MEDPULSE

Meerhopra & Nick Teller Artist: Peri Ren Authors: Meera ChoMEDPULSE Authors: Meera Chopra & Nick Authors: Meera Chopra & Nick Teller pra & Nick Teller Artist: Peri Ren AUTHORS: MEERA CHOPRA & NICK TELLER ARTIST: PERI REN

Costa Rica | May 2020 Costa Rica's healthcare system has been praised for its success in improving health outcomes such as longevity, as well as decreasing stillbirths and infant mortality. Since February 2020, the Costa Rican Ministry of Health and the Costa Rican Social Security Fund have been making suggestions and guidelines through mass-media public educational campaigns in an e ort to reduce the transmission of respiratory viruses before the country's first case of COVID-19. Recommendations began with churches reducing hand and mouth contact during ceremonies, and were followed by suggestions about improved hygiene, including hand washing, sneezing into the elbow, and avoiding contact with the mouth and nose when hands have not been washed. Enforcement of physical distancing has been steadily increasing since March 11, 2020. Since then, schools and public spaces have been closed, international travel has been limited, and long-distance transit and free transit have been forbidden. Panama | June 2020

Panama has the second highest level of wealth inequality in

Central America, one of the highest testing rates in the region, and one of the highest numbers of detected cases of COVID-19.

By May 11, 2020, over 8,616 people in Panama City had been infected, and 249 of those people died. The Ministry of Health in

Panama has established an e ective containment strategy and has covered all ports of entry into the country since January 2020. To combat the spread of COVID-19, one idea that has been brought up is the introduction of a phone application that allows those a ected to report their symptoms, so that people know if they have been exposed. Currently, schools are closed nationwide, and stringent social distancing regulations have been implemented, such as absolute quarantine during weekends and curfews based on gender and personal identification numbers.

Guatemala | June 2020 The Guatemalan government has been criticized for its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Obscure regulations with unclear curfews have rendered marginalized and susceptible populations unprotected. The government has been accused of tailoring policies towards the business interests of the Guatemalan Chamber of Commerce. These policies have created confusion amongst an uneducated population about proper approaches to medicine, reporting behaviour, and treatment of those that test positive for COVID-19. Reports indicate that the country has less than 400 intensive care beds and 50 respirators. By mid-May, when the pandemic had not yet hit its peak, two reference hospitals had already collapsed. The president's response has been to refer to the virus as a simple flu, assuming that infections would subdue with rising temperatures.

The country remains in a dire state and in need of aid.

References can be found on our website: References can be foun meducator.org Citations can be found on our website: meducator.org

Rwanda | July 2020 After the outbreak of COVID-19 in Rwanda, several techniques were used to contain the spread of the virus. On social media, two campaigns were organized to encourage compliance with public health measures, including #GumaMuRugo (encouraging staying at home) and #NtabeAriNjye ("Let it not be me") to fight complacent feelings about the virus. Furthermore, testing in Rwanda is widely available and returns results quickly. Rwanda uses a system called "pool testing," where groups of nasal swabs are tested together for COVID-19 —if they return a positive result, then the swabs are tested individually. Technology is also used to limit the spread of the virus; robots check temperatures, find medical records, and monitor patients to minimize infections among healthcare workers. Furthermore, Rwanda has enforced mandatory face coverings and physical distancing guidelines.

Japan | September 2020 A study in Japan is aiming to determine the feasibility and accuracy of saliva samples for COVID-19 testing. The current method of testing is nasal swabs, which may result in higher levels of exposure to the virus for the healthcare professionals taking the sample. Researchers obtained both nasal swabs and saliva samples from symptomatic patients and sta at a hospital in Tokyo, and used reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction to detect the presence of the virus. The study found that saliva samples displayed the same result as nasal swabs in 96.4% of tests. Researchers concluded that saliva samples can be used instead of nasal swabs to test for COVID-19, especially if the saliva sample is taken within ten days of the onset of symptoms. Furthermore, saliva samples are viable for testing even after long-term storage at room temperature, although more research needs to be done on a larger sample size to verify this result. Argentina | May 2020 Argentina was hit with the COVID-19 pandemic at a time of weakness; a new national government had taken o ce in December 2019 and the Argentine peso had lost 68% of its value since April 2018. In response to the pandemic, Argentina instituted policies that provide free alcohol gel and sodium hypochlorite deliveries to homes. Several municipalities have produced educational materials that have been distributed on social-media networks, while others have promoted production of clothing for healthcare workers. Recently, some local governments have begun creating tunnels for vehicle disinfection, and municipal governments have been preparing isolation beds in hotels and schools for the infected. Twelve modular hospitals have been built in the most densely populated regions of the country, adding 350 intensive care beds and 650 intermediate therapy beds to the system.

Indonesia | July 2020 A study in Jakarta, Indonesia aimed to determine the correlation between weather and the spread of COVID-19. Researchers recorded the minimum, maximum, and average temperature, as well as the humidity and amount of rainfall, and determined their correlation to the number of new cases. The study determined that the average temperature was significantly correlated with the number of COVID-19 cases. Researchers further explained that the spread of the virus in Jakarta is also mediated by high mobility and high population density. Further research needs to be done to assess the impact of other factors on virus transmission that may correlate with temperature, such as population mobility and endurance, as well as hand hygiene habits.

New Zealand | August 2020 The first case of COVID-19 in New Zealand was discovered on February 26, 2020. After a few weeks, o cials found that the country did not have adequate contact tracing and testing abilities to contain the virus. The government decided to enforce a national lockdown on March 26 by limiting travel, eliminating public gatherings, and closing all non-essential businesses. After seven weeks of implementing these guidelines, the last known COVID-19 case was identified in early May. The country continues to enforce certain public health measures, such as preventing public gatherings with larger than a 100-person attendance and

mandating that face coverings are worn in most public areas.