The overall impact of COVID‐19 on healthcare during the pandemic: A multidisciplinary point of view

Abstract

Background and Aims The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic globally changed the priorities of medical and surgical procedures. It has caused many healthcare systems to stop performing their routine screenings. Altering medical clinics to COVID‐19 referral centers, lockdowns, and the public fear to refer to medical centers caused a significant reduction in the referral rate; especially in the elderly. This short review article highlights the transform in clinical practice during the post‐COVID era and the need for future medical revolutions. Methods A comprehensive literature search was separately performed by both authors. The articles published between 2019 and August 2021 were included in this study and selected according to a quality appraisal method. Results We have summarized the possible corresponding changes in the diagnosis and treatment of all fields of medical care including internal medicine, surgical, and minor subcategories after the COVID‐19 pandemic. We have also discussed the potential impacts of the pandemic on all these different categories and subcategories of medicine, including the outpatient setting and clinical work. We do believe that the lack of routine check‐ups has led to an increase in the stage of disease in patients with a previously diagnosed problem. On the other hand, the dramatic change in the lifestyle of the population including restricted mobility and increased consumption of unhealthy food has caused metabolic syndrome and other new diseases that have not been diagnosed and properly managed. Conclusion Our findings revealed the urgent need for public health awareness. It indicated the need to carry out both psychological and screening approaches in the post‐COVID era to not miss patients with a chronic disease and new cases who were undiagnosed during the COVID pandemic.

Impact of Anti-Type 2 Inflammation Biologic Therapy on COVID-19 Clinical Course and Outcome

“…SARS-CoV-2 pandemic had a general and deep impact on the clinical management of most chronic diseases in adults and children. 1,2 Especially in the first phases of this pandemic, a great concern was the potential effect of concomitant immunosuppressive/immunomodulatory therapies on the individual susceptibility, clinical course, and outcome of COVID-19. 3 Rheumatic disorders immediately received a great attention to understand if the biological therapies could worsen the clinical course of COVID-19.…”

Life Satisfaction and Perceived Stress versus Health Promoting Behavior among Medical Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Periodic lockdown, staying in quarantines, significant limitation of the possibility of visiting gyms or fitness clubs, and in some moments even leaving the house, except in cases of special necessity, led to the possibilities of physical activity being severely limited [ 36 , 37 ]. Access to health care was also limited, and almost all its forces were devoted to fighting the pandemic [ 38 ]. External activity limitations were also often associated with a change in eating habits, which could take place in two directions.…”

SARS-CoV-2 infection in multiple sclerosis patients: interaction with treatments, adjuvant therapies, and vaccines against COVID-19

“…Despite the fact that during the pandemic, many diseases have been treated through the use of telemedicine, becoming a feasible tool to maintain patient care and reduce the risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 for both patients and workers of health [ 26 , 27 ], the impact of COVID-19 on the health care system has been dramatic. The system had to undergo important changes, such as the postponement of surgeries and non-urgent medical care [ 28 ]. In patients with multiple sclerosis, regular physical activity is considered essential for disease management.…”

“…This has also led to an increase in fear of relapse in pwMS, due to the uncertainty about the management of the disease and access to health services [ 30 ]. Despite all benefits of telemedicine during the COVID‐19 pandemic, the telemedical examination does not seem to be able to replace personal consultation fully [ 28 ].…”