The links below represent a wide range of topics in news articles, resources, and journal articles. The views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) identified in the respective articles, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Odyssey Medical, or the author of this blog post. |
Foreword: We ended the month of February with just 76 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Canada. Fast forward to March 31, we had 8591 confirmed and presumptive cases across the country – a whopping 11204% increase in a span of a month.
As we look back on March, and unlike the previous editions of the media scan – COVID-19 will be the only topic we focus on. We included a number of government directives, resources, journal articles and other clinical resource you may find useful.
Guidance
[Health Canada] Optimizing the use of masks and respirators during the COVID-19 outbreak
[Health Canada] Considerations in the use of homemade masks to protect against COVID-19
[Health Canada] 3D printing and other unconventional manufacturing of personal protective equipment in response to COVID-19
Journal Articles
We have chosen articles from three well-respected peer-reviewed journals (The British Medical Journal, The Lancet and The New England Journal of Medicine) looking at different aspect of COVID-19.
The BMJ conducted a retrospective analysis of patients who died from COVID-19 in China, and attempted to come up with clinical characteristics and laboratory findings relevant to the mortality of COVID-19 patients.
The Lancet reflects on how COVID-19 affected mass gatherings around the world, and what impact it has beyond health.
Finally, NEJM looked at the grim reality of the ethics in allocating medical resources in a public health crisis. Who gets to live? Who will sacrifice?
[BMJ] Clinical characteristics of 113 deceased patients with coronavirus disease 2019: retrospective study “Acute respiratory distress syndrome and respiratory failure, sepsis, acute cardiac injury, and heart failure were the most common critical complications during exacerbation of covid-19.” |
[The Lancet] Mass gathering events and reducing further global spread of COVID-19: a political and public health dilemma
“These cancellations have social and economic impacts on public morale, on national economies, and on individual livelihoods.”
https://www.thelancet.com/
[New England Journal of Medicine] Fair Allocation of Scarce Medical Resources in the Time of Covid-19
“Priority for limited resources should aim both at saving the most lives and at maximizing improvements in individuals’ post-treatment length of life. Saving more lives and more years of life is a consensus value across expert reports.”
Resources
We have included a number of resources – from drug trials underway, to symptom evaluation, mental health to preparing for the workplace and cyber-security realities of COVID-19.
[Epocrates] COVID-19 Drug Therapy Trial Updates |
[Epocrates] COVID-19 Symptom Eval | 2020 CDC, WHO Guidance Synthesis |
[Mayo Clinic] Guidance on patients at risk of drug-induced sudden cardiac death from off-label COVID-19 treatments |
[Centre for Addiction and Mental Health] Mental Health and the COVID-19 Pandemic https://www.camh.ca/en/health- |
[Сox & Palmer] How to Prepare for Coronavirus in the Workplace https://coxandpalmerlaw.com/ |
[Blakes] Keeping Cyber-Safe During the COVID-19 Outbreak https://www.blakes.com/ |
News Articles
The first article echoes the NEJM journal article on resource allocation at a time when the medical system is overburdened.
The second and third news article details how Mexico is bucking the trend from other world countries – as they continue to allow mass gatherings to be held, and allowing cruise-ships to dock when no other countries are willing to allow port calls. Mexico has so far only reported 1215 cases of COVID-19. Is the country heading into a dangerous territory, or do they know something we don’t?
[Inside Science] Ethical Anguish in a Time of COVID-19
“One way to ease the ethical problem for physicians is to use committees to make the decisions, taking the burden off individual doctors. In Italy, a set of rules newly formulated by the Italian College of Anesthesia, Analgesia, Resuscitation, and Intensive Care (SIAARTI) gives external support for the decision. Physicians can then follow the guidelines.”
https://www.insidescience.org/
[USA Today] Mexico holds off canceling mass gatherings amid coronavirus threat
[USA Today] Mexico will receive cruise ships amid coronavirus pandemic, but will ‘individually fumigate’ passengers
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