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Background: Medical students play an important role in the prevention and control of COVID-19 by way of disseminating knowledge regarding COVID-19 among the people. It is affected by their knowledge, attitude and practices about the disease. Objectives: To assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) towards COVID-19 in undergraduate medical students. Methodology: A quick online survey was carried out among 316 participants with a self-designed, structured questionnaire in the form of goggle form. Cronbach’s alpha of the study instrument was 0.71. Statistical Analysis: Data were analyzed by SPSS, version 25. Chi-square test, Student’s t-test, ANOVA and post hoc analysis were done. Results: A total of 316 participants completed the survey questionnaire. The mean COVID-19 knowledge scorewas 18.82±2.27 and overall 90% had correct knowledge. Knowledge scores significantly (p<0.05) differed across age-groups and semesters. In post hoc analysis, mean knowledge score in 2nd semester students (18.11±2.55) was significantly (p<0.05) lower than that of 8th semester (19.56±1.66). Seventy percent respondents agreed that COVID-19 will finally be controlled,77.2% had confidence that India will win the battle against COVID-19, and 90% of the respondents agreed that hand washing with soap water will prevent them from getting the infection. 96.2% participants avoid crowded places, 95.2% participants wore face masks while going outside home and 97.5%frequently washed hands with soap and water. Conclusion: In this study majority undergraduate students had good knowledge, showed optimistic attitude and appropriate practice towards COVID-19. However, there is need and scope for improving knowledge and practices so that every student adopts preventive and promotive measures against COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Countries globally are evaluating the concept of herd immunity and its critical role in the control of pandemic. The current paper attempts to conduct a critical interpretative synthesis (CIS) on the role of herd immunity in current COVID‑19 pandemic. Methods: CIS is tool for developing theoretical framework using interpretation drawn from relevant empirical and non‑empirical sources. This review is done by formulating review question for literature search. Purposive sampling of literature was done followed by reciprocal translational analysis of extracted data. Results: Herd immunity is indirect protection from a contagious infectious disease when a population is immune either through vaccination or natural immunity developed through previous infection. The reproduction number for COVID‑19 in India was found to be 2.56 and herd immunity threshold as 61%. Discussion: Exposing 71% young population in India to the SARS‑CoV‑2 infection can achieve herd immunity but with high morbidity as well as mortality. Vaccine are under process. Feco‑oral transmission and reinfection of COVID 19 are major factors to develop or break the circle of herd immunity in community. “Immunity passport” can give false sense of security. Surveillance and seroprevalence studies assess immunity status, gradual exposure of infection to younger population and collaborative partnerships on organizations are few strategies to acquire herd immunity. Conclusion: Herd immunity is a measure for prevention and control of COVID‑19 pandemic against the backdrop of mortality and morbidity. Vaccine can be boon but if herd immunity is to be acquired by natural infection then preparedness is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It was observed that adult users start tobacco use in childhood or adolescence. The influence of digital and print media, social acceptance among peers, and in order to mimic role models from films attracts youth towards tobacco. Hence this study was conducted to assess the prevalence of smokeless tobacco (SLT) use among school-going adolescents with the assessment of the influencing factors such as exposure at school, home, and public places along with the role of various media in SLT use by adolescents., Methods: Cross sectional study was conducted with 860 students of class 9th -12th enrolled in schools. Purposive sampling of three schools was done from the study area to reach desired sample size. All the students of class 9th - 12th within selected schools were given chance to participate in the study. Data collection was done using pretested modified Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) questionnaire., Results: Consumption of smokeless tobacco (SLT) was observed in 79 (11%) of 714 subjects. Significantly higher proportion (18.4%) of study subjects consumed SLT who were exposed to tobacco at school premises and 19.1% of study subjects who were exposed to teacher using SLT in schools compared to non-exposed group. (p=0.016). It was observed that 8.1% of subjects without any exposure to tobacco at home and 9.8% of subjects without exposure to tobacco at outdoor public space consumed SLT. Consumption of SLT use was highest (16.7%) among subjects exposed to tobacco advertisement or promotion through social media (p=0.04)., Conclusion: High prevalence of SLT was detected among adolescents in school. Factors such as exposure to tobacco at home, public places, school and school teacher using SLT, exposure of tobacco advertisement and promotion via different modes of media was found to be significantly associated with the use of SLT in the adolescents of school., .

Background: Smokeless tobacco (ST) use is common among youth in South Asia where 85% of the world's 300 million ST users live and use the most lethal ST forms. Little is known about the impact of tobacco control policies on the youth ST uptake in those countries. We planned to conduct longitudinal surveys among school going adolescents to evaluate existing tobacco control policies on tobacco uptake and use, and a feasibility study for that prospective, observational cohort study. Study objectives: (1) To demonstrate the feasibility of selection, recruitment and retention of schools and of study participants; (2) To assess the feasibility and acceptability of the study procedure and study tool (questionnaire); (3) To evaluate if the questionnaire can assess tobacco uptake and use, and their potential predictors. Methods and analysis: The feasibility study will be conducted in two administrative areas within each of three South Asian countries: Bangladesh, India and Pakistan. We will use both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods. Eight eligible schools will be randomly selected within purposively selected sub-districts from each country. We plan to conduct one baseline and one follow up survey among students of grade 6-8, one year apart. At each time point, data on tobacco uptake and potential predictors will be collected from students via self-administered questionnaires that were designed for the longitudinal study. The qualitative component will be embedded into the study with each round of data collection to assess the acceptability of the study instrument (questionnaire) and data collection methods, via focus group discussions with students and semi-structured interviews with schoolteachers. Recruitment and retention rates, completeness of the questionnaires, frequencies and associations of tobacco use and explanatory variables will be reported. Data gathered from the focus group and interviews will be analysed using the framework approach., Competing Interests: No competing interests were disclosed., (Copyright: © 2022 Mishu MP et al.)