Turk J Med Sci
-
The clinical course of COVID-19 is variable, with clinical manifestation ranging from 81% mild course to 14% severe course along with 5% critical course in patients. The asymptomatic course is reported to potentially range between 20% and 70% (avg. 33%). A more severe course is seen in the elderly, those with various chronic diseases, and the immunosuppressed, where the case fatality rate is higher in these risk groups. ⋯ The most common extrapulmonary symptom is neuropsychiatric involvement, frequently accompanied by insomnia, an impediment to remembering, and an altered state of consciousness. During the course of COVID-19, patients undergo some pathological changes (severe lymphopenia, high levels of C-reactive protein, D-dimer, ferritin, etc.) depending on the condition and exposure level of the affected systems as shown by various laboratory tests. The relevant tests are the guiding elements of risk assessment, clinical monitoring, disease severity, and prognosis setting and therapy decision-making processes.
-
In this review, we evaluated health care problems, which were not common before pandemic outbreak but have been common issues after its appereance and approaches to control pandemic considering its influences on people. We revised current health care developing approaches under the light of experience obtained throughout the pandemic so far. ⋯ As in Covid 19 pandemics, such long lasting and widely affecting situations, durability is also very important together with flexibility and quickness. To provide durability, we need global policies taking the health to its center as well as health system policies.
-
Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) has been a serious health problem since it was first identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019 and has created a global crisis with its economic, sociological, and psychological aspects. Approximately 15% of cases have a severe clinical presentation, and 5% of patients require admission to the intensive care unit. A significant proportion of patients presents with a rapidly progressing acute respiratory failure and require invasive mechanical ventilation. This article aimed to evaluate how the optimal intubation timing should be determined in cases of acute respiratory failure due to COVID-19 and to offer recommendations for basic intensive care support in the light of our current knowledge.
-
Review Meta Analysis
How efficient are facial masks against COVID-19? Evaluating the mask use of various communities one year into the pandemic.
Face masks are devices worn over the mouth and nose to protect against splashes, infectious respiratory droplets, or aerosols generated during breathing or coughing according to their filtering capacity. Medical masks, respirators, or cloth masks have been used for source control and for the protection of the exposed. After the first case on March 11, 2020, in Turkey, National COVID-19 Scientific Advisory Board published various contents for the correct use of masks. ⋯ Metaanalysis, case control, cross sectional, cohort, retrospective, retrospective cross sectional, research, randomized controlled, and controlled comparison studies were reviewed on the protective effect of masks on COVID-19 with laboratory evidence. Optimum use of face masks with additional precautions has been found to be useful controlling the spread of the respiratory viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 in most of the studies and metaanalyses. As a conclusion, the recent evidence in COVID-19 pandemic is consistent with the previous studies which have shown association between face mask use and decreased risk of viral infections, and medical face mask use should be encouraged both for the community and healthcare facilities along with other infection control measures such as hand hygiene, during outbreaks when there is widespread community transmission.
-
COVID-19 emerged at the end of 2019 in Wuhan, China, and spread rapidly around the world causing many deaths. Due to the intercontinental escalation in the epidemic, while WHO declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020, our country’s first case was diagnosed. Before this, the MoH established the Operations Center against possible risks regarding the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Plan on January 10, 2020 and formed the Scientific Committee, which has a critical importance in epidemic management. ⋯ In our country, the number of laboratories and tests were expanded to monitor variant viruses. Vaccination activities continue in line with the National Vaccine Administration Strategy. In the fight against pandemic, it will be possible to maintain and increase our country’s acquisitions so far, owing to the strong health infrastructure both in terms of manpower and institutions, free health care, success in the production of PPE and medical devices, and finally, rapid acceleration of the vaccination.