to transform hurt is limited, and when the pain spills out, we can harm others.4 The self-disintegration and guilt are exhausting.The ravages and side effects of grief cause survivors to retreat, unable to seek help when it is needed most. Prescribed drugs fall short of expectations because when their effects wear off, the pain, defensive behaviour, and realisation of the finality of death remain.5 The journey back to feeling like a healthy member of society is challenging.

Commentary: My pandemic grief and the Japanese art of kintsugi

10.1016/S1473-3099(21)00404-7

According to data collected by Public Health England, in the UK, minority ethnic groups were between two and four times more likely to die due to COVID-19 compared with those from a White ethnic background.1Public Health EnglandDisparities in the risk and outcomes of COVID-19. Public Health England, London2021Google Scholar These outcomes are independent of age, sex, or socioeconomic factors. Moreover, at the start of the national vaccine rollout, routinely collected clinical data in England showed that Black people older than 80 years were only half as likely as White people to have been vaccinated against COVID-19.2MacKenna B Curtis HJ Morton CE et al.Trends, regional variation, and clinical characteristics of COVID-19 vaccine recipients: a retrospective cohort study in 23·4 million patients using OpenSAFELY.medRxiv. 2021; (published online Jan 26.) (preprint).https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.01.25.21250356Google Scholar A UK-wide survey of 12 035 participants investigating attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccination showed that Black and Black British respondents had the highest rate of vaccine hesitancy (71·8%), followed by Pakistani and Bangladeshi respondents (42·3%), compared with White British or Irish respondents (15·2%) who were not likely or very unlikely to take a vaccine.3Robertson E Reeve KS Niedzwiedz CL et al.Predictors of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in the UK household longitudinal study.Brain Behav Immun. 2021; 94: 41-50Crossref PubMed Scopus (20) Google ScholarSince the start of the COVID-19 vaccine programme, we, as health researchers, have sought to engage with over 200 community organisations that provide religious or social support for minority ethnic groups to offer information about available vaccines, answer questions, and encourage dialogue. We met with groups on online meeting platforms during the third national lockdown to answer questions and discuss concerns. The reasons for vaccine hesitancy are complex, multifactorial, and vary according to age, sex, and ethnic group. However, two broad themes were apparent.

Lessons about COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among minority ethnic people in the UK

10.1136/bmj.n1648

Since its emergence in Wuhan, China, covid-19 has spread and had a profound effect on the lives and health of people around the globe. As of 4 July 2021, more than 183 million confirmed cases of covid-19 had been recorded worldwide, and 3.97 million deaths. Recent evidence has shown that a range of persistent symptoms can remain long after the acute SARS-CoV-2 infection, and this condition is now coined long covid by recognized research institutes. Studies have shown that long covid can affect the whole spectrum of people with covid-19, from those with very mild acute disease to the most severe forms. Like acute covid-19, long covid can involve multiple organs and can affect many systems including, but not limited to, the respiratory, cardiovascular, neurological, gastrointestinal, and musculoskeletal systems. The symptoms of long covid include fatigue, dyspnea, cardiac abnormalities, cognitive impairment, sleep disturbances, symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, muscle pain, concentration problems, and headache. This review summarizes studies of the long term effects of covid-19 in hospitalized and non-hospitalized patients and describes the persistent symptoms they endure. Risk factors for acute covid-19 and long covid and possible therapeutic options are also discussed.

Long covid—mechanisms, risk factors, and management

How immunity works and why you should get vaccinated—even if you had COVID.

What Is “Natural Immunity”? And Why Should You Get the Vaccine Even if You Already Had COVID?

Unvaccinated people still make up the vast majority of cases, hospitalizations, and deaths.

Breakthrough cases aren’t the cause of the US Covid-19 surge

This calculator lets you estimate COVID risk and find effective safety measures for customizable situations. Examples: how risky is a trip to my grocery store? What's the safest way to see a friend? How much would it help to wear a better mask at my workplace?

microCOVID Project

6/ A: continued... There is no data to support the use of drugs like hydroxychloroquine https://cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD013587.pub2/full?highlightAbstract=hydroxychloroquine%7Chydroxychloroquin… & ivermectin to treat COVID. https://cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD015017.pub2/full… Vaccines are our way to the other side of this pandemic. We would be there if we used all the tools available.

5/ A: continued... In fact, the ODDS ARE that if they're NOT infectious disease specialists or epidemiologists, the odds are that these doctors in the media ARE SPEWING MIS-/DIS-INFORMATION. They should be disciplined by state medical licensing boards:

4/ A: continued... Doctors are allowed to tell the truth. There are doctors who are massive mis-/dis-information spreaders who don't tell the truth to patients, the public, or in the media.

3/ Q: "If doctors were allowed to tell the truth and treat their patients with therapeutics, we would not have hospitals full of sick people dying... What works? What will save lives? And it's not the vaccine." A: WOW. continued...

2/ Q: "If Mr. Doctor gives me a vial and says 'trust me,' I'll give you a vial, & you trust me." A: I'm Ms. Doctor. We study & train for YEARS—to earn that trust & to earn that privilege (a MINIMUM of 11 years after high school).

1/ PROFOUNDLY DISTURBING clips from a town hall with Arkansas @AsaHutchinson. Q: What's in the vaccine? A: Here are full ingredient lists: Pfizer: https://fda.gov/media/144413/download… Moderna: https://fda.gov/media/144637/download… J&J: https://fda.gov/media/146304/download…

10.1038/d41586-021-02177-3

People infected with a variant first identified in South Africa are more likely to die than those infected with other variants.

Remember Beta? New data reveal variant’s deadly powers

10.31234/osf.io/9vwtf

Globally, everyday life has been restricted – varyingly – to control the COVID-19 pandemic. In January 2021, nationwide “lockdown” was enacted in Scotland with breaches punishable by law. Contrastingly, Japanese restrictions were managed prefecture-by-prefecture, with opportunities for travel and interaction, with citizens requested rather than required to conform. To explore these differential strategies’ impact, we conducted a transnational online survey of health behaviours and wellbeing. In February 2021, 138 Scottish and 139 Japanese participants provided demographic information, pandemic-induced health behaviour-change (i.e., alcohol consumption, diet, perceived sleep quality, physical activity), negative mood scores (NMS), and perceived isolation. Scottish participants’ health behaviours were characterised by change (typically negative), whereas Japanese participants’ behaviours were more-stable. However, Scots were more-likely than Japanese participants to have positively-changed their physical activity levels. Negative changes in perceived sleep quality and activity levels were associated with greater NMS; furthermore, negative changes in alcohol consumption, diet, sleep quality, and activity were associated with greater perceived isolation. Japanese participants reported greater NMS; there was no transnational difference in perceived isolation.