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This article examines the relationship between electricity consumption and the stock market in the Turkish economy during the COVID-19 pandemic. A novel high-frequency model is used, incorporating the hourly energy consumption and Borsa Istanbul (BIST) National stock market index variables. To determine the effect of electricity consumption on the stock market index and vice versa, a high-frequency VAR-based spillover approach, time-varying Granger causality, and time-varying Bayesian VAR analysis are employed. The findings reveal a positive and weak relationship between electricity consumption and the stock market but it has a time-varying nature in an emerging market context in the post-COVID-19 period in the Turkish economy., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Aims: To determine the relationship between perception of COVID-19, fear of COVID-19 and self-care management in individuals with chronic diseases during the pandemic process., Background: Individuals with chronic diseases are a sensitive group during the COVID-19 pandemic process; it is thought that self-care management may be adversely affected as a result of their more intense exposure to the psychological, physiological and economic effects of the pandemic. In the literature, there is no study examining the effect of perception of COVID-19 and fear of COVID-19 on self-care management in individuals with chronic diseases., Design: Descriptive study., Methods: The study was conducted with 322 individuals who applied to the internal medicine outpatient clinics of a university's Health Practice and Research Center, met the inclusion criteria, agreed to participate in the study and had a chronic disease. Questionnaire form, Perception of COVID-19 Scale (P-COVID-19), The Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) and Self-Care Management Process in Chronic Illness Scale (SCMP-G) were used to collect data. STROBE checklist was used to report the present study., Results: In the study, it can be stated that individuals with chronic diseases had a moderate to the high perception of contagiousness and dangerousness of COVID-19, they had a moderate-high level of fear of COVID-19 and their self-care care management was above moderate level. There was a significant positive correlation between P-COVID-19, FCV-19S and SCMP-G in the study., Conclusions: It was found that the perception of COVID-19 contagiousness and the fear of COVID-19 had a positive effect on the self-care management of individuals with chronic diseases., Relevance to Clinical Practice: Determining the level of COVID-19 perception and fear of COVID-19 and their effects on the life of the individual, and evaluating self-care management during the difficult pandemic process will increase the success in the holistic nursing care and management of chronic diseases., (© 2023 The Authors. Journal of Clinical Nursing published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: This review summarizes evidence pertaining to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the psychological health of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Materials and Methods: An electronic search was conducted using four major databases--PubMed, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Using an umbrella methodology, the reference lists of relevant papers were reviewed, and citation searches were conducted. The study included articles written in English between January 2020 and March 2021 that focused on the psychological health of autistic children and adolescents. Results: All eight studies included in the final review were cross-sectional. Three of the eight studies were conducted in Italy, two in Turkey, and one study each in Portugal, Spain, and the United Kingdom, with a total of 1,407 participants. All studies used a mixture of standardized and non-standardized questionnaires to collect data. The total number of patients were 1407 at a mean age of 9.53 (SD = 2.96) years. Seven studies report gender; male 74.7% (657/880) and female 25.3% (223/880). The finding showed that behavioral issues in children and adolescents with ASD have significantly increased; 521 (51.9 percent) of the 1004 individuals with ASD presented with behavioral changes, including conduct problems, emotional problems, aggression, and hyperactivity. Some studies also found increased anxiety and difficulties managing emotions. Only one study reported clinical stabilization in children with ASD during COVID-19. Finally, 82.7% of families and caregivers of children with ASD (544 out of 658) faced challenges during COVID-19. Conclusion: Although the studies in this review suggest a general worsening of ASD children's clinical status, it remains difficult to draw definitive conclusions at this moment, with newer COVID-19 variants on the rise worldwide. During this difficult pandemic period, caregivers, families, and healthcare professionals are recommended to pay more attention to the ASD patients' health and care needs.

Microteaching, one of the teacher training techniques in-use to help pre-service teachers gain knowledge and experience with teaching, is conventionally provided on-campus. However, the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a switch to remote education, thereby moving teacher training practices to online platforms. This novel situation indicated a need to understand pre-service English language teachers' experiences of their microteaching practices conducted on online platforms. To this end, this study adopted a qualitative research design. Over a semester, 62 pre-service English language teachers provided written reflective papers after they delivered their microteaching online. Thematic analysis of the data revealed that the participants attributed positive qualities to their online microteaching; however, the challenges they met outnumbered these qualities. The most frequently stated qualities involved valuable experience with online teaching, improved technology use and knowledge, and reduced anxiety. On the other hand, the main drawbacks were poor internet connection, low engagement in classes, and limited interaction. The significance of these findings lies in the fact that several courses of action are available to improve the effectiveness of the praxis and highlight its strong sides. Therefore, the findings were discussed in line with the relevant literature, and recommendations were offered for both pre-service teachers and teacher educators.

The Covid-19 pandemic negatively affected many sectors including aviation and travel. Travel bans and forced lockdowns prevented transportation activity, especially air travel. Accordingly, huge amounts of emission reductions occurred. On the other hand, travel restrictions are not the only cause of emissions reductions. Changing travel intention in the era of Covid-19 is another important factor that affects aviation emissions. This paper aims to investigate the Landing/Take-Off (LTO) emission changes at Turkish airports. An emission inventory has been implemented for the years 2019 and 2020 to reveal the impacts of Covid-19 on aviation emissions. Domestic, international, and cargo flights have been included in the inventory. According to the results, total emissions of SO2, CO2, CO, NOx, NMVOC, CH4, N2O, and PM2.5 have decreased in 2020 compared to 2019 by 49.8%, 49.7%, 41.0%, 52.6%, 40.0%, 33.8%, 49.8%, and 50.3%, respectively. Total CO2 reductions in the Q2, Q3, and Q4 periods of 2020 compared to that of 2019 are 87%, 50% and 43%, respectively. Another aim of this paper is to find the underlying reasons for emission reductions. For Turkish airports, emission reductions have resulted from travel bans in Q2. After the relaxation of restrictions with the declaration of the "New Normal" in Turkey, flight traffic rebounded to a certain level but was lower than 2019 levels. Therefore, changing travel intention is the main cause of emission reductions in Q3 and Q4 of 2020. The results of this study contribute to both the areas of air pollution and tourism management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The average age of the global merchant fleet has been declining with the increasing number of new ship constructions and dismantled ships. Although a noteworthy part of ship dismantling and recycling (SDR) facilities have been performed in Asian countries, such as India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, SDR facilities have also been increasing in Türkiye. SDR facilities provide substantial economic income and employment opportunities. However, SDR facilities should have been performed in a certain systematic framework by taking necessary precautions since toxic substances from dismantled ships affect the environment and employees' health. That's why maritime authorities make an effort to sustain the SDR facilities in the best way in the sense of safety, health, and environment through the European Union (EU) Ship Recycling Regulation (SRR), Basel Convention, and Hong Kong Convention (HKC). In this paper, the global SDR facilities have been evaluated in terms of ship types and their gross tonnages (GTs) over the past 5 years among the leading countries. The number, type, economic life span, steel weight, and light displacement tonnage (LDT) of dismantled ships have been analyzed in Türkiye, especially throughout the COVID-19 pandemic process. To determine the most effective year in terms of SDR, the weighted aggregated sum product assessment (WASPAS) method has been utilized based on scrap steel price, LDT, economic life span, number of dismantled ships, and steel structure weight coefficient of the ship by maritime experts. The year 2017 has been highlighted as the most effective year with a .909 rank value in the last 5 years. In addition to analysis results, the largest amount of scrap steel has been acquired from dry cargo ships, which is the most dismantled ship type under data getting from the SDR facilities in Türkiye. Temporary bans on cruises due to the COVID-19 pandemic have caused more than triple increments in the number of passenger ships (PS) dismantling. This paper will be a quite notable resource for experts, academics, and industry stakeholders in order to explore and compare the SDR process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Respiratory infections are one of the world's most common infectious diseases. Following the species, numbers, and seasonal distribution of acute respiratory agents is important for the protection of public health. Our study aimed to determine the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the circulation and seasonal distribution of non-SARS-CoV-2 respiratory tract agents and research on non-SARS-CoV-2 agents., Methods: The results of the Multiplex PCR respiratory panel of 3702 nasopharyngeal swab samples sent between January 2018 and December 2021 were evaluated retrospectively. Scientific articles on acute respiratory infections between 2010 and 2021 from Turkey were analyzed in Scopus for bibliometric analysis., Results: 1.382 pathogens were detected. During the pandemic, the number of non-SARS-CoV-2 pathogens was found to be statistically significantly lower than before the pandemic. It was determined that while the most frequent agent before the pandemic was the Adenovirus, the most frequent agent was the RSV-A during the pandemic. Our network analysis of keywords indicated that academic interest in 2020-21 was directed toward COVID-19, which coincides with the pandemic period., Conclusions: Our study determined the fact that the incidence, species, and seasonal distribution of non-SARS-COV-2 respiratory agents changed after the onset of the pandemic. Increasing the identification and following-up of these pathogens in health organizations and also presenting these data to literature and sharing with academics is important. We are of the opinion that the results of our study shall shed light on the epidemiology of changing respiratory infections and the prevention and following-up of future health problems., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest There are no conflicts of interest in connection with this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Japanese Society of Chemotherapy, Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases, and Japanese Society for Infection Prevention and Control. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has undeniably brought up the issue of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) for businesses in Turkey. In this global pandemic, strategies developed to effectively address OHS risks and eliminate them with reliable, high-quality data have gained importance., Objective: This study aimed to determine the perceptions of employees in the forest products industry in Turkey regarding the OHS during the COVID-19 pandemic., Method: The sample of the descriptive and analytical study consisted of a total of 371 employees in forest product businesses located in Turkey. The sample of the study was determined by the purpose-based sampling method. Data were collected both online and face-to-face from June 2022 to October 2022. The data were obtained using the Questionnaire of Employee and Business Characteristics and the Scale of Employees' Perceptions on the OHS (S-POHS) adapted by Özden (2022). Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS and calculated by descriptive analyses, pairwise comparison tests and multivariate regression analyses., Results: 39.1% of the employees with a mean age of 34.12±8.78 years are high school graduates and 61.5% are workers. Significant differences were found in the S-POHS average scores of the employees in the businesses that produce paper-cardboard, have operated for less than 20 years, have a partnership structure with foreign capital and have an OHS Management System Quality Certificate (p < 0.05)., Conclusion: While a positive OHS perception level has already been achieved in the forest products industry in business administrations and by employees, it is clear that this should not be lost and it should be prepared for the next crises by adding new applications.

The influence of Covid-19 pandemic crisis on rates of return is analyzed in this paper in the light of possible data manipulation related to reporting systems provided by the administration in the USA, Turkey and Poland. The study used various methods of analyzing the relationship of a discrete, non-discrete and dichotomous data nature between the studied variables. As a result, the strongest reaction of the market was observed in Turkey followed by the USA and Poland. It can be concluded that the reaction of the surveyed markets was influenced by the data manipulations. The added value of the article is related to the use of various methods to study phenomena and detect the impact of data manipulation on the markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Human communities suffered a vast socioeconomic burden in dealing with the pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) globally. Real-word data about these burdens can inform governments about evidence-based resource allocation and prioritization. The aim of this scoping review was to map the cost-of-illness (CoI) studies associated with COVID-19. Methods: This scoping review was conducted from January 2019 to December 2021. We searched cost-of-illness papers published in English within Web of Sciences, PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, Science Direct and ProQuest. For each eligible study, extracted data included country, publication year, study period, study design, epidemiological approach, costing method, cost type, cost identification, sensitivity analysis, estimated unit cost and national burden. All of the analyses were applied in Excel software. Results: 2352 records were found after the search strategy application, finally 28 articles met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. Most of the studies were done in the United States, Turkey, and China. The prevalence-based approach was the most common in the studies, and most of studies also used Hospital Information System data (HIS). There were noticeable differences in the costing methods and the cost identification. The average cost of hospitalization per patient per day ranged from 101$ in Turkey to 2,364$ in the United States. Among the studies, 82.1% estimated particularly direct medical costs, 3.6% only indirect costs, and 14.3% both direct and indirect costs. Conclusion: The economic burden of COVID-19 varies from country to country. The majority of CoI studies estimated direct medical costs associated with COVID-19 and there is a paucity of evidence for direct non-medical, indirect, and intangible costs, which we recommend for future studies. To create homogeneity in CoI studies, we suggest researchers follow a conceptual framework and critical appraisal checklist of cost-of-illness (CoI) studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak has affected living standards around the world, and pandemic anxiety has changed social habits. In this context, this paper investigates the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and quality of life, and assesses the mediating effect of loneliness on this relationship among a sample of older adults in Turkey. The study considers data from approximately 400 people, all of whom completed the CASP-19 Quality of Life Scale in Older People, the Loneliness Scale for the Elderly and the Fear of COVID-19 Scale. Confirmatory factor analyses were performed to confirm a one-factor structure for each instrument. Subsequently, mediation analysis, correcting for age as a continuous covariate, was performed to assess the nature of the relationship between fear and quality of life, and the extent to which that relationship is mediated by loneliness. Our study showed that there is a negative and direct relationship between loneliness and quality of life. Another important finding of our research is that fear of COVID-19 has a significant effect on loneliness. Finally, loneliness mediates the relation between fear of COVID-19 and quality of life. This finding strongly suggests that fear of COVID-19 influences quality of life via loneliness. This result is noteworthy, as we could not find any similar finding in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this opinion paper, I trace children's access to play in the urban context against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on the news, civil society organizations' reports and conversations with experts working in Istanbul, Turkey during the last year, I show how children's access to public places in the city gets constrained by urban governance that neglects young people's needs. Examples from the neighborhoods of Istanbul, Turkey, indicate the importance of having in mind the whole community while thinking about bringing play opportunities in public spaces and at the same time raise questions about children's participation in these processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper seeks to identify the causal impact of educational human capital on social distancing behavior at workplace in Turkey using district-level data for the period of April 2020 - February 2021. We adopt a unified causal framework, predicated on domain knowledge, theory-justified constraints anda data-driven causal structure discovery using causal graphs. We answer our causal query by employing machine learning prediction algorithms; instrumental variables in the presence of latent confounding and Heckman's model in the presence of selection bias. Results show that educated regions are able to distance-work and educational human capital is a key factor in reducing workplace mobility, possibly through its impact on employment. This pattern leads to higher workplace mobility for less educated regions and translates into higher Covid-19 infection rates. The future of the pandemic lies in less educated segments of developing countries and calls for public health action to decrease its unequal and pervasive impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION The study aims to understand the facilitators and barriers associated with enforcing and complying with Türkiye's smoke-free policy from the perspective of hospitality venue owners and employees. METHODS A qualitative open-ended survey was conducted in Istanbul and Ankara in 2021 with 58 respondents from 3 different districts in each city from four types of venues: restaurants, traditional coffee and waterpipe houses, and European-style cafés. The open-ended survey included questions to understand the knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes of respondents about Türkiye's smoke-free policy and their perceptions of the facilitators and/or barriers to smoke-free policy implementation and changes after COVID-19. The data were analyzed using an inductive approach to identify patterns and categorize the data into themes. RESULTS The respondents expressed that the smoke-free policy aimed to protect employees and customers from secondhand smoke (SHS), respect human health, and improve air quality. Findings suggest that the positive attitude of venue owners and staff toward the smoke-free policy serves as a facilitator. However, fear of financial impact, customers' negative attitudes, difficulties in meeting physical requirements, and insufficient enforcement were found to be barriers to implementing the smoke-free policy. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic were reported as an initial increase in compliance and awareness among customers and staff, but some respondents noted negative changes due to the emotional and financial effects of prolonged restrictions. These challenges have led to decreased attention on the smoke-free policy among venue owners, staff and customers. Respondents' suggested improvements were related to building infrastructure, such as the ventilation systems and educating the public on the harmful health effects of smoking. CONCLUSIONS Despite the general understanding of the dangers of secondhand smoke and the smoke-free policy, this study highlights the challenges in implementing smoke-free policy measures and the continued need to raise awareness about the importance of a 100% smoke-free venue. A comprehensive approach to addressing the tobacco epidemic as a multifaceted public health issue is essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Computer vision syndrome has become a significant public health problem, especially in developing countries. Therefore, this study aims to identify the prevalence of computer vision syndrome during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature was conducted using the databases PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase up to February 22, 2023, using the search terms "Computer Vision Syndrome" and "COVID-19". Three authors independently performed study selection, quality assessment, and data extraction, and the Joanna Briggs Institute Meta-Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument was used to evaluate study quality. Heterogeneity was assessed using the statistical test I2, and the R version 4.2.3 program was used for statistical analysis. Results: A total of 192 studies were retrieved, of which 18 were included in the final meta-analysis. The total sample included 10,337 participants from 12 countries. The combined prevalence of computer vision syndrome was 74% (95% CI: 66, 81). Subgroup analysis based on country revealed a higher prevalence of computer vision syndrome in Pakistan (99%, 95% CI: 97, 100) and a lower prevalence in Turkey (48%, 95% CI: 44, 52). In addition, subgroup analysis based on study subjects showed a prevalence of 82% (95% CI: 74, 89) for computer vision syndrome in non-students and 70% (95% CI: 60, 80) among students. Conclusion: According to the study, 74% of the participants experienced computer vision syndrome during the COVID-19 pandemic. Given this finding, it is essential to implement preventive and therapeutic measures to reduce the risk of developing computer vision syndrome and improve the quality of life of those affected. Trial registration: The protocol for this systematic review and meta-analysis was registered in the international registry of systematic reviews, the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO), with registration number CRD42022345965. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among all the sectors, the hospitality and tourism sector has been detrimentally affected by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This research aimed to determine how changes have been experienced specifically in the Turkish tourism higher education and tourism sector. Twenty-seven academics from the hospitality and tourism education departments were interviewed. Most agreed that restrictions have limited student access to hands-on practical courses and internships, which are crucial to developing necessary competencies. Moreover, the results showed the curriculum does not always meet the needs of the hospitality industry for a trained and skilled workforce. The challenge is to decide what else should be taught and what methods and teaching approaches should be used. As a result, industry-academia cooperation is necessary to reassess the curriculum programs to meet sector needs considering the pandemic impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The course of bipolar disorder (BD) is sensitive to factors that may disrupt biological and social rhythms. It is important for patients diagnosed with BD to continue their follow-up and treatment during the pandemic due to personal and social effects. This study aimed to evaluate the disease course and treatment compliance of individuals diagnosed with BD during the pandemic. Methods: A total of 267 patients with BD were included in the study. The scales were applied by phone calls. A sociodemographic data form was filled out during the phone interviews. Diagnostic criteria for hypomanic, manic, and depressive episodes in DSM-5 were questioned and recorded through the created form. Results: During the first of the pandemic, a total of 72 (27.0%) patients had a mood episode, of which 56 (21.0%) were manic/hypomanic episodes and 16 (6.0%) depressive episodes. Also, 54.7% of the patients were able to obtain their medications thanks to the extended medication reports. Being unable to use their medications regularly, having a seasonal pattern of disease, and using an increased number of psychotropics were significant predictors of a new episode. While 74.5% of the patients wanted to talk to their psychiatrists online, only 1.1% could reach the psychiatrist online. Discussion: The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are particularly evident in patients with a seasonal pattern. Telepsychiatry practices should be actively included in clinical practice, and government policies developed for treatment compliance seem important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The family has a key role in the obesity management of children with autism. This study examines the relationship between the nutrition-physical activity behaviors of autistic children with their families and children's obesity levels during covid-19 pandemic. The descriptive and cross-sectional study involved 80 parents of autistic children. A positive correlation was found between children's mean BMI values before and during the pandemic(p = 0.000). Family Nutrition and Physical Activity Scale(FNPAS) and Brief Autism Mealtime Behavior Inventory(BAMBI) score were 55.18 ± 7.86 and 31.76 ± 8.79, respectively. In addition, it was found that 32.5% of the children ate more than before the pandemic, 50.0% engaged in less physical activity, and 16.3% didn't do any physical activity. The study results suggesting the risk of obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and Objectives: This study aimed at determining the perception of fatigue among patients with a history of the coronavirus disease (COVID‐19). Background: Fatigue is a long‐lasting distressing symptom. It is a multidimensional symptom consisting of several factors, including physiological, psychological, social and environmental. It is vital to examine and understand the perception of fatigue among post‐COVID‐19 participants. Design: A descriptive phenomenological design. Methods: The study sample consisted of 14 post‐COVID‐19 participants that were recruited using criterion sampling. The fatigue levels of the participants were determined using the Chalder Fatigue Scale (CFS), and those with a fatigue score above 12 were interviewed. All the interviews were conducted with a smartphone due to the COVID‐19. The COnsolidated criteria for REporting Qualitative research (COREQ) checklist was used. Results: The age of the participants varied from 24 to 67 years, with the majority of the participants being female (n = 8). The COVID‐19 duration ranged from one to 11 months, and the CFS scores varied between 14 and 33. Four themes emerged following the qualitative data analysis: a new symptom beyond fatigue, fatigue increases dependency in daily life, fatigue impedes sociability and a way to hold on to life's regular rhythms. Conclusions: This study concluded that fatigue in post‐COVID‐19 participants is a new experience that is difficult to define and manage and overwhelmingly affects the physical and social aspects of life. Participants look for new ways to live with fatigue and turn to traditional methods and psychosocial strategies. Relevance to clinical practice: This study revealed the miscellaneous aspects of fatigue in post‐COVID‐19 participants. Nurses should evaluate fatigue with a holistic approach that includes its physical, social, emotional and spiritual aspects. Nurses can play an active role in the management of fatigue, which is a very common symptom in the COVID‐19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of COVID-19 infection on disease management among individuals with type 2 diabetes and to explore their perspectives on COVID-19. This descriptive qualitative study included patients with diabetes, with a sample of 15 patients meeting the study criteria. The data were analyzed using code groups, which were then further categorized into main themes and subthemes. The main themes were: initial contact with the SARS-CoV-2 that is associated with COVID-19 illness changes in diabetes self-management behaviors; attempt at maintaining diabetes selfmanagement behaviors; and problems with accessing diabetes care. The study findings revealed several significant insights. Individuals with diabetes exhibited a fear of contracting SARS-CoV-2, which led to reduced levels of exercise and difficulties in managing blood sugar levels and insulin adjustments. Moreover, due to anxiety about COVID-19 infection, they postponed health check-ups, resulting in experiencing diabetes-related complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an inflow of patients into the hospitals and overcrowding of healthcare resources. Healthcare managers increased the capacities reactively by utilizing expensive but quick methods. Instead of this reactive capacity expansion approach, we propose a proactive approach considering different realizations of demand uncertainties in the future due to COVID-19. For this purpose, a stochastic and dynamic model is developed to find the right amount of capacity increase in the most critical hospital resources. Due to the problem size, the model is solved with Approximate Dynamic Programming. Based on the data collected in a large tertiary hospital in Turkey, the experiments show that ADP performs better than a benchmark myopic heuristic. Finally, sensitivity analysis is performed to explore the impact of different epidemic dynamics and cost parameters on the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various clinical outcomes, reinfections, vaccination programs, and antibody responses resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic. This study investigated the time-dependent changes in SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses in infected and/or vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals and to provide insights into spike and nucleocapsid antibodies, which fluctuate during infectious and non-infectious states. This cohort study was carried out at the Ege University Faculty of Medicine hospital in İzmir (western Turkey) and the Erciyes University Faculty of Medicine hospital in Kayseri (central Turkey) between December 2021 and January 2023, which coincided with the second half of COVID-19 pandemic. The study included 100 COVID-19 PCR-positive patients and 190 healthcare workers (HCWs). Antibody levels were followed up via quantitative anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike and qualitative anti-nucleocapsid immunoassays (Elecsys™). Antibody levels declined after infection but persisted for at least 6–8 months. Individuals who had received only CoronaVac had higher anti-nucleocapsid antibody levels in the early months than those who received mixed vaccination. However, anti-spike antibodies persisted longer and at higher levels in individuals who had received mixed vaccinations. This suggests that combining two different vaccine platforms may provide a synergistic effect, resulting in more durable and broad-spectrum immunity against SARS-CoV-2. The study provides information about the vaccination and antibody status of healthcare workers in the second half of the pandemic and provides valuable insights into the dynamics of antibody responses to COVID-19 infection and vaccination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]