Disaster medicine and public health preparedness
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Disaster Med Public Health Prep · Oct 2020
Predicted Effects of Stopping COVID-19 Lockdown on Italian Hospital Demand.
Italy has been one of the first countries to implement mitigation measures to curb the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. There is currently a debate on when and how such measures should be loosened. To forecast the demand for hospital intensive care unit (ICU) and non-ICU beds for COVID-19 patients from May to September, we developed 2 models, assuming a gradual easing of restrictions or an intermittent lockdown. ⋯ Italian hospital demand is likely to remain high in the next months. If restrictions are reduced, planning for the next several months should consider an increase in health-care resources to maintain surge capacity across the country.
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Disaster Med Public Health Prep · Oct 2020
Epidemiological Characteristics on the Clustering Nature of COVID-19 in Qingdao City, 2020: A Descriptive Analysis.
As an emerging infectious disease, COVID-19 has involved many countries and regions. With the further development of the epidemic, the proportion of clusters has increased. ⋯ More attention should be paid to the epidemic of clusters in prevention and control of COVID-19. In addition to isolating patients, it is essential to track, screen, and isolate those who have come in close contact with patients. Self-isolation is the key especially for healthy people in the epidemic area.
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Disaster Med Public Health Prep · Oct 2020
Epidemiologic Features of 135 Patients With Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) in Tianjin, China.
This study describes the epidemiologic features of an outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Tianjin caused by a novel coronavirus and provides the scientific basis for prevention and control measures. ⋯ Current information suggests that people are generally susceptible to COVID-19, which has shown a familial clustering in Tianjin.
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Disaster Med Public Health Prep · Oct 2020
Historical ArticleHow to Surge to Face the SARS-CoV-2 Outbreak: Lessons Learned From Lombardy, Italy.
Italy is fighting against one of the worst medical emergency since the 1918 Spanish Flu. Pressure on the hospitals is tremendous. ⋯ Unfortunately, hospitals are not prepared: even where a plan for massive influx of patients is present, it usually focuses on sudden onset disaster trauma victims (the most probable case scenario), and it has not been tested, validated, or propagated to the staff. Despite this, the All Hazards Approach for management of major incidents and disasters is still valid and the "4S" theory (staff, stuff, structure, systems) for surge capacity can be guidance to respond to this disaster.
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Disaster Med Public Health Prep · Oct 2020
Face Masks Are Beneficial Regardless of the Level of Infection in the Fight Against COVID-19.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) due to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is currently a global pandemic that has affected over 7 million people worldwide, resulting in over 400,000 deaths. In the past 20 years, they have been several viral epidemics that were primarily transmitted by respiratory droplets. The use of face masks is proven to be effective in protecting health-care workers as they perform their duties. ⋯ This study aimed to conduct a review to determine if face masks would be beneficial in the general population as a means of reducing the spread of COVID-19. The widespread implementation of wearing face masks by the general population is challenging due to a variety of factors. However, the extensive use of cloth masks in conjunction with other preventative measures such as social distancing and handwashing can potentially reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19.