The theme of the pandemic is one of the currently discussed topics today. Therefore, researchers spend much time and resources investigating this field and offering the most relevant findings to support populations and solve COVID-19 related problems. Applying quantitative methods for COVID-19 cases data analysis is a common approach in modern research. There are many examples of gathering and analyzing quantitative information, including financial reports, marketing reports, and demographical changes, via online and paper surveys, interviews, longitudinal studies, and systematic observations. Lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic are numerous, and quantitative methodology is a reliable solution to understand the algorithms of the virus growth.
Qualitative data includes any valuable numbers and forms of counts with the help of which a research question (or questions) can be answered within research. This type of methodology allows measuring different parameters within a particular field and relies on mathematical derivations from surveys, polls, and other available sources. A distinctive feature of the COVID-19 epidemics is its unpredictability and poor public awareness. A number of deadlocks and gaps currently exist, pushing individuals and professional organizations to implement policies at local, state, and federal levels (Silva et al., 2020). As soon as the decision to gather calculations, measurements, and counters is made, it is necessary to think about how to analyze this type of data, with the most relevant results to be achieved.
Regarding the spread of the disease and the inability to predict its growth and impact on people, researchers prefer to demonstrate different analytical methods for understanding the gathered information. One of the frequently used analytical methods is cross-tabulation, when information is given in a basic tabular form to see the differences, changes, or other measuring aspects. For example, Farhadi and Lahooti (2021) present several tables that contain the results of the statistical analysis of the countries and their application of COVID-19 data. The benefits of this method are simplicity and clarity of information. It does not take much time to find the required country and learn the results of the statistical tests.
Some researchers prefer to pay attention to trend (statistical) analysis or conjoint analysis to identify and analyze advanced metrics, feedback, and other variables. To contribute to studying the COVID-19 progress and solution, the susceptibleinfectiousrecovered (SIR) model is recommended (Silva et al., 2020). Although the challenge of this method is the impossibility of investigating many regions at the same time, the relationship between variables can be properly identified (Silva et al., 2020). It seems to be effective to conduct a comprehensive analysis on several epidemiological models, use a limited number of measurements (birth and death rates, for example), and analyze some interventions efficiency. The analysis of quantitative data about COVID-19 cases may consist of several stages, like network construction, modeling, and evaluation, to demonstrate how data changes at different periods (Silva et al., 2020). Unfortunately, the pandemic is characterized by many unclear points and gaps in knowledge, but quantitative data helps advance solutions and recommendations.
Using quantitative methods for COVID-19 cases data analysis has certain advantages and limitations. On the one hand, this approach offers reliable information in the form of numbers from generalized and anonymous sources collaborated distantly. On the other hand, people who are profoundly interested in the COVID-19 situation cannot develop feedback from statistics. They usually need more information, a description of the environment, or additional qualitative explanations. Thus, a quantitative methodology is not the only option for modern researchers to reveal the truth about the pandemic and its impact on the modern world.
References
Farhadi, N., & Lahooti, H. (2021). Are COVID-19 data reliable? A quantitative analysis of pandemic data from 182 countries. COVID, 1(1), 137-152. Web.
Silva, T. C., Anghinoni, L., & Zhao, L. (2020). Quantitative analysis of the effectiveness of public health measures on COVID-19 transmission. MedRxiv, Web.
Vaccines are an important aspect of public health and the general wellness of people. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) defines vaccines as a product that stimulates a persons immune system to produce immunity to a specific disease, protecting the person from that disease. Vaccines are commonly administered through direct injection by the use of a needle. Vaccines are an important part of the health system as they prevent the recurrence of dangerous diseases hence eliminating instances of future treatment of the same diseases.
Rationale
Vaccine awareness is particularly important for the audience due to its educative value. The Covid-19 pandemic attracted numerous controversies and conspiracy theories that need to be demystified for the public for the greater good. Through this awareness, the audience will be equipped with sufficient knowledge and be able to make informed decisions on whether to get vaccinated or go for other available alternatives (Educators for Social Change, n.d). The most important thing about vaccine awareness is being accorded credible information regarding COVID-19 vaccines rather than relying on information that could otherwise be misinforming to the public.
Audience
The target audience for this lesson is middle school to college-level students. Students are prioritized for this lesson because of the high risks of infection they face regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. Students in traditional settings tend to have uncontrolled social interactions that put them at risk of getting infected with the virus and thereafter contribute to further spreading to the outside world. As such students must get the relevant knowledge on vaccines including the processes of creation, why people should be vaccinated, and the safety of the vaccine. It is, however, important to state that vaccination against COVID-19 is the path toward regaining normalcy in schools and therefore all students should be encouraged to get vaccinated. This information will encourage more students to go for the vaccines and help stop the spread of the virus.
Teaching Method
To reach a larger population and ensure referencing at any particular point, this lesson will be transmitted through video. The disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic caused a shift in teaching methods from traditional teaching styles to the digitalization of teaching. Research indicates that teaching through digital platforms in form of videos and podcasts results in high rates of information retention and takes less time compared to traditional delivery methods (Li & Lalani, 2020).
Findings
COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective.
According to the CDC side effects of the vaccine headache, tiredness, muscle pain, and nausea are common and normal and only a sign that the body is adjusting accordingly.
The benefits of getting vaccinated outweigh the risks of not getting the vaccine; the risks include infection and death due to infection (CDC).
Learner Objectives
Equip students with relevant information on COVID-19 vaccines.
Demystify misinformation regarding the COVID-19 vaccination.
Encourage students to go and get vaccinated against the COVID- 19 virus as soon as possible.
Evaluation Criteria
A survey will be conducted on the targeted students to assess their knowledgeability of the students concerning the COVID-19 vaccination. The survey will be in form of a questionnaire on the general knowledge of the topic and also on their status and attitude towards vaccination.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2022). Safety of COVID-19 vaccines. Web.
Educators for Social Change (n.d). Teaching about vaccines. Web.
Li, C. & Lalani, F. (2020) The COVID-19 pandemic has changed education forever. This is how. Web.
The COVID-19 pandemic put to the test the willingness of people to demonstrate care for others. Public health officials advised the public that the most effective way of reducing the spread of the virus was by minimizing contact with other people. The government enforced actions such as mandatory quarantine and lockdowns. However, many people still do not understand or appreciate the science of isolation. Public health messaging about the importance of quarantine was effectively delivered, but the public remains reluctant to adhere to COVID-19 guidelines.
Healthcare workers, such as epidemiologists, guide people in fighting against infectious diseases. According to Dr. Hanage, people can break the transmission link by undertaking simple actions such as working from home and isolating themselves when one shows symptoms of the virus (Roberts, 2020). Although some people followed these instructions, many others did not because they did not appreciate the importance of quarantine. In the US, individuals in various parts of the country held demonstrations against lockdown directives (Maqbool, 2020). Lockdown and quarantine mandates were termed unconstitutional as some citizens viewed them as the state infringing on personal freedoms. Ironically, some protesters contracted the virus from the demonstrations they attended (Maqbool, 2020). Epidemiologists have had a difficult time convincing people of the need to adhere to measures that help break the link.
Public health message has been delivered efficiently, but people did not receive it well. Health officials discussed the importance of isolation, working from home, and other COVID-19 measures. They used posters, social media videos, TV interviews, infographics, and many more forms of communication. The message was explicit such that a layperson could understand why these measures were necessary (Maqbool, 2020). However, message reception was less than optimal, and many people still do not undertake actions that would reduce the spread of the virus. In general, healthcare officials have done a commendable job of educating the public, but people have not been keen to follow the guidelines issued.
I agree with this post concerning the impact that the current Covid-19 has had on peoples lives, and specifically on nurses and other healthcare professionals. The writer raises legitimate concerns about the worth of a nurse to a hospital system, especially during these challenging times. One of the issues that arise in this post is the blurred lines between duty, responsibility, and self-preservation. According to Morley et al. (2020), in the battle against Covid19, the safety of nurses and other health care workers on the front lines is a pressing ethical concern, as they are asked to work under conditions that pose substantial and inadequately understood risks to their overall health and wellbeing (p. 35). The writer of this post is bold enough to delve into areas that many nurses would rather avoid in their discussions. For instance, the writer confesses that he or she is unsure of the extent that which he or she will go to save a patients life if it means putting his or her own life in line.
Additionally, the author expresses a major issue that most nurses have with their employers a deep running mistrust between the two parties. A study carried out by Mousazadeh et al. (2019) showed that the management style in place is one of the many reasons contributing to the lack of job satisfaction among nurses. This assertion resonates well with the posts view when the author notes that he or she was appalled to learn that despite receiving increased premiums from patients diagnosed with Covid-19 in line with the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, the employer has not taken any measures to support nurses should anything happen to them in the line of their duty. The writer of this post has done impressive work by speaking out his or her heart effectively giving voice to many nurses who are not comfortable about raising these issues in the workplace.
References
Morley, G., Grady, C., McCarthy, J., & Ulrich, C. M. (2020). Covid-19: Ethical challenges for nurses. The Hastings Center Report, 50(3), 35-39.
Mousazadeh, S., Yektatalab, S., Momennasab, M., & Parvizy, S. (2019). Job satisfaction challenges of nurses in the intensive care unit: A qualitative study. Risk Management and Healthcare Policy, 12, 233242.
After careful reading of this post, several mini themes were highlighted, which were touched by the author of the text. Despite the general emphasis on the effect of coronavirus infection, COVID-19, the writer turns to five rather specific features of the pandemic a shift of emphasis for nurses, the lack of interest employers in APRN employing, the development of telemedicine, the deteriorating situation in Florida and the prevention of future outbreaks of pandemics. This response provides an analysis of the original post and the authors thoughts on what was written.
First and foremost, it highlights the topic of telemedicine development. It should be admitted that this incredible direction always seemed to be a distant future, but the crisis was able to implement distant medicine in 2020. Indeed, this direction is incredibly promising, and such an approach, implemented not only within the framework of this pandemic but also extended to other diseases, guarantees that each patient will be able to receive effective assistance from medical specialists.
The fragment on the deteriorating situation in Florida seems pretty true, which causes some pessimism. The author of the post writes that the states health indicators rapidly demonstrate a negative situation, which is justified by the authorities slowdown in prevention. Speck & Castro (2020) confirms this information, revealing significant Florida health problems. Moreover, the reading of a fragment devoted to negative employment trends in APRNs gives an unpleasant impression. It may seem daunting to see the lack of interest among employers in a sense, there seems to be a paradox. If coronavirus infection has demonstrated a severe public health crisis, it should be so that as many professionals as possible are employed. This would ensure the smooth running of local clinics. In practice, much more advanced factors are likely responsible for this phenomenon.
Finally, an essential problem with COVID-19 is the shift of emphasis and attention from the nurses themselves. In the context of the pandemic, the daily lives of health workers must remain the same, so increased working hours and occupational stress do not seem fair. Nurses must continue to enjoy life, interact with children, churches, and partners as they used to. Otherwise, this situation is a health problem that needs to be addressed. This is a priority in preparing for future outbreaks of pandemics.
References
Speck, E. & Castro, A. (2020). High coronavirus positive case rate reveals flaws in Florida Department of Health report. Click Orlando. Web.
Covid-19 is an acute respiratory syndrome that belongs to the Coronaviridae family. The virus is spread through aerosols and respiratory droplets. Once it gets to the body, the virus binds to body receptors and crosses into the cells by endocytosis. Viral maturity occurs in the cell, after which it is released to attack adjacent epithelial cells (Sadhukhan et al. 3822) The upper respiratory tract suffers entirely from the virus invasion, with the lungs suffering the worst damage.
Covid-19 invades the lungs directly and destroys the body alveoli. Once the alveoli are damaged, their function of facilitating gaseous exchange in the lungs is impaired. The virus attacks the alveoli and capillaries by destroying their cell walls (Menter et al. 200). The plasma proteins that result as debris of the damaged walls accumulate along the alveolus walls, making them thicken. The thickening causes impairment in oxygen transportation resulting in breathing difficulties.
Breathing difficulties result in oxygen shortage in the body, causes a deficit of oxygen supplied to body organs altering their functioning. When the body detects the damage done to the lungs, the immune system is provoked. The immune system tries to fight back to stop viral replication. If the immune system is too weak to fight back, viral replication aggravates, causing further destruction (Nienhold et al. 8). Air sac damage results in a liquid influx into the cells resulting in pneumonia. In case the virus is not destroyed, the respiratory tract is wholly destroyed, resulting in death.
From chapter 17, the mechanics of breathing, the study of respiratory system functions are discussed. The chapter describes the gaseous exchange and ventilation. This is related to how Covid-19 is transmitted and its progress in invading the body. Chapter 18 discusses gaseous exchange in lungs and gas transportation in the body. Covid-19 damages the lungs, alveoli, and capillaries, hindering gaseous exchange, oxygen transportation, and ventilation in the body.
Works Cited
Menter, Thomas, et al. Postmortem examination of COVID19 patients reveals diffuse alveolar damage with severe capillary congestion and variegated findings in lungs and other organs suggesting vascular dysfunction. Histopathology, vol 77, no 2, 2020, pp 198-209.
Nienhold, Ronny, et al. Two distinct immunopathological profiles in autopsy lungs of COVID-19. Nature Communications, vol 11, no 1, 2020, pp 1-13.
Sadhukhan, Pritam, M. Talha Ugurlu, and Mohammad O. Hoque. Effect of COVID-19 on Lungs: Focusing on Prospective Malignant Phenotypes. Cancers, vol 12, no 12, 2020, p 3822.
COVID-19 is a newly emerged public health issue that has a significant number of obstacles that must be resolved prior to its eradication. Modern scientists already have a comprehensive knowledge base, as similar events are already well-documented. The work of the World Health Organization (WHO) on the eradication of smallpox provides an exemplary case of how a virus can be efficiently dealt with across the span of a decade (Seymour, 2016). This essay will discuss the efforts necessary for COVID-19 eradication and what lessons can be learned from a similar situation with smallpox in the 1970s.
COVID-19 is a highly infectious and easily transmittable disease with tens of millions of cases across the globe in a year. Epidemiologists employ public health surveillance, investigate the situation to predict its epidemic curve, and use public health campaigns to promote methods of disease transmission reduction (Baral et al., 2021). Management of all aspects of eradication efforts means as much as the distribution of the vaccines when dealing with such an outbreak (Horton, 2020). The current state of COVID-19 individual and public awareness campaigns reveals new issues to successful eradication via traditional epidemiology principles.
The campaign against smallpox can serve as a fitting example of a viable plan for action against the virus. The efforts against this disease during the middle of the twentieth century showed how coordination between medical personnel across the globe alongside medical breakthroughs is an essential component in such a program (Seymour, 2016). The WHO personnel during the smallpox eradication campaign was highly motivated by the organizations leaders and trained to target, seclude, and vaccinate people who were in contact with the infected quickly (Seymour, 2016). These principles are employed nowadays, although some errors in communication remain.
It is crucial to distinguish between population and individual approaches in public health initiatives. The campaign for eradication of this disease requires continuous investment, as research and development are only a part of this process, while the delivery of the vaccine has a multitude of barriers (Horton, 2020). There are numerous vaccine promotions on the population level that facilitate the spread of valid information regarding the virus, its effects, and how to avoid them.
The situation has broad coverage, as non-pharmaceutical methods are actively promoted (Heywood & Macintyre, 2020). Individual-level interventions are applied as well in high-risk populations and show high cost-efficiency, although there are inequities in their application (Baral et al., 2021). There are more opportunities for the growth of small-scale interventions, as specific portions of the population can be harder to target otherwise.
In conclusion, there is a sufficient amount of past and newly generated knowledge regarding virus outbreaks that allows scientists to deal with such a situation with high efficiency. There are several valuable insights from the smallpox campaign that is employed by epidemiologists in the current situation, such as public health campaigns and rapid vaccination efforts. However, there are obstacles that prevent some of the principles of epidemiology from being applied successfully. These issues can be detrimental for society, as public health campaigns are met with a degree of distrust due to the damaged reputation of WHO and vaccine developers. Personnel must be able to explain the importance of vaccination to people in a clear and concise way that will ensure that the right choice is made (Baral et al., 2021). The distribution of proven information regarding vaccines is essential in COVID-19 eradication, as the costs of its outbreak are higher than the costs of anti-COVID campaigns.
As the world limps into the third year since the outbreak of COVID-19, it becomes clear we need to strategize how to fight new variants after Omicron. Many people have assumed they had their run-in with Covid and that the pandemic is ending soon. The current variant, called Omicron, may appear to cause less severe disease than its predecessors, but the next mutation may be more dangerous than the Delta variant. Besides, the risk of catching Covid more than once is real despite receiving your vaccination shots. According to Machado et al. (10), Omicron has been associated with greater transmissibility and propensity to evade peoples immune systems, even those previously immured by primary vaccination. The celebration of the effectiveness of booster shots against the Delta variant was short-lived, as Omicron appears to raise the bar higher.
Today, the U.S. still suffers from another covid-19 variant surge despite the best effort by researchers and doctors to help sick Americans. Instead of focusing on the drowning people downstream, we also need to look upstream and warn people of the dangers of rapids upstream. Therefore, it is clear the U.S. needs to plan now to avoid another epidemic with the new variants. Understandably, the onset of the covid-19 got us unaware because it was a new virus. Little could be done rather than staying home to save our lives. However, we now know what needs to be done to help the ailing and mitigate the viral infection. The lockdown crisis management implemented in almost all countries brought worldwide disruption never experienced in decades. Our aim should be to learn lessons and learn how to manager similar pandemic in future without significant impact on the normal life. As long as we convince ourselves that saving the currently dying people is fine, the country is setting itself up for another round of being overwhelmed.
The U.S. can change the pattern by avoiding premature celebration and proactively preparing for the almost-inevitable next surge. The solution is to practice health best practices at their best by having people vaccinated. It includes mandatory quarantine for people exposed to the virus, maintaining social distancing, wearing masks, and using economic stimulus to promote economic recovery during a pandemic. The country needs to invest in better data systems to signal upcoming surges and provide clear metrics on when to increase protection measures. A better data system will provide reliable means to determine when to relax or tighten the protection rather than letting states rely on infections to reinforce policies. The country also needs more available tests, equitable and affordable treatments, high-quality ventilation, and better community engagement to prepare citizens for possible pandemics from the new corona variant.
The Need for Extensive Vaccination
President Bidens administration has done a commendable job of ensuring Americans get vaccinated. The administration should consider short and medium-term strategies for timing and rolling out booster shots. Other public health authorities worldwide are already recommending fourth doses for people with the highest risk of severe disease based on recent studies (CDC). It is unknown whether the public interest in boosters will continue to decline or whether demand will dictate uptake like in flu vaccines.
One fact remains that population immunity to current and future variants will lessen over time without continued immunization. The CDC says that breakthrough infection in vaccinated people is expected, but vaccination and updating booster shots are the surest way to protect against Omicron. Recent authorization of covid-19 vaccination of children up to six months old is another critical step in combating new variants (U.S. Food and Drug Administration). There is hope that vaccinating the kids will increase the overall populations immunity, besides the fact that COVID-19 is less severe in this age group. Boosting vaccination for all age groups will ensure a robust response, unlike during the first outbreak when mistakes cost hundreds of thousands of lives.
Although intensifying vaccination of the population is a positive boost for the future, the U.S. health authority needs to look at a broader range of indicators to support their planning and covid-19 management effort. The home-based model of testing covid-19 has increased with no significant effort put into collecting the results. Measuring the waves true magnitude and monitoring the varus variants has become difficult. Therefore, official statistics may undermine the actual number of cases and become even less sensitive to viral transmissions. Consumer behavior is one indicator that will help the health authorities gather relevant data as home testing becomes widely available. For instance, purchasing test kits could provide insight into future covid upsurge, similar to flu-related online searches. The data, when harnessed, could provide pivotal information for the government to adjust its responses in the future.
Mandatory Quarantine
Quarantine was initially referred to as self-quarantine, meaning selective individuals suspected to be carriers are isolated from the healthy population. However, a new term, mass quarantine, emerged during the corona, which refers to the governments enforced isolation of people to flatten the infection curve. Some researchers have indicated that extensive travel restrictions and compulsory quarantine may do more harm than good (Aditya et al. 3868). While I agree mass quarantine and extensive travel restrictions are not any better, mandatory quarantine should be explicitly applied to people from high-risk regions or having been exposed instead of indiscriminate quarantine.
The U.S. response to the first pandemic went wrong in many ways, such as slow and flawed testing, decentralized response, inadequate tracing, isolation, and quarantine. The situation was further escalated by the muzzling of CDC and top government experts, making it difficult to communicate accurate and lifesaving scientific information. However, government science agencies and health officials have gained renewed respect and independence, except for public trust, which may take time. The mandatory quarantine will be essential in controlling the spread of covid if we hope to contain a future outbreak of a deadlier variant. The government needs to transition people into such eventuality by sensitizing the public on quarantine and self-isolation and its benefits. It will help the U.S. gain general public acceptance to isolate those with known or suspected infection better, trace their contacts, or enforce isolation. Therefore, the U.S. needs to take advantage of this window to develop widespread and aggressive testing and contact tracing protocols that can have more long-term benefits.
Effectiveness of Social Distance and Wearing Masks
During the onset of COVID-19, CDC and WHO stated that face masks were not necessary for the general public unless they experienced symptoms or cared for the sick. Scientists have now established that proper ventilation, wearing a well-fitted mask, and maintaining social distance effectively reduce transmission. Research shows that community-level social distancing and individual face masks had 62% and 31% reduced risks of predicted COVID-19, respectively (Kwon et al. 2). Therefore, despite massive vaccination campaigns, the continued effort to social distance and face mask use remains critical in controlling the spread of the coronavirus.
Many countries in East and Southeast Asia, including China and Japan, had normalized wearing masks before the covid pandemic due to the SARS virus outbreak in 2002. Therefore, they had an adequate stockpile of face masks to supply their population, unlike in the U.S., where short supply became a major challenge in fighting the spread of corona. The confusion on face mask guidelines, together with politicians and influential people, may make it harder to fight the new COVID-19 variants. Wearing masks could have saved nearly 130,000 lives in the U.S. during the initial outbreak, based on a study in Nature Medicine (IHME COVID-19 Forecasting Team). President Biden made masks mandatory for interstate transit and government buildings, yet some states removed the restrictions. Social distance and face mask guidelines have been subject to changes whenever covid cases rise or fall. We never learn from past mistakes because the new variant of COVID-19 might hit differently.
Stimulus Checks to Promote Economic Recovery During a Pandemic
The coronavirus spread uncontrollably during 2020 and 2021, exhausting public health and healthcare resources. The U.S. economy is operating below its capacity, and recovery seems to stall due to coronavirus persistence. Stimulus checks during the 2020 corona pandemic boosted hospitals capacities, protected firms and families from eviction and bankruptcy, and addressed hunger (Gale and Enda ). It was a noble course that sustained hospitals, stabilized companies, and cautioned citizens from loss of income and increased health care expenses. Nevertheless, other drastic approaches are needed in the looming cases of new COVID-19 variants. For instance, there are encouraging signs of factoring sustainability into the long-term criteria.
The long-term sustainable criteria may require job creation, building future skills and health of the population, decarbonization, and building resilience to future shocks. For instance, stimulus should focus on building capacities for people and economies to cope with the shocks of COVID-19 and support green technologies like electric vehicles or low-tech options. The stimulus investment should not impose significant passive asset costs on the economy in the future in order to leverage funds to support public health efforts. Bills enacted during the 2020 corona pandemic seemed to provide relief rather than stimulus (Gale and Enda). Therefore, the stimulus should incentivize businesses to hire and invest and people to increase spending or work effort.
Refutation
Many U.S. citizens were made to believe that COVID-19 is no more dangerous than seasonal flu. In contrast, corona caused hundreds of thousands of deaths in the U.S., indicating the mutating variants could cause more deaths if they turn out to be more dangerous. Despite the strong consensus among the scientific communities and public health authorities, many people disregarded wearing masks and keeping social distance. For instance, some influential personalities in the U.S. government refuted wearing masks, including signing executive orders barring city governments from implementing mask mandates (Sayers et al. 2021). Nevertheless, scientific studies established that masks and keeping social distance minimized COVID-19 infection rates (Kwon et al. 2). States that were once against the directive had to revert to preventive measures as coronavirus cases spiked.
Many conspiracy theorists have disputed the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine or connected it to individuals and institutions using their power to benefit from it. However, no evidence exists that anyone or any organization has benefited from the vaccine. Hospitalization and deaths increased along with cases, necessitating a prompt solution. More research has established that people need continued vaccination to gain hard immunity against the virus. The introduction of COVID-19 vaccines has also reduced hospitalization and deaths. It enabled people to resume everyday life, unlike when a substantial number got sick and succumbed to the disease in the past (see figure 1). Therefore, the continued effort to enforce covid regulations is necessary to combat new variants and protect the citizens from another pandemic.
Figure 1: Outcomes after COVID-19 vaccination (Piernas et al.)
Conclusion
The new variant of COVID-19, called Omicron, has generic characteristics that predict greater transmissibility, evade diagnostic testing or immunity, or cause more severe disease. Therefore, new variants of COVID-19 will likely become severe and become a pandemic if left unchecked. Evidence from studies suggests current vaccines may become less effective on the mutating variants, but we should obtain them for added protection. Administering vaccines, along with health best practices, such as mandatory quarantine for those exposed, wearing of masks, and keeping social distance, are critical in preventing the spread of the virus. Health authorities, such as CDC and WHO, have recommended third and fourth booster shots to boost the immunity of at-risk populations. The approach, including vaccinating young children from 6 months, will boost our immunity and protect our citizens from another pandemic. The government also needs to implement sustainable stimulus, such as building future skills and health of the population, decarbonization, and building resilience to future shocks to cushion the people from the effects of another pandemic, should it occur.
Diseases hinder and adversely impact the bodys average ability to function. However, due to mans societies, this effect is not just medical but also political and socioeconomic. The coronavirus disease recently transpired globally and spread into a pandemic through person-to-person contact. The diseases mortality and morbidity rates and the disruption it caused to the worlds political systems by proving their ineffectiveness make it an ideal candidate for analysis. Whereas the COVID-19 pandemic medically challenged global health systems, the disease primarily affected countries socioeconomically and politically by crippling nations working forces and preventing effective leadership.
History of the Disease Process
The Coronavirus disease, abbreviated COVID-19, is the most recent pandemic to affect the world, evidenced by the fact that it is still rampant in several countries. It is highly contagious, and its discovery is traceable to Wuhan, China, in 2019 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2022a). COVID-19 is a respiratory condition caused by the SARS Cov-2 virus. It is deduced from the word corona, meaning crown, due to an appearance attributed to spike proteins (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2022b). This shape allows it to quickly attach to human cells, cause infection and encourage replication to ensure its spread. Scientists note mutations in the disease based on changes in the spike shape of the virus through genomic surveillance. Indeed, the World Health Organization declared a pandemic in March 2020 after marked infection rates occurred worldwide (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2022b). Even though the health crisis the disease caused reduced in 2022, the pandemic is still rampant and continues to claim lives.
Current Treatment
Current treatment regarding COVID-19 centers on antiviral therapies and monoclonal antibodies. The Centre for Disease Control (CDC) recommends oral antiviral pills for mild to moderate cases, such as Lagevrio and Paxlovid (2022b). These pills prevent the virus from multiplying in the body and boost the immunity system. Alternatively, monoclonal antibodies address more severe symptoms, stop the virus from entering human cells, and further limit its amount in the body. Doctors recommend commencing immediate treatment if a patient indicates the first indicative symptoms of an infection. The step prevents hospitalization and must be conducted in conjunction with a diagnosis from a certified healthcare provider. Older adults above 85 succumb more quickly to the disease, and it is primarily prevalent in racially non-Hispanic males (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2022b). To accommodate the diverse target group, healthcare providers utilize in and out-patient hospital settings and delivering home care to reduce the spread of contagion. However, the CDC recommends vaccination and prevention as the most practical tools to prevent infection and mitigate a pandemic disaster.
Socioeconomic Impact of the Disease
The COVID-19 disease is indiscriminate, and its effect has been global. The CDC (2022b) attributed 460,000 deaths in America to the virus in the first quarter of 2021, a substantial increase compared to 2020. A hospitalized patient is expected to pay approximately $30,000 in America to get treatment, and roughly 15% of infected people are hospitalized (OBrien, 2020). These statistics dictate how states create public health policies and plan to deal with insured and non-insured citizens responsibly.
A global recession is one of the primary effects of the COVID-19 disease. The International Monetary Fund noted a 3.5% global economic contraction and negative economic growth in 2020 due to the pandemic (Yeyati & Filippini, 2022). Compromised workforces produced fewer finished goods and products, and resultingly, the gross domestic product of most nations plunged. Moreover, re-directing funds to treatment initiatives to target the pandemic hurt profitable industries, such as agriculture and petroleum, in third-world countries. The pandemic crippled most nations and left them without a fiscal alternative or the labor market structure to ensure continued success or stability.
Furthermore, the pandemic adversely impacted the education system. Globally, children from preschool to tertiary institutions were affected by limited or full closure to minimize the spread of the virus (Nicola et al., 2020). Some policies created to address the pandemic lasted more than six months, vitally disrupting education processes and rising childcare costs. American schools that implemented partial closure couldnt provide meals, and the resultant economic impact caused a rise in dropouts (Nicola et al., 2020). After the pandemic, some families could not resend their children to school due to financial constraints.
Political Impact of the Disease
Several of the diseases implications are political after the virus caused a shock to the worlds geopolitical systems. Infection and mortality rates changed the manner and speed people want their needs to be represented. Due to the reduction in the worlds labor force, there is an ongoing power struggle between key players between, America and China, vying for geopolitical strength. The pandemic has reshaped alliances and vitally left an opportunity for China to gain an advantage as an economic superpower. Moreover, legislation and ruling have suffered slight changes as global powers scrambled to maintain a supply of masks and vaccines. In America, the government prevented the 3M company from distributing masks internationally to keep the supplies domestic and benefit the local citizenry. These changes in political ruling have continued post-COVID and show no indication of being abolished.
The pandemic also caused a form of unity that encouraged the quick and efficient distribution of the virus. Bonotti and Zech (2021) refer to this mindset as vaccine nationalism and further define it by the race nations engaged in to ensure mass production and distribution. Furthermore, the pandemic deepened the political divide between India and Pakistan by inflaming the contested stance over Kashmir. Both nations used the disease to showcase inadequacies in each others political systems while fighting the virus. Despite the scope of the diseases threat, supplies and efforts are diverted to resolving pre-existing conflicts rather than reinforcing public health systems in favor of local communities. Lastly, COVID-19 has increased dependence on supranational structures like the European Union and the International Monetary Fund (Bonotti & Zech, 2021). Several countries economies were adversely impacted, necessitating help from these structures and enhancing global unity and harmony.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant political and economic impact on the world. The respiratory disease disrupted how children learn, compromising the ability of families and nations to achieve financial independence. The disease has deepened regional conflicts between India and Pakistan and increased the dependence on supranational structures such as the United Nations and the International Monetary Fund. However, the various legal and social infrastructures created for the quick production and distribution of the vaccine show mans resilience. Cooperation and global cohesion are crucial aspects of dealing with a worldwide pandemic.
In a briefing document on coronavirus content, the government declares the encouragement by regulatory authorities to be regulated health professionals in the emergency list of suitable candidates.
The displacement and the relocation of retiring RNs will not occur globally as healthcare organizations face faster RN pensions and slower RN replacements in some areas than in other regions of the country (especially New England and Pacific) (the Southern and Central areas). Any corporation will also be entitled to RN pensions that will lead to temporary shortages and interruptions in providing services. There is a need for healthcare institutions to fix the lack of experience, skills, and expertise.
Health officials must understand that RN employees have just recently started their retirement. When young and less-skilled RNs join the workforce, the level of patient care will decline. The more the RN is working, the more experience gathered over several years will enhance the nurses capacity to cope with health issues of all sorts efficiently.
Experienced RNs may be more effective in recognizing patient-related problems and unforeseen adjustments earlier. They are more likely to exploit the companys structure to get things done often as clinical and corporate executives to ensure smooth operations. The stable, predictable, and comfortable atmosphere of patients can be critical for all those qualities.
The U.S. government officials call for former health care practitioners to continue to work through the pandemic of coronavirus, waiting to get overrun by new healthcare staff and for more to fall sick. The call for the assistance of retired employees and other trained doctors highlights the desperate action that authorities plan to take to cure an increase in patients with ill conditions because aging workers will become even more vulnerable to complications and death from COVID-19.
An alliance of six representatives from the Senate seeks to resolve the COVID-19 pandemic. The proposed two-party bills to boost healthcare by collecting 40,000 expired visas (green cards) for medical and nursing workers on 5th May 2020. The U.S. suffers from a large shortage of nurses, and the crisis is rising. When patients enter the healthcare system, baby boomers are displaced, and educational bottlenecks are inadequately filled to satisfy demand. Infant care is not served quickly enough. While it might seem to be a simple supply-and-demand equation on the surface, the real cause and effect are much more difficult. The problem would not go away without multi-level action.
Health care agencies will have to realize that many experienced RNs will retire in line with the aging of nearly 80 million baby boomers globally. The rising numbers of elders create demand for RNs and improve the severity of the treatment needed for such medically difficult communities because three out of four people over 65 have multiple chronic diseases. Older baby boomers benefit from the most seasoned nurses treatment nurses who retire from practice.
Four steps to predict and deter adverse effects that could result from RN withdrawal need to be taken by hospital chief nursing officers, hospital patient care administrators, and staff officers alike to assess when and how many RNs will be required to retire and evaluate the baby divisions, services, and patient groups impacted; it is necessary to collect statistics on an organizations nursing personnel. To minimize any adverse effects, it is important to share this knowledge with doctors and all health professionals affected.
Hospital managers should prioritize collaborating with leading divisions and units. RNs who retire rapidly can learn what is feasible to postpone retirement reducing hours of service, adjusting their duties, and changing the ergonomic atmosphere to minimize injuries and study the operational and clinical environments. Older and more experienced RNs may also be allowed to perform new positions concerning group participation, patient navigation, education, and prevention.
It is important to promote the advancement of services that put together older and younger RNs to recognize the expertise and skills that older RNs need to impart to others.
An improved succession planning should be adopted to ensure that RNs, who are well qualified to undergo clinical and managerial processes inpatient care units, are supplemented by retirement nursing managers; future RN leaders could be established and paired in management roles with RNs leaving shortly. They could be active in organized management and leadership growth activities, team bonding, networking, and budgeting.
The coronavirus pandemic compels patients in all health care providers to pursue specific treatments. The retiring nurses have lost their pensions and are now helping APRNs counteract the adversities caused by the pandemic in many countries. Several nations have had a shortage of nurses due to the coronavirus epidemic. The coronavirus is exposing particular vulnerabilities in the health care workforce. Methodologies that take employment aging and career cycles into consideration are becoming significant. It is critical to understand the challenges of maintaining and substituting these methodologies to attain policy solutions to the developing populations health demands.
Reference
Dobek, C. (2020). Motivating factors for nurses aged 65 years and older to extend their work-life [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Walden University.
Moss, B. (2020). Communication skills in nursing, health and social care. SAGE.
