Implications of the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic for primary care
Pathiyil Ravi Shankar
A * , Vishna D. Nadarajah B and Ian G. Wilson A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A IMU Centre for Education, International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur 57000, Malaysia.
B Institutional Development and International, International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur 57000, Malaysia.
* Correspondence to: ravi.dr.shankar@gmail.com
Australian Journal of Primary Health 28(3) 200-203 https://doi.org/10.1071/PY21096
Submitted: 7 May 2021 Accepted: 19 January 2022 Published: 25 March 2022
© 2022 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing on behalf of La Trobe University.
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has caused widespread global disruption. In this article, the authors put forward lessons from the pandemic for primary care. Among these are primary healthcare requires substantial investment; big data should be carefully regulated and used to strengthen primary care; primary care physicians can support media to provide impartial, objective information; protecting the health of vulnerable populations is important; and infectious diseases are still relevant today. Travel and tourism significantly impact health and primary care. Pandemics may be more common in the future due to climate change, increased human population and habitat loss, among other reasons. We should apply the lessons learned from the current pandemic to better prepare for future pandemics.
Keywords: big data, COVID-19, infectious diseases, information, pandemic, primary healthcare, travel, vulnerable populations.
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