Digital Commons Network^™

Evaluating The Efficiency Of Public Policy Measures Against Covid-19, Hati̇ce Rahmet Güner, İmran Hasanoğlu, Fi̇rdevs Aktaş

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 as a Public Health Emergency of international concern on January 30, 2020, and a pandemic on March 11, 2020. Afterward, it spread rapidly all over the world, causing almost 4 million deaths as of June 2021. It is clear that effective preventive measures are needed in this devastating disease, which still has no cure. In addition to mask using, social distancing, and hygiene practices, which enter our lives as the most basic precautions, communities aim to reduce the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. All over the world, the measures taken and activities performed …

How Efficient Are Facial Masks Against Covid-19? Evaluating The Mask Use Of Variouscommunities One Year Into The Pandemic, Aslıhan Candevi̇r, Cem Üngör, Fi̇gen Çi̇zmeci̇ Şenel, Yeşi̇m Taşova

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Face masks are devices worn over the mouth and nose to protect against splashes, infectious respiratory droplets, or aerosols generated during breathing or coughing according to their filtering capacity. Medical masks, respirators, or cloth masks have been used for source control and for the protection of the exposed. After the first case on March 11, 2020, in Turkey, National COVID-19 Scientific Advisory Board published various contents for the correct use of masks. Medical face masks have been used in healthcare settings for both source control and potential personal protection before the COVID-19 pandemic. Adverse events associated with using masks are …

Rna-Based Covid-19 Vaccine Candidates With Clinical Phase Trials In Progress, Leyla İpek Rudvan Al, Meli̇ha Çağla Sönmezer, Serhat Ünal

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Due to the COVID-19 infection, which was recognized as a global pandemic by the WHO on March 11, 2020, the number of cases and disease-related deaths increases day by day globally. For this reason, antiviral agents used in treatment and vaccines, the most effective weapon in prevention, continue to be the most popular topic of the plan. Several situations are expected to affect the course of the pandemic. The loss of the ability of the virus to mutate and cause disease, the fact that those who become immunized by having the disease in the society reach a critical rate and …

The Predictive And Diagnostic Accuracy Of Long Pentraxin-3 In Covid-19 Pneumonia, Ahmed Bi̇lal Genç, Selçuk Yaylaci, Hamad Dhei̇r, Ahmed Ci̇had Genç, Kubi̇lay İşsever, Deni̇z Çeki̇ç, Havva Kocayi̇ği̇t, Erdem Çokluk, Alper Karacan, Mehmet Ramazan Şekeroğlu, Hande Toptan, Ertuğrul Güçlü

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: The purpose of this study is to evaluate serum pentraxin-3 (PTX-3) levels in Sars-CoV-2 virus infection (COVID-19) patients and to investigate whether PTX-3 predicts the disease prognosis. Materials and methods: This study was conducted on 88 confirmed COVID-19 patients who were hospitalized due to symptomatic pneumonia between April 15 and August 15, 2020. The patients were divided into two groups as survived patients and non-survived patients. Both groups were compared according to demographic features, comorbid conditions and measurement of the PTX-3 and other laboratory parameters of the patients. Results: Of 88 patients with COVID-19, 59 (67%) were discharged with …

Factors Affecting Mortality In Geriatric Patients Hospitalized With Covid-19, Rabi̇a Bağ Soytaş, Damla Ünal, Pinar Arman, Veysel Suzan, Tuğçe Emi̇roğlu Gedi̇k, Günay Can, Bora Korkmazer, Ridvan Karaali̇, Şermi̇n Börekçi̇, Mert Ahmet Kuşkucu, Hakan Yavuzer, Ülev Deni̇z Erdi̇nçler, Alper Döventaş

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: We aimed to investigate the factors affecting the mortality of patients aged 65 years or older who were hospitalized with the diagnosis of new coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19). Materials and methods: This is a retrospective study of patients 65 years old or older with COVID-19 who were hospitalized in İstanbul University-Cerrahpaşa, Cerrahpaşa Medical Faculty Hospital, between March 11 and May 28, 2020. Demographic, clinical, treatment, and laboratory data were extracted from electronic medical records. We used univariate and multivariate logistic regression methods to explore the risk factors for in-hospital death. Results: A total of 218 patients (112 men, 106 women) …

A Comparison Of Indonesia And Malaysia's Covid-19 Public Health Policy Response, Raine Sroge Johnson

Working Papers Series

In an effort to understand why two Southeast Asian countries with similar freedom scores, religious demographics, and cultures took a different approach to the novel coronavirus, this paper identifies and analyzes Indonesia and Malaysia’s public health policies from March to May of 2020. There was a stark difference between the two government’s attitudes toward a nation-wide lockdown. Whereas Indonesia refused to implement national stay-at-home measures despite legislators and citizens’ call to do so, its counterpart adopted comprehensive, nationally mandated lockdown policies. This paper argues that Indonesia’s political elites’ denial of the pandemic threat and incumbents’ economic and religious anxieties as …

Post-Pandemic Privacy Law, Tiffany C. Li

Law Faculty Scholarship

COVD-19, the global pandemic that began in 2019, altered how we live our lives in just about every way imaginable. Some of those changes were obvious-for example, those who were fortunate enough to be able to work from home began working online-while other changes were more subtle. The latter category included unprecedented levels of data collection by governments and organizations purporting to collect information that would help stop the pandemic's spread. Given the deadly nature of COVID-19, few would question any public health efforts, no matter their impact on privacy. However, the lack of attention to privacy issues during the …

Privacy In Pandemic: Law, Technology, And Public Health In The Covid-19 Crisis, Tiffany C. Li

Law Faculty Scholarship

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused millions of deaths and disastrous consequences around the world, with lasting repercussions for every field of law, including privacy and technology. The unique characteristics of this pandemic have precipitated an increase in use of new technologies, including remote communications platforms, healthcare robots, and medical Al. Public and private actors alike are using new technologies, like heat sensing, and technologically influenced programs, like contact tracing, leading to a rise in government and corporate surveillance in sectors like healthcare, employment, education, and commerce. Advocates have raised the alarm for privacy and civil liberties violations, but the emergency …

Achievements Of The Covid-19 Turkey Platform In Vaccine And Drug Development Withan Approach Of "Co-Creation And Succeeding Together", Hasan Mandal

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Mobilizing the research ecosystem for accelerating vaccine and drug development has been an important reality of the pandemic. This article reviews the scientific advances that are attained by the COVID-19 Turkey Platform for vaccine and drug development against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The platform that is coordinated by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey is established with a "co-creation and succeeding together" approach, which involves 436 researchers across 49 different institutions working on 17 vaccine and drug development projects in total. Recent advances of the COVID-19 Turkey Platform include the fourth virus-like particle-based vaccine candidate in the world to …

Turkey's Response To Covid-19 Pandemic: Strategy And Key Actions, Gülşen Barlas, Harun Öztürk, Gülen Pehli̇vantürk, Sabahatti̇n Aydin

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

COVID-19 emerged at the end of 2019 in Wuhan, China, and spread rapidly around the world causing many deaths. Due to the intercontinental escalation in the epidemic, while WHO declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020, our country's first case was diagnosed. Before this, the MoH established the Operations Center against possible risks regarding the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Plan on January 10, 2020 and formed the Scientific Committee, which has a critical importance in epidemic management. National and Provincial Pandemic Coordination Boards were established within the scope of this plan. Fast, effective and frequently updated decisions were implemented. The epidemic …

One And A Half Years Into The Covid-19 Pandemic - Exit Strategies And Efficacy Of Sarscov-2 Vaccines For Holistic Management And Achieving Global Control, Eskild Petersen, Ayşe Deni̇z Gökengi̇n, Asma Al Balushi, Alimuddin Zumla

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

One and a half years into the pandemic, SARS-CoV-2 is still here to stay. Whilst rapid several effective COVID-19 vaccines have been developed and are being rolled out, the critical questions remain whether vaccines provide widespread protection against infection and reinfection, and what the duration of protection is. Community wide control cannot be obtained until almost everyone is immune. Vaccine production must be ramped up to cover the world population. The price of herd immunity through natural infection is high mortality in the elderly and morbidity in other age groups including children and Long-COVID. We must expect a new wave …

Going Back To Normal, But How? Re-Opening Policies And The Standards For A New Normal, Levent Akin

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Governments implemented to nonpharmacological methods and various limitation policies such as closing nonessential businesses, schools and limiting group gatherings, promoting social distancing, use of personal protective equipment, advising staying at home. These policies have caused various problems in social and economic life and gradual increase in psychosocial well-being problems. All societies yearningly are waiting for the COVID-19 pandemic to be brought under control and the measures to be lifted in order to return to their previous lives. Indicators are needed to assess the burden of disease in the country while lifting measures to control the COVID-19 pandemic. When using these …

Epidemiology Of Covid-19: What Changed In One Year?, Cemal Bulut, Yasuyuki̇ Kato

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

A coronavirus brought the first pandemic attack of this century as a flu virus did a hundred years ago. This greatest pandemic of the century brings us new opportunities to understand and explore the dynamics of a contagious disease. Nearly two years later, we are still collecting the evidence to understand the disease. Some basic epidemiological properties are still urgently needed. Not only the origin of the virus but also Ro value, possible transmission routes, epidemiologic curves, case fatality rates, seasonality, severity and mortality risk factor, effects on the risk groups, differences between countries and so on still require strong …

From Asymptomatic To Critical Illness - Different Clinical Manifestations Of Covid-19 Inchildren, Hasan Tezer, Meli̇s Deni̇z

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

The global pandemic infectious disease that was named the new coronavirus disease (COVID 19), spread throughout the world, causing a major public health emergency. The causative virus of COVID-19, called SARS CoV-2, can infect all age groups. Various clinical signs and symptoms have been observed in neonates, children, and adolescents during the COVID-19 outbreak. The clinical manifestations of COVID-19 might be different due to the medical conditions and comorbid status in elderly and pediatric patients. The rise in cases among children has been reported during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although infected children generally appear to be asymptomatic or have only mild …

Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome In Children, Selda Hançerli̇ Törün, Di̇lek Yilmaz Çi̇ftdoğan, Ateş Kara

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, children can be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19. Clinical symptoms of children with COVID from China, where the disease was first reported, generally were less severe than adults. However, at the end of April 2020 in Europe, it was observed that some children with SARS-CoV-2 infection developed fever, abdominal pain, shock, myocardial insufficiency and they needed to be taken care of in intensive care unit. This new disease has been called multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). Although the pathogenesis of MIS-C is unclear, it progresses with signs of multiorgan involvement as a …

From Asymptomatic To Critical Illness: Decoding Various Clinical Stages Of Covid-19, İlhami̇ Çeli̇k, Recep Öztürk

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

The clinical course of COVID-19 is variable, with clinical manifestation ranging from 81% mild course to 14% severe course along with 5% critical course in patients. The asymptomatic course is reported to potentially range between 20% and 70% (avg. 33%). A more severe course is seen in the elderly, those with various chronic diseases, and the immunosuppressed, where the case fatality rate is higher in these risk groups. The disease progresses with various symptoms, such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, malaise, myalgia, taste and smell disorders, diarrhea, sore throat, headache, and conjunctivitis. The disease begins with shortness of breath, …

Covid-19 And Sepsis, Zeli̇ha Koçak Tufan, Bi̇rcan Kayaaslan, Mervyn Mer

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

The COVID-19 pandemic has created a major alteration in the medical literature including the sepsis discussion. From the outset of the pandemic, various reports have indicated that although there are some unique features pertinent to COVID-19, many of its acute manifestations are similar to sepsis caused by other pathogens. As a consequence, the old definitions now require consideration of this new etiologic agent, namely SARS-CoV-2. Although the pathogenesis of COVID-19 has not been fully explained, the data obtained so far in hospitalized patients has revealed that serum cytokine and chemokine levels are high in severe COVID-19 patients, similar to those …

Pregnancy And Covid-19: Prevention, Vaccination, Therapy, And Beyond, Di̇lek Şahi̇n, Atakan Tanaçan, Sophia Ne Webster, Özlem Moraloğlu Teki̇n

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has alarmed the world since its first emergence. As pregnancy is characterized by significant changes in cardiovascular, respiratory, endocrine, and immunological systems, there are concerns on issues like the course of disease in pregnant women, safety of medications, route of delivery and risk of obstetric complications. The aim of this review is to summarize the current literature in the management of pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although more than 90% of pregnant women with COVID-19 recover without serious morbidity, rapid deterioration of disease and higher …

The Radiological Findings Of Covid-19, Alper Karacan, Yakup Ersel Aksoy, Mehmet Hali̇l Öztürk

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Available information on the radiological findings of the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is constantly updated. Ground glass opacities (GGOs) and consolidation with bilateral and peripheral distribution have been reported as the most common CT findings, but less typical features can also be identified. According to the reported studies, SARS-CoV-2 infection is not limited to the respiratory system, and it can also affect other organs. Renal dysfunction, gastrointestinal complications, liver dysfunction, cardiac manifestations, and neurological abnormalities are among the reported extrapulmonary features. This review aims to provide updated information for radiologists and all clinicians to better understand the radiological …

Immune Dysfunction In Covid-19 And Judicious Use Of Antirheumatic Drugs For Thetreatment Of Hyperinflammation, Abdurrahman Tufan, Marco Matucci-Cerinic

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

: In the Wuhan province of China, almost two years ago, in December 2019, the novel Coronavirus 2019 has caused a severe involvement of the lower respiratory tract leading to an acute life-threatening respiratory syndrome, coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19). Subsequently, coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) rapidly spread to the entire world causing a pandemic and affected every single person on earth either directly or indirectly with destroying all facets of social life and economy. Since the announcement of COVID-19 as a global pandemic, we have witnessed tremendous scientific work on all aspects of COVID-19 across the globe, which has never been witnessed before. …

An Update Of Anti-Viral Treatment Of Covid-19, Serap Yavuz, Feri̇de İpek Komsuoğlu Çeli̇kyurt

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Currently there is not an effective antiviral treatment for COVID-19, but a large number of drugs have been evaluated since the beginning of the pandemic, and many of them have been used for the treatment of COVID-19 despite the preliminary or conflicting results of the clinical trials. We aimed to review and summarize all of the current knowledge on the antivirals for COVID-19. Results: There are 2 main drug groups for SARS-CoV-2: agents that target proteins or RNA of the virus or interfere with proteins or biological processes in the host that support the virus. The main drug groups …

Consensus Recommendations For Botulinum Toxin Injections In The Spasticitymanagement Of Children With Cerebral Palsy During Covid-19 Outbreak, Ebru Yilmaz Yalçinkaya, Nai̇me Evri̇m Karadağ Saygi, Özden Özyemi̇şci̇ Taşkiran, Nalan Çapan, Şehi̇m Kutlay, Bi̇rkan Sonel Tur, Özlem El, Ece Ünlü Akyüz, Süda Teki̇n, Demet Ofluoğlu, Murat Zi̇nnuroğlu, Pinar Akpinar, Tuğçe Özekli̇ Misirlioğlu, Berri̇n Hüner, Ahmet Hakan Nur

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Spasticity is the most common motor disturbance in cerebral palsy (CP). Lockdown in the COVID-19 outbreak has profoundly changed daily routines, and similarly caused the suspension of spasticity treatment plans. Besides, the delay in botulinum toxin (BoNT) injection, which is important in the management of focal spasticity, led to some problems in children. This consensus report includes BoNT injection recommendations in the management of spasticity during the COVID-19 pandemic in children with CP. In order to develop the consensus report, physical medicine and rehabilitation (PMR) specialists experienced in the field of pediatric rehabilitation and BoNT injections were invited by Pediatric …

Outcome Of Noncritical Covid-19 Patients With Early Hospitalization And Early Antiviraltreatment Outside The Icu, Nursel Çalik Başaran, Oğuz Abdullah Uyaroğlu, Gülçi̇n Telli̇ Di̇zman, Lale Özişik, Taha Koray Şahi̇n, Zahi̇t Taş, Ahmet Çağkan İnkaya, Sevi̇lay Karahan, Şehnaz Özyavuz Alp, Alpaslan Alp, Gökhan Metan, Işkin Pinar Zarakol, Gülay Sai̇n Güven, Şeri̇fe Gül Öz, Arzu Topeli̇ İski̇t

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Despite the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic has been going on for over 5 months, there is yet to be a standard management policy for all patients including those with mild-to-moderate cases. We evaluated the role of early hospitalization in combination with early antiviral therapy with COVID-19 patients in a tertiary care university hospital. Materials and methods: This was a prospective, observational, single-center study on probable/confirmed COVID-19 patients hospitalized in a tertiary care hospital on COVID-19 wards between March 20 and April 30, 2020. The demographic, laboratory, and clinical data were collected. Results: We included 174 consecutive probable/confirmed COVID-19 …

Clinical Course Of Covid-19 Disease In Immunosuppressed Renal Transplant Patients, Hamad Dhei̇r, Savaş Si̇pahi̇, Selçuk Yaylaci, Esma Seda Çeti̇n, Ahmed Bi̇lal Genç, Necatti̇n Firat, Mehmet Köroğlu, Gürkan Muratdaği, Yakup Tomak, Kezban Özmen Süner, Ömer Faruk Ateş, Oğuz Karabay

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: We aimed to identify clinical settings of renal transplant patients with COVID-19. Materials and methods: In this retrospective study, we included kidney transplant inpatients with laboratory confirmed COVID-19 who had been discharged or had died by October 1st, 2020. Characteristics of the patients, including basal and last outpatient biochemical parameters were recorded. Discontinuation or dosage reduction of immunosuppressives and other treatment information was documented. Results: Twenty patients were included in this study, of whom 18 were discharged and 2 died in hospital. The mean duration of hospitalization and follow-up were 9.7 ± 6.4 days and 4.5 ± 2.0 months, …

Characteristics And Mortality Determinants Of Covid-19 Patients Undergoinghemodialysis, Savaş Si̇pahi̇, Hamad Dhei̇r, Aysel Toçoğlu, Meli̇ke Bektaş, Seyyi̇d Bi̇lal Açikgöz, Ahmed Ci̇had Genç, Fuldem Mutlu, Mehmet Köroğlu, Ali̇ Fuat Erdem, Oğuz Karabay

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: The COVID-19 infection, which started in Wuhan City, China, in December 2019, turned into a pandemic in a very short time, affecting mainly the elderly and those with serious chronic illnesses. COVID-19 infections have been observed to have a high mortality rate, especially in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis. Materials and methods: Forty-two patients over 18 years of age who underwent a maintenance hemodialysis program at our unit, who tested positive for COVID-19 by PCR from nasopharyngeal swabs, and/or who were observed to have disease-related signs in their CTs were included in the study. Results: In this study, 23 of …

Community Health Workers And Covid-19 In New York State: Adaptable And Resilient, But Strained, Annis Golden, Amy Williams

Understanding and eliminating minority health disparities in a 21st-century pandemic: A White Paper Collection

This report summarizes findings from an interview-based study conducted in October and November 2020, and inferences that may be drawn from those findings with respect to the contributions of CHWs to eliminating disparities in the impact of COVID-19, and resources needed by CHW-based programs going forward. Findings are reported in the following areas: New connection strategies with clients used by CHWs in response to physical distancing requirements, barriers to connections; new areas of support CHWs provided; socioemotional impact of the pandemic and adaptations on CHWs; resources needed going forward; CHW support for efforts to eliminate disparities in COVID-19 impact on …

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Minority Disparities In Sexual And Reproductive Health Care In New York State, Elise Andaya, Rajani Bhatia

Understanding and eliminating minority health disparities in a 21st-century pandemic: A White Paper Collection

This report presents the findings from a qualitative study of the impact of COVID-19 on the provision of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care to minority groups in New York State from March to October 2020. Drawing on interview material with frontline SRH providers and advocates, we illustrate the deepening inequalities in access to, and quality of, SRH care during the first surge of the pandemic, as well as their implications for future policy and practice. Key findings include: 1) Negative birthing conditions experienced disproportionately by women most vulnerable to poor maternal and birth outcomes; 2) delays and avoidance of …

Identifying Critical Psychological Characteristics Related To Successful Performance As A Contact Tracer: A Job Analysis, Dev Dalal, Jason G. Randall Phd, Gabrielle Danna, Joshua Ash

Understanding and eliminating minority health disparities in a 21st-century pandemic: A White Paper Collection

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for a massive workforce of contact tracers to help end the global pandemic. Rapidly accelerating the recruitment, selection, and training of contact tracers proved to be difficult due in part to the lack of a valid, structured, and systematic approach to hiring and training contact tracers. This demonstration presents the results of the first step in developing a systematic selection and training program: a worker-oriented job analysis of the contact tracer job. Using archival records and structured interviews with 15 subject matter experts, we identified 26 unique characteristics related to successful performance as a …

The Effect Of School Return During The Covid-19 Pandemic On Children’S Physical And Mental Health, Kaitlynn Craig

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Flashback to midnight on January 1st, 2020. It was New Year’s Day, the beginning of a new decade. Many were filled with excitement and hope to make this year the best one yet. Little did they know that their entire world would be turned upside down a short two months later with a worldwide pandemic, the coronavirus. COVID-19 has affected people in many ways. Some lost their jobs, others struggled to maintain their education virtually, and unfortunately, too many lost their lives. As a nursing student, fear grew while imagining the role of becoming one of the frontline workers battling …

Use Of Chest Ct To Diagnose Covid-19, Ryan Gilgallon

Student Research Poster Presentations 2021

Use of Computed Tomography (CT) to Diagnose COVID-19

Ryan Gilgallon

Dr. Elaine Halesey, Ed.D., R.T.(R)(QM)

This project explains COVID-19 and the role Computed Tomography (CT) can play in diagnosing patients who have infections. General equipment used, symptoms, findings and abnormalities, methods of early detection, rates of misdiagnosis, advantages of CT, and a case study are also discussed. COVID-19 originated in Wuhan, China and rapidly spread throughout the world being transmitted from human to human, affecting the respiratory system. The most common findings in this project consisted of ground-glass opacities (GGO), fibrous stripes, interlobular septal thickening, and consolidation. Computed Tomography is …