ABSTRACT
Our review specifically focuses on virtual visit (televisit) in cardiology. Telemedicine comes as a response to the challenge caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Among the many possibilities offered by telemedicine, one is the videoconference modality which consists of an online consultation, where a live interaction is created in real time through a video call system: recent studies confirm the rapid increase in video consultations during the pandemic. Despite the ongoing debate around the effectiveness of telemedicine in cardiology, the COVID-19 pandemic has made it necessary to move more or less immediately towards remote modalities to guarantee the continuation of care for cardiological patients. The transition generated many important questions about quality of care and patient and medical use. Most patients would benefit from virtual visit, as its implementation has shown similar results to face-to-face consultation, improving patient health and satisfaction, and improving access to health services. Virtual visit programming and regulation will be required, with a homogeneous system of platforms within which the services will operate, integrated with the "normal" diagnosis and therapy paths. Virtual visit must be an ordinary way of providing services and not an exception. Finally, the use of digital systems cannot be limited to the experienced citizen, but must be adapted to the skills of younger and less competent patients.
ABSTRACT
In this paper, ARPA Lombardy presents the simulation results and a preliminary impact assesment on air quality due to the introduction of limitation and social distancing rules for contrasting the diffusion of COVID-19 disease. A specific data flux and methodology have been developed on the base of the most recent emission inventory available for the Lombardy region and algorithms, ad hoc built up for the study, to estimate the primary emission variations of the main atmospheric pollutant, potentially affected by the anti-COVID rules. Two emission scenarios have been identified:”BAU”, defined as business as usual, and”COVID”, defined as the situation expected during the period. The main emission estimates on a daily base have been used as input in the chemical transport model FARM for evaluating the impact of lockdown on air quality in Lombardy. Simulated data have been also assimilated with measurements in 2020 and measured data in the three previous years 2017-2019. © 2020 HARMO. All rights reserved.