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Review
. 2022 Oct;38(4):761-774.
doi: 10.1016/j.ccc.2022.07.002. Epub 2022 Jul 11.

Critical Care Pandemic Preparation: Considerations and Lessons Learned from COVID-19

Affiliations
Review

Critical Care Pandemic Preparation: Considerations and Lessons Learned from COVID-19

Mervyn Mer et al. Crit Care Clin. 2022 Oct.

Abstract

Pandemics, increases in disease incidence that affect multiple regions of the world, present huge challenges to health care systems and in particular to policymakers, public health authorities, clinicians, and all health care workers (HCWs). The recent COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in millions of severely ill patients, many of whom who have required hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) admission. The discipline of critical care is a vital and integral component of pandemic preparedness. Safe and effective critical care has the potential to improve outcomes, motivate individuals to seek timely medical attention, and attenuate the devastating sequelae of a severe pandemic. To achieve this, suitable critical care planning and preparation are essential.

Keywords: COVID-19; Critical care; Global health; Pandemics.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Key components for critical care pandemic planning, preparation, and delivery: the six S’s.

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