The online environment brings both challenges and opportunities. The skills learned in journal clubs remain highly relevant where the ability to critique rapidly generated information and apply evidence to patient care is vital. Creativity and flexibility are needed to ensure that learners’ needs are met and efforts are made to involve those who may not be naturally drawn to online environments. This article explores how journal clubs have been approached in the past, both in person and more recently online, considers techniques for maintaining engagement in online teaching and proposes new approaches for future journal clubs.

The global COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic has become a complex problem that overlaps with a growing public health problem, obesity. Obesity alters different components of the innate and adaptive immune responses, creating a chronic and low-grade state of inflammation. Nutritional status is closely related to a better or worse prognosis of viral infections. Excess weight has been recognised as a risk factor for COVID-19 complications. In addition to the direct risk, obesity triggers other diseases such as diabetes and hypertension, increasing the risk of severe COVID-19. The present review explains the diets that induce obesity and the importance of different foods in this process. We also review tissue disruption in obesity, leading to impaired immune responses and the possible mechanisms by which obesity and its co-morbidities increase COVID-19 morbidity and mortality. Nutritional strategies that support the immune system in patients with obesity and with COVID-19 are also discussed in light of the available data, considering the severity of the infection. The discussions held may contribute to combating this global emergency and planning specific public health policy.

The Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) is used to stratify community need for support during disasters. We evaluated relationships between the SVI and personal protective equipment shortages, COVID-19 caseload, and mortality rates in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). In SVI quartile 4, personal protective equipment shortages were 2.3 times those in SNFs in quartile 1; COVID-19 case loads were 1.6 times those of SNFs in quartile 1; and mortality rates in were 1.9 times those of SNFs in SVI quartile 1.

This study used hospital records from two time periods to understand the implication of COVID-19 on hospital-based deaths in Burundi. The place of COVID-19 symptoms was sought among deaths that occurred from January to May 2020 (during the pandemic) vs. January to May 2019 (before the pandemic). First, death proportions were tested to seize differences between mortality rates for each month in 2020 vs. 2019. In the second time, we compared mean time-to-death between the two periods using the Kaplan–Meier survival curve. Finally, a logistic regression was fitted to assess the likelihood of dying from COVID-19 symptoms between the two periods. We found statistical evidence of a higher death rate in May 2020 as compared to May 2019. Moreover, death occurred faster in 2020 (mean = 6.7 days, s.d. = 8.9) than in 2019 (mean = 7.8 days, s.d. = 10.9). Unlike in 2019, being a male was significantly associated with a much lower likelihood of dying with one or more COVID-19 symptom(s) in 2020 (odds ratio 0.35, 95% confidence interval 0.14–0.87). This study yielded some evidence for a possible COVID-19-related hospital-based mortality trend for May 2020. However, considering the time-constraint of the study, further similar studies over a longer period of time need to be conducted to trace a clearer picture on COVID-19 implication on hospital-based deaths in Burundi.

The large outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is spreading all over the world rapidly. There have recently been publications in the literature regarding the relationship between COVID-19 and Kawasaki disease, but there is no sufficient knowledge about the treatment and follow-up.

COVID-19 has transformed healthcare service provision. In addition to the spread of a virus, there has been an equally concerning emergence and spread of conspiracy theories. Such theories can threaten societal cohesion and adherence to the necessary public health guidance. In a forensic in-patient setting, such difficulties can be amplified. In this paper, we outline the key theory in relation to the development and spread of conspiracy theory memes. We propose primary, secondary and tertiary level responses to tackle the possible generation and spread of harmful conspiracies in the forensic in-patient setting. We consider this to be important, as there is a risk that such beliefs could affect patients’ mental health and, in extremis, undermine physical health efforts to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

One of the largest nationwide bursts of the first COVID-19 outbreak occurred in Spain, where infection expanded in densely populated areas through March 2020. We analyse the cumulative growth curves of reported cases and deaths in all Spain and two highly populated regions, Madrid and Catalonia, identifying changes and sudden shifts in their exponential growth rate through segmented Poisson regressions. We associate these breakpoints with a timeline of key events and containment measures, and data on policy stringency and citizen mobility. Results were largely consistent for infections and deaths in all territories, showing four major shifts involving 19–71% reductions in growth rates originating from infections before 3 March and on 5–8, 10–12 and 14–18 March, but no identifiable effect of the strengthened lockdown of 29–30 March. Changes in stringency and mobility were only associated to the latter two shifts, evidencing an early deceleration in COVID-19 spread associated to personal hygiene and social distancing recommendations, followed by a stronger decrease when lockdown was enforced, leading to the contention of the outbreak by mid-April. This highlights the importance of combining public health communication strategies and hard confinement measures to contain epidemics.

The 1918 Influenza pandemic had long-term impacts on the cohort exposed in utero which experienced earlier adult mortality, and more diabetes, ischemic heart disease, and depression after age 50. It is possible that the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic will also have long-term impacts on the cohort that was in utero during the pandemic, from exposure to maternal infection and/or the stress of the pandemic environment. We discuss how COVID-19 disease during pregnancy may affect fetal and postnatal development with adverse impacts on health and aging. Severe maternal infections are associated with an exaggerated inflammatory response, thromboembolic events, and placental vascular malperfusion. We also discuss how in utero exposure to the stress of the pandemic, without maternal infection, may impact health and aging. Several recently initiated birth cohort studies are tracking neonatal health following in utero severe acute respiratory syndrome virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) exposure. We suggest these cohort studies develop plans for longer-term observations of physical, behavioral, and cognitive functions that are markers for accelerated aging, as well as methods to disentangle the effects of maternal infection from stresses of the pandemic environment. In utero exposure to COVID-19 disease could cause developmental difficulties and accelerated aging in the century ahead. This brief review summarizes elements of the developmental origins of health, disease, and ageing and discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic might exacerbate such effects. We conclude with a call for research on the long-term consequences of in utero exposure to maternal infection with COVID-19 and stresses of the pandemic environment.

The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is a public health emergency of international concern. This pandemic poses a challenge to research and scientific community. In this study, we developed and tested content reliability and content validity of a questionnaire designed for evaluating the readiness and willingness of researchers to participate in virology research in Jordan. The survey was hosted on an online platform, and the link was emailed. A total of 332 participants from universities across Jordan completed the survey. For factor analysis, Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin value (KMO) and Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity were conducted. Furthermore, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) with parallel analysis and scree plots were conducted to evaluate the most suitable model for the data. The result of the EFA suggested a 5-factor model would fit the survey. Data showed that the lowest means were for researchers’ readiness to conduct virology research and readiness for virology research with means of 2.07 and 2.95, respectively. Moreover, years of experience and speciality had a significant effect on the readiness and willingness of virology research in Jordan. In conclusion, readiness for research and researchers should be addressed and authorities should pay attention to these shortcomings in virology research.

The need for increased testing for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has resulted in an increase of testing facilities outside of traditional clinical settings and sample handling by individuals without appropriate biohazard and biocontainment training. During the repatriation and quarantine of passengers from the Grand Princess cruise ship at a US military base, biocontainment of a potentially infectious sample from a passenger was compromised. This study describes the steps taken to contain the spill, decontaminate the area, and discusses the needs for adequate training in a biohazard response.