Indirect implications of COVID-19 prevention strategies on non-communicable diseases
Pietro A. Modesti,
Jiguang Wang,
Albertino Damasceno,
Charles Agyemang,
Luc Van Bortel,
Alexandre Persu,
Dong Zhao,
Faical Jarraya,
Ilaria Marzotti,
Mohamed Bamoshmoosh,
Gianfranco Parati,
Aletta E. Schutte
Affiliations
Pietro A. Modesti
Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine, Universita’ degli Studi di Firenze, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Careggi
Jiguang Wang
The Shanghai Institute of Hypertension, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine
Albertino Damasceno
Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Eduardo Mondlane University
Charles Agyemang
Department of Public & Occupational Health, Amsterdam Public Health (APH) Research Institute, Amsterdam University Medical Centres, University of Amsterdam
Luc Van Bortel
Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Basic and Applied Medical Sciences, Ghent University
Alexandre Persu
Division of Cardiology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc and Pole of Cardiovascular Research, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université catholique de Louvain
Dong Zhao
Department of Epidemiology, Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University
Faical Jarraya
Université de Sfax, Laboratoire de Recherche LR19ES11 (Ex. UR12ES14), Faculté de Médecine
Ilaria Marzotti
Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine, Universita’ degli Studi di Firenze, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Careggi
Mohamed Bamoshmoosh
University of Science and Technology
Gianfranco Parati
Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Department of Cardiology, S. Luca Hospital, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Medicine and Surgery
Aletta E. Schutte
Hypertension in Africa Research Team, North-West University
Abstract Background After its outbreak in China, the novel COronaVIrus Disease 19 is spreading across the globe. It is an emergency the world has never seen before. Main text The attention of health systems is mainly focused on COronaVIrus Disease 19 patients and on the risk that intensive care units might be overwhelmed by the serious pulmonary complications. Different countries are also attempting to establish infection prevention and control strategies which proved effective in China where the outbreak was initially reported. We reflect on important lessons to be learnt from different countries. The effects that infection prevention and control strategies, such as social distancing or isolation, can have on the care of millions of patients with non-communicable diseases, who may be indirectly affected, have not been taken into consideration so much. Conclusions When dealing with COronaVIrus Disease 19, policy makers and healthcare personnel should consider the indirect effects on the treatment of non-communicable diseases.
