COVID-19: Lessons from South Korean pandemic communications strategy

SARS-CoV-2 and omicron variant detection with a high selectivity, sensitivity, and low-cost silicon bio-nanosensor

The recent SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has highlighted the urgent need for novel point-of-care devices to be promptly used for a rapid and reliable large screening analysis of several biomarkers like genetic sequences and antibodies. Currently, one of the main limitations of rapid tests is the high percentage of false negatives in the presence of variants and, in particular for the Omicron one. We demonstrate in this work the detection of SARS-CoV-2 and the Omicron variant with a cost-effective silicon nanosensor enabling high sensitivity, selectivity, and fast response. We have shown that a silicon (Si) nanowires (NW) platform detects both Sars-CoV-2 and its Omicron variant with a limit of detection (LoD) of four effective copies (cps), without any amplification of the genome, and with high selectivity. This ultrasensitive detection of 4 cps allows to obtain an extremely early diagnosis paving the way for efficient and widespread tracking. The sensor is made with industrially compatible techniques, which in perspective may allow easy and cost-effective industrialization.

Six Pivotal Lessons Learned in South Korea for Whole-of-Government Approach to Successful COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout in Planetary Health

The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored that systems medicine depends on health systems and services that can respond to planetary health threats in scale and with speed. After 2 years of the pandemic, there are lessons learned in South Korea, from governance to risk communication for planetary health. The learning is timely because COVID-19 likely signals future ecological crises and emerging pathogens amid the climate emergency in the 21st century. By the end of March 2022, South Korea, with a population of 51.6 million, administered more COVID-19 vaccine doses per 100 people than other developed countries, including United Kingdom, Italy, Australia, Israel, Germany, and United States. In South Korea, 233.47 doses of COVID-19 vaccine were administered per 100 people, while Italy (229.48), China (229.39), Australia (217.44), the United Kingdom (211.39), Israel (194.82), and the United States (170.59) fell behind in vaccine rollout. Korea's whole-of-government approach to robust COVID-19 vaccination rollout prompted broad interest in planetary health. Notwithstanding that vaccine rollout is a complex multifactorial outcome, six salient, and often interdependent, factors are identified in this study of South Korea: (1) governance system; (2) logistic capability; (3) delivery strategy and accessibility; (4) established public health infrastructure; (5) risk communication; and (6) public cooperation and engagement. Integration of these factors can create multisectoral synergy to achieve better outcomes in vaccine rollout. The lessons from South Korea can help cultivate planetary health action in other parts of the world during the current COVID-19 pandemic, and in ecological crises in the future.

Horizontal Tourism Coopetition Strategy for Marketing Performance - Evidence From Theme Parks

Unprecedentedly impacted by COVID-19, tourism enterprises are pushed to adopt new strategic management to cope with the changes in tourists' consumer perception for sustainable development, such as corporate and compete simultaneously with their competitors. Our study aims to investigate the intermediate role of coopetition, including the three dimensions of resource similarity, market commonality, and willingness to cooperate in the marketing and performance relationships. Primary data on 360 observers were collected via questionnaire distribution to theme park managers in China with 85.3% accuracy in response rate. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to verify the intermediate effect of coopetition on marketing performance in tourism enterprises. The results of SEM indicate (1) the intermediate role of tourism coopetition, including the three dimensions existing in the relationship between tourism marketing and performance, (2) more significant positive impact on non-financial performance than that on financial performance, and (3) the mechanism of implementing coopetition. This study gives supportive evidence for tourism enterprises to implement coopetition and highlights the implications for appropriately developing coopetition strategies and tactics to achieve the synergy effect for the individual enterprises and the spillover effect for the destination regarding policy-making, mindset, and partner selection.

Smoking Behavior Changes during COVID-19 among Korean Adults

OBJECTIVES

In this study, we investigated the changes in smoking behavior during the COVID-19 outbreak in Korea in 2020. We also examined the influence of general characteristics and mental health problems due to COVID-19 on changes in smoking behavior.

METHODS

We collected data from August to October 2020 from adults aged 19 years and older from the Korea Community Health Survey (N=229,269).

RESULTS

Among current smokers (N=39,534), 11.0% reported an increase in smoking, and 12.8% reported a decrease in smoking. Overall, 33.3% reported perceived stress and 3.7% reported depression. Participants reported COVID-related anxiety about infecting family (83.0%), economic damage (76.3%), blame or harm from others (66.5%), infection (60.6%), and death (31.3%). Lower education level, living alone, and poor subjective health status were associated with increased smoking. Being a woman and being of older age were associated with decreased smoking. Stress, depression, and anxiety about economic damage due to COVID-19 were more likely to result in increased smoking. Anxiety related to death due to COVID-19 was more likely to result in decreased smoking.

CONCLUSION

These findings provide insight into the changes in smoking behavior caused by COVID-19.

No one left behind: risk communication to the street vendors during COVID-19 social distancing

Purpose

COVID-19 presents a serious and unprecedented challenge around the globe. Street vendors are the most vulnerable group during this pandemic regarding livelihood loss and contagion risk. This research aims to examine the roles of risk communication work in enhancing COVID-19 risk perceptions and adoption of COVID-19 preventive behaviors among street vendors.

Design/methodology/approach

The data were collected from the street vendors in urban Vietnam. A binary probit model was used for analyzing the relationships among exposure to risk communication, risk perception and adoption of preventive behaviors.

Findings

The analysis reveals the outreach of risk communication work to the street vendors. A rather large proportion of the respondents perceive high risks associated with COVID-19. All respondents adopt COVID-19 preventive behaviors; however, the proportion of regular adoption is moderate and even very low for most behaviors. Their frequent exposure to risk communication significantly raises their risk perceptions and encourages their regular adoption of preventive behaviors, particularly regarding the measures that are affordable and less detrimental to their livelihood.

Originality/value

This research is among the first attempts to examine risk communication to the vulnerable group, how they perceive risks and the extent to which they adopt preventive behaviors during a public health crisis. This research draws some implications for risk communication and social welfare policies to obtain sustainable development goals.