scholarly journals Appraisal of China's Response to the Outbreak of COVID-19 in Comparison With SARS

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiajia Li ◽  
Shixue Li ◽  
Wuchun Cao ◽  
Zhongli Wang ◽  
Zhuohui Liang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
High Tech ◽  
Chinese Government ◽  
Medical Systems ◽  
Containment Measures ◽  
Control And Prevention ◽  
Initial Delay

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, was first reported in Wuhan, China, in December 2019 and has since become a pandemic. The COVID-19 containment measures were comparable to those used with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), although these were stricter and more organized, and were initiated earlier and on a larger scale. Based on the lessons learned from SARS, the Chinese government acted aggressively in response to COVID-19, through a unified and effective commanding system, using law-based and science-driven strategies, and coordinated deployment of medical resources. Additionally, the application of high-tech measures, traditional Chinese medicine, and hierarchical medical systems also played an important role in control measures. Despite the remarkable performance, the initial delay in response suggests that the coordination between public health and medical services, reserve and coordination of emergency materials, and capacity for disease control and prevention need to be strengthened.

scholarly journals Lessons Learned From an Intensive Writing Training Course for Applied Epidemiologists

2020 ◽  
Vol 135 (4) ◽  
pp. 428-434
Author(s):  
Jessica Arrazola ◽  
Malorie Polster ◽  
Paul Etkind ◽  
John S. Moran ◽  
Richard L. Vogt
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Publishing Process ◽  
Writing Courses ◽  
Training Course ◽  
Public Health Professionals ◽  
Control And Prevention ◽  
Council Of State

Although writing is a valued public health competency, authors face a multitude of barriers (eg, lack of time, lack of mentorship, lack of appropriate instruction) to publication. Few writing courses for applied public health professionals have been documented. In 2017 and 2018, the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention partnered to implement a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report Intensive Writing Training course to improve the quality of submissions from applied epidemiologists working at health departments. The course included 3 webinars, expert mentorship from experienced authors, and a 2-day in-person session. As of April 2020, 39 epidemiologists had participated in the course. Twenty-four (62%) of the 39 epidemiologists had submitted manuscripts, 17 (71%) of which were published. The program’s evaluation demonstrates the value of mentorship and peer feedback during the publishing process, the importance of case study exercises, and the need to address structural challenges (eg, competing work responsibilities or supervisor support) in the work environment.

scholarly journals COVID-19 Outbreaks in Settings With Precarious Housing Conditions in Germany: Challenges and Lessons Learned

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruth Zimmermann ◽  
Navina Sarma ◽  
Doris Thieme-Thörel ◽  
Katharina Alpers ◽  
Tanja Artelt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Disease Transmission ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Sequencing Analysis ◽  
Housing Conditions ◽  
Health Measures ◽  
The City

Two COVID-19 outbreaks occurred in residential buildings with overcrowded housing conditions in the city of Göttingen in Germany during May and June 2020, when COVID-19 infection incidences were low across the rest of the country, with a national incidence of 2.6/100,000 population. The outbreaks increased the local incidence in the city of Göttingen to 123.5/100,000 in June 2020. Many of the affected residents were living in precarious conditions and experienced language barriers. The outbreaks were characterized by high case numbers and attack rates among the residents, many asymptomatic cases, a comparatively young population, and substantial outbreak control measures implemented by local authorities. We analyzed national and local surveillance data, calculated age-, and gender-specific attack rates and performed whole genome sequencing analysis to describe the outbreak and characteristics of the infected population. The authorities' infection control measures included voluntary and compulsory testing of all residents and mass quarantine. Public health measures, such as the general closure of schools and a public space as well as the prohibition of team sports at local level, were also implemented in the district to limit the outbreaks locally. The outbreaks were under control by the end of June 2020. We describe the measures to contain the outbreaks, the challenges experienced and lessons learned. We discuss how public health measures can be planned and implemented through consideration of the needs and vulnerabilities of affected populations. In order to avoid coercive measures, barrier-free communication, with language translation when needed, and consideration of socio-economic circumstances of affected populations are crucial for controlling infectious disease transmission in an outbreak effectively and in a timely way.

scholarly journals COVID-19 Outbreak in an Acute-Care Hospital: Lessons Learned

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (S1) ◽  
pp. s56-s57
Author(s):  
Supriya Narasimhan ◽  
Vidya Mony ◽  
Tracey Stoll ◽  
Sherilyn Oribello ◽  
Karanas Yvonne ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Acute Care ◽  
Infection Prevention ◽  
Environmental Control ◽  
Acute Care Hospital ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Additional Patient ◽  
Care Hospital ◽  
Eye Protection ◽  
Containment Measures

Background: We describe the infection prevention investigation of a cluster of 15 healthcare workers (HCWs) and 7 patients in a single non–COVID-19 unit of an acute-care hospital in September 2020. Methods: The infection prevention team was notified of 13 SARS-CoV-2–positive, symptomatic HCWs in an acute-care non–COVID-19 unit in 1 week (August 30, 2020, to September 3, 2020). In the same week, 2 patients who had been on the unit were diagnosed with nosocomial COVID-19. An epidemiologic investigation identified the exposure period to be between August 19, 2020, and September 3, 2020. The following immediate containment measures were implemented: closing the unit to new admissions, restricting float staff, moving existing patients to private rooms, mandatory masking of patients, and mandatory respirator and eye protection on unit entry for all HCWs. Exposed unit staff were tested immediately and then every 4 days until September 18, 2020. Likewise, exposed patients, including those discharged, were notified and offered testing. Hospital-wide HCW surveillance testing was conducted. Enhanced environmental control measures were conducted, including terminal cleaning and ultraviolet C (UV-C) disinfection of common areas and patient rooms and a thorough investigation of airflow. Detailed staff interviews were performed to identify causes of transmission. Multiple town hall meetings were held for staff education and updates. Results: In total, 108 total patients were deemed exposed: 33 were inpatients and 75 had been discharged. Testing identified 5 additional patient cases among 57 patients who received testing; 51 chose to self-monitor for symptoms. Staff testing identified 2 additional cases. Thus, 15 HCWs and 7 patients were linked in this cluster. The containment measures successfully ended staff transmission as of September 5, 2020. The last patient case was detected on September 10, 2020. Secondary cases were noted in 6 HCW families. We identified staff presenteeism, complacency, and socialization in break rooms and outside work as major causes of transmission. Suboptimal compliance with universal eye protection and hand hygiene (67%) were contributing factors. We determined by contact tracing and temporality that the outbreak could have stemmed from nursing home patient(s) through floating HCWs to staff on the affected unit. Directionality of transmission was from staff to patients in this cluster. Conclusions: Many facets of pandemic fatigue were apparent in this outbreak, namely, inability of HCWs to adhere to changing PPE guidance, presenteeism pressures due to workforce needs, and socialization with peers due to a false sense of security conferred by biweekly surveillance testing. Ongoing PPE education, repeated reinforcement, as well as engagement in staff wellness are crucial to combatting pandemic fatigue, conserving our workforce, and preventing future outbreaks.Funding: NoDisclosures: None

scholarly journals Lessons learned from COVID-19 outbreaks profile in combination with pathology, diagnosis, treatment and vaccines

2021 ◽  
Vol 292 ◽  
pp. 03069
Author(s):  
Ruizhe Liu ◽  
Enqi Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Disease Control ◽  
Respiratory Infection ◽  
Surveillance System ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Chinese Government ◽  
Basic Information ◽  
Health It ◽  
Severe Respiratory Infection

COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which may lead to severe respiratory infection. Since December 2019, the first COVID-19 case was detected in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. The virus has been spread worldwide, and many countries are still struggling with disease control. Therefore, this revision would provide experience accumulated and the lessons learned by China in the pandemic. The current work reviewed the basic information about COVID-19 in the aspects of pathology, diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and the major pandemic outbreaks in China. By summarizing and analyzing the measurements taken by the Chinese government and their corresponding outcomes on public health, it determined the progress made on the policies and their efficiency in the control of pandemics. With the sharing of these lessons, other countries can learn from establishing the COVID-19 surveillance system in China that would support their struggle on domestic public health.

scholarly journals THE IMPACT OF LOCKDOWN ON PUBLIC HEALTH DURING THE FIRST WAVE OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC: LESSONS LEARNED FOR DESIGNING EFFECTIVE CONTAINMENT MEASURES TO COPE WITH SECOND WAVE

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mario Coccia
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Social Issues ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Fatality Rate ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Containment Measures ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Second Wave

AbstractWhat is hardly known in the studies of the COVID-19 global pandemic crisis is the impact of general lockdown during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic both public health and economic system. The main goal of this study is a comparative analysis of some European countries with a longer and shorter period of national lockdown during the first wave of COVID-19 from March to August 2020. Findings suggests that: a) countries with shorter period of lockdown have a variation of confirmed cases/population (%) higher than countries with longer period of lockdown; b) countries with shorter period of lockdown have average fatality rate (5.45%) lower than countries with longer period of lockdown (12.70%), whereas variation of fatality rate from August to March 2020 suggests a higher reduction in countries with longer period of lockdown (−1.9% vs 0.72%). However, Independent Samples Test and the Mann-Whitney test reveal that the effectiveness of longer period of lockdown versus shorter one on public health is not significant. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic associated with longer period of lockdown has a higher negative impact on economic growth with consequential social issues in countries. Results of the impact of COVID-19 lockdowns on public health and economies of some leading countries in Europe, during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, can provide vital information to design effective containment strategies in future waves of this pandemic to minimize the negative effects in society.

scholarly journals Nursing Voices during COVID-19: An Analysis of Canadian Media Coverage

Aporia ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 109-113
Author(s):  
Marilou Gagnon ◽  
Amélie Perron
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ◽  
Media Coverage ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Public Health Care ◽  
News Stories ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
The Media

While it is generally recognized that nurses and nursing issues are underrepresented in the media, the contrary is also true during major public health care crises like Ebola and SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome). We see this phenomenon unfolding in the midst of the current COVID-19 pandemic with nurses and nursing issues receiving extensive media coverage in Canada and internationally. To gain more insights into this media coverage, we analyzed the content of Canadian news stories published in both English and French during the first five months of the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper presents the findings of our analysis and identifies important lessons learned. We believe that our findings serve as an important starting point for understanding nurses’ agency and the media savviness they displayed during the first months of the pandemic.

scholarly journals (A169) Strategic National Stockpile: American Preparedness to a Domestic Biological Attack

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (S1) ◽  
pp. s59-s59
Author(s):  
A.E. Piombino
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Technical Assistance ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Department Of Health ◽  
The Us ◽  
Control And Prevention ◽  
Public Health Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Strategic National Stockpile

This session offers an overview of the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) and the Cities Readiness Initiative (CRI), including CHEM PACK. Managed by the US Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “push-packs” of this critical federal cache of pharmaceuticals and medical materiel are at sites located throughout the country. The CDC's CRI is a federally funded program designed to compliment the SNS and enhance preparedness in the nation's largest cities and Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA) where more than 50% of the US population resides. Through CRI, state and large metropolitan public health departments continue refining plans to respond to a large-scale bioterrorism attack by dispensing antibiotics to the entire population of an identified MSA with 48 hours. The SNS Technical Assistance Review (TAR) will be reviewed, as well as best practices and lessons learned from successful public health emergency preparedness and response programs throughout the US.

“Operation Helping Hands”: Massachusetts' Health and Medical Response to Hurricane Katrina

2010 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 80-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzanne Condon ◽  
Elena Savoia ◽  
Rebecca Orfaly Cadigan ◽  
Marya Getchell ◽  
Jonathan L. Burstein ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Hurricane Katrina ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Medical Response ◽  
Health Goal ◽  
Public Health Goal ◽  
Control And Prevention ◽  
Massachusetts History

AbstractIntroduction:As Hurricane Katrina bore down on New Orleans in August 2005, the city's mandatory evacuation prompted the exodus of an estimated 80% of its 485,000 residents. According to estimates from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), at least 18 states subsequently hosted >200,000 evacuees.Hypothesis/Problem:In this case study, “Operation Helping Hands” (OHH), the Massachusetts health and medical response in assisting Hurricane Katrina evacuees is described. Operation Helping Hands represents the largest medical response to evacuees in recent Massachusetts history.Methods:The data describing OHH were derived from a series of structured interviews conducted with two leading public health officials directing planning efforts, and a sample of first responders with oversight ofoperations at the evacuation site. Also, a literature review was conducted to identify similar experiences, common challenges, and lessons learned.Results:Activities and services were provided in the following areas: (1) administration and management;(2) medical and mental health; (3) public health; and (4) social support. This study adds to the knowledge base for future evacuation and shelter planning, and presents a conceptual framework that could be used by other researchers and practitioners to describe the process and out comes of similar operations.Conclusions:This study provides a description of the planning and implementation efforts of the largest medical evacuee experience in recent Massachusetts history, an effort that involved multiple agencies and partners. The conceptual framework can inform future evacuation and shelter initiatives at the state and national levels, and promotes the overarching public health goal of the highest attainable standard of health for all.

scholarly journals Review of the Corona Viruses Causing Acute Respiratory Syndrome and COVID-2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 139
Author(s):  
Ahmed Nawsher Alam ◽  
Mahmuda Siddiqua ◽  
Abu Kholdun Al Mahmood ◽  
Aminur Rahman
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ◽  
Distress Syndrome ◽  
Health Sciences ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
The Third ◽  
Corona Virus ◽  
New Information ◽  
World Class ◽  
Corona Viruses

A new virus, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus-2 (SARS CoV-2) emerged in December 2019 and still continuing to pose a great threat all over the Globe claiming to a fatality 980,031 persons. Among the human corona viruses it is the third one causing acute respiratory distress syndrome. The others two are SARS CoV and MERS CoV. The objective of this study is to review the human corona viruses causing severe respiratory distresses which are detected thru analysis of some recently published documents on the deadly SARS CoV-2 as well as information on SARS-CoV and MERS CoV from different world class trust worthy reliable and dependable sources. Genetic analysis reveals that the new human corona virus (SARS CoV-2) has similarities with the severe acute respiratory syndrome like (SARS like) bat virus which thought to be the primary reservoir. SARSCoV and MERS-CoV also have same bat reservoir but the intermediate host are different for three human corona viruses. Though the clinical picture is more or less similar but efficiency of human to human transmission is not same for these viruses. So, strict control measures are critical to contain this very big pandemic been occurring since December 2019. Everyday new information has been coming causing strategy to change to control this pandemic. Zoonotic origin of corona viruses indicate researchers, public health specialists should keep the continuous surveillance for early detection of new virus alike SARS –CoV-2.International Journal of Human and Health Sciences Vol. 05 No. 02 April’21 Page: 139-147

COVID-19 situation in Honduras: lessons learned

2020 ◽  
Vol 128 (S2) ◽  
pp. S242-S250
Author(s):  
Itzel Fuentes ◽  
Karla Henriquez ◽  
Fausto Muñoz ◽  
Elsa Palou ◽  
Tito Alvarado ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health System ◽  
Surveillance System ◽  
Public Health System ◽  
Emerging Diseases ◽  
Current Data ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Epidemiological Surveillance ◽  
The Public

Introduction: Several emerging and re-emerging diseases in the last decade have shown the global weakness to detect and act in a timely manner in situations that threaten the health of the planet. Latin America has been vulnerable to outbreaks as a result of increased poverty, social inequity and the poor response capacity of the public health system. Objective: Describe the situation of COVID-19 in Honduras and the challenges it presents. Methodology: Analysis of the epidemiology and control strategies applied in the country to contain the spread of SARS-CoV-2, in the context of the social and economic reality until September 18, 2020. Results: Honduras ranks fifth in Central America in the number of tests performed; the cumulative incidence rate of cases is 7 105 per million inhabitants. The country has an accelerated growth in the percentage of positivity with intense community transmission. Some 63.4 % of cases are concentrated in the group 20-49 years old (43 624 cases); 15.2 % in adults 60+ (10 440 cases) and 7.5 % in children under 20 (5 133 cases). With a disjointed health system and a chronic and recurrent shortage of physical and human resources, the National Risk Management System (SINAGER), which includes the Ministry of Health (SESAL), implemented various strategies to reduce the spread of the virus. Some control measures were border closures, physical distancing and the use of masks were made mandatory by legislative decree. The serious impact on the weak national economy forced an intelligent opening coinciding with the rise of cases. Conclusions: Current data show that the age group most affected is adults between 20 and 49 years old. The country’s socioeconomic situation has been aggravated by the pandemic; the continuous rise in the number of cases, hospitalizations and deaths has collapsed the public health system leaving the majority of Hondurans in continuous vulnerability. Primary care clinics and mobile medical brigades have been implemented as a new way to contain the spread and impact of transmission. Several European countries and cities in the Americas have had to reverse the process of economic reopening when faced with successive waves of outbreaks. Honduras has demonstrated limited capacity to deal with catastrophic situations. The national epidemiological surveillance system and access to timely and quality diagnostic tests remain weak and fragmented. There is an urgent need to improve the health and surveillance system to guide strategic evidence-based decision making and to prevent future pandemics.

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