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. 2021 Dec;53 Suppl 1(Suppl 1):102226.
doi: 10.1016/j.aprim.2021.102226.

Primary health care response in the management of pandemics: Learnings from the COVID-19 pandemic

Donald Li  1 , Amanda C Howe  2 , María-Pilar Astier-Peña  3
Affiliations

Primary health care response in the management of pandemics: Learnings from the COVID-19 pandemic

Donald Li et al. Aten Primaria. 2021 Dec.

Abstract
in English, Spanish

Primary care is an essential foundation for the global response to COVID-19 pandemic. It plays a significant role in the health care response: identifying and triaging potential COVID-19 cases, making an early diagnosis, helping vulnerable people cope with their anxiety about the virus, strengthening compliance with prevention and protection measures, and reducing the demand for hospital services. Primary care teams have continued to address citizens' health problems during the pandemic, adapting to strict social control measures imposed by governments such as closing of borders, lockdowns and self-isolation of cases and contacts. We describe the COVID-19 response from primary care in Hong Kong and China, based on their recent pandemic experiences. We also present that of a European country, United Kingdom, less experienced in pandemic management, but with universal and highly developed primary care with great social recognition. Finally, we point out some crucial learning for future pandemic management, highlighting the crucial need to improve the relationship between primary care and public health to improve pandemics response.

La atención primaria es una parte esencial de los sistemas de salud para la respuesta global a la pandemia COVID-19. Desempeña un papel importante en la respuesta asistencial y en su control: identificando y clasificando los posibles casos de COVID-19, realizando un diagnóstico precoz, ayudando a las personas vulnerables a hacer frente a su ansiedad por el virus, reforzando el cumplimiento de las medidas de prevención y protección y reduciendo la demanda de servicios hospitalarios. Los equipos de atención primaria han continuado atendiendo los problemas de salud de los ciudadanos durante la pandemia, adaptándose a las estrictas medidas sociales de control impuestas por los gobiernos como el cierre de fronteras, el confinamiento de la sociedad, y el autoaislamiento de casos y contactos. En este artículo se describe la respuesta a la pandemia COVID-19 desde el nivel de atención primaria en Hong Kong y China, basada en sus experiencias de pandemias anteriores. También se describe la de Reino Unido, con menos experiencia en gestión de pandemias, pero con una atención primaria muy desarrollada, con una cobertura universal de la población y con gran reconocimiento social. Finalmente, se señalan algunos aprendizajes cruciales para la gestión de la pandemia en atención primaria de cara al futuro, entre ellas la importante necesidad de potenciar la relación entre atención primaria y salud pública.

Keywords: Atención primaria; COVID-19; Epidemias; Epidemics; Family medicine; Health policy; Medicina de familia; Pandemic preparedness; Política sanitaria; Preparación para pandemias; Primary care; Public health; Salud pública.

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