Hand hygiene practices during the COVID-19 pandemic and associated factors among barbers and beauty salon workers in Ethiopia

A systematic overview of metal nanoparticles as alternative disinfectants for emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants

Coronaviruses are a diverse family of viruses, and new strains can emerge. While the majority of coronavirus strains cause mild respiratory illnesses, a few are responsible for severe diseases such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, is an example of a coronavirus that has led to a pandemic. Coronaviruses can mutate over time, potentially leading to the emergence of new variants. Some of these variants may have increased transmissibility or resistance to existing vaccines and treatments. The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic in the recent past has sparked innovation in curbing virus spread, with sanitizers and disinfectants taking center stage. These essential tools hinder pathogen dissemination, especially for unvaccinated or rapidly mutating viruses. The World Health Organization supports the use of alcohol-based sanitizers and disinfectants globally against pandemics. However, there are ongoing concerns about their widespread usage and their potential impact on human health, animal well-being, and ecological equilibrium. In this ever-changing scenario, metal nanoparticles hold promise in combating a range of pathogens, including SARS-CoV-2, as well as other viruses such as norovirus, influenza, and HIV-1. This review explores their potential as non-alcoholic champions against SARS-CoV-2 and other pandemics of tomorrow. This extends beyond metal nanoparticles and advocates a balanced examination of pandemic control tools, exploring their strengths and weaknesses. The manuscript thus involves the evaluation of metal nanoparticle-based alternative approaches as hand sanitizers and disinfectants, providing a comprehensive perspective on this critical issue.

COVID-19 Disease in Under-5 Children: Current Status and Strategies for Prevention including Vaccination

Since the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic hit the globe in early 2020, we have steadily gained insight into its pathogenesis; thereby improving surveillance and preventive measures. In contrast to other respiratory viruses, neonates and young children infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) have a milder clinical presentation, with only a small proportion needing hospitalization and intensive care support. With the emergence of novel variants and improved testing services, there has been a higher incidence of COVID-19 disease reported among children and neonates. Despite this, the proportion of young children with severe disease has not increased. Key mechanisms that protect young children from severe COVID-19 disease include the placental barrier, differential expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2) receptors, immature immune response, and passive transfer of antibodies via placenta and human milk. Implementing mass vaccination programs has been a major milestone in reducing the global disease burden. However, considering the lower risk of severe COVID-19 illness in young children and the limited evidence about long-term vaccine safety, the risk-benefit balance in children under five years of age is more complex. In this review, we do not support or undermine vaccination of young children but outline current evidence and guidelines, and highlight controversies, knowledge gaps, and ethical issues related to COVID-19 vaccination in young children. Regulatory bodies should consider the individual and community benefits of vaccinating younger children in their local epidemiological setting while planning regional immunization policies.

Biosafety protection and workflow of clinical microbiology laboratory under COVID-19: A review

This paper mainly discusses how to do a good job of daily biosafety protection measures in clinical microbiology laboratories during the epidemic of COVID-19, so as to ensure the safe development of routine clinical microbiology testing items. According to the microbiological and epidemiological characteristics of the novel coronavirus, this paper analyzed the potential risks of the laboratory from the perspective of personal protection before, during, and after testing. Combined with the actual work situation, the improved biosafety protection measures and optimized work flow are introduced to ensure the safety of medical staff and the smooth development of daily work. Danyang People's Hospital of Jiangsu Province, clinical microbiology laboratory of clinical laboratory in strict accordance with the relevant laws and regulations, technical specifications and the expert consensus, combined with their own conditions, the biosafety measures to perfect the working process was optimized, effectively prevent the laboratory exposure, and maintain strict working condition for a long time, continue to improve. We found that the biosafety protection measures of clinical microbiology laboratory have good prevention and control effect on preventing infection of medical staff, which will greatly reduce the risk of infection of medical staff, form good working habits, and provide reference for biosafety protection of microbiology laboratory during the epidemic of COVID-19.