Question

Our textbook specifically discusses our country's lack of preparedness for a pandemic in Chapter 13, page 274 under the "Epidemics, Ethics, and Public Health" heading. Much has been discussed by public health officials in articles and news stories in the past few months regarding the lack of official expert forums, epidemic protocols, and medical supplies prepared for such a disaster as we are now experiencing, albeit at a global level. As aptly predicted in the quote below, the US medical community was waylaid by the effects of the global pandemic caused by Coronavirus.

"In the United States, response to the influenza pandemics across all 50 states involved the development of emergency policies and plans for future influenza outbreaks; however, only 6 states had written guidelines for ethical decision-making in such emergencies. Scholars have noted that this low number is concerning because of the ethical responsibilities around medication rationing, isolation, and quarantine that often occur during pandemics. To better prepare for future disease outbreaks, governments should have predetermined ethical decision-making procedures for public health agencies to follow in emergencies." (Morrison & Furlong, 2019).

Please consider the following in your discussion board post:

1. Read the following article discussing the ethical and legal responsibilities to our communities in light of the novel Coronavirus pandemic: "Responding to COVID‐19: How to Navigate a Public Health Emergency Legally and Ethically."
2. Create a discussion board post expounding on one way the textbook chapter mentions a learned public health strategy (from past epidemics or pandemics) or suggested overall changes to epidemic/pandemic preparedness that the US did not take into practice (prior to the start of the Coronavirus pandemic) based on the article above. Discuss any personal experience you have had working in the healthcare industry during this time; please be sure to observe all HIPAA laws regarding patient identifiers or your specific facility name.

Answer 1

Ans) Few novel or emerging infectious diseases have posed such vital ethical challenges so quickly and dramatically as the novel coronavirus SARS‐CoV‐2, which causes Covid‐19. SARS‐CoV‐2 is thought to have originated in a wet market in Wuhan, China, in early December, making a zoonotic leap from a bat (through an animal intermediary) to a human. It rapidly spread throughout China with highly efficient human‐to‐human transmission and has now circumnavigated the globe, with a foothold in every continent except Antarctica. The World Health Organization declared a public health emergency of international concern and recently classified Covid‐19 as a worldwide pandemic.

- As of this writing, the epidemic peak has not yet been reached in the United States, but community transmission is widespread. President Trump declared a national emergency as fifty governors declared state emergencies1—a situation unprecedented in modern America. In the coming weeks, hospitals will become overrun, stretched to their capacities.

- Widespread social separation is rapidly becoming the norm, with closures of schools and universities, telecommuting, bans on large gatherings, and millions of people isolated in their homes or makeshift facilities. Bans on international travel are already pervasive. Domestic travel restrictions are exceedingly rare but now within the realm of possibility. Officials are even ordering cordon sanitaires (guarded areas where people may not enter or leave), popularly described as “lockdowns” or mass quarantines. For example, San Francisco recently ordered a lockdown, with other cities and states closing gathering places (such as bars, restaurants, and movie theaters) and advising residents to shelter.