Dear Editor
As of March 10, 2023 in the US, COVID-19 has infected more than 103 million people worldwide and caused more than 1.1 million deaths [1]. Even after that, there were reports about this item from various aspects [2,3].
Janice Hopkins Tanne published a News article in the BMJ entitled “COVID-19: Some US states and hospitals recommend masks again” [4]. Tanne reported [4] that “hospitals and medical centers in some US states have reintroduced requirements to wear facemasks amid a rise in cases of COVID-19, flu, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)”, that some states and hospital systems “decided to resume requirements for mask wearing among staff and patients” while other hospital systems “have required staff to mask in areas where patients are being treated”, and that “uptake of vaccines [for COVID-19, the flu, and RSV] has been disappointingly low”. We think that these items are very important in not only the US but also other countries in the world. In addition, it is necessary for relevant parties to always have the latest information so that they can make decisions from the regional level perspective.
We reported on “the importance of further understanding the public health perspective of living with COVID-19” [5]. Both specialists in public health as well as all medical personnel involved in clinical medicine and basic medicine need to understand public health in light of the possibility of a return of COVID-19, a new infectious disease pandemic, or an outbreak of an infectious disease. All of those medical personnel and the government should consider a medical care system for such an event. In addition, guidelines on preventive measures need to be devised in light of such an event from various sides.
Personnel and organizations in relevant areas need to work together to address a number of social issues, and the issues they are considering may prove informative or helpful when addressing other matters.
Kamila Akkuzinova (1), Ken Inoue (2), Elaman Toleuov (1), Timur Moldagaliyev (1), Nargul Ospanova (1), Nursultan Seksenbayev (1)
(1) Semey Medical University, 103 Abay Street, Semey 071400, Kazakhstan
(2) Kochi University, 2-5-1 Akebono-cho, Kochi-shi, Kochi 780-8520, Japan
Email: [email protected]
References
1. NHK. https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/special/coronavirus/world-data/. Accessed 8 Feb 2024
2. Lewnard JA, McLaughlin JM, Malden D, Hong V, Puzniak L, Ackerson BK, Lewin BJ, Kim JS, Shaw SF, Takhar H, Jodar L, Tartof SY. Effectiveness of nirmatrelvir-ritonavir in preventing hospital admissions and deaths in people with COVID-19: a cohort study in a large US health-care system. Lancet Infect Dis; 23: 806-815, 2023
3. Do DP, Frank R. The Short and the Long Arm of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Direct and Indirect Effects of the US Economic Lockdown. Am J Public Health; 113: 612-614.
4. Tanne JH. Covid-19: Some US states and hospitals recommend masks again. BMJ; 384: q26, 2024
5. Toleuov E, Inoue K, Akkuzinova K, Moldagaliyev T, Ospanova N, Seksenbayev N. The importance of further understanding the public health perspective when living with COVID-19 Re: Learning to live with covid-19: testing, vaccination, and mask wearing still play a key part in managing the pandemic. BMJ; https://www.bmj.com/content/383/bmj.p2943/rr, 2024
The significance of formulating guidelines on preventive measures for normal circumstances, surges, and new infectious disease pandemics based on the experience of the COVID-19 pandemic Re: Covid-19: Some US states and hospitals recommend masks again