Articles: pandemics.
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In the fight against COVID-19, frontline health workers have been vital to keeping the pandemic at bay, but recognition of individual professions' efforts have been inconsistent at all levels. Pharmacists around the world have continued to provide direct patient care and perform frontline duties for their communities during this pandemic, but are often relegated to the background and overlooked when frontline workers are heralded. Community pharmacists are the most accessible healthcare practitioners, which is further proven during the pandemic as they continued to provide direct patient care despite restrictions imposed by the government due to the pandemic. ⋯ Alongside ICU nurses, physicians, and respiratory therapists, hospital pharmacists have been part of the COVID-19 efforts and their roles include management of drug shortages, development of treatment protocols, participation of patient rounds, interpretation of lab results for COVID-19, participant recruitment for clinical trials, exploration of new drugs, medication management advice, and antimicrobial stewardship. Further support from pharmacists will be needed once a vaccine is launched in order to reach population-wide coverage. Amid COVID-19, pharmacists have not stopped working as frontline workers and they should be recognized as such.
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This document aims to provide evidence-based recommendations to estimate the personal protective equipments (PPE), medical devices, and drugs commonly used in the Intensive Care Unit during the COVID-19 pandemic. A systematic literature review and gray literature assessment was performed, and the evidence was categorized using the GRADE methodology. Then a predictive model was built to support the estimation of resources needed during 30 days of the pandemic. ⋯ It is important to remark the difficult in estimating and managing the number of essential supplies and equipment required during a pandemic. The model allowed us to predict the resources required to provide critical care during 30 days of pandemic activity. Given the constant evolution of COVID-19, these recommendations might change as evidence evolves.
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Notfall Rettungsmed · Jan 2020
Review[Strategy for university emergency room management at the beginning of an epidemic using COVID-19 as an example].
Due to the increasing number of COVID-19 infections worldwide, all hospitals are faced with the challenge associated with the pandemic. In particular, emergency rooms must prepare and implement completely new workflows. ⋯ In addition, communication and quality and risk management are highly relevant in addition to the clinical aspects. This article uses COVID-19 as an example to describe how emergency rooms can prepare for a pandemic.
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The newly emerged coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, first reported in December 2019, has infected about five and a half million people globally and resulted in nearly 9063264 deaths until the 24th of June 2020. Nevertheless, the highly contagious virus has instigated an unimaginably rapid response from scientific and medical communities. ⋯ An innovative analysis is evaluating the nature of the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim is to increase knowledge of possible viral detection methods, which highlights several new technology limitations and advantages. We have assessed some drugs currently for patients (Lopinavir, Ritonavir, Anakinra and Interferon beta 1a), as the feasibility of COVID-19 specific antivirals is not presently known. The study explores the race toward vaccine development and highlights some significant trials and candidates in various clinical phases. This research addresses critical knowledge gaps by identifying repurposed drugs currently under clinical trials. Findings will be fed back rapidly to the researchers interested in COVID 19 and support the evidence and potential of possible therapeutics and small molecules with their mode of action.
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Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
Economic impact of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic on acute care hospitals in Japan.
In response to the coronavirus diseases 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the Japanese government declared a state of emergency on April 7, 2020. Six days earlier, the Japan Surgical Society had recommended postponing elective surgical procedures. Along with the growing public fear of COVID-19, hospital visits in Japan decreased. ⋯ It is suggested that the hospitals treating COVID-19 patients were negatively incentivized.