Coronavirus and the Responsibility of Plastic Surgeons

Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery - Global Open

Teven, Chad M.; Rebecca, Alanna

Introduction

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has massive implications both for our collective health and the state of our healthcare system. At the present time, the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center has confirmed 181,587 total cases of COVID-19 infection and 7,139 total deaths (death rate 3.9%). By the time this letter reaches publication, both of these numbers are bound to have increased significantly. Of particular concern in regard to the current crisis are the high rates of critical illness and death related to contraction of the virus as well as the rate at which the outbreak has been spreading. Mizumoto and Chowell hypothesize a possible explanation for the severity of the epidemic may be associated with a faulty healthcare system.

Keywords

Ethics, social science, economics