SARS-CoV-2 and other pathogenic microorganisms in the environment

Abstract

The title of the Virtual Special Issue (VSI) “SARS-CoV-2 and other pathogenic microorganisms in the environment”, clearly indicates a main focus not only on the virus causing the current pandemic, but also on other pathogenic microorganisms and their spatial and temporal dynamics in environmental compartments. Overall, the VSI has received more than 100 submissions relating to most of the possible fields connected to the pandemic, many of them of high scientific value. A rigorous peer-reviewing process has been carried out, with a panel of experts making a great work to evaluate that important number of submissions. As a result, those manuscripts reaching the highest scientific standards were selected for publication. We think that the papers included constitute a set of high-quality contributions, which should help to improve the overall scientific perspective regarding this crucial issue. In this piece, the Editors comment some issues on the papers accepted for publication, and include additional reflections.

Effects of strict containment policies on COVID-19 pandemic crisis: lessons to cope with next pandemic impacts

“…The statistical evidence above seems in general to show a strictness in public policy does not generate a significant effect of reduction of the COVID-19 pandemic impact and it induces negative effects on socioeconomic systems. The explanation of these results is that restrictions and mandatory measures to cope with COVID-19 pandemic can be a necessary but not a sufficient strategy to reduce the negative impact of the novel coronavirus in society because there are manifold social, institutional, and environmental factors that support the diffusion of infections and level of mortality of this pandemic (Atkeson 2021;Coccia 2014Coccia , 2017aNúñez-Delgado et al 2021;Pronti and Coccia 2021;Yao et al 2022). For instance, a high level of international trade in countries can explain the accelerated transmission dynamics and negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic because trade generates a high socioeconomic interaction between people and, as a consequence, circulation of viral agents (Bontempi, 2022;.…”

Five waves of the COVID-19 pandemic and green–blue spaces in urban and rural areas in Poland

“… Bhadra et al, 2021 ; Coşkun et al, 2021 ; Kubota et al, 2020 ; Lee et al, 2021 ; Pascoal and Rocha, 2022 ). As the pandemic progressed, an increasing number of publications provided a literature review on the interaction between the natural environment and COVID-19 ( Shakil et al, 2020 ; Facciolà et al, 2021 ; Núñez-Delgado et al, 2021 ; Labib et al, 2022 ; Rahimi et al, 2021 ; Han et al, 2023 ) or focused on the analysis of the correlation between various components of the natural environment (atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, biosphere) and COVID-19 in specific geographical regions or countries ( Bashir et al, 2020b ; Sobral et al, 2020 ; Zhu et al, 2020 ; Song et al, 2022 ). A large impact on the spread of the virus as well as the number of infections was most often attributed to climatic factors ( Ahmadi et al, 2020 ; Islam et al, 2021 ; Werner et al, 2021 ; Akan, 2022 ).…”

The environment, epidemics, and human health

“…The current COVID-19 pandemic and its relations with environmental factors have received great attention, and even new studies are being designed, carried out, and published. In fact, some of the Guest Editors of this VSI have previously edited other Special Issues focusing on the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus and other pathogenic microorganisms (for instance Núñez-Delgado, 2020 ; Núñez-Delgado et al, 2021a , 2021b ).…”