Digital Commons Network^™

From Civil Rights To Human Rights: The Pandemic’S Aftermath Requires Environmental And Reproductive Justice Mechanisms To Reinforce Global Public Health, Elena D. Gartner

Human Rights Brief

No abstract provided.

Be A Hero Too, Samantha S. Rohe, Sophie Cemaj

Books: Pediatrics

This children's book explains COVID-19 and how to decrease the incidence of transmissions.

A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Questionnaire-Based Study To Know The Practices And Strategies Of Ventilatory Management Of Covid-19 Patients Among The Treating Physicians, Sagar S. Maddani, Hunasaghatta Chandrappa Deepa, Shwethapriya Rao, Souvik Chaudhuri

Open Access archive

Introduction: COVID-19 has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Many of the COVID-19 patients develop acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and require ventilatory support based on their severity for which conventional strategies are being used along with few newer strategies. We conducted this multicenter survey to know the physician’s current ventilation strategies adopted for the care of COVID-19 patients. Materials and methods: The survey was conducted after taking the ethical committee clearance. The web-based multicenter, cross-sectional questionnaire study was sent to physicians, who were involved in the management of COVID-19 patients. The questionnaire was segregated into …

Targeting Sars-Cov-2 Rna-Dependent Rna Polymerase: An In Silico Drug Repurposing For Covid-19, Krishnaprasad Baby, Swastika Maity, Chetan H. Mehta, Akhil Suresh

Open Access archive

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), took more lives than combined epidemics of SARS, MERS, H1N1, and Ebola. Currently, the prevention and control of spread are the goals in COVID-19 management as there are no specific drugs to cure or vaccines available for prevention. Hence, the drug repurposing was explored by many research groups, and many target proteins have been examined. The major protease (M pro), and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) are two target proteins in SARS-CoV-2 that have been validated and extensively studied for drug development in COVID-19. The RdRp …

Art Therapy In The Time Of Covid-19, Mallory Braus, Brenda Morton

Faculty Publications - College of Education

We are fighting two invisible enemies: COVID-19 and mental health challenges due to unmitigated stress and trauma as we follow directions to avoid the spread of the virus. To address the mental health challenges, art therapy is offered as a tool to support individuals during periods of isolation. Art therapy is a wonderful self-care activity that can benefit individuals throughout the life span.

Of American Fragility: Public Rituals, Human Rights, And The End Of Invisible Man, Etienne C. Toussaint

Faculty Publications

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the fragility of American democracy in at least two important ways. First, the coronavirus has ravaged Black communities across the United States, unmasking decades of inequitable laws and public policies that have rendered Black lives socially and economically isolated from adequate health care services, educational resources, housing stability, environmental security, stable and living wage jobs, generational wealth, and other institutional structures necessary for resilience. Second, government-mandated social distancing in response to the coronavirus has failed to dampen America’s racially biased, violent, and supervisory policing culture, reigniting demands from the Movement for Black Lives for police …

Telehealth: An Important Player During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Naureen Akber Ali, Adeel Khoja

School of Nursing & Midwifery

No abstract provided.

State Liability For A Mishandled Response: Strategic Remedies On The Heels Of Covid-19, Captain Matthew H. Ormsbee Usaf

Marquette Law Review

In early 2020, as the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) shocked many health experts and world leaders with its ease of transmission and slow but unyielding spread from Wuhan, China, the initial state response centered on how to contain an epidemic and help those who are infected. Many months later, as some states enjoy a flattened curve following austere social distancing measures, many states may turn their attention from health response to legal response for China’s initial mishandling of the COVID-19 outbreak. China is certainly not alone in implementing containment measures that were not maximally prompt or effective. Still, China occupies a …

Why The Government Shouldn't Pay People To Get Vaccinated Against Covid-19, Ana Santos Rutschman

All Faculty Scholarship

As several pharmaceutical companies approach the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seeking authorization to bring COVID-19 vaccines to market, concerns about vaccine mistrust cloud the prospects of imminent vaccination efforts across the globe. These concerns have prompted some commentators to suggest that governments may nudge vaccine uptake by paying people to get vaccinated against COVID-19. This post argues that, even if potentially viable, this idea is undesirable against the backdrop of a pandemic marked by the intertwined phenomena of health misinformation and mistrust in public health authorities. Even beyond the context of COVID-19, paying for vaccination is likely to remain …

Influence Of Cigarettes And Alcohol On The Severity And Death Of Covid-19: A Multicenter Retrospective Study In Wuhan, China, Mengyuan Dai, Liyuan Tao, Zhen Chen, Zhi Tian, Xiaofang Guo, Diane S Allen-Gipson, Ruirong Tan, Rui Li, Li Chai, Fen Ai, Miao Liu

All publications

Background: The recent emergence and rapid global spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is leading to public health crises worldwide. Alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking (CS) are two known risk factors in many diseases including respiratory infections.

Methods: We performed a multi-center study in the four largest hospitals designated for COVID-19 patients in Wuhan. There are totally 1547 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 enrolled in the study, alcohol consumption and CS history were evaluated among these patients. The epidemiology, laboratory findings and outcomes of patients contracted COVID-19 were further studied.

Results: Our findings indicated that COVID-19 patients with a history of …

Safety And Efficacy Of Tocilizumab In The Treatment Of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 Pneumonia: A Retrospective Cohort Study, Atul Patel, Kinjal Shah, Mitkumar Dharsandiya, Ketan Patel, Tushar Patel, Mukesh Patel, Tea Reljic, Ambuj Kumar

All publications

Background: Cytokine release storm (CRS) in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS CoV-2) is thought to be the cause for organ damage and death which is independent of the actual viral burden. Tocilizumab (TCZ), an interleukin-6 receptor antagonist, is approved for the treatment of CRS. We describe the efficacy and safety of TCZ in SARS CoV-2 pneumonia. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital from April 20 2020 to May 21 2020. The primary endpoint was the cumulative incidence of a composite of either need for admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) with invasive mechanical …

Faith In Trump, Moral Foundations, And Social Distancing Defiance During The Coronavirus Pandemic, Amanda Graham, Francis T. Cullen, Justin T. Pickett, Cheryl Lero Jonson, Murat Haner, Melissa M. Sloan

All publications

Purpose: Over the past several months, the coronavirus has infected more than six million Americans and killed nearly 200,000. Governors have issued stay-at-home orders, and prosecutors have filed criminal charges against individuals for defying those orders. And yet many Americans have still refused to keep their distance from their fellow citizens, even if they had symptoms of infection. The authors explore the underlying causes for those who intend to defy these norms.

Methods: Using national-level data from a March 2020 survey of 989 Americans, the authors explore intentions to defy social distancing norms by testing an interactionist theory of foundation-based …

Comparative Analysis Of Covid-19 Guidelines From Six Countries: A Qualitative Study On The Us, China, South Korea, The Uk, Brazil, And Haiti, Ji Youn Yoo, Samia Valeria Ozorio Dutra, Dany Fanfan, Sarah Sniffen, Hao Wang, Jamile Siddiqui, Hyo-Suk Song, Sung Hwan Bang, Dong Eun Kim, Shihoon Kim, Maureen Groer

All publications

Background: In late January, a worldwide crisis known as COVID-19 was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the WHO. Within only a few weeks, the outbreak took on pandemic proportions, affecting over 100 countries. It was a significant issue to prevent and control COVID-19 on both national and global scales due to the dramatic increase in confirmed cases worldwide. Government guidelines provide a fundamental resource for communities, as they guide citizens on how to protect themselves against COVID-19, however, they also provide critical guidance for policy makers and healthcare professionals on how to take action to decrease …

Quantifying The Impact Of Covid-19 Control Measures Using A Bayesian Model Of Physical Distancing, Sean C. Anderson, Andrew M. Edwards, Madi Yerlanov, Nicola Mulberry, Jessica E. Stockdale, Sarafa A. Iyaniwura, Rebeca C. Falcao, Michael C. Otterstatter, Michael A. Irvine, Naveed Z. Janjua, Daniel Coombs, Caroline Colijn

All publications

Extensive non-pharmaceutical and physical distancing measures are currently the primary interventions against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) worldwide. It is therefore urgent to estimate the impact such measures are having. We introduce a Bayesian epidemiological model in which a proportion of individuals are willing and able to participate in distancing, with the timing of distancing measures informed by survey data on attitudes to distancing and COVID-19. We fit our model to reported COVID-19 cases in British Columbia (BC), Canada, and five other jurisdictions, using an observation model that accounts for both underestimation and the delay between symptom onset and reporting. We …

Using A Rapid Assessment Methodology To Identify And Address Immediate Needs Among Low-Income Households With Children During Covid-19, Shreela V. Sharma, Amier Haidar, Jacqueline Noyola, Jacqueline Tien, Melinda Rushing, Brittni M. Naylor, Ru-Jye Chuang, Christine Markham

All publications

Objective: Brighter Bites is a school-based health promotion program that delivers fresh produce and nutrition education to low-income children and families. Due to COVID-19-related school closures, states were under "shelter in place" orders, and Brighter Bites administered a rapid assessment survey to identify social needs among their families. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the methodology used to identify those with greatest social needs during this time ("high risk"), and to describe the response of Brighter Bites to these "high risk" families.

Methods: The rapid assessment survey was collected in April 2020 across Houston, Dallas, Washington DC, and …

Development And Validation Of A Model For Individualized Prediction Of Hospitalization Risk In 4,536 Patients With Covid-19, Lara Jehi, Xinge Ji, Alex Milinovich, Serpil Erzurum, Amy Merlino, Steve Gordon, James B. Young, Michael W. Kattan

All publications

Background: Coronavirus Disease 2019 is a pandemic that is straining healthcare resources, mainly hospital beds. Multiple risk factors of disease progression requiring hospitalization have been identified, but medical decision-making remains complex.

Objective: To characterize a large cohort of patients hospitalized with COVID-19, their outcomes, develop and validate a statistical model that allows individualized prediction of future hospitalization risk for a patient newly diagnosed with COVID-19.

Design: Retrospective cohort study of patients with COVID-19 applying a least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) logistic regression algorithm to retain the most predictive features for hospitalization risk, followed by validation in a temporally …

Modeling The Role Of Asymptomatics In Infection Spread With Application To Sars-Cov-2, Hana M. Dobrovolny

All publications

SARS-CoV-2 started causing infections in humans in late 2019 and has spread rapidly around the world. While the number of symptomatically infected and severely ill people is high and has overwhelmed the medical systems of many countries, there is mounting evidence that some of the rapid spread of this virus has been driven by asymptomatic infections. In this study, we use a compartmental mathematical model of a viral epidemic that includes asymptomatic infection to examine the role of asymptomatic individuals in the spread of the infection. We apply the model to epidemics in California, Florida, New York, and Texas, finding …

Implementation Of A Medical Student-Run Telemedicine Program For Medications For Opioid Use Disorder During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Marcus Castillo, Brianna Conte, Sam Hinkes, Megan Mathew, C J Na, Ainhoa Norindr, David P. Serota, David W. Forrest, Amar R. Deshpande, Tyler S. Bartholomew, Hansel E. Tookes

All publications

Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic led to the closure of the IDEA syringe services program medical student-run free clinic in Miami, Florida. In an effort to continue to serve the community of people who inject drugs and practice compassionate and non-judgmental care, the students transitioned the clinic to a model of TeleMOUD (medications for opioid use disorder). We describe development and implementation of a medical student-run telemedicine clinic through an academic medical center-operated syringe services program.

Methods: Students advertised TeleMOUD services at the syringe service program on social media and created an online sign-up form. They coordinated appointments and interviewed patients …

Guidelines For Tms/Tes Clinical Services And Research Through The Covid-19 Pandemic, Marom Bikson, Colleen A. Hanlon, Adam J. Woods, Bernadette T. Gillick, Leigh Charvet

All publications

The COVID-19 pandemic has broadly disrupted biomedical treatment and research including non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS). Moreover, the rapid onset of societal disruption and evolving regulatory restrictions may not have allowed for systematic planning of how clinical and research work may continue throughout the pandemic or be restarted as restrictions are abated. The urgency to provide and develop NIBS as an intervention for diverse neurological and mental health indications, and as a catalyst of fundamental brain research, is not dampened by the parallel efforts to address the most life-threatening aspects of COVID-19; rather in many cases the need for NIBS is …

Pharmacist-Led Chronic Care Management For Medically Underserved Rural Populations In Florida During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Madison Como, Chenita White Carter, Margareth Larose-Pierre, Kellie O'Dare, Cynthia R Hall, Jason Mobley, Gervin Robertson, Jason Leonard, Lindsey Tew

All publications

Medically underserved patients in rural areas are more vulnerable to poor health outcomes, including the risks associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Pharmacists, student pharmacists, and other health care professionals are working together to implement new, innovative ways to deliver the same standard of care during the COVID-19 pandemic to these vulnerable patients. These services include telehealth with virtual and telephone medication therapy management sessions led by ambulatory care pharmacists and student pharmacists. Pharmacists, student pharmacists, and other health care professionals should continue to adapt to these new technologies to improve health outcomes for their patients during the pandemic.

Statewide Implementation Of Virtual Perinatal Home Visiting During Covid-19, Jennifer Marshall, Laura Kihlström, Acadia Buro, Vidya Chandran, Concha Prieto, Rafaella Stein-Elger, Keryden Koeut-Futch, Allison Parish, Katie Hood

All publications

Purpose: This evaluation describes efforts taken by MIECHV administrators and staff during the pandemic using data collected from 60 MIECHV staff surveys and nine statewide weekly focus groups.

Description: The Florida Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Initiative funds perinatal home visiting for pregnant women and families with infants throughout the state. Florida MIECHV has shown resilience to disasters and times of crises in the past, while generating a culture of adaptation and continuous quality improvement among local implementing agencies. Florida MIECHV responded to the COVID-19 pandemic crisis within the first few days of the first reported case …

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Hiv Treatment And Research: A Call To Action., Tiffany Chenneville, Kemesha Gabbidon, Patricia Hanson, Cashea Holyfield

All publications

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is far reaching, with devastating effects on individuals, communities, and societies across the world. People with chronic health conditions may be at greater risk of contracting or experiencing complications from COVID-19. In addition to illness or death for those who contract the virus, the physical distancing required to flatten the curve of new cases is having a negative impact on the economy, the effects of which intersect with mental health and other existing health concerns, thus affecting marginalized communities. Given that HIV also has a disproportionate impact on marginalized communities, COVID-19 is affecting people …

A Possible Path Towards Rapid Development Of Live-Attenuated Sars-Cov-2 Vaccines: Plunging Into The Natural Pool, German Todorov, Vladimir N. Uversky

All publications

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic spreading around the world, causing massive distress to the world’s economy and affecting healthcare systems worldwide. Although some exposed individuals have no symptoms and most symptomatic infections are not severe, COVID-19 cases span a wide spectrum, ranging from mild to critical and sometimes resulting in life-threatening complications, such as pneumonia, severe respiratory distress and cardiac problems. Currently, there is no curative drug for COVID-19 and vaccines are still under development. We are presenting here a strategy for the fast development of natural …

Untreated Stroke As Collateral Damage Of Covid-19: “Time Is Brain” Versus “Stay At Home”:, David Z. Rose, W. Scott Burgin, Swetha Renati

All publications

For decades, neurologists have been advocating that anyone with acute focal deficits report immediately to the closest hospital’s emergency room. Major advancements in the hyperacute diagnosis and treatment of stroke have justified our call-to-action slogan of “Time is Brain”—faster therapy leads to superior outcomes. However, this mantra has been recently usurped by the catchphrase “Stay at Home” during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Fewer patients are presenting to hospitals with acute stroke; our census is down. Presumably the etiology of this phenomenon is either strict “social distancing” that some people may misperceive to exclude even emergent situations, or fears …

The Cost For Our Entertainment, Jasmine Younger

Communication Senior Capstones

Abstract

Sports hold such a dominant role in our society. They provide entertainment for individuals, job opportunities, and have a great impact on any given communities’ economy. However, we as the consumers and fans of the industry, tend to lack further examinations on the dynamics of the economic roles within sports. We sometimes become caught up in the glory of sports and never truly take the time to examine all of the money that goes into the industry. This paper will illustrate the ways in which the sports industry disburses their funds. From the cost of being a fan, to …

Consumerism And Covid - 19 : A Neoliberal Analysis, Taylor M. Roy

Communication Senior Capstones

This paper attempts to draw a line between consumer culture and COVID -19, while finding how it has been influenced by social media and targeted advertisements. Through exploring Foucault's understanding of neoliberalism and the homoeconomicus, articles and media news, this paper will have assessed the changes of consumer culture due to the “shelter in place” orders. Additionally, it will attempt to redefine Foucaults homoeconomicus to fit this new model as well as observe how electronic surveillance through social media platforms and their targeted ads will or have changed the landscape of neoliberalism. In summarizing the notable differences in the use …

Covid-19 And Public Accommodations Under The Americans With Disabilities Act: Getting Americans Safely Back To Restaurants, Theaters, Gyms, And “Normal”, Frank Griffin M.D., J.D.

SLU Law Journal Online

THIS IS A PRELIMINARY EXPEDITED VERSION OF THE OFFICIAL ARTICLE TO BE ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY LAW JOURNAL VOLUME 65 NUMBER 2

COVID-19 permanently changed the way places of public accommodation like restaurants, theaters, medical facilities, arenas, gyms, and many other proprietors of mainstream American activities must operate in order to accommodate people with newly-defined, COVID-19-related disabilities under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The required modifications will affect all patrons and employees of these establishments. Under the ADA, places of public accommodation are barred from discriminating against people with disabilities in the full and …

Lessons From The Coronavirus Pandemic For Environmental Governance, Erin Ryan

Scholarly Publications

This very short essay distills lessons from the U.S. response to the COVID-19 pandemic for leaders everywhere about how—and how not—to manage complex interjurisdictional challenges, like the environment, which unfold without regard for political boundaries. In a matter of months, COVID-19 has laid bare the interdependence of the world on every front imaginable: global public health, economic growth and development, social and professional networks, transportation and migration, and of course, ecological and environmental systems. No single nation has the coronavirus. No one state is economically disrupted. There is no single ethnic group, occupation, or corner of the world that has …

Covid-19 And Farm Animals, Lewis Bollard

General – Farm Animal Issues

Impact on US Meat Consumption

COVID-19’s biggest impact on animals may be how it affects demand for their meat. In the US, panic buying drove fresh meat retail sales up 50-100% in late March. Even with restaurants buying less, Tyson Foods reported “unprecedented” demand, while poultry giant Sanderson Farms added extra shifts at its slaughterhouses. JP Morgan upgraded its recommendation for both companies to overweight, noting that demand may endure because meat is perishable. US wholesale egg prices hit an all-time high, at triple their level in early March. But supply disruptions may stop producers from filling this demand. Dairy …

Supporting Student Mental Health During And After Covid-19, David Bryant Naff, Shenita Williams, Jenna Furman, Melissa Lee

MERC Publications

This report by the Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium (MERC) in the VCU School of Education offers a rapid review of research about supporting student mental health as they return to school during COVID-19. It pulls from literature on natural disasters like hurricane Katrina, the psychological impacts of quarantine, and emergent research on the mental health impacts of the Coronavirus. The report is structured to answer three overarching questions: 1) Why is it important to address the mental health needs of students in schools? 2) How can we expect COVID-19 to impact the mental health of students? 3) What are some …