The use of tobacco products is of particular concern during the COVID-19 pandemic. Head and neck surgeons Dr Arjun Singh and Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi argue that smokeless tobacco use requires attention to help stop the spread of the disease. Since late 2019, the world has witnessed the spread of a pandemic affecting the respiratory […]
Tag: covid-19
Smoking history is an important risk factor for severe COVID-19
Giuseppe Gorini, Luke Clancy, Esteve Fernandez and Silvano Gallus Current evidence suggests that an association exists between smoking and COVID-19 severity, in line with recent research which has shown that smoking is associated with increased risk of acute respiratory distress syndrome. Moreover, a study based on 1099 COVID-19 patients showed that 31.7% of patients […]
COVID-19 : Troll, troublemaker or scientist?
In August 2018, my husband and I left London for the colder, darker, but Brexit-free, climes of Sweden. With rose-tinted glasses firmly on, we were excited to live in a country famed for its keen sense of equity, entrepreneurial spirit and pragmatic stylishness. With our own mushroom foraging spot identified, a firm opinion on […]
An ethical perspective from the COVID-19 frontline
In a call with the local health department on panemic control, I asked , what was being done to provide isolation for infected farm workers, prisoners, and the homeless. A member of the department replied, “We have that covered.” When I asked about the steps being taken, he said, “Are you implying that we […]
COVID-19 in the Caribbean region: indications of gendered nature
National governments across the world are scrambling to contain the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The Caribbean region has been affected later than other regions including Asia, Europe and Africa. As at 21st March 2020, twenty-four countries/territories in the Caribbean region have reported a total of 384 confirmed COVID-19 infections. Most cases are imported […]
Saving lives by European solidarity and cooperation in response to COVID-19
COVID-19 is spreading rapidly across Europe. Many people are currently suffering from it and thousands in Europe are dying. We know that these numbers will inevitably rise much further. The European Council recently stressed the importance of European solidarity and cooperation in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. Most European countries have ensured that there […]
Waterpipe Tobacco Smoking: A Potential Conduit of COVID-19
Mohammad Ebrahimi Kalan, Ziyad Ben Taleb, Mehdi Fazlzadeh, Kenneth D Ward, Wasim Maziak On New Year’s Eve 2019, the outbreak of a novel infectious respiratory disease (known as Coronavirus disease 2019; COVID-19) was reported in several patients with a history of exposure to the Huanan seafood market, in multiple hospitals in the city of Wuhan, […]
Sex, gender and COVID-19: Disaggregated data and health disparities
Sex and gender matter to health equity. The pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) illustrates this in the clearest terms. We are pleased that the Lancet Gender and COVID-19 Working Group, UN Women, UNFPA and others are bringing attention to the gendered elements of the outbreak. The impact on women in particular has been […]
NSAIDs and corticosteroid injections during the COVID pandemic: what Sport and Exercise Medicine Physicians (and sports physios) should know
By A/Prof Jane Fitzpatrick, jane.fitzpatrick@unimelb.edu.au So the twittisphere is alive with experts and casual observers making comments about the use of medications in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. In an unreferenced news article in The BMJ, Michael Day said, “Scientists and senior doctors have backed claims by France’s health minister that people showing symptoms […]
Wuhan Coronavirus : Should we trust social media?
The recent outbreak of novel coronavirus, known as 2019-nCoV, originated from China, has driven enormous public attention. So far, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are approximately 4593 confirmed cases of coronavirus globally and 106 deaths (1). The overall situation regarding the coronavirus spread is fluid. Considering its high level of infectivity and […]