• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.12
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• pp.1601-1614
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• 2021

To overcome the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, vaccination campaigns are the highest priority of majority of countries. Limited supply and worldwide disproportionate availability issues for the approved vaccines, together with concerns about rare side-effects have recently initiated the switch to heterologous vaccination, commonly known as mixing of vaccines. The COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective in the general population. However, none of the vaccines is 100% efficacious or effective, with variants posing more challenges, resulting in breakthrough cases. This review summarizes the current knowledge of immune responses to variants of concern (VOC) and breakthrough infections. Furthermore, we discuss the scope of heterologous vaccination and future strategies to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic, including fractionation of vaccine doses and alternative route of vaccination.

• Asia pacific journal of information systems
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.51-69
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• 2022

This study examines how consumers' intention to use a curbside pickup responds to the COVID-19 vaccination rates. With our first survey conducted in March 2021, we find that a low (high) vaccination rate is associated with consumers' high (low) intention to maintain contact avoidance and their high (low) anticipation for shipping delays. Heightened contact avoidance and anticipation for shipping delays may encourage consumers to use a curbside pickup. Our results also show that when a product is needed immediately, and a consumer expects shipping delays, s/he is more likely to use a curbside pickup. However, with our second survey conducted in November 2021, we find heterogeneous consumer responses to the vaccination rates. Specifically, consumers' political affiliation moderates the relationship between the vaccination rates and their intention to maintain contact avoidance. The association between the vaccination rates and the anticipation for shipping delays is also weakened compared to March 2021. Our empirical results illustrate how consumers' intention to use a curbside pickup emerges and changes amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.2.1-2.11
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• 2021

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), an ongoing pandemic disease. In the current review, we describe SARS-CoV-2-specific CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T-cell responses in acute and convalescent COVID-19 patients. We also discuss the relationships between COVID-19 severity and SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cell responses and summarize recent reports regarding SARS-CoV-2-reactive T cells in SARS-CoV-2-unexposed individuals. These T cells may be cross-reactive cells primed by previous infection with human common-cold coronaviruses. Finally, we outline SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cell responses in the context of vaccination. A better understanding of SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cell responses is needed to develop effective vaccines and therapeutics.

• Journal of Christian Education in Korea
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• v.63
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• pp.65-89
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• 2020

Humankind has experienced various changes in the pandemic of the Covid-19 for some months from the winter of 2019. The Church and Christians also have witnessed the changes and results of the pandemic in their Christian life and meetings such as worship, Bible study, prayer meeting, personal spiritual activities, and so on. Humans have encountered different kinds of pandemics throughout history. 1918-Influenza is an example, and the Pest(the Black Death) of the 14th century is another. What did the Christian Church do in the pandemics? This study focuses especially on the spiritual matters of each case and era. This study explores the well-known cases of pandemics in history and reflects on the Christian spiritual responses and its lessons. The three points this study raises are the life and attitude of the spiritual figures, the practice of silence, and the social aspect of the Christian spirituality in this time of the pandemic.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.143-159
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• 2022

This study was undertaken to assess levels of job stress, self-efficacy, job satisfaction, and job involvement as perceived by school dietitians/nutrition teachers during the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic and to determine the effects of these three factors. An online survey was sent from May 18 to May 26, 2021, to school dietitians/nutrition teachers in Seoul with experience of foodservice operations during 2020; 250 responses were used for this analysis. Job demands contributed most to job stress, whereas human relations contributed most to job satisfaction. Job stress caused by COVID-19 had a negative impact on self-efficacy (P<0.01) and job satisfaction (P<0.01), but a positive impact on job involvement (P<0.05). Self-efficacy positively impacted job involvement (P<0.01) but did not significantly influence job satisfaction. However, job satisfaction during early COVID-19 positively impacted job involvement (P<0.05). In conclusion, job stress associated with job requirements was greater during the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic than before the pandemic guidelines are needed that enable school dietitians/nutrition teachers to better cope with the job pressures generated by infectious diseases.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.189-198
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• 2023

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the preferences of hot spring users regarding the utilization of Asan's hot springs after the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A survey was conducted on 340 hot spring users visiting hot spring resorts in the Onyang, Dogo, and Asan hot spring districts. The survey was conducted twice from November 5th to November 7th, 2021, and from May 25th to 26th, 2022. The survey included general questions, such as the frequency of hot spring usage, the purpose of visits, and the intention for future visits. Specific questions were related to Asan hot springs, focusing on the reasons for choosing Asan, its perceived advantages, and improvement suggestions. Results: The survey revealed that the average number of visits to hot springs was less than five in the past five years, and the main reason for visiting was to recover from fatigue. A percentage of respondents said they would use hot springs more often when the COVID-19 pandemic ends. When asked about their reasons for visiting Asan hot springs, responses varied by age. However, across all groups, the majority considered "good water" as an advantage of Asan hot springs, while improvements to "hot spring facilities" was the highest response among all age groups. Thus, despite the decline in the number of customers due to COVID-19, the overall perception of hot springs remains positive. This suggests a promising future for the hot spring industry, with the potential for a return to pre-pandemic usage levels. Conclusion: These results provide valuable foundational data for informing policy development aimed at revitalizing the hot spring industry in the post-COVID-19 era.

• Clinical and Experimental Vaccine Research
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.63-67
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• 2024

This repeated cross-sectional study with two independent sample populations compared the antibody response to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 vaccines in Albania in July-August 2021 and 2022. In 2021, it found higher anti-spike-1 seropositivity and antibody levels in fully vaccinated individuals, especially with BNT162b2 and ChAdOx1 and to a lesser degree with CoronaVac. By 2022, all single-dose recipients showed high antibody responses, suggesting natural infection-enhanced immunity. The study indicates a significant evolution in the antibody response to different coronavirus disease 2019 vaccines and suggests that a single vaccine dose, coupled with natural infection, might suffice to maintain adequate immunity levels in an endemic scenario.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.28.1-28.13
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• 2024

Vaccines are the most effective intervention currently available, offering protective immunity against targeted pathogens. The emergence of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has prompted rapid development and deployment of lipid nanoparticle encapsulated, mRNA-based vaccines. While these vaccines have demonstrated remarkable immunogenicity, concerns persist regarding their ability to confer durable protective immunity to continuously evolving severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants. This review focuses on human B cell responses induced by SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination, with particular emphasis on the crucial role of germinal center reactions in shaping enduring protective immunity. Additionally, we explored observations of immunological imprinting and dynamics of recalled pre-existing immunity following variants of concern-based booster vaccination. Insights from this review contribute to comprehensive understanding B cell responses to mRNA vaccination in humans, thereby refining vaccination strategies for optimal and sustained protection against evolving coronavirus variants.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.280-287
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• 2015

Current influenza vaccines are produced in embryonated chicken eggs. However, egg-based vaccines have various problems. To address these problems, recombinant protein vaccines have been developed as new vaccine candidates. Unfortunately, recombinant proteins frequently encounter aggregation and low stability during their biogenesis. It has been previously demonstrated that recombinantly expressed proteins can be greatly stabilized with high solubility by fusing stabilizing peptide (SP) derived from the C-terminal acidic tail of human synuclein (ATS). To investigate whether SP fusion proteins can induce protective immunity in mice, we produced influenza HA and SP fusion protein using a baculovirus expression system. In in vitro tests, SP-fused recombinant HA1 (SP-rHA1) was shown to be more stable than recombinant HA1 (rHA1). Mice were immunized intramuscularly with baculovirus-expressed rHA1 protein or SP-rHA1 protein ($2{\mu}g/mouse$) formulated with aluminum hydroxide. Antibody responses were determined by ELISA and hemagglutination inhibition assay. We observed that SP-rHA1 immunization elicited HA-specific antibody responses that were comparable to rHA1 immunization. These results indicate that fusion of SP to rHA1 does not negatively affect the immunogenicity of the vaccine candidate. Therefore, it is possible to apply SP fusion technology to develop stable recombinant protein vaccines with high solubility.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.275-283
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• 2020

Background: In the absence of a vaccine or treatment, the most pragmatic strategies against an infectious disease pandemic are extensive early detection testing and social distancing. This study aimed to summarize public and workplace responses to Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) and show how the Korean system has operated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: Daily briefings from the Korean Center for Disease Control and the Central Disaster Management Headquarters were assembled from January 20 to May 15, 2020. Results: By May 15, 2020, 11,018 COVID-19 cases were identified, of which 15.7% occurred in workplaces such as health-care facilities, call centers, sports clubs, coin karaoke, and nightlife destinations. When the first confirmed case was diagnosed, the Korean Center for Disease Control and Central Disaster Management Headquarters responded quickly, emphasizing early detection with numerous tests and a social distancing policy. This slowed the spread of infection without intensive containment, shut down, or mitigation interventions. After entering the public health blue alert level, a business continuity plan was distributed. After entering the orange level, the Ministry of Employment and Labor developed workplace guidelines for COVID-19 consisting of social distancing, flexible working schedules, early identification of workers with suspected infections, and disinfection of workplaces. Owing to the intensive workplace social distancing policy, workplaces remained safe with only small sporadic group infections. Conclusion: The workplace social distancing policy with timely implementation of specific guidelines was a key to preventing a large outbreak of COVID-19 in Korean workplaces. However, sporadic incidents of COVID-19 are still ongoing, and risk assessment in vulnerable workplaces should be continued.