Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19): not one epidemic but four

摘要

At this crucial time, it is correct to focus on controlling the COVID‐19 epidemic using the meagre tools we have available – social distancing, hand washing, protection of healthcare workers as critical infrastructure and expansion of testing as much as possible combined with quarantine to prevent community spread. However, we are faced with at least three other contemporaneous epidemics that we also need to manage: more morbidity and mortality from non‐COVID‐19‐related acute disease, increased harm due to diminished support for patients with chronic disease and a mental health epidemic across society but likely to be concentrated in front line workers. Understanding the risks related to these additional epidemics occurring in close proximity – worse outcomes for acute and chronic non‐COVID‐19 illnesses and an increase in mental health disorders related to trauma, especially in first responders – may help us to reduce them.