How lessons learned from the 2015 Middle East respiratory syndrome outbreak affected the response to coronavirus disease 2019 in the Republic of Korea.
Korean J Intern Med
; 36(2): 271-285, 2021 03.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-32872738
The Republic of Korea (ROK) experienced a public health crisis due to Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) in 2015 and is currently going through the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Lessons learned from the disastrous MERS outbreak were ref lected in the preparedness system, and the readiness capabilities that were subsequently developed enabled the country to successfully flatten the epidemic curve of COVID-19 in late February and March 2020. In this review, we summarize and compare the epidemiology and response of the ROK to the 2015 MERS outbreak and the COVID-19 epidemic in early 2020. We emphasize that, because further COVID-19 waves seem inevitable, it is urgent to develop comprehensive preparedness and response plans for the worst-case scenarios of the COVID-19 pandemic. Simultaneously strengthening healthcare capacity to endure the peak demand and implementing smart strategies to sustain social distancing and public hygiene are necessary until safe and effective therapeutics and vaccines against COVID-19 are available.
Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Salud Pública
/
Infecciones por Coronavirus
/
Coronavirus del Síndrome Respiratorio de Oriente Medio
/
SARS-CoV-2
/
COVID-19
Aspecto:
Determinantes_sociais_saude
Límite:
Humans
País/Región como asunto:
Asia
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Korean J Intern Med
Asunto de la revista:
MEDICINA INTERNA
Año:
2021
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Finlandia
Pais de publicación:
Corea del Sur