COVID-19 blind spots: A consensus statement on the importance of competent political leadership and the need for public health cognizance

Thomas J Papadimos, Samara E Soghoian, Prabath Nanayakkara, Sarman Singh, Andrew C Miller, Venkataramanaiah Saddikuti, Achala Upendra Jayatilleke, Siddharth P Dubhashi, Michael S Firstenberg, Vibha Dutta, Vivek Chauhan, Pushpa Sharma, Sagar C Galw.ar, Manish Garg, Nicholas Taylor, Stanislaw P StawickiJournal of Global Infectious Diseases 2020 12(4):167-190 As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, important discoveries and considerations emerge regarding the SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) pathogen; its biological and epidemiological characteristics; and the corresponding psychological, societal, and public health (PH) impacts. During the past year, the global community underwent a massive transformation, including the implementation of numerous nonpharmacological interventions; critical diversions or modifications across various spheres of our economic and public domains; and a transition from consumption-driven to conservation-based behaviors. Providing essential necessities such as food, water, health care, financial, and other services has become a formidable challenge, with significant threats to the existing supply chains and the shortage or reduction of workforce across many sectors of the global economy. Food and pharmaceutical supply chains constitute uniquely vulnerable and critically important areas that require high levels of safety and compliance. Many regional health-care systems faced at least one wave of overwhelming COVID-19 case surge...
Source: Journal of Global Infectious Diseases - Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Source Type: research