Healthcare policies, precautionary measures and outcomes of mass gathering events in the era of COVID-19 pandemic: Expedited review
With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, several countries suspended or restricted mass gathering (MG) events to mitigate the risk of superspreading events. Prohibiting MGs aimed to lessen the likelihood of highly infectious persons coming into close contact with many others. Now that...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2024-04-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Infection and Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1876034123001065 |
| _version_ | 1797253963449368576 |
|---|---|
| author | Ahmed A. Alahmari Anas A. Khan Fahad A. Alamri Yasir S. Almuzaini Alia K. Habash Hani Jokhdar |
| author_facet | Ahmed A. Alahmari Anas A. Khan Fahad A. Alamri Yasir S. Almuzaini Alia K. Habash Hani Jokhdar |
| author_sort | Ahmed A. Alahmari |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, several countries suspended or restricted mass gathering (MG) events to mitigate the risk of superspreading events. Prohibiting MGs aimed to lessen the likelihood of highly infectious persons coming into close contact with many others. Now that the world has opened its doors wide and removed most of precautionary measures, many questions arise. In this review, we aimed to summarize the current evidence regarding the policies and regulations that were implemented for the safe return of MG events. Besides, we highlighted the impact of the return of MG events during 2021 on the trajectory of COVID-19 spread. Canceling MG events can carry religious, societal, economic, and public negative consequences necessitating the safe return of these events. The experience with the COVID-19 pandemic was the foundation for the recommendations for the safe conduction of MG events during the pandemic by international public health bodies. When policymakers adequately applied precautionary measures and strategic approaches, we witnessed the safe holding of huge MG events without aggravating the COVID-19 situation or increasing the number of new cases beyond the capacity and readiness of the national healthcare system. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T21:42:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3c90ec9f3d8f4056a91cd61d3ff3256f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1876-0341 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T21:42:24Z |
| publishDate | 2024-04-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Infection and Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-3c90ec9f3d8f4056a91cd61d3ff3256f2024-03-21T05:36:05ZengElsevierJournal of Infection and Public Health1876-03412024-04-01172733Healthcare policies, precautionary measures and outcomes of mass gathering events in the era of COVID-19 pandemic: Expedited reviewAhmed A. Alahmari0Anas A. Khan1Fahad A. Alamri2Yasir S. Almuzaini3Alia K. Habash4Hani Jokhdar5Global Centre for Mass Gatherings Medicine, Ministry of Health, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Emergency Medicine, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Saudi ArabiaGlobal Centre of Mass Gatherings Medicine, Family Medicine, Primary Health Centre, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Corresponding author.Global Centre for Mass Gatherings Medicine, Ministry of Health, Saudi ArabiaGlobal Centre for Mass Gatherings Medicine, Ministry of Health, Saudi ArabiaDeputyship of Public Health, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaWith the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, several countries suspended or restricted mass gathering (MG) events to mitigate the risk of superspreading events. Prohibiting MGs aimed to lessen the likelihood of highly infectious persons coming into close contact with many others. Now that the world has opened its doors wide and removed most of precautionary measures, many questions arise. In this review, we aimed to summarize the current evidence regarding the policies and regulations that were implemented for the safe return of MG events. Besides, we highlighted the impact of the return of MG events during 2021 on the trajectory of COVID-19 spread. Canceling MG events can carry religious, societal, economic, and public negative consequences necessitating the safe return of these events. The experience with the COVID-19 pandemic was the foundation for the recommendations for the safe conduction of MG events during the pandemic by international public health bodies. When policymakers adequately applied precautionary measures and strategic approaches, we witnessed the safe holding of huge MG events without aggravating the COVID-19 situation or increasing the number of new cases beyond the capacity and readiness of the national healthcare system.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1876034123001065Health SecurityMass GatheringsPublic Health EmergencyPublic Health PreparednessPandemicCOVID-19 |
| spellingShingle | Ahmed A. Alahmari Anas A. Khan Fahad A. Alamri Yasir S. Almuzaini Alia K. Habash Hani Jokhdar Healthcare policies, precautionary measures and outcomes of mass gathering events in the era of COVID-19 pandemic: Expedited review Journal of Infection and Public Health Health Security Mass Gatherings Public Health Emergency Public Health Preparedness Pandemic COVID-19 |
| title | Healthcare policies, precautionary measures and outcomes of mass gathering events in the era of COVID-19 pandemic: Expedited review |
| title_full | Healthcare policies, precautionary measures and outcomes of mass gathering events in the era of COVID-19 pandemic: Expedited review |
| title_fullStr | Healthcare policies, precautionary measures and outcomes of mass gathering events in the era of COVID-19 pandemic: Expedited review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Healthcare policies, precautionary measures and outcomes of mass gathering events in the era of COVID-19 pandemic: Expedited review |
| title_short | Healthcare policies, precautionary measures and outcomes of mass gathering events in the era of COVID-19 pandemic: Expedited review |
| title_sort | healthcare policies precautionary measures and outcomes of mass gathering events in the era of covid 19 pandemic expedited review |
| topic | Health Security Mass Gatherings Public Health Emergency Public Health Preparedness Pandemic COVID-19 |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1876034123001065 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ahmedaalahmari healthcarepoliciesprecautionarymeasuresandoutcomesofmassgatheringeventsintheeraofcovid19pandemicexpeditedreview AT anasakhan healthcarepoliciesprecautionarymeasuresandoutcomesofmassgatheringeventsintheeraofcovid19pandemicexpeditedreview AT fahadaalamri healthcarepoliciesprecautionarymeasuresandoutcomesofmassgatheringeventsintheeraofcovid19pandemicexpeditedreview AT yasirsalmuzaini healthcarepoliciesprecautionarymeasuresandoutcomesofmassgatheringeventsintheeraofcovid19pandemicexpeditedreview AT aliakhabash healthcarepoliciesprecautionarymeasuresandoutcomesofmassgatheringeventsintheeraofcovid19pandemicexpeditedreview AT hanijokhdar healthcarepoliciesprecautionarymeasuresandoutcomesofmassgatheringeventsintheeraofcovid19pandemicexpeditedreview |