Collateral damage during the attention for COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Throughout history, pandemics have had a major impact on humanity. The measures used to combat them cause collateral damage. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the actions taken to reduce the exposure, the number of infections, and the case fatality rate focuses on reducing mortality; however, the collapse of the health system can cause an even greater number of deaths. At the same time, both medical personnel and patients are affected by the economic slowdown and the "effect of negativity". In this review article, the different tools available for pandemic control, their development in a historical context, and how they may impact risk stratification for vulnerable patients (elderly, patients with chronic degenerative, and oncological diseases) were analyzed.