• COVID-19
• Publicationsclose
• Other research productsclose
• Mémoires en Sciences de l'Information et de la Communication close
• Hyper Article en Ligne close
• COVID-19 close

The COVID-19 pandemic is characterized by successive waves that each developed differently over time and through space. We aim to provide an in-depth analysis of the evolution of COVID-19 mortality during 2020 and 2021 in a selection of countries.We focus on five European countries and the United States. Using standardised and age-specific mortality rates, we address variations in COVID-19 mortality within and between countries, as well as demographic characteristics and seasonality patterns.Our results highlight periods of acceleration and deceleration in the pace of COVID-19 mortality, with substantial differences across countries. Periods of stabilization were identified during summer (especially in 2020) among the European countries analysed, but not in the United States. The latter stands out as the study population with the highest COVID-19 mortality at young ages. In general, COVID-19 mortality is highest at old ages, particularly during winter. Compared to women, men have higher COVID-19 mortality rates at most ages and in most seasons.There is seasonality in COVID-19 mortality for both sexes at all ages, characterized by higher rates during winter. In 2021, the highest COVID-19 mortality rates continued to be observed at ages 75+, despite vaccinations having specifically targeted those ages.

International audience; Avec la Covid-19, les entreprises ont accéléré leur transformation digitale, en relevant souvent les défis à marche forcée. C’est le cas des PME, pour la plupart confrontées à des difficultés d’envergure lorsqu’il s’agit d’investir dans des outils technologiques coûteux, dont le déploiement implique un bouleversement du modèle d’affaires.Dans sa forme aboutie, la digitalisation combine plateforme, ensembles de données complexes, hyperautomatisation et expérience utilisateur. Mais les PME ont-elles la maturité digitale suffisante pour s’emparer de ces outils et nouvelles capacités ? Peuvent-elles s’aider d’un modèle de transformation adapté à leurs spécificités ?Cet ouvrage se penche sur la transformation digitale du business model des PME en s’adressant aux entrepreneurs qui sont en train de se transformer ou souhaitent le faire. En posant la question « Comment l’entrepreneur de PME peut-il digitaliser son modèle d’affaires ? », il développe un modèlede transformation : le Business Model Digital Dynamique (BMD²). Fondé sur l’analyse du contexte sociotechnique dans lequel s’ancre la digitalisation, le BMD² met l’entrepreneur au cœur de la dynamique de transformation. Le modèle est décliné en une méthode d’opérationnalisation DSIFAT actionnable sur le terrain des PME.L’ouvrage développe deux cas « d’échec » et de « réussite » de transformation digitale de deux PME du secteur tertiaire.

Several European countries were affected by severe floods in 2021. At the same time, despite the deployment of vaccines, Europe was the COVID-19 pandemic's epicenter several times during 2021. One research aim of this study is to identify socio-demographic groups vulnerable to floods and whether the groups vulnerable to floods and pandemics overlap or are disjoint. We ran a survey in four languages (English, French, German, and Spanish) and collected the judgment of 366 experts in disaster risk management and first-responders to find out how those people caring for “people in need” (be it operational or administratively) think about which persons are more at risk than others. Another research aim is to validate multi-hazard vulnerability factors by comparing judgment on groups vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic and to floods. The main findings are that experts think that socially vulnerable groups should be rescued or treated first. Treating everyone equally is less favored by comparison. Infrastructure losses, followed by economic losses, reveal better than deaths or psychological issues whether vulnerability played a role in a disaster. Regarding vulnerability characteristics, older, homeless people, and immigrants rank highest, and most factors can be used to explain both flood and COVID-19 vulnerability, while some differ; for example, mobility impairment is less important for COVID-19. There are major discrepancies between what respondents think should be done to prioritize help to certain groups and what they have experienced is being done on the field.

International audience

CNRS 2, FNEGE 2, HCERES A, ABS 3; International audience; The COVID-19 pandemic boosted the digital transformation of many services, including healthcare, and access to medical care using teleconsultation has increased rapidly. Thus, a growing number of online platforms have been developed to accommodate patients’ needs. This paper examines the factors that predict the intention to use medical teleconsultation by extending the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT2) with the three dimensions of trusting beliefs and self-efficacy. A survey was administered to patients who had used a teleconsultation platform during the pandemic period. As one of the largest studies to date, a sample of 1233 respondents was collected and analyzed using a partial least squares approach, often mobilized in the information systems (IS) domain. Furthermore, a deep analysis using all recommended metrics was performed. The results highlight the significance of trusting beliefs, and self-efficacy in the adoption of digital healthcare services. These findings contribute to both theory and practice in COVID-19 research.

Because SARS-CoV-2 constantly mutates to escape from the immune response, there is a reduction of neutralizing capacity of antibodies initially targeting the historical strain against emerging Variants of Concerns (VoC)s. That is why the measure of the protection conferred by vaccination cannot solely rely on the antibody levels, but also requires to measure their neutralization capacity. Here we used a mathematical model to follow the humoral response in 26 individuals that received up to three vaccination doses of Bnt162b2 vaccine, and for whom both anti-S IgG and neutralisation capacity was measured longitudinally against all main VoCs. Our model could identify two independent mechanisms that led to a marked increase in humoral response over the successive vaccination doses. In addition to the already known increase in IgG levels after each dose, we identified that the neutralization capacity was significantly increased after the third vaccine administration against all VoCs, despite large inter-individual variability. Consequently, the model projects that the mean duration of detectable neutralizing capacity against non-Omicron VoC is between 366 days (Beta variant, 95% Prediction Intervals PI [323; 366]) and 606 days (Alpha variant, 95% PI [555; 638]). Despite a very low protection after three doses, the mean duration of detectable neutralizing capacity against Omicron variants varies between 184 days (BA.5 variant, 95% PI [155; 215]) and 268 days (BA.1 variant, 95% PI [238; 302]). Our model shows the benefit of incorporating the neutralization capacity in the follow-up of patients to better inform on their level of protection against the different SARS-CoV-2 variants as well as their optimal timing of vaccine administration.

The current pandemic was an announced possibility. Its potential causes were known: destroyed ecosystem niches, declining biological diversity, intensive farming, abuse of genetics, and biological manipulations. This paper deals with some aspects of the biological (and social) history of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic but also with the history of previous epidemics, including the AIDS epidemics, which all have in common to be highly linked, enhanced or even the result of human activities. But now, the myth is setting in that an innovative technique for fast production of vaccines is the only and sufficient response to the crisis in the ecosystem and in health structures, of which this pandemic is a symptom. The reductionist and mechanistic approaches to the ecosystem and human biology are feeding the idea that the natural world may be fully manipulated and controlled (“the power to control Evolution” as in a recent book by a Nobel Award winner). This article calls for a critical thinking about the interfaces between the technosphere and the biosphere, their limits as well as for new frameworks for biology and medicine. Organisms, Vol 6, No 1 (2023)

AbstractWe strive to increase public (PH) and occupational health (OSH) inter-linkages by building a collaborative framework. Besides Covid-19 pandemic, recent approaches such as Human Exposome and Total Worker Health TM, have led to a shift to improving health of working population and consequently the total population. These health objectives can be best realised through primary care actors in specific contexts. Work, school, home and leisure are the four multi-stakeholder contexts in which health and healthcare (goal-oriented care) objectives needs to be set and defined. PH policy makers need to establish a shared decision-making process involving employees, employers and OSH representatives to set PH goals and align with OSH goals. The policy making process in OSH can serve as a potential way forward, as the decisions and policies are being decided centrally in consultation with social partners and governments. This process can then be mirrored on company level to adopt and implement.

International audience; Dans une forme d’éthique réflexive et collective, les auteurs se sont attachés à dresser un panorama des problèmes qui ont trait à la vaccination, mis en exergue dans le contexte de la pandémie due au coronavirus.A partir du constat des hésitations, des défiances et des résistances face à la vaccination, dans un contexte où les incertitudes sur l’avenir persistent, les auteurs proposent des cadrages interprétatifs et interrogent particulièrement l’opposition individualisme vs solidarité. Ils abordent les questions d’éthique essentielles qui se posent à l’échelle collective : y a-t-il une façon de bien informer et communiquer sur les vaccins ? Quelle stratégie vaccinale est-elle juste et efficace ? Quelles conséquences ont eu les mesures de lutte contre le virus sur les enfants et les adolescents ? En matière d’obligation vaccinale, est-ce que la fin justifie les moyens ? Les libertés individuelles peuvent-elles être écartées au profit du bien collectif ? Quels sont les enjeux de justice internationale et globale de distribution juste des doses de vaccin dans le monde ?

International audience