Coronavirus Pandemic (SARS-COV-2): Pre-Exercise Screening Questionnaire (PESQ) for Telepresential Exercise

Physical Activity Increases Immunity to COVID-19 Infection

Coronavirus are truly one of the maximum critical fantastic-stranded non-segmented RNA viruses, named after the approximately 126-nm-diameter envelope around the nucleic acid-protein complicated. The virus causes significant harm to human fitness, including direct injury to the respiratory system, immune system compromise, worsening of the underlying clinical conditions, and eventually systemic failure and death. Exercise affects the immune system's antiviral mechanisms. Modest exercise, done before or after infection, improves morbidity and mortality to the contamination, according to animal investigations using influenza and simplex virus in the respiratory tract. Moreover, preclinical research has demonstrated that overtraining has a negative impact on the body's response to viral infections. Follow-up research has shed some light on the mechanisms underlying these discoveries. Through the activation of muscle protein synthesis, physical activity (PA) and exercise are essential for maintaining muscle mass. On the other hand, a lack of muscle contractile activity throughout the country of no exercise, particularly in elderly people, is a major contributor to anabolic rigidity and muscle atrophy.

The hidden stigma of aging and COVID-19: aggravating factors and strategies to mitigate the impact of the pandemic in older adults, a text mining analysis

OBJECTIVE

To identify factors associated with mental health of older adults during the pandemic and to provide strategies to mitigate their psychosocial impact in the elderly.

METHOD

An integrative text mining analysis in Medline was performed to identify studies on the mental health of older adults during the pandemic. Subsequently, statistical topic modeling was performed to identify the most prevalent terms and topics discussed in included studies.

RESULTS

A total of 29 studies were retrieved until July 1st 2020, including a majority of letters (12 studies) and commentaries (8 studies). The most frequent terms overall were: loneliness (n = 137), support (n = 132), home (n = 102), suicide (n = 96) and help (n = 94). The most prevalent terms were then divided in five topics: home (33%), suicide (32%), apps (15%), loneliness (12%) and physical activity (9%). Additionally, a section focused on low- and middle-income countries was included. A summary of strategies to mitigate the effects of pandemic in mental health of older adults was also provided.

CONCLUSION

These factors demonstrate the importance of developing strategies for psychosocial support that take into consideration the particularities of the elderly. Different levels of care are immediately necessary to diminish the devastating impact of the pandemic in the mental health of older adults.

Clinical accuracy and agreement between tympanic and forehead body temperature measurements for screening of patients with COVID-19

AIM

To investigate the accuracy, reliability and agreement between infrared forehead thermometers versus infrared tympanic thermometers temperature, a cross-sectional study was conducted in April 2020.

METHODS

The forehead and tympanic temperatures of 615 subjects were measured simultaneously in three exposed SARS-COV-2 groups at one hospital in Iran, during April 2020. These comparisons were evaluated by Bland-Altman Plot, repeatability, Passing-Bablok regression and Lin's concordance correlation coefficient. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was done to describe the discrimination accuracy of a diagnostic test. The study adhered to STROBE checklist for cross-sectional studies.

RESULTS

A Bland-Altman plot indicated that the limits of agreement between the forehead and tympanic temperature were -0.259 to +0.19°C. Passing-Bablok regression analysis illustrated that the infrared forehead was not linearly related to tympanic temperatures (reference method), with a slope estimate that was significantly different from 1.00. The infrared forehead thermometer showed poor precision and lower accuracy than the tympanic. The forehead temperature readings had 60.0% sensitivity and 44.4% specificity (p > .05) to predict disease.

CONCLUSION

According to the results of study, there is no evidence that the assessment of temperature by infrared forehead thermometer could discriminate between the two groups (positive and negative).

COVID-19 Pandemic and Physical Exercise: Lessons Learnt for Confined Communities

The novel pandemic called "Coronavirus Disease 2019" (COVID-19), as a global public health emergency and global threat, has affected many countries in unpredictable ways and impacted on physical activity (PA) behaviors to various extents. Specific populations including refugees, asylum seekers, and prisoners, are vulnerable groups with multiple complex health needs and worse health outcomes with respect to the general population worldwide and at high risk of death from the "Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-related Coronavirus type 2" (SARS-CoV-2). Governments around the world have been implementing preventive healthcare policies, including physical and social distancing, isolation, and confinement, to mitigate against the burden imposed by the COVID-19 outbreak. This pandemic period is characterized by reduced or lack of movement. During this period of lockdown, PA can represent an immunotherapy and a preventative approach to avoid the harmful effects of inactivity due to the pandemic. Moreover, PA could be prescribed to improve the immune system of specific populations (refugees, asylum seekers, and prisoners), which particularly experience the condition of being confined. The present narrative review discusses the potential impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on these specific populations' health status and the importance of performing PA/exercise to reduce the deleterious effects of COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, we aim to provide useful recommendations on PA/exercise for these specific populations to maintain their level of independence, physical, and mental health as well as their wellbeing.

Physical exercise and COVID-19 pandemic in PubMed: Two months of dynamics and one year of original scientific production

Our aim was to conduct a narrative review about physical exercise and Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). A literature search was completed crossing the keywords “COVID-19” and “physical exercise”, for a narrative review, and physical activity (PA), physical exercise, physical training, sport, physical fitness, for a systematic review; search strategy (Randomized Controlled Trial, in the last 1 year, English). The first search date was closed on 04/26/2020 and 06/26/2020. This strategy was chosen to assess the dynamics of scientific information production for the pandemic. In two months, an increase of 76%, from 12 (19.4%) to 50 (80.64%) COVID-19 articles (n = 62, 100%) was found. The main types of articles published were editorial articles (16.13%, n = 10 of 62 articles) and commentary (9.68%, n = 6 of 62 articles). The most frequent country of origin of the scientific production was the United States (12.90%, n = 8 of 62 articles), the United Kingdom (12.90%, n = 8 of 62 articles), and Brazil (11.29%, n = 7 of 62 articles). However, in 2020, there were only 2 relevant randomized controlled trials on the COVID-19 topic in the context of physical exercise. Scientific information production shows the concern of the PA science community to bring a solution to the increase in physical inactivity generated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings show the dynamics of scientific production on the COVID-19, in a situation so unique such as a pandemic, denotes that the practice of PA is essential to improve and/or maintain physical and mental health.

Home-based exercise can be beneficial for counteracting sedentary behavior and physical inactivity during the COVID-19 pandemic in older adults

The novel pandemic called coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), as a global public health emergency, seems to be having a major impact on physical activity (PA) behaviors. Older adults are at high risk of death from the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS CoV-2). Health authorities around the world have been implementing preventive health measures, including quarantine and self-isolation, to mitigate the COVID-19 outbreak. This period is characterized by the cessation of outdoor exercising. During this period of lockdown, PA has been one of the rare reasons for going out in some countries. To avoid the harmful effects of periods of exercise cessation, PA could be prescribed to older adults, which is of great importance for breaking their sedentary lifestyle and improving their immunity. The present review discusses the potential impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on sedentary behavior and physical inactivity in older adults. The importance of performing PA to reduce the harmful effects of the COVID-19 pandemic is discussed, and useful recommendations on home-based exercise for the older adults to maintain their level of independence, physical and mental health as well as their well-being are provided.

Exercise, nutrition, and medication considerations in the light of the COVID pandemic, with specific focus on geriatric population: A literature review

The pandemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 has spread across the world, causing causalities and inflicting chronic complications in those who survive the infection. Disruptions in the immune system and lowered physical levels caused by quarantine protocols are the major causes of chronic dysfunction and impaired life independency, especially in elderly patients. Multiple exercise suggestions and novel program delivery methods, including telerehabilitation/tele-exercise programs, home-gym strategies, and exergames, have emerged. Patients with underlying obesity, diabetes mellitus, malnutrition, or binge-eating problems are at a high risk of serious infection and sequela. Adequate education and coping strategies can lessen the potential infection complications and improve the quality of life. Acknowledging the possible benefits and risks of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug usage in chronic pain patients, and the supplementation of vitamin D may also aid in treating post-infected patients.

Re-Opening Exercise Science Laboratories and Testing During the Covid-19 Endemic Phase

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has forced primary/grade schools and university closings as well as forced the suspension of a number of medical and laboratory testing procedures. Exercise science laboratories whether in clinical, research or educational locations were also forced to pause testing procedures. As the COVID-19 pandemic begins to subside in some areas of the world, exercise science laboratories are contemplating how to create a safe environment to resume some laboratory testing activities. In this article, we present suggestions for how exercise science laboratories can open and create a safe environment for subjects, laboratory personnel and equipment upon reopening.

Physical Activity, Health-Related Quality of Life, and Stress among the Chinese Adult Population during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic poses a threat to global public health due to home confinement policies impacting on physical activity engagement and overall health. This study aimed to explore physical activity participation, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and levels of perceived stress among Chinese adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. An online survey was conducted between 25 February and 15 March 2020. A total of 645 surveys were completed. Participants reported increased sedentary time from pre-COVID-19 period to the COVID-19 pandemic period (p < 0.05). Over 80% of the sample engaged in either low or moderate intensity physical activity. Participants' average physical component summary score (PCS) and mental component summary score (MCS) for HRQoL were 75.3 (SD = 16.6) and 66.6 (SD = 19.3), respectively. More than half of participants (53.0%) reported moderate levels of stress. Significant correlations between physical activity participation, HRQoL, and levels of perceived stress were observed (p < 0.05). Prolonged sitting time was also found to have a negative effect on HRQoL (p < 0.05). During such periods of home confinement, public health strategies aimed at educating Chinese adults to enhance home-based physical activity may be necessary to maintain health on a population level.

Development, validation and reliabilty of a questionnaire to evaluate the changes on the level of physical exercises and in daily life habits due to COVID-19 pandemic social distancing

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Physical inactivity is expected to happen during the COVID-19 pandemic through home quarantine measures. The aim of this study was to develop, validate and perform the reliability of the questionnaire "Physical exercise (PE) level before and during social isolation (PEF-COVID19)" to evaluate the level of PE during the social distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic and to try to identify changes in the daily life of the individuals.

METHODS

This transversal study was developed to measure psychometric properties of the questionnaire PEF-COVID19. The survey was divided into 4 sections including subjects' characterization, social isolation update and physical exercise performed, pain, anxiety and stress before and during COVID-19 pandemic. After the survey construction in Portuguese language (Brazil), the survey was transferred to an online digital platform (Google® forms). The Construct, Clarity and Relevance Validation strategy was judged by a panel of experts and the validity index (VI) were calculated. The reliability was evaluated through the test-retest interrater reliability and measured through the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Kappa coefficient (KC).

RESULTS

Twenty-five experts participated of the survey validity and 34 respondents from the target population participated of the test-retest reliability. The general average measures for VI were all above 0.84 and test-retest ICC and KC were 0.89 and 0.88, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

This survey was considered valid and reliable to be applied to the general population over 18 years-old to investigate the PE practice and psychological aspects during the social distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a public health problem.

Strategies and Solutions to Return to Training for Teams and Elite Athletes After Lifting COVID-19 Restrictions

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