Articles: pandemics.
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Since December 2019, the world is potentially facing one of the most difficult infectious situations of the last decades. COVID-19 epidemic warrants consideration as a mass casualty incident (MCI) of the highest nature. ⋯ COVID-19 outbreak has demonstrated the worldwide unpreparedness to face a global MCI. This present paper thus represents a call for action to solicitate governments and the Global Community to actively start effective plans to promote and improve MCI management preparedness in general, and with an obvious current focus on COVID-19.
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JMIR Public Health Surveill · Apr 2020
Misinformation of COVID-19 on the Internet: Infodemiology Study.
The internet has become an important source of health information for users worldwide. The novel coronavirus caused a pandemic search for information with broad dissemination of false or misleading health information. ⋯ Nonhealth personnel and the scientific community need to be aware about the quality of the information they read and produce, respectively. The Wuhan coronavirus health crisis misinformation was produced by the media, and the misinformation was obtained by users from the internet. The use of the internet has a risk to public health, and, in cases like this, the governments should be developing strategies to regulate health information on the internet without censuring the population. By February 6, 2020, no quality information was available on the internet about COVID-19.
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The coronavirus pandemic has caused enormous concern among many people. Every morning, we are met with an increasing deluge of dire news about the most recent number of people to contract COVID-19 and to die from it, decreases in the stock market, and countries implementing broad travel restrictions and stay-at-home orders.1,2 The current state of affairs is having a negative effect on the mental well-being of our country's residents. It also highlights the policy gaps in our current system that inhibit the vital conditions for well-being and resiliency.3 Although the primary focus has rightfully been on stopping the spread of COVID-19, we should also quickly prepare to address the mental toll the pandemic is taking on individuals and communities across the country. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print May 21, 2020: e1-e2. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2020.305699).