In the first SACRU webinar, Drs. Isabel Capeloa Gil (Universidade Católica Portuguesa) and Takehito Kamata (Sophia University) moderated a very interesting discussion about the development and delivery of and the ethical issues surrounding access to COVID-19 vaccinations. The panelists included Drs. Nadia Abuelezam (Boston College), Xavier Symons (Catholic University of Australia), and Alexis Kalergis (Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile).
Dean M. Hashimoto, Associate Professor at Boston College Law School and Chief Medical Officer for Workplace Health and Wellness at Mass General Brigham, gave a presentation supporting mask use and further measures during the coronavirus pandemic. Based on his upcoming book, his lecture for the Clough Center for the Study of Constitutional Democracy at Boston College explains why masks are the most critical public health tool for controlling the pandemic. His legal research revolves around recognizing and enforcing rules within organizations, primarily hospitals, and has recently focused on coronavirus masking policies.
El covid-19 será sin duda el tema que marcará este año. Desde sus tratamientos y prevención hasta el desarrollo de vacunas. Sin embargo, ¿qué pasa si no prevenimos sus causas?
Generalmente, cuando sufrimos una enfermedad, lo primero que hacemos es ir al doctor, descifrar qué es lo que tenemos y ver un tratamiento oportuno. Sin embargo, generalmente este proceso no se queda ahí. Viene acompañado de una serie de exámenes que buscan analizar algo base: ¿por qué estamos enfermos? —Read more
Dean M. Hashimoto, Associate Professor at Boston College Law School, along with several other researchers recently authored an article discussing the effectiveness of masks in health care systems among health care workers. Studying an intervention within the Mass General Brigham health care system, they found universal masking substantially limited the spread of COVID-19.
Students will likely be flocking to public health courses and programs in upcoming semesters. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has piqued the interest of many in society, among them college students. Students who have an interest in health, medicine, or science now may see public health as a viable career option, especially with numerous public health researchers being featured in stories and social media around the globe. Although this is an important moment for our field and discipline, universities training future public health professionals will need to recalibrate how they approach their teaching in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
As the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic evolves, questions regarding the fair allocation of scarce medical resources, such as ventilators, antiviral drugs, and vaccines, abound. Piscitello et al1 provide a valuable summary of US state ventilator allocation guidelines during public health emergencies. Even if guidelines for ventilators have not been widely implemented during the current pandemic, the principles they articulate are an important statement of social values. The variation among guidelines that Piscitello et al1 uncovered suggests that there is no consensus on the adequate balance between different ethical considerations.
Pathak PA, Sönmez T, Ünver MU. Improving Ventilator Rationing Through Collaboration With Experts on Resource Allocation. JAMA Netw Open. 2020;3(6):e2012838. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.12838
In the fall of 1918, the influenza pandemic tore across the world. Public health nurses in cities throughout this country cared for some of the most vulnerable—sick children and families from poor communities, their fragile economies further devastated by this scourge. At that time, nurses’ practices were governed by Florence Nightingale’s precepts of good hygiene, nutrition, fresh air, and rest. They worked to do right by their patients, but their ability to make a difference was tempered by the lack of existing knowledge and resources needed to provide the most efficacious care possible
