574-06-02
These post replies need to be substantial and constructive in nature. They should add to the content
of the post and evaluate/analyze that post answer. including one scholarly peer-reviewed reference.
Minimum 100 words.
Epidemiology and the Novel Coronavirus
The study of illnesses and health in terms of the factors that determine their occurrence
and distribution is the focus of the scientific discipline known as epidemiology (Binns et al.,
2020). First, however, a case must be made that epidemiology is primarily classified as a
descriptive science. As a result, this aspect considers the quantification of illness occurrence
and the determination of rates that view both the attack rates and the total number of cases that
occur within a predefined population (Bulut & Kato, 2020). Epidemiologists are now able to
more precisely characterize the disease and identify all of the other characteristics that are
associated with it thanks to this study. In this instance, the objective of epidemiology is to
characterize a disease along with the features that are associated with that particular illness.
Epidemiologists can articulately express the disease’s risk factors, as well as the potential routes
the condition could go, and they can also prescribe methods to either limit or eliminate the
sickness (Cheng et al., 2020).
In this context, epidemiology has significantly contributed to preventing the further
spread of the new coronavirus. Given the importance of epidemiology and epidemiologists, the
mapping of covid-19 has been considerably simplified. By the use of epidemiology,
organizations, and epidemiologists located all over the world have been able to monitor the
progression of the virus while simultaneously providing accurate epidemiological analysis. The
insights established as a result assisted in designing policy and policy responses to the virus’s
hazards. In this instance, the answers were determined by knowing the condition, which
required prior evaluation. Epidemiology was helpful in regularly updating policymakers
regarding the disease’s development and the hazards posed while also alerting the general
public at the same time (Pagano et al., 2020).
Within the scope of their work, epidemiologists have made significant progress thanks
to applying various techniques and methodologies. Epidemiologists have made excellent use
of descriptive, analytical, and experimental methods. For example, algorithms have been put
into place to determine and establish the presence of the virus and the probability of its spread
in various locations that each possess particular features. Similarly, descriptive statistics and
analytics have been utilized to map the sickness, the disease’s distribution, and the community’s
vulnerability (Dong et al., 2020). Similarly, various tools have been utilized to deal with the
incoming covid-19. Arguably, surveys have been carried out, surveillance has been used, data
analysis (also known as analytics) has been performed, and assessments have been carried out.
These tools have been helpful by providing information on potential signs of interest relating
to the virus. Since the first instances of the disease were discovered, monitoring has also been
carried out with surveillance. To a significant extent, epidemiologists have capitalized,
collectively, on analytical techniques such as regression and modeling. As a result,
epidemiologists have been able to use these tools and procedures, which have contributed to a
better understanding of the virus in question and provided new insights into it (Lu et al., 2020).
One may argue that epidemiology has significantly contributed, particularly concerning
the inferences drawn from the most recent pandemic. Epidemiologists were able to make quick
judgments since the rapid spread that was imminent was imminent. In this manner, decisionmakers were able to use the data and implement various safeguards to protect the general
population’s health. In their most fundamental aspects, epidemiology and public health are
inextricably linked. Moreover, the efficacy gains in epidemiology are transferred to achieving
long-term population health. In this sense, then, epidemiology has made a one-of-a-kind
contribution to helping bring the pandemic under control and has provided insights into the
readiness for future disease outbreaks (Binns et al., 2020).
References
Binns, C., Low, W. Y., & Kyung, L. M. (2020). The COVID-19 Pandemic: Public Health and
Epidemiology. Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health, 32(4), 140–144.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1010539520929223
Bulut, C., & Kato, Y. (2020). Epidemiology of covid-19. Turkish Journal of Medical
Sciences, 50(SI-1), 563–570. https://doi.org/10.3906/sag-2004-172
Cheng, V. C. C., Wong, S. C., Chen, J. H. K., Yip, C. C. Y., Chuang, V. W. M., Tsang, O. T.
Y., Sridhar, S., Chan, J. F. W., Ho, P. L., & Yuen, K. Y. (2020). Escalating infection
control response to the rapidly evolving epidemiology of the coronavirus disease 2019
(COVID-19) due to SARS-CoV-2 in Hong Kong. Infection Control and Hospital
Epidemiology, 41(5), 493–498. https://doi.org/10.1017/ice.2020.58
Dong, Y., Dong, Y., Mo, X., Hu, Y., Qi, X., Jiang, F., Jiang, Z., Jiang, Z., Tong, S., Tong, S.,
& Tong, S. (2020). Epidemiology of COVID-19 among children in
China. Pediatrics, 145(6). https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2020-0702
Lu, R., Zhao, X., Li, J., Niu, P., Yang, B., Wu, H., Wang, W., Song, H., Huang, B., Zhu, N.,
Bi, Y., Ma, X., Zhan, F., Wang, L., Hu, T., Zhou, H., Hu, Z., Zhou, W., Zhao, L., …
Tan, W. (2020). Genomic characterisation and epidemiology of 2019 novel coronavirus:
implications for virus origins and receptor binding. The Lancet, 395(10224), 565–574.
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30251-8
Pagano, A. M., Maiese, A., Izzo, C., Maiese, A., Ametrano, M., De Matteis, A., Attianese, M.
R., Busato, G., Caruso, R., Cestari, M., De Biasi, S., De Chiara, A., De Matteis, G.,
Goffredi, G., & La Russa, R. (2020). Covid‐19 risk management and screening in the
penitentiary facilities of the salerno province in Southern Italy. International Journal of
Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(21), 1–9.
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17218033
574-06-01
These post replies need to be substantial and constructive in nature. They should add to the content
of the post and evaluate/analyze that post answer. including one scholarly peer-reviewed reference.
Minimum 100 words.
Epidemiology and COVID-19
In the fight against COVID-19, Nature’s 1/3 pandemic development dossier summarizes the
most important epidemiological discoveries. Because epidemiology has aided in
understanding, containing, and responding to the virus, the pandemic has highlighted its
significance. Epidemiology is the study of how and why illnesses spread, and estimates from
virus modeling studies and the analysis of infection and mortality statistics have influenced
policy choices worldwide (Lipsitch, Swerdlow & Finelli, 2020). The scope and character of
the pandemic are discussed in this article, along with how epidemiology can be crucial to
comprehend the potential consequences of the new varieties.
Initial modeling studies on the virus’s transmissibility by epidemiologists suggested that the
number of cases was substantially higher than previously thought and that the R0 rate ranged
from 2 to 4.2 (Lipsitch, Swerdlow & Finelli, 2020). Key factors including the average
incubation period and the proportion of patients for whom the illness could be lethal were
also predicted in early investigations (Lipsitch, Swerdlow & Finelli, 2020). Early on, it was
clear that the elderly were more likely to have severe disease and pass away; according to
some estimations, more than 1 in 10 people over the age of 80 who got the virus would not
survive.
Epidemiologists were able to determine, as more data became available, that the virus could
be transmitted by persons who did not have symptoms and had a high potential for spreading
worldwide (Lauer et al 2020). Because of these studies, many governments worldwide were
made aware that the situation could be significantly worse than originally thought. As a
result, hospices were required to get ready for a significant increase in the number of patients
admitted to intensive care units.
As the number of cases increased, the epidemiological community also assessed strategies
that might aid in virus containment. Researchers started simulating the effectiveness of nonpharmaceutical therapies including wearing a face mask, keeping a distance from others, and
staying in. According to studies, public health initiatives in Wuhan, such as closing schools,
limiting travel, and limiting mixing to inside families, greatly lowered transmission rates
(Onder, Rezza & Brusaferro, 2020). Researchers also predicted that communities that put off
establishing laws would need to keep them in place for longer periods before they could stop
the spread of the virus. Although wearing a mask is known to help prevent the spread of
respiratory illnesses, it took longer for researchers to establish the effectiveness of masks
against COVID-19 through controlled trials and direct data.
Epidemiology now faces fresh difficulties as a result of the pandemic, such as determining
the effects of the widespread use of vaccines on the transmission of the virus (Onder, Rezza
& Brusaferro, 2020). To assess the effectiveness of the vaccine, epidemiologists must
investigate how the virus spreads in communities that have received vaccinations and keep an
eye on the appearance of new strains.
Epidemiology has, therefore, been essential in the struggle against COVID-19. The epidemic
has brought to light the value of modeling, predictions, and data analysis in guiding public
health policy. Epidemiology continues to be crucial in determining the effects of the virus
and creating effective responses as the pandemic spreads. However, the pandemic has also
put epidemiology under stress, requiring researchers to adjust to shifting circumstances and
assess fresh difficulties like emerging variants and vaccine efficacy.
References
Lipsitch, M., Swerdlow, D. L., & Finelli, L. (2020). Defining the epidemiology of Covid19—studies needed. New England Journal of Medicine, 382(13), 1194-1196.
Lauer, S. A., Grantz, K. H., Bi, Q., Jones, F. K., Zheng, Q., Meredith, H. R., … & Lessler, J.
(2020 .)The incubation period of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) from
publicly
reported confirmed cases: estimation and application. Annals of
internal medicine, 172(9), 577-582.
Onder, G., Rezza, G., & Brusaferro, S. (2020). Case-fatality rate and characteristics of
patients dying from COVID-19 in Italy. Jama, 323(18), 1775-1776.