Annals of Internal Medicine
Kutikov, Alexander; Weinberg, David S.; Edelman, Martin J.; Horwitz, Eric M.; Uzzo, Robert G.; Fisher, Richard I.
Introduction
The rapidly expanding coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) (SARS–CoV-2) acute respiratory pandemic has assaulted all aspects of daily life. As of 25 March 2020, there were more than 450 000 cases worldwide. In the absence of a vaccine or a therapeutic agent, a “social distancing” strategy is the primary intervention to hamper the spread of infection. A major fear of most governments and individuals is the heavy impact on the health care delivery system. Cumbersome diagnostic testing, inadequate protective supplies for frontline providers and first responders, and limited hospital capacity—including intensive care—have all conspired to create an environment compared to warfare.
Keywords
Epidemiology; Ethics, social science, economics