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Responses to COVID-19: The role of governance, healthcare infrastructure, and learning from past pandemics.

ABSTRACT: The ongoing COVID-19 outbreak has revealed vulnerabilities in global healthcare responses. Research in epidemiology has focused on understanding the effects of countries' responses on COVID-19 spread. While a growing body of research has focused on understanding the role of macro-level factors on responses to COVID-19, we have a limited understanding of what drives countries' responses to COVID-19. We lean on organizational learning theory and the extant literature on rare events to propose that governance structure, investment in healthcare infrastructure, and learning from past pandemics influence a country's response regarding reactive and proactive strategies. With data collected from various sources and using an empirical methodology, we find that centralized governance positively affects reactive strategies, while healthcare infrastructure and learning from past pandemics positively influence proactive and reactive strategies. This research contributes to the literature on learning, pandemics, and rare events.

SUBMITTER: Sharma A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7834581 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Responses to COVID-19: The role of governance, healthcare infrastructure, and learning from past pandemics.

Sharma Amalesh A Borah Sourav Bikash SB Moses Aditya C AC

Journal of business research 20200910

The ongoing COVID-19 outbreak has revealed vulnerabilities in global healthcare responses. Research in epidemiology has focused on understanding the effects of countries' responses on COVID-19 spread. While a growing body of research has focused on understanding the role of macro-level factors on responses to COVID-19, we have a limited understanding of what drives countries' responses to COVID-19. We lean on organizational learning theory and the extant literature on rare events to propose that ...[more]

PMID: 33518844

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Project description:How can political elites learn from the past to enhance sustainability of their leadership in a pandemic situation? In this article, we develop a theoretical framework of policy implementation that combines collaboration from public and private sectors ("Public-Private Partnership," or PPP) to efficiently deal with urgent crises such as COVID-19. We explain the role of new institutions prompted by policy failure precedence (Time 1) that at a later time period (Time 2) allow for the activation of PPPs with the aim to extend the political life of incumbent leaderships. Specifically, we examine the case of South Korea, a country in which a prior case of MERS in 2015 (Time 1) had established new policies for pandemic governance. In 2020, such policies were activated by the incumbent leadership in order to contain COVID-19 (Time 2). In particular, for swift and effective management of the pandemic, the South Korean government utilized partnerships with the private sector to exponentially increase the amount of Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) testing. We apply Policy Feedback Theory to demonstrate the political effects of failed policy precedents and how the political outcomes again shape new policies in a dynamic and cyclical manner. Empirically, we conduct a content analysis of South Korea's pharmaceutical sector in government procurement and exports of test-kits during the COVID-19 pandemic. We show that as the pandemic situation progressed, South Korea's leader, who had been in danger of plummeting support to the extent that impeachment was discussed as a viable option, drastically shifted public opinion to achieve a landslide victory in general elections in April 2020. Our findings suggest that democratic governments, aware of precedents and wary of their fate in elections, are pressured to perform well in crisis management, and thus turn to rapidly mobilizing public and private means for survival. Such means are evidenced by the case of emergency use authorization (EUA) process for test-kits, in which "leapfrogging players" - up-and-coming innovators - that contribute to turning a pandemic crisis into an opportunity for sustainable leadership and for themselves.

Project description:Aim:In view of the spread of the contagious coronavirus disease (COVID-19) globally, the present review focuses on the details of past pandemic diseases, along with comparisons and lessons learned. A general awareness of COVID-19 infection is addressed, and it is compared with the Spanish flu pandemic. Based on the successes, failures and lessons learned in the past, governmental efforts must be undertaken to empower citizens by providing accurate information and implementing post-COVID-19 precautions that need to be taken now to stop the spread and recurrence of the virus locally, and to restore health and economic normalcy. Methods:A detailed literature survey of past pandemics is undertaken in order to extract the successes, failures and lessons learned from previous breakouts. The comparison of past pandemics will enable us to determine post-COVID-19 precautions that should be followed. Separate tables are prepared to highlight the lessons learned and measures to be taken. Both general precautions and preventive measures for pregnant women are compiled. Results:The literature shows a continuous struggle of humans with disease outbreaks, with the most adverse impact of the Spanish flu killing 20-50 million people. Precautions need to be taken including social distancing, compulsory mask-wearing, avoiding public gatherings and washing hands regularly. The lessons from earlier pandemics show that they were equally devastating, and vaccines were not available at the time of outbreaks. Vaccines developed for polio, H1N1, measles, and other viral diseases have proven to save countless lives. Living with COVID-19 and evolving the work culture of protecting oneself and protecting others also has to be adopted. Conclusions:COVID-19 has become an everyday topic of discussion throughout the world, indicating the increasing number of COVID-19 cases, deaths and recoveries. The lessons learned from past pandemics such as social distancing, wearing masks, avoiding public gatherings and adherence to guidelines, along with personal hygiene, are the key measures that must be taken in order to live with COVID-19. Precautions for the elderly and pregnant women advised by medical authorities are to be strictly adhered to. These will help in reducing COVID-19 cases and in turn will reduce the pressure on hospitals to serve those in need. India has learned lessons from the past and the present pandemic and will move towards growth through its self-reliance.

Project description:Background: The COVID‑19 pandemic and associated public health measures have disrupted the lives of people around the world. It is already evident that the direct and indirect psychological and social effects of the COVID‑19 pandemic are insidious and affect the mental health of young children and adolescents now and will in the future. The aim and objectives of this knowledge-synthesis study were to identify the impact of the pandemic on children's and adolescent's mental health and to evaluate the effectiveness of different interventions employed during previous and the current pandemic to promote children's and adolescents' mental health. Methodology: We conducted the systematic review according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and included experimental randomized and nonrandomized controlled trials, observational studies, and qualitative studies. Results: Of the 5828 articles that we retrieved, 18 articles met the inclusion criteria. We thematically analyzed them and put the major findings under the thematic areas of impact of the pandemic on children's and adolescents' mental health. These studies reported that pandemics cause stress, worry, helplessness, and social and risky behavioral problems among children and adolescents (e.g., substance abuse, suicide, relationship problems, academic issues, and absenteeism from work). Interventions such as art-based programs, support services, and clinician-led mental health and psychosocial services effectively decrease mental health issues among children and adolescents. Conclusion: Children and adolescents are more likely to experience high rates of depression and anxiety during and after a pandemic. It is critical that future researchers explore effective mental health strategies that are tailored to the needs of children and adolescents. Explorations of effective channels regarding the development and delivery of evidenced-based, age-appropriate services are vital to lessen the effects and improve long-term capacities for mental health services for children and adolescents. Key Practitioner Message: The COVID-19 pandemic's physical restrictions and social distancing measures have affected each and every domain of life. Although the number of children and adolescents affected by the disease is small, the disease and the containment measures such as social distancing, school closure, and isolation have negatively impacted the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents. The impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of children and adolescents is of great concern. Anxiety, depression, disturbances in sleep and appetite, as well as impairment in social interactions are the most common presentations. It has been indicated that compared to adults, this pandemic may continue to have increased long term adverse consequences on children's and adolescents' mental health. As the pandemic continues, it is important to monitor the impact on children's and adolescents' mental health status and how to help them to improve their mental health outcomes in the time of the current or future pandemics.

Project description:BackgroundIn an unparalleled global response, during the COVID-19 pandemic, 90 countries asked 3.9 billion people to stay home. Yet other countries avoided lockdowns and focused on other strategies, like contact tracing. How effective and cost-effective are these strategies? We aimed to provide a comprehensive summary of the evidence on past pandemic controls, with a focus on cost-effectiveness.MethodsFollowing PRISMA guidelines, MEDLINE (1946 to April week 2, 2020) and EMBASE (1974 to April 17, 2020) were searched using a range of terms related to pandemic control. Articles reporting on the effectiveness or cost-effectiveness of at least one intervention were included.ResultsWe found 1653 papers; 62 were included. The effectiveness of hand-washing and face masks was supported by randomized trials. These measures were highly cost-effective. For other interventions, only observational and modelling studies were found. They suggested that (1) the most cost-effective interventions are swift contact tracing and case isolation, surveillance networks, protective equipment for healthcare workers, and early vaccination (when available); (2) home quarantines and stockpiling antivirals are less cost-effective; (3) social distancing measures like workplace and school closures are effective but costly, making them the least cost-effective options; (4) combinations are more cost-effective than single interventions; and (5) interventions are more cost-effective when adopted early. For 2009 H1N1 influenza, contact tracing was estimated to be 4363 times more cost-effective than school closure ($2260 vs. $9,860,000 per death prevented).Conclusions and contributionsFor COVID-19, a cautious interpretation suggests that (1) workplace and school closures are effective but costly, especially when adopted late, and (2) scaling up as early as possible a combination of interventions that includes hand-washing, face masks, ample protective equipment for healthcare workers, and swift contact tracing and case isolation is likely to be the most cost-effective strategy.

Dataset Information

Responses to COVID-19: The role of governance, healthcare infrastructure, and learning from past pandemics.

Publications

Responses to COVID-19: The role of governance, healthcare infrastructure, and learning from past pandemics.

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