Controversies could fuel COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Public Spaces ◽  
Vaccine Hesitancy ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Perceptions Of Fairness

Significance Scientists and governments are increasingly concerned that ‘vaccine hesitancy’, the situation of people delaying or refusing some or all vaccines, could reduce immunisation against COVID-19. Impacts Due to initial scarcity, vaccine access will not be on an equal basis, both within and across countries, impacting perceptions of fairness. Vaccination certificates for travel, entering public spaces or for certain professions will be increasingly debated. Adherence to handwashing, mask-wearing and social distancing norms will be needed for some time, even with COVID-19 vaccines.

Investigation of spatial configuration management on social distancing of recreational clubhouse for COVID-19 in Penang, Malaysia

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nur Adibah Binti Abdul Nasir ◽  
Ahmad Sanusi Hassan ◽  
Fatemeh Khozaei ◽  
Muhammad Hafeez Bin Abdul Nasir
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Organization ◽  
Spatial Configuration ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Spatial Arrangement ◽  
Public Spaces ◽  
Disease Spread ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
The Impact

PurposeSince the appearance of COVID-19 social distancing and staying home have been recommended repeatedly by the governments for disease prevention. As the challenge continues to remain the current study seeks to examine the factors affecting social distancing through space planning and management. More specifically the current study aims to examine the appropriateness of the spatial organization and space configuration of a clubhouse with a linear plan layout in the mitigation of the spread of infections due to serious pandemic COVID-19.Design/methodology/approachFor an enhanced understanding of the impact of spatial arrangements of public spaces plan on the effective implementation of social distancing this study has used the space syntax analysis method. The MPSP clubhouse building in Penang, Malaysia was selected as the case study. The level of permeability and wayfinding were determined in the building plan and were illustrated using photoshop software to depict the interrelation between the indoor spaces and building circulation. Graphs of the depth of space were used to analyze the level of permeability and wayfinding to illustrate the possibility of social distancing in the plan.FindingsThe result of the study shows the significant role of proper plan layout design on social distancing. While clear and direct wayfinding can positively be associated with more effective social distancing, the inefficient design of user access, inappropriate locations of multiple entry and exit and indefinite directions of users' inside buildings can impose slight limitations. The average level of permeability might suggest ineffective spatial arrangement, ignoring the needs of spatial segregation. The study further found that the linear plan layouts with proper zoning and effective management strategies can be considered a proper layout to facilitate social distancing and the spread of COVID-19.Originality/valueThe current study is unique in terms of examination of the spatial configuration of linear public spaces plan layout for possible temporary adaptability to curb disease spread during the unexpected advent of a pandemic. Based on researchers' best of knowledge it is the first time that the impact of recreational space design on social distancing has been examined. The study also originally sheds light on the fact that the commonly used guideline for the social distancing of 1–2 m between 2 persons, in reality, is practically inadequate given the nature of the sports activities.

COVID-19 and “the trinity of boredom” in public spaces: urban form, social distancing and digital transformation

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hisham Abusaada ◽  
Abeer Elshater
Keyword(s):  
Urban Form ◽  
Public Spaces ◽  
Digital Transformation ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Widespread Application ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Urban Planning And Design ◽  
The Face ◽  
The Trinity

PurposeOver the coming decades, the widespread application of social distancing creates challenges for the urban planning and design profession. This article aims to address the phenomenon of boredom in public places, its main influences that generate change in repetition, monotony and everyday lifestyle, whether positive, negative or both – depending on the binding and governing rules of urban shape variations and daily lifestyles.Design/methodology/approachThis viewpoint relied on literary narration to discuss the phenomenon of boredom vis-à-vis urban design and placemaking solutions in the face of social distancing. It builds its orientation by analyzing the works of nine scholars and five of their relevant theories.FindingsEvidence from previous studies helped develop three-pillar guidelines that can produce better results for post-pandemic development in the face of boredom. These pillars include recommendations for the trinity of heterogeneity for metamorphosis in urban form, changes in public life and digital transformation in a time of uncertainty on how to confront (un)seen boredom in public spaces. Practitioners should develop new insights into the relationship between people and place by reviewing existing paradigms in urban studies to avoid repetition, monotony and change in everyday life after a pandemic.Originality/valueThe added value here is in underlining boredom as one of the consequences of social distancing and lockdown applications building on the phenomenon's theorizers. The key contribution of this work is the three-pillar recommendation for confronting the boredom in public spaces that happens because of social distancing and lockdown.

scholarly journals Privacy-preserving AI-enabled video surveillance for social distancing: responsible design and deployment for public spaces

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nehemia Sugianto ◽  
Dian Tjondronegoro ◽  
Rosemary Stockdale ◽  
Elizabeth Irenne Yuwono
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Intelligence ◽  
Video Surveillance ◽  
Public Spaces ◽  
Privacy Preserving ◽  
Robust Performance ◽  
Implementation Framework ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Data Movement ◽  
Social Distancing

PurposeThe paper proposes a privacy-preserving artificial intelligence-enabled video surveillance technology to monitor social distancing in public spaces.Design/methodology/approachThe paper proposes a new Responsible Artificial Intelligence Implementation Framework to guide the proposed solution's design and development. It defines responsible artificial intelligence criteria that the solution needs to meet and provides checklists to enforce the criteria throughout the process. To preserve data privacy, the proposed system incorporates a federated learning approach to allow computation performed on edge devices to limit sensitive and identifiable data movement and eliminate the dependency of cloud computing at a central server.FindingsThe proposed system is evaluated through a case study of monitoring social distancing at an airport. The results discuss how the system can fully address the case study's requirements in terms of its reliability, its usefulness when deployed to the airport's cameras, and its compliance with responsible artificial intelligence.Originality/valueThe paper makes three contributions. First, it proposes a real-time social distancing breach detection system on edge that extends from a combination of cutting-edge people detection and tracking algorithms to achieve robust performance. Second, it proposes a design approach to develop responsible artificial intelligence in video surveillance contexts. Third, it presents results and discussion from a comprehensive evaluation in the context of a case study at an airport to demonstrate the proposed system's robust performance and practical usefulness.

The aftermath of COVID-19 pandemic period: barriers in implementation of social distancing at workplace

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kashif Abbass ◽  
Abdul Aziz Khan Niazi ◽  
Tehmina Fiaz Qazi ◽  
Abdul Basit ◽  
Huaming Song
Keyword(s):  
Health Workers ◽  
Matrix Multiplication ◽  
Review Of Literature ◽  
Interpretive Structural Modeling ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Employees With Disabilities ◽  
Data Collection And Analysis ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThe study aims to investigate the barriers in implementing social distancing at the workplace as an aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic period.Design/methodology/approachStudy design consists of a review of literature, data collection and analysis. It encompasses identification, verification and analysis of the relationships among the barriers. Data have been collected from a panel of experts on matrix-type questionnaires from workplaces. Interpretive structural modeling (ISM) augmented with “Matrice d' Impacts Croise's Multiplication Appliquée a UN Classement (Cross Impact Matrix Multiplication Applied to Classification)” (MICMAC) for structural analysis.FindingsThe literature has identified twenty major barriers to implementing social distancing at the workplace. The research findings reveal/show that the barrier “matter of disrespect” occupies the bottom level in the ISM model. Therefore, it is the most critical barrier; whereas, employees with disabilities and “herding culture” are crucial as they occupy the next lowest level, therefore, are crucial. Moreover, there are ten barriers positioned in the middle of the model having moderate-severe effects, and seven falls on the top level of the model having relatively less severe effects. Results of MICMAC affirm and avow the results of ISM.Research limitations/implicationsThe study will have profound theoretical and practical implications for stakeholders since it provides lot of new useful and valuable information, gives relational insights and determines priorities subject to usual limitations of survey research.Originality/valueIt is an original attempt to make some sense of practicability of social distancing for stakeholders including policymakers, frontline health workers and public at large.

Ukraine tightens rules to boost COVID vaccine uptake

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Vaccination Programme ◽  
Vaccine Uptake ◽  
Vaccine Hesitancy ◽  
Macroeconomic Performance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Many

Significance This places two-thirds of Ukrainian regions under the most stringent COVID-19 restrictions. In its second pandemic autumn, Ukraine is performing poorly because this year's vaccination programme has been slow to pick up, until a recent acceleration prompted by tougher restrictions. Vaccine hesitancy has been compounded by a scandal involving fake certificates. Impacts The government will blame the COVID-19 surge for poor macroeconomic performance. President Zelensky's standing will be largely unaffected, as responsibility for restrictions is mostly devolved to regions. COVID-19 will not sideline the many challenges facing the government, currently reflected in an emerging cabinet reshuffle.

VACCINE HESITANCY TO VACCINE DESPERATION! EXPERIENCES FROM 2 VACCINATION CENTERS IN MUMBAI.

2021 ◽  
pp. 43-45
Author(s):  
Reena J. Wani ◽  
Sanjay Panchal ◽  
Kinjal Chauhan ◽  
Varun J. Wani ◽  
Priya H. Manihar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Side Effects ◽  
Adverse Events ◽  
Hand Hygiene ◽  
Special Reference ◽  
Vaccine Hesitancy ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Roll Out ◽  
Available Resources

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Lockdown on March 2020 till date, measures like hand hygiene, social distancing and testing have worked only partially to contain the cases and deaths. Cooper and Nair Hospitals were amongst the nodal centres identied in January 2021 to launch the Nationwide Vaccination drive in Mumbai. Aim: To highlight the pattern of vaccination roll-out, procedures in various phases and discuss concerns, challenges and effect on our workforce and workplan. Methodology: We reviewed the patterns, uptake of vaccine, procedures and problems faced by our vaccination centres from January 15 till April 30 (4 months). We also looked into adverse events following immunization (AEFI) reported. th th Results: Over 68,000 vaccine doses have been administrated in Cooper alone by April end, and issues were analysed in detail with special reference to logistics & challenges. AEFI were very few. We found that initially anxiety about side effects, concerns about choice of vaccine and long-term effects were the major impediments to vaccination. Later on, the demand exceeded the supply. Conclusion: Although vaccination is not the nal answer, it is an important tool to improve our response to the pandemic. Reviewing, restructuring available resources is essential in pandemic situations. Proper planning, counselling and choice in the way forward in this crisis.

Using social distancing technology in hotels: a social exchange perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristian Morosan ◽  
Agnes DeFranco
Keyword(s):  
Social Exchange ◽  
Health Risks ◽  
Social Exchange Theory ◽  
Structural Model ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Privacy Concerns ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Social Rewards

Purpose As social distancing procedures can be facilitated by various hotel technologies, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the extent to which consumers develop perceptions of value regarding the use of certain hotel technologies for social distancing in hotels. Design/methodology/approach Drawing from the social exchange theory, this study conceptualized the benefits of using technologies for social distancing, health risks, social rewards and privacy concerns as antecedents of value of using technologies for social distancing in hotels. The structural model was validated by using data from more than 1,000 nationwide US consumers. Findings Benefits and consumers’ privacy concerns of using technologies for social distancing in hotels were the strongest predictors of value. Social rewards also had a significant but relatively lower effect on value. Health risks was found to have no influence on value. Originality/value The study is the first to examine the role of technologies in mitigating the effects of coronavirus. Thus, it extends the information technology and hospitality literature by examining the role of these technologies in safeguarding individual and public health.

Forecasting the schedule performance resulting from the adoption of social distancing in construction projects

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hilary Omatule Onubi ◽  
Nor'Aini Yusof ◽  
Ahmad Sanusi Hassan ◽  
Ali Ahmed Salem Bahdad
Keyword(s):  
Construction Projects ◽  
Partial Least Square ◽  
Least Square ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Schedule Performance ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Positive Effect

PurposeThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had major impacts on the performance of construction projects that have adopted social distancing measures. This study examines the effect of social distancing measures on project schedule performance through job reorganization on construction project sites.Design/methodology/approachResponses were obtained through a survey of 154 construction projects and analysed using the partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) technique.FindingsThe findings established that social distancing has a negative effect on schedule performance, social distancing has a positive effect on job re-organization and job re-organization has a positive effect on schedule performance. Additionally, the results indicate that job re-organization partially mediates the relationship between social distancing and schedule performance, while social distancing moderates the relationship between job re-organization and schedule performance with low social distancing having the stronger positive effect.Originality/valueThis study contributes theoretically to a greater understanding of the impact of adopting COVID-19 safety measures such as social distancing on the schedule performance of construction projects. The study also shows how social distancing could lead to schedule performance through job reorganization.

Vaccine hesitancy and implications on childhood immunisation in Malaysia

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Noor Hazilah Abd Manaf ◽  
Mohd Azahadi Omar ◽  
Fatin Husna Suib
Keyword(s):  
World Health ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Vaccine Hesitancy ◽  
Personal Choice ◽  
Childhood Immunisation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Parental Decision ◽  
Islamic Medicine ◽  
Health Organization

PurposeThe World Health Organization identified vaccine hesitancy as one of the ten threats to global health in 2019. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the implications and factors affecting parental decision on childhood immunisation in Malaysia.Design/methodology/approachThis paper reviews literature on vaccine hesitancy and evaluation of factors affecting parental decision on childhood immunisation in Malaysia.FindingsVaccine hesitancy is a growing public health concern in Malaysia with factors such as influence of Internet and social media, personal choice and individual right, conspiracy theory, religious reasons and alternative medicine as among the influencing dynamics. An urban, educated demography operating within a postmodern medical paradigm compounds the diminishing value of vaccines.Originality/valueThis paper provides a comprehensive examination of vaccine hesitancy in Malaysia. Critical appraisal on personal choice over societal responsibility within an Asian/Muslim collectivist society has not been discussed in previous studies. The acceptance of homeopathy as an Islamic medicine alternative is peculiar to multi-ethnic, multi-cultural Malaysia.

Third COVID wave will further dampen Algeria's economy

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Crisis ◽  
External Financing ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
The Government

Significance The government has reimposed social distancing restrictions, but a reinvigorated pandemic will hurt the economy further and forestall any economic turnaround. Impacts Algeria may find itself at a disadvantage compared to Morocco and Egypt, which have made greater progress countering the pandemic. The longer Algeria’s economic turnaround is delayed, the more likely it is that the country will have to resort to external financing. If the country’s economic crisis becomes more acute, the president would likely reshuffle the cabinet in an effort to shift blame. The president himself may also come under pressure to resign.

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