Cities & Health,
Journal Year:
2024,
Volume and Issue:
unknown, P. 1 - 13
Published: Dec. 26, 2024
The
links
between
public
health
and
urban
environments
emerged
as
a
key
narrative
during
the
pandemic.
However,
despite
optimism
at
time
that
this
could
lead
to
re-integration
of
in
development
policy
there
has
not
been
transformative
change
area
England.
To
understand
why
not,
article
explores
COVID-19
'critical
juncture'
for
healthy
development.
Critical
junctures
provide
opportunities
path-dependent
policies
if
institutional
constraints
on
actors
are
loosened
new
ideas
narratives
gain
support.
We
interviewed
senior
Whitehall
officials
working
heart
2021.
Drawing
these
interviews
analysis
documents
published
2023–24,
we
demonstrate
while
is
evidence
increased
support
amongst
which
remains
visible
recent
developments,
dominance
agendas
political
ideologies
marginalise
objectives
city
planning
England
was
dislodged,
limiting
opportunity
radical
change.
Greater
leadership
local
national
government
levels
preventative
cross-sector
priority
required
help
overcome
incremental
towards
will
healthier
placemaking.
Epidemiologia,
Journal Year:
2025,
Volume and Issue:
6(1), P. 7 - 7
Published: Feb. 11, 2025
This
article
examines
the
infectious
disease
surveillance
system
in
Lombardy
region
of
Italy,
with
a
focus
on
its
response
mechanisms
to
respiratory
syndromes.
study
aims
describe
alert
and
organizational
procedures
place,
assessing
their
effectiveness
managing
health
crises.
is
based
analysis
Lombardy's
regional
resolution
No.
1125,
developed
by
public
experts.
Surveillance
levels
were
categorized
incidence
thresholds
healthcare
impacts,
establishing
specific
indicators
activation
protocols.
Information
flows
are
managed
through
real-time
data
portals,
enabling
monitoring
COVID-19,
influenza,
other
diseases.
A
multi-level
was
established,
ranging
from
ordinary
regimes
critical
epidemic
activation.
Each
level
includes
actions,
such
as
resource
reallocation,
emergency
department
support,
suspension
elective
procedures.
The
use
technological
tools,
electronic
records,
streamlined
reporting
processes,
flow
management,
has
strengthened
region's
capabilities.
underscores
value
structured,
for
showing
that
unified
approach
improves
crisis
efficiency.
It
suggests
sharing
protocols
within
scientific
community
can
help
harmonize
national
international
responses
future
pandemics.
system,
while
effective
current
context,
may
require
adaptation
challenges.
PLoS ONE,
Journal Year:
2025,
Volume and Issue:
20(2), P. e0311332 - e0311332
Published: Feb. 25, 2025
Wastewater
and
environmental
surveillance
has
been
promoted
as
a
communicable
disease
tool
because
it
overcomes
inherent
biases
in
laboratory-based
surveillance.
Yet,
little
empirical
evidence
exists
to
support
this
notion,
remains
largely
an
intuitive,
though
highly
plausible
hypothesis.
Our
interdisciplinary
study
uses
WES
data
show
for
underreporting
of
SARS-CoV-2
the
context
measurable
statistically
significant
associations
between
economic
conditions
incidence
testing
rates.
We
obtained
geolocated,
anonymised,
laboratory-confirmed
cases,
wastewater
viral
load
socio-demographic
Gauteng
Province,
South
Africa.
spatially
located
all
create
single
dataset
sewershed
catchments
served
by
two
large
treatment
plants.
conducted
epidemiological,
persons
infected
principal
component
analysis
explore
relationships
variables.
Overall,
we
demonstrate
co-contributory
influences
socio-economic
indicators
on
access
cumulative
incidence,
thus
reflecting
that
apparent
rates
mirror
socioeconomic
considerations
rather
than
true
epidemiology.
These
analyses
how
provides
valuable
information
contextualise
interpret
epidemiological
data.
Whilst
is
useful
have
these
established
SARS-CoV-2,
implications
beyond
are
legion
reasons,
namely
clinical
broadly
applicable
across
pathogens
infecting
humans
will
find
their
way
into
albeit
varying
quantities.
should
be
implemented
strengthen
systems,
especially
where
inequalities
limit
interpretability
conventional
PLOS Water,
Journal Year:
2025,
Volume and Issue:
4(5), P. e0000339 - e0000339
Published: May 9, 2025
While
wastewater-based
surveillance
(WBS)
has
proven
to
be
effective
as
an
early
warning
system
for
SARS-CoV-2
monitoring
in
high-income
countries
(HICs),
its
feasibility
low-
and
middle-income
(LMICs)
is
challenging
due
limited
sewer
infrastructure,
particularly
outside
major
cities.
This
study
evaluated
community-based
wastewater
sampling
locations
addition
centralized
treatment
plants
Kisumu,
Kenya
from
March
29,
2022,
8,
2023.
The
results
of
analysis
were
relation
documented
COVID-19
case
counts.
Wastewater
samples
(n
=
161)
collected
sites
41)
decentralized
sites:
hospitals
50),
public
toilets
markets
31),
at
transportation
hubs
39).
Twenty-three
(14.3%)
tested
positive
RNA.
Epidemiological
data
obtained
official
sources.
odds
detecting
one
or
more
cases
within
4–7
days
after
a
WBS
sample
9
times
higher
than
on
with
negative
samples.
Rates
viral
RNA
detection
similar
sites.
On
five
the
32
(15.6%)
which
both
decentralize
tested,
SARS
CoV-2
was
detected
only
Centralized
can
supplemented
toilet
increase
sensitivity
areas
infrastructure
enhance
new
cases.
Frontiers in Public Health,
Journal Year:
2025,
Volume and Issue:
12
Published: Jan. 29, 2025
Vaccination
is
considered
to
be
one
of
the
most
effective
means
protecting
individuals
and
populations
from
risks
associated
with
exposure
various
pathogens.
The
COVID-19
pandemic,
caused
by
severe
acute
respiratory
syndrome
coronavirus
2
(SARS-CoV-2),
affected
people
all
ages
worldwide.
In
response,
several
pharmaceutical
companies
rapidly
leveraged
their
resources
develop
vaccines
within
a
very
short
period
time,
leading
introduction
new,
improved,
combination
for
community-wide
immunization.
This
review
aims
provide
summary
available
literature
on
efficacy
safety
in
pediatric
population
ranging
0
18
years.
An
analysis
recent
published
studies
reveals
that
majority
clinical
trials
have
reported
sustained
immune
response
following
vaccination
children
across
age
groups
authors
highlighted
effectiveness
immunization
schedules
adolescents.
population-level
this
remains
determined,
provided
benefits
outweigh
potential
risks.
Long-term
side
effects
must
still
monitored
enable
development
safer
more
future
pandemics.
Knowing
the
number
of
cases
an
epidemic
is
first
function
epidemiological
surveillance.
An
important
underreporting
was
observed
in
many
places
during
wave
COVID-19
pandemic.
To
estimate
this
outbreak
Borriana
(Valencia
Community,
Spain),
“Falles”
mass
gathering
events
March
2020,
a
cross-sectional
study
performed
June
2020
querying
public
health
register.
Logistic
regression
models
were
used.
From
total
468
symptomatic
diagnosed
by
anti-SARS-CoV-2
serology,
36
reported
(7.7%),
thus
92.3%
(95%
Confidence
Interval
[CI]
89.5%-94.6%),
13
unreported
for
every
case.
Only
positive
SARS-CoV-2
polymerase
chain
reaction
predominantly
due
to
limited
testing
capacity
and
following
national
protocol.
Significant
factors
associated
with
no
medical
assistance
disease,
adjusted
odds
ratio
[aOR]
10.83
CI
2.49-47.11),
chronic
illness,
aOR=2.81
1.28-6.17),
middle
lower
social
classes,
aOR=3.12
1.42-6.85),
younger
age,
aOR=0.97
0.94-0.99),
shorter
duration
aOR=0.98
0.97-0.99).
improve
surveillance,
studies
representative
population
samples
are
necessary
magnitude
future
epidemics,
novel
approaches
recommended.
BACKGROUND
Development
and
use
of
digital
public
health
tools
surged
during
the
COVID-19
pandemic.
Among
that
aimed
to
limit
disease
spread
were
vaccine
verification
systems,
an
alternative
paper
records.
In
November
2021,
Washington
State
Department
Health
launched
“WA
Verify”,
a
QR
code-based
system
based
on
SMART
Card
framework,
which
offered
residents
convenient
way
store
share
proof
vaccination
digitally.
However,
WA
Verify
was
developed
disseminated
before
assessments
input
from
regarding
potential
challenges
its
adoption
(concerns
privacy,
surveillance,
data
sharing,
trust
in
technology
organizations
manage
use)
could
be
completed.
OBJECTIVE
This
analysis
used
statewide
survey
identify
characterize
barriers
facilitators
Verify,
understand
how
factors
such
as
security,
attitudes
towards
policies,
technological
proficiency
may
influence
acceptance
uptake
tools.
METHODS
A
distributed
September
2022
through
January
2023
random
sample
5,000
households.
Respondents
categorized
into
three
groups
responses
indicated
they
“users”,
“potential
users”,
or
“unlikely
users”.
Comparisons
made
between
experiences
with
opinions
test
verification,
policies
tools,
proficiency,
sociodemographic
characteristics,
history.
To
ensure
analytical
matched
State’s
race/ethnicity
age-sex
marginal
distributions,
population
weights
created
applied.
RESULTS
Of
1,401
respondents,
25.8%
(N=359)
users,
49.8%
(N=662)
users
24.4%
(N=380)
unlikely
users.
Compared
more
likely
oppose
requiring
and/or
negative
results.
Unlikely
cite
personal
security
phone
hacking/tracking
concerns,
though
these
non-trivial
among
Users
agree
protecting
their
communities
reason
system.
report
not
owning
smartphone
lower
indicating
divide
groups.
CONCLUSIONS
While
nearly
three-quarters
respondents
either
already
adopted
willing
adopt
tool
like
distrust
characteristics
individuals
least
Identifying
for
those
most
users”
is
essential
developing
effective
communication
strategies
targeted
marketing,
education,
community
engagement
improve
equitable
access
technologies.