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. 2020 Jun 29:44:e86.
doi: 10.26633/RPSP.2020.86. eCollection 2020.

COVID-19 pandemic in Panama: lessons of the unique risks and research opportunities for Latin America

Jose R Loaiza  1   2 , Kosagisharaf Rao  1 , Gilberto A Eskildsen  2 , Eduardo Ortega-Barria  3 , Matthew J Miller  4 , Rolando A Gittens  1
Affiliations

COVID-19 pandemic in Panama: lessons of the unique risks and research opportunities for Latin America

Jose R Loaiza et al. Rev Panam Salud Publica. .

Abstract
in English, Spanish

The Republic of Panama has the second most unequally distributed wealth in Central America, has recently entered the list of countries affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and has one of the largest testing rate per inhabitant in the region and consequently the highest incidence rate of COVID-19, making it an ideal location to discuss potential scenarios for assessing epidemic preparedness, and to outline research opportunities in the Region of the Americas. We address two timely important questions: What are the unique risks of COVID-19 in Panama that could help other countries in the Region be better prepared? And what kind of scientific knowledge can Panama contribute to the regional and global study of COVID-19? This paper provides suggestions about how the research community could support local health authorities plan for different scenarios and decrease public anxiety. It also presents basic scientific opportunities about emerging pandemic pathogens towards promoting global health from the perspective of a middle income country.

La República de Panamá es el segundo país de Centroamérica con la distribución más desigual de la riqueza, ha resultado afectado recientemente por la pandemia de COVID-19 y tiene una de las mayores tasas de pruebas diagnósticas por habitante de la región y, por consiguiente, la mayor tasa de incidencia de COVID-19. Estos aspectos la convierten en un lugar ideal para examinar posibles escenarios de evaluación de la preparación para la epidemia y para plantear oportunidades de investigación en la Región de las Américas. Se abordan dos preguntas importantes y oportunas: ¿Cuáles son los riesgos singulares de la COVID-19 en Panamá que podrían ayudar a otros países de la Región a estar mejor preparados? y ¿Qué tipo de conocimiento científico puede aportar Panamá al estudio regional y mundial de la COVID-19? En este artículo se presentan sugerencias sobre la forma en que la comunidad de investigadores podría apoyar a las autoridades sanitarias locales a planificar medidas ante diferentes escenarios y disminuir la ansiedad de la población. También se presentan oportunidades científicas básicas sobre patógenos pandémicos emergentes para promover la salud mundial desde la perspectiva de un país de ingresos medios.

Keywords: Americas; Coronavirus infection; SARS virus; pandemics; research; virus diseases.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest. None declared.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.. Lethality rate (%) and GINI Index across countries affected by COVID-19 in countries from Central America, South America and the Northern Hemisphere.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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