Machine Learning for Detecting Virus Infection Hotspots Via Wastewater-Based Epidemiology: The Case of SARS-CoV-2 RNA

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has been proven to be a useful tool in monitoring public health-related issues such as drug use, and disease. By sampling wastewater and applying WBE methods, wastewater-detectable pathogens such as viruses can be cheaply and effectively monitored, tracking people who might be missed or under-represented in...

Airborne SARS-CoV-2 in home and hospital environments investigated with a high-powered air sampler

Background: The initial aim was to study the effects of face masks worn by recently infected individuals on the airborne spread of SARS-CoV-2, but findings motivated us to proceed with comparing the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in air samples near infected individuals at home with those near infected intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Aim: To...

“Please, you go first!” preferences for a COVID-19 vaccine among adults in the Netherlands

Background: Vaccination is generally considered the most direct way to restoring normal life after the outbreak of COVID-19, but the available COVID-19 vaccines are simultaneously embraced and dismissed. Mapping factors for vaccine hesitancy may help the roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines and provide valuable insights for future pandemics. Objectives...

Associative evidence for the potential of humidification as a non-pharmaceutical intervention for influenza and SARS-CoV-2 transmission

Background: Both influenza and SARS-CoV-2 viruses show a strong seasonal spreading in temperate regions. Several studies indicated that changes in indoor humidity could be one of the key factors explaining this. Objective: The purpose of this study is to quantify the association between relevant epidemiological metrics and humidity in both...

Stepping into the shoes of the policy maker: Results of a Participatory Value Evaluation for the Dutch long term COVID-19 strategy

Background: The COVID-19 outbreak early 2020 was followed by an unprecedented package of measures. The relative calmness of the pandemic early 2022 provides a momentum to prepare for various scenarios. Objectives: As acceptance of COVID-19 measures is key for public support we investigated citizens’ preferences towards imposing measures in four...

How Culture Influences Individual Behavior During a Pandemic: A Social Simulation of the COVID-19 Crisis

Since its first appearance in Wuhan (China), countries have been employing, to varying degrees of success, a series of non-pharmaceutical interventions aimed at limiting the spread of SARS-CoV-2 within their populations. In this article, we build on scientific work that demonstrates that culture is part of the explanation for the observed...

COVID-19: Research Directions for Non-Clinical Aerosol-Generating Facilities in the Built Environment

Physical contact and respiratory droplet transmission have been widely regarded as the main routes of COVID-19 infection. However, mounting evidence has unveiled the risk of aerosol transmission of the virus. Whereas caution has been taken to avoid this risk in association with clinical facilities, facilities such as spa pools and Jacuzzis,...

Testing of outward leakage of different types of masks with a breathing manikin head, ultraviolet light and coloured water mist

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, wearing a mask, voluntary or obligatory, has led to diverse and numerous designs. Guidelines for minimum requirements include tests for visual inspection, strength, filtration, and breathing resistance, but not for the fit of a mask. The fit of a mask was assessed by testing the outward leakage of exhaled...

Passive Sampling of SARS-CoV-2 for Wastewater Surveillance

The shedding of pathogens by infected humans enables the use of sewage monitoring to conduct wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE). Although most WBE studies use data from large sewage treatment plants, timely data from smaller catchments are needed for targeted public health action. Traditional sampling methods, like autosamplers or grab...

Societal Effects Are a Major Factor for the Uptake of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Digital Contact Tracing App in The Netherlands

Objectives: Our study investigates the extent to which uptake of a COVID-19 digital contact-tracing (DCT) app among the Dutch population is affected by its configurations, its societal effects, and government policies toward such an app. Methods: We performed a discrete choice experiment among Dutch adults including 7 attributes, that is, who...

Agile and adaptive governance in crisis response: Lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic

Countries around the world have had to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak with limited information and confronting many uncertainties. Their ability to be agile and adaptive has been stressed, particularly in regard to the timing of policy measures, the level of decision centralization, the autonomy of decisions and the balance between change...