Introduction
The pandemic has become a severe blow to the whole world by threatening the population’s health and forcing it to adapt all activities to new conditions. According to Platto et al. (2021), although the first outbreak occurred in Wuhan and the city is considered the place of origin of the disease, the conditions for its occurrence were also present in other places. Human activity changes nature, resulting in the loss of ecosystem biodiversity. Species multifariousness should reduce the transmission of pathogens through the dilution effect (Platto et al., 2021). As a result of diversity decline, bats, which are critical carriers of the coronavirus, have been in more significant contact with pets and humans, transmitting the SARS-CoV-2 virus to them (Platto et al., 2021). Despite the rapid disease spread and its dangers, specific measures and interventions can reduce the risks.
Epidemiology
Epidemiology helps to determine patterns in the spread of the disease to find solutions to control and overcome it. To achieve these goals, researchers use epidemiological calculations and measurements. Incidence and prevalence rates provide critical information for understanding the disease, and their calculations require data on the total number of populations and the number of new or existing cases (Vaughan et al., 2018). Continuously updated World Health Organization (2022) data on the American population show that cases for the day are nearly 133,265, and total cases are 88,544,725. Considering that US Census Bureau (2022) estimated the US population at 32,403,650, calculations are as follows:
- Incidence = (133,265 / 332,403,650) × 1,000 = 0.4 cases/1,000 Population
- Prevalence = (88,544,725 / 332,403,650) × 1,000 = 266.4 cases/1,000 Population
Vulnerable populations are less protected against the disease and most at risk of suffering the effects of COVID-19. Following Frérot et al. (2018) definition, which includes basic principles of epidemiology, includes elements of study, determinants, distribution, specified populations, health-related states or events, and applications. One can use the principle of determinants to understand and address risks to vulnerable people to determine the critical risk causes for these groups. In particular, the vulnerable population will not receive the necessary treatment without equal access to health services and is more likely to develop complications.
The situation for these groups is complicated by related problems which require a solution. For example, the regulatory issue is the management of patients with chronic diseases and disabilities, which are a vulnerable group (Saleh et al., 2021). Due to the need to regularly visit a doctor, they are more at risk of COVID-19. A significant ethical issue is the allocation of limited health resources, which also increases the vulnerability of a population part, as they are less likely to receive care (Saleh et al., 2021). With many problems and complications accompanying the pandemic, interventions are of critical importance.
Nursing Interventions
Nurses can make a significant contribution to overcoming the pandemic. To stop the epidemic, nurses have roles in prevention, treatment, surveillance and accountability, and protecting vulnerable populations (Chen et al., 2020). Using descriptive and analytical methods of epidemiology, nurses can develop interventions. For example, intervention to educate the people on infection prevention measures can cover different groups. Training can be carried out through online lectures in schools, distribution of leaflets, and other methods, making it possible to establish contact with the population. Another intervention is monitoring vital signs and O2 saturation for patients visiting hospitals. It allows nurses to identify signs of the disease and start treatment in time. Such measures can contribute to reducing the impact of the coronavirus.
Conclusion
Thus, the COVID-19 pandemic arose due to the loss of biodiversity, which reduced the dilution effect and led to closer interaction of the virus carriers with humans. In the US, the disease incidence per day is 0.4 cases per 1,000 people, and the prevalence is 266.4 per 1,000 people. The vulnerable population is more at risk, and using the epidemiological principle of determinants, one can understand the key risk factors to reduce it. Complex regulatory and ethical problems accompany the situation putting the vulnerable population in more danger. However, nurses can significantly reduce the spread of the disease through education and monitoring interventions.
References
Chen, S. C., Lai, Y. H., & Tsay, S. L. (2020). Nursing perspectives on the impacts of COVID-19.The Journal of Nursing Research, 28(3), 1-5.
Frérot, M., Lefebvre, A., Aho, S., Callier, P., Astruc, K., & Aho Glélé, L. S. (2018). What is epidemiology? Changing definitions of epidemiology 1978-2017.PloS One, 13(12), 1-27.
Platto, S., Wang, Y., Zhou, J., & Carafoli, E. (2021). History of the COVID-19 pandemic: Origin, explosion, worldwide spreading.Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 538, 14-23.
Saleh, B. M., Aly, E. M., Hafiz, M., Abdel Gawad, R. M., El Kheir-Mataria, W. A., & Salama, M. (2021). Ethical dimensions of public health actions and policies with special focus on COVID-19.Frontiers in Public Health, 9, 1-12.
U.S. Census Bureau. (2022). U.S. population estimated at 332,403,650 on Jan. 1, 2022. U.S. Department of Commerce.
Vaughan, J. P., Victora, C., & Chowdhury, A. M. R. (2018). Epidemiological principles. In Practical epidemiology: Using epidemiology to support primary health care (pp. 1-14). Oxford University Press.
World Health Organization. (2022). Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases and deaths.