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The mission of the WHO's Health Emergencies Programme is to build the capacity of Member States to manage health emergency risks and when national capacities are overwhelmed, to lead and [...]

Industrialized countries increasingly use targeted subsidies to lessen Arms' disadvantages caused by climate change, geopolitical realignment of trade relationships and local COVID-19 pandemic dislocations. The debate over the United States Inflationary Reduction Act and the European Union criticism of it because of its effect on Arms' investment location choices exemplify how subsidies affect investment flows. We investigate to what extent different subsidy schemes affect Arms' investment location choices and explore the effect on two dimensions: immediacy (direct versus indirect) and firm specificity (firm-specific versus non-firm-specific). Using a sample of United States MNEs and their investments in subsidiaries in the European Union and China, we find that direct subsidies have a greater positive effect on investment than indirect subsidies, and that non- firm-specific subsidies have a greater positive effect than firm-specific subsidies. Our study establishes a more nuanced understanding of subsidy effects, suggesting that policymakers should align their subsidy schemes for attracting foreign direct investment accordingly. Keywords: foreign direct investment, institutions, investment location choice, policy support, subsidies JEL classification codes: D04, D78, H29, L52, 1. Introduction The rapid succession of recent and ongoing international crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic (WHO, 2023), the Russia-Ukraine war (1) with its resulting shock to food and energy [...]

In December 2019, a novel coronavirus outbroke in Wuhan. This new type of coronavirus soon developed into the Covid-19 pandemic and became one of the most disturbing global events in [...]

There has been a growing hypothesis linking the recent widespread declines in financial markets to the outbreaks of the COVID-19 pandemic. What is, however, unclear is whether the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the dynamics of the financial markets is as severe as those associated with traditional financial crises. Using the cases of the USA and China to represent developed and emerging economies, we examine the returns and volatility dynamics of financial market interdependence amid economic and financial crisis periods of divergent origins. Following careful consideration of relevant tests and model selection criteria, we find the VARMA-CCC-GARCH model to be the best approach for modelling financial market returns and volatility spillovers during a crisis. Employing daily financial market returns, we partitioned the study period into two sub-periods: the Great Recession (GFC) and the Great Lockdown (COVID-19), to arrive at the following empirical findings: First, we find that regardless of the type of crisis--the GFC or COVID-19--unanticipated events in the financial markets in the current period fuel high volatility in the market in the preceding period. Second, while financial markets in developed economies were by far the most affected by the 2008/2009 GFC, the great lockdown associated with COVID-19 appears to have left a permanent shock on both developed and emerging economies' financial markets. It then follows that the extent to which an economy is endowed with the ability to fend off external risks may be sensitive to the origin and nature of the crisis. In this light, it is necessary for policymakers to acknowledge that while some of the instruments used to mitigate the impact of external shocks on financial markets during the GFC may still be applicable during COVID-19 in the case of developed economies, the same appears to not be entirely true in the case of emerging financial markets during COVID-19. On the whole, financial experts and academics may want to be wary of the fact that the past realizations of both returns and volatilities matter for enhancing the forecastability of the future value of financial instruments during a crisis period. JEL Classifications: B16; [B.sup.2]6; C01; C58; D53 Keywords: COVID-19; GFC; Financial markets interdependence; VARMA-CC-GARCH, INTRODUCTION The ongoing high market risk and heightened uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have sparked interest in the finance literature (see Elgammal et al., 2021; Aslam et al., 2021; [...]

Objective To measure sales of antibiotics without a prescription in pharmacies in China in 2017 and 2021, before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and determine the factors associated with such sales. Methods We conducted cross-sectional surveys using the simulated patient method in retail pharmacies in 13 provinces in eastern, central and western China in 2017 and 2021. At the pharmacies, the simulated patients (trained medical students) reported that they had mild respiratory tract symptoms and asked for treatment, using a three-stage process: (i) request some treatment; (ii) request antibiotics; (iii) request specific antibiotics. We used multivariable logistic regression analysis to determine factors associated with sale of antibiotics without a prescription. Findings Of the pharmacies visited in 2017, 83.6% (925/1106) sold antibiotics without a prescription; this figure was 78.3% (853/1090) in 2021 (P-value: 0.002). After excluding pharmacies prohibited from selling antibiotics because of COVID-19, this difference was not significant (83.6% versus 80.9%; 853/1054; P-value: 0.11). Factors significantly associated with selling antibiotics without a prescription in both 2017 and 2019 were: location in central and western China compared with eastern China; being in a township or village compared with in a city; and presence of a counter where antibiotics were dispensed. Conclusion Although laws became stricter between 2017 and 2021, antibiotic sales without a prescription were still common in pharmacies across China. Existing regulations need to be more strictly enforced, and pharmacy staff and the public should be made more aware of the risks of antibiotic misuse and dangers of antimicrobial resistance. Objectif Mesurer les ventes d'antibiotiques sans ordonnance dans les pharmacies de Chine en 2017 et 2021, avant et pendant la pandemie de maladie a coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19), et determiner les facteurs associes a ces ventes. Methodes Nous avons mene des enquetes transversales a l'aide de la technique des patients simules dans des pharmacies de detail situees dans 13 provinces de Chine orientale, centrale et occidentale en 2017 et 2021. Dans ces pharmacies, les patients simules (des etudiants en medecine formes a cet effet) ont evoque des symptomes legers au niveau des voies respiratoires et sollicite un traitement selon un processus en trois etapes: (i) demande de traitement; (ii) demande d'antibiotiques; (ii) demande d'antibiotiques specifiques. Nous avons ensuite utilise une analyse multivariee de regression logistique afin d'identifier les facteurs lies a la vente d'antibiotiques sans ordonnance. Resultats Sur l'ensemble des pharmacies examinees en 2017, 83,6% (925/1106) ont vendu des antibiotiques sans ordonnance, contre 78,3% (853/1090) en 2021 (valeur-p: 0,002). Apres avoir exclu les pharmacies n'ayant pas le droit d'en vendre a cause de la COVID-19, cette difference s'est revelee negligeable (83,6% contre 80,9%; 853/1054; valeur-p: 0,11). Les principaux facteurs associes a la vente d'antibiotiques sans ordonnance, tant en 2017 qu'en 2019, etaient: le fait d'etre en Chine centrale et occidentale plutot qu'en Chine orientale; le fait d'etre une commune ou un village plutot qu'une ville; et enfin, le fait qu'il y ait ou non un comptoir oU se procurer des antibiotiques. Conclusion Bien que les lois soient devenues plus strictes entre 2017 et 2021, la vente d'antibiotiques sans ordonnance est restee monnaie courante partout en Chine. La reglementation en vigueur doit etre appliquee plus severement; en outre, le personnel des pharmacies et le grand public doivent etre mieux sensibilises aux risques lies a un usage inapproprie des antibiotiques et aux dangers que represente la resistance aux antimicrobiens. Objetivo Medir las ventas de antibioticos sin receta en farmacias de China en 2017 y 2021, antes y durante la pandemia de la enfermedad por coronavirus de 2019 (COVID-19), y determinar los factores asociados a estas ventas. Metodos Se realizaron encuestas transversales utilizando el metodo del paciente simulado en farmacias minoristas de 13 provincias de China oriental, central y occidental en 2017 y 2021. En las farmacias, los pacientes simulados (estudiantes de medicina entrenados) informaron que tenian sintomas leves del tracto respiratorio y solicitaron tratamiento, mediante un proceso de tres etapas: (i) solicitar algun tratamiento; (ii) solicitar antibioticos; (ii) solicitar antibioticos especificos. Se utilizo un analisis de regresion logistica multivariable para determinar los factores asociados a la venta de antibioticos sin receta. Resultados De las farmacias visitadas en 2017, el 83,6% (925/1106) vendian antibioticos sin receta; esta cifra fue del 78,3% (853/1090) en 2021 (valor de p: 0,002). Una vez excluidas las farmacias que tenian prohibida la venta de antibioticos debido a la COVID-19, esta diferencia no fue significativa (83,6% frente a 80,9%; 853/1054; valor de p: 0,11). Los factores que se asociaron significativamente con la venta de antibioticos sin receta tanto en 2017 como en 2019 fueron: la ubicacion en el centro y occidente de China en comparacion con el oriente del pais; estar en un municipio o pueblo en comparacion con estar en una ciudad; y la presencia de un mostrador donde se dispensaban antibioticos. Conclusion Aunque las leyes se hicieron mas estrictas entre 2017 y 2021, la venta de antibioticos sin receta seguia siendo habitual en las farmacias de toda China. Es necesario aplicar mas estrictamente la normativa vigente, y concienciar al personal de las farmacias y al publico en general sobre los riesgos del uso indebido de antibioticos y los peligros de la resistencia a los antimicrobianos., Introduction Antimicrobial resistance is one of the most serious threats to the health of the world's population. [1,2] In 2019, antimicrobial resistance was associated with 4.95 million deaths globally. [3] [...]

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the digital transformation of museums, and online virtual tours have become an important development direction for the cultural inheritance of museums in the present and future. Therefore, there is an urgent need for appropriate digital museum spaces to attract virtual tours of visitors. Firstly, the paper introduces the current situation of the digital transformation of museums around the world under the background of the COVID-19 pandemic and analyzes the challenges of digital museums in supporting virtual tours. Secondly, aiming at these challenges, we design a cloud editing digital museum architecture and develop a cloud editing digital museum system based on the requirement survey. Finally, the paper introduces the application cases and effects of the cloud editing digital museum system, such as the Zhejiang University History Museum and the China National Silk Museum, and analyzes them with the SWOT method. The SWOT analysis shows that the cloud editing digital museum has advantages in the virtual tour, such as the rapid construction of virtual museums, cost savings, update and maintenance, gamification experience, multiterminal support, immersion and fun, and maintaining visitors' loyalty. It can provide a reference for museums' digital transformation research and cultural inheritance applications., Author(s): Yuhui Yang [1]; Zhongxian Bai (corresponding author) [2,3]; Hao Zhang [2]; Yongchao Wang [1] 1. Introduction At the end of 2019, the emergence of COVID-19 led to the closure [...]