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How long will China continue to try to eliminate COVID? A change of strategy is not very likely, argue Hao Zha (Tsinghua), Yuxi Zhang (LSE), and Thomas Hale (Oxford) who collect and analyse China’s data for the Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker.

An aspect of the media landscape that has been highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic has been the increasing role of media organisations in presenting and undertaking their own, often complex, data analyses. In this cross-post Irineo Cabreros, discusses the the potential risks posed by this trend and what journalists could learn from academic researchers to safeguard the quality of their work.

COVID-19 has transformed academic publishing, for books and journals. In this post Min Pun, shares his experiences as editor of two journals in Nepal. He outlines some of the opportunities posed by COVID-19, including the increased demand for research. However, there are also multiple barriers to the production and dissemination of knowledge in Nepal, including lack of funding for open access publishing and an increasing reliance on secondary evidence.

Across Africa, states have adapted or expanded social protection measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. These interventions provide valuable policy lessons and political opportunities to reimagine the social contract on the continent.

The outbreak of Coronavirus in 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus and its pandemic effects have created a demand for essential medicine equipment. To date, there are no specific, clinically effective licensed drugs and vaccines available for COVID-19. Hence, mapping out COVID-19 problems and preventing the spread with relevant technology are urgent. This work is a review of research till the middle of October 2020 on solving COVID-19 with 3D printing technology. Many patients who need to be hospitalized because of COVID-19 can only survive on bio-macromolecules antiviral respiratory assistance and other medical devices. A bio-cellular face shield with relative comfortability made of bio-macromolecules polymerized polyvinyl chloride (BPVC) and other biomaterials are produced with 3D printers. Summarily, it was evident from this review study that additive manufacturing (AM) is a proffered technology for efficient production of an improved bio-macromolecules capable of effective COVID-19 test and personal preventive equipment (PPE) to reduce the effects of COVID-19 on the world economy. Innovative AM applications can play an essential role to combat invisible killer (COVID-19) and its hydra-headed pandemic effects on humans, economics and society. Peer reviewed

Trade recovered quickly after 2008 because the collapse wasn't long enough for firms to dismantle their portfolios, writes Giordano Mion

California’s ‘superstar’ cities and regions – which together make up nearly 90 percent of the state’s GDP – have experienced the highest number of COVID-19 cases. Maliha Ahmed writes that despite being hard hit, these superstar areas have a combination of industries which have been less affected by the pandemic compared to those in poorer areas. With both superstar and non-superstar areas experiencing nearly equal increases in unemployment since February, she argues that policymakers will need to target assistance to poorer areas to prevent rising inequality.

In countries experiencing the frontline effects of climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to ever-increasing needs for mental health support, exacerbating the impacts of financial and food insecurity. The national provision of these services in Benin, however, is inadequate to treat the population, yet stigmatisation remains a barrier to rethinking current practices.

Objective: To gain perspectives from family members about barriers and facilitators to virtual visit set up and conduct across intensive care unit settings in the United Kingdom to inform understanding of best practices. Methods: We conducted a qualitative descriptive study recruiting a purposive sample of family members of adult intensive care unit patients experiencing virtual visiting during Jan to May 2021 of the COVID-19 pandemic. We used semi-structured qualitative interviews and a standard Thematic Analysis approach. Results: We recruited 41 family-member participants from 16 hospitals in the United Kingdom. Facilitators to successful virtual visit set-up were preparation of the family, negotiating a preferred time, and easy-to-use technology. Facilitators to successful conduct were intensive care unit team member presence; enabling family involvement in care; inclusivity, accessibility, and flexibility; and having a sense of control. Barriers that created distress or conflict included restrictive virtual visiting practices; raising expectations then failing to meet them; lack of virtual visit pre-planning; and failing to prepare the patient. Barriers to visit conduct were incorrect camera positioning, insufficient technical and staff resources, issues with three-way connectivity, and lack of call closure. Recommendations included emotional self-preparation, increased technology availability, and preparing conversation topics. Conclusion: These data may guide virtual visiting practices during the ongoing pandemic but also to continue virtual visiting outside of pandemic conditions. This will benefit family members suffering from ill health, living at a distance, unable to afford travel, and those with work and care commitments, thereby reducing inequities of access and promoting family-centered care. 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. This is the accepted manuscript version of an article which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iccn.2022.103264 Peer reviewed