Mitigating the Twin Threats of Climate-Driven Atlantic Hurricanes and COVID-19 Transmission.
Disaster Med Public Health Prep
; 14(4): 494-503, 2020 08.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-32660664
ABSTRACT
The co-occurrence of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season and the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic creates complex dilemmas for protecting populations from these intersecting threats. Climate change is likely contributing to stronger, wetter, slower-moving, and more dangerous hurricanes. Climate-driven hazards underscore the imperative for timely warning, evacuation, and sheltering of storm-threatened populations - proven life-saving protective measures that gather evacuees together inside durable, enclosed spaces when a hurricane approaches. Meanwhile, the rapid acquisition of scientific knowledge regarding how COVID-19 spreads has guided mass anti-contagion strategies, including lockdowns, sheltering at home, physical distancing, donning personal protective equipment, conscientious handwashing, and hygiene practices. These life-saving strategies, credited with preventing millions of COVID-19 cases, separate and move people apart. Enforcement coupled with fear of contracting COVID-19 have motivated high levels of adherence to these stringent regulations. How will populations react when warned to shelter from an oncoming Atlantic hurricane while COVID-19 is actively circulating in the community? Emergency managers, health care providers, and public health preparedness professionals must create viable solutions to confront these potential scenarios elevated rates of hurricane-related injury and mortality among persons who refuse to evacuate due to fear of COVID-19, and the resurgence of COVID-19 cases among hurricane evacuees who shelter together.
Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Contexto em Saúde:
4_TD
/
6_ODS3_enfermedades_notrasmisibles
Problema de saúde:
4_covid_19
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4_pneumonia
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6_other_respiratory_diseases
Assunto principal:
Gestão de Riscos
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Tempestades Ciclônicas
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Pandemias
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COVID-19
Tipo de estudo:
Etiology_studies
Limite:
Humans
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Disaster Med Public Health Prep
Assunto da revista:
SAUDE PUBLICA
Ano de publicação:
2020
Tipo de documento:
Article