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- Title
The SARS-CoV-2 in Colombia -- A view from the Academy of Medicine.
- Authors
Carrasquilla, Gabriel
- Abstract
The first case of SARS-Cov-2 in Colombia was reported on March 6th, 2020, in a woman arriving from Milan (Italy), and on March 12th sanitary emergency was declared by the President. Colombia started preparation for the pandemic in early January by monitoring all ports of international entrances. The initial strict and complete lockdown was mandated for 19 days starting on March 24, which was later extended in various opportunities until August 31. However, beginning late April few economic sectors were allowed to start activities. The number of cases grew constantly up to the end of July and since the beginning of August, the daily number of new cases is decreasing. Colombia began processing 3 000 samples for RT-PCR diagnose of COVID-19 and increased to 119 laboratories and 45 000 tests per day and increased from 3 000 to 10 000 beds in Intensive Care Units across the country. The National Academy of Medicine has followed the pandemic by meeting weekly to analyze different aspects of the pandemic, among others, primary health care, and the situation of health services, mental health, economic impact, and social indiscipline. Results of the early control measures and proper preparedness in testing and ICU are presented as well as the opportunities for improvement in social communication oriented to more pedagogic and educational messages instead of prohibition or fear of the current situation. There are challenges for the post-pandemic such reforms to the health system, strengthening primary health care, better coordination between national and local governments, and recovery of employment that will require strong participative leadership.
- Subjects
COLOMBIA; SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19 testing; REVERSE transcriptase polymerase chain reaction; ECONOMIC sectors
- Publication
Gaceta Médica de Caracas, 2020, Vol 128, pS208
- ISSN
0367-4762
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.47307/GMC.2020.128.s2.8