Background: The control of the COVID-19 pandemic has been a great challenge. Understanding the thoughts and beliefs underlying vaccine hesitancy can help in the formulation of public policies. The present study aimed to analyze the social representations of hesitant Brazilians about vaccination against COVID-19. Methods: Qualitative research guided by the Theory of Social Representations, carried out through an online survey among Brazilian adults living in Brazil. The data were analyzed using the IRaMuTeQ software. Results: Of the 173,178 respondents, 10,928 were hesitant and declared reasons for vaccination hesitation. The analysis generated three classes: mistrust of the vaccine and underestimation of the severity of the pandemic; (dis)information and distrust of political involvement; and fear of adverse reactions to COVID-19 vaccines. Conclusions: Social knowledge, presented by the representations apprehended in this study, demonstrates difficulty in discerning the reliability of information and a social imagination full of doubts and uncertainties. Understanding the internal dynamics of these groups, with their representations of the world, is important to propose policies and actions that echo and cause changes in the understanding of the role of immunization. It is essential to shed light on the sociological imagination so that gaps filled with false information can be dismantled and confronted with scientific knowledge accessible to the population.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, several changes were implemented to ensure neonatal care, including restricting access to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) to parents only. This study aimed to discuss the possibility of siblings visiting the NICU through the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) during the pandemic. The methodology used was a case study, with the participation of two babies admitted to the NICU of a public health unit in Rio de Janeiro. The results showed greater interaction among babies, observed through their body movements and facial expressions in response to visual and auditory stimuli from their siblings, using mobile devices. The visit also allowed the siblings to experience, even remotely, the NICU environment, as they did not expect the new family member to be hospitalized after birth. It was concluded that this type of visit can be used to expand visitation to other family members, such as grandparents, or to those who live far from the hospital. In this way, the virtual visit can function as a health device to facilitate humanization processes, guaranteeing the rights of the baby and his family, even beyond the context of the pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic encouraged researchers and public managers to adopt several strategies to contain the spread of the SARS-Cov-2 virus, including the closure of schools, which kept children, adolescents and teachers away from the school environment for more than a year. This study, carried out in the State of Rio de Janeiro, aimed to evaluate the perception of primary and secondary school teachers about returning to school during the pandemic. Method:Cross-sectional study carried out from 11/09 to 12/23/2020, with teachers, from public and private schools, who taught children between 6-18 years old, in primary or secondary education, using an electronic form. The data were processed by the Iramuteq software. Results:Three main thematic areas were highlighted:the impact of the pandemic on education, teachers' concerns about the contagion and prevention of COVID-19, and the inadequate structure of public schools. Conclusion: The research emphasizes the need for government attention in both education and public health, addressing issues such as biosafety, preventive measures, health promotion and training of educators. It is imperative to reformulate improvement measures in the school structure, aiming to prepare in advance to face potential future pandemics and health crises, ensuring a safe and effective educational environment for students and teachers.

As crianças são um dos grupos mais vulneráveis aos impactos na saúde mental da pandemia de COVID-19 devido a fatores como o nível de desenvolvimento, a dificuldade de adesão ao ensino remoto e a grande vulnerabilidade socioeconômica da população. Objetivou-se investigar o impacto da pandemia de COVID-19 na saúde mental de crianças segundo a perspectiva das próprias por meio de um estudo qualitativo. Foram entrevistadas 7 crianças atendidas pelo ambulatório de psicologia de uma unidade de saúde pública do Rio de Janeiro, tendo sido apontadas três categorias: “Estou desenhando o coronavírus bravo e um homem feliz, mas que morreu porque estava sem máscara”: a angústia frente à morte, “Às vezes eu sentia raiva, às vezes tristeza e às vezes tudo junto e embolado”: alterações percebidas e sentimentos despertados pela pandemia e “Eu sentia um vazio por não poder falar com as pessoas e ficar muito sozinho em casa”: as relações sociais, o sentimento de solidão e as estratégias de enfrentamento. Os resultados evidenciam a presença da morte no cotidiano e sua relação com o significado da pandemia, a presença de sentimentos como raiva, medo, tristeza e vazio e a falta do ambiente escolar e das relações sociais, e as estratégias de enfrentamento, como a brincadeira, o apoio de familiares e o contato com os amigos. Conclui-se que o protagonismo das crianças foi fundamental para uma melhor compreensão dos impactos desta para as mesmas. Sendo assim, entende-se que o estudo possibilitou o acesso aos diversos impactos que a pandemia causou na saúde mental da população infantil, contribuindo para uma melhor compreensão e assistência a esse público.