Five years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic: an epidemiological review
11/03/2025
Ángela Domínguez et al.
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Profesor at the Faculty of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Ángela Domínguez et al.
Profesor at the Faculty of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Five years ago, an unknown virus had a profound impact on Spanish society and its national health system. It is time to review the impacts, shortcomings, achievements and challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic from the epidemiological perspective.
1. Preparedness for emergencies and exceptional situations
Although the level of preparedness of high-income countries for a new pandemic was considered to be excellent, when the COVID-19 emergency was declared, early warning systems were not sufficiently prepared.
Nor was there a strategic stockpile of medical supplies when it came to a respiratory transmission pandemic. Diagnostic and therapeutic resources, especially at the beginning, were insufficient. And the resources available were not enough to deal with the simultaneous care of a massive number of cases.
A Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan is needed, as well as the development, review and updating of contingency plans at central and autonomous community level to improve preparedness and response to future pandemics.
This article was originally published in The Conversation (in Spanish).
Although the level of preparedness of high-income countries for a new pandemic was considered to be excellent, when the COVID-19 emergency was declared, early warning systems were not sufficiently prepared.
Nor was there a strategic stockpile of medical supplies when it came to a respiratory transmission pandemic. Diagnostic and therapeutic resources, especially at the beginning, were insufficient. And the resources available were not enough to deal with the simultaneous care of a massive number of cases.
A Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan is needed, as well as the development, review and updating of contingency plans at central and autonomous community level to improve preparedness and response to future pandemics.
This article was originally published in The Conversation (in Spanish).