Articles: sars-cov-2.
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Disease epidemics have threatened American military preparedness and operational capabilities since 1775. The ongoing Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (COVID-19) pandemic, which began in 2019, again demonstrates the significant potential for infectious diseases to impact military units and threaten military readiness. We reviewed the historical and continuing threats to the U. ⋯ S. Military capabilities for conducting meaningful surveillance and response. We concluded that a structured review of military public health and preventive medicine capabilities should be conducted to assess the response to the COVID-19 pandemic and determine the capabilities necessary for infectious disease surveillance and response to future threats.
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We aimed to evaluate the effect of the SARS-COV2 pandemic on chaplain utilization at Brooke Army Medical Center. Our hypothesis was that multiple pandemic-related factors led to a care environment with increased mental and spiritual stress for patients and their families, leading to an increased need for adjunct services such as chaplaincy. ⋯ This study demonstrates that factors related to the SARS-COV2 pandemic resulted in fewer chaplaincy consults in our inpatient setting. We did not find other reports of a change in the rate of chaplaincy consultation, but available reports suggest that many centers have had difficulty balancing the spiritual needs of patients with local exposure guidelines. Although fewer individual chaplain consults occurred during the SARS-COV2 pandemic, our chaplain service innovated by utilizing various phone, video, and web-based platforms to deliver spiritual support to our community. Our study also suggests that the patients most greatly affected by the pandemic have an increased need for spiritual support, especially at the end of life. Future studies in this subject should examine the effect of various types of chaplain services as they relate to the health and well-being of hospitalized patients.
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As of early 2022, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic still represents a worldwide medical emergency situation. The ongoing vaccination programs can slow down the spread of the virus; however, from time to time, the newly emerging variants of concern and antivaccination movements carry the possibility for the disease to remain in our daily lives. After the appearance of SARS-CoV-2, there was scholarly debate whether the virus was of natural origin, or it emerged from a laboratory, some even thinking the agent's potential biological weapon properties suggest the latter scenario. Later, the bioweapon theory was dismissed by the majority of experts, but the question remains that despite its natural origin, how potent a biological weapon the SARS-CoV-2 virus can become over time. ⋯ Our results show that the virus can become a potent bioweapon candidate in the future, achieving a total score of 24 out of 36 on the original 12 criteria. The SARS-CoV-2 has already proven its pandemic generating potential and, despite worldwide efforts, still remains an imminent threat. In order to be prepared for the future possibility of the virus arising as a bioweapon, we must remain cautious and take the necessary countermeasures.
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · Mar 2023
Vaccine Effectiveness Against Severe Disease and Death for Patients With COVID-19 During the Delta-Dominant and Omicron-Emerging Periods: A K-COVE Study.
National cohort data collected during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) delta and omicron periods in Korea revealed a lower risk of severe infection in recipients of three doses of the COVID-19 vaccine (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.05-0.08). The risk of death was reduced during the omicron period compared to the delta period (aOR, 0.75; 95% confidence interval, 0.67-0.84).
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · Mar 2023
Relationship Between Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination Rates and Rare But Potentially Fatal Adverse Events: A Regression Discontinuity Analysis of Western Countries.
Owing to limited experience with the new vaccine platforms, discussion of vaccine safety is inevitable. However, media coverage of adverse events of special interest could influence the vaccination rate; thus, evaluating the outcomes of adverse events of special interest influencing vaccine administration is crucial. ⋯ Although monitoring and reporting of adverse events of special interest are important, a careful approach towards public announcements is warranted.