The Great Coronavirus Pandemic of 2020—7 Critical Lessons

Type Journal Article Author Lawrence O. Gostin URL https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2772746 Series The Jama Forum Volume 324 Pages 1816-1817 Publication JAMA Network Date 10/11/2020 DOI doi:10.1001/jama.2020.18347 Abstract The world is experiencing a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic, causing untold human suffering and death, unraveling of social relationships, and robbing individuals of livelihoods and countries of prosperity. The coronavirus pandemic has strained health systems, revealed unconscionable inequalities, and upended international institutions. Here are 7 critical lessons. First, Build Resilient Health Systems The most important element of pandemic preparedness is a resilient health system to rapidly detect, assess, report, and respond to novel outbreaks. The International Health Regulations, which govern pandemic response, require all countries to have core health system capacities, including surveillance, laboratories, human resources, and risk communication. Health systems also need capacity to test for, diagnose, and treat infectious diseases. Although high-income countries have robust health systems, they often lacked sufficient capacity to treat large numbers of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) or to protect health workers from infection. In the US, hospitals and governors had to compete for access to ventilators and personal protective equipment. Resilient health systems require surge capacity to cope with health emergencies in the event hospitals become overrun.