COVID-19 containment ship model: a case study for Pacific Island response. (Special Issue: The impact of COVID-19 on the health and social welfare of the people of Hawai'i.)
Hawaii Journal of Medicine and Public Health
; 80(9 Suppl. 1):102-109, 2021.
Article
in English
| GIM | ID: covidwho-1812931
ABSTRACT
The Republic of the Marshall Islands, American Samoa, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau have been without any COVID-19 community transmission since the beginning of the global pandemic. The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands has experienced modest community transmission, and Guam has had significant COVID-19 community transmission and morbidity. Although several of these United States Affiliated Pacific Island jurisdictions made difficult strategic choices to prevent the spread of COVID-19 which have been largely successful, the built environment and the population density in the urban areas of the Pacific remain inherently conducive to rapid COVID-19 transmission. Rapid transmission could result in devastating health and economic consequences in the absence of continued vigilance and long-term strategic measures. The unique COVID-19 vulnerability of islands in the Pacific can be modeled through examination of recent outbreaks onboard several United States Naval ships and other marine vessels. The environmental characteristics that pose challenges to infection control on an isolated naval ship are analogous to the environmental characteristics of these Pacific island communities. Considering a collection of case studies of COVID-19 transmission on ships and applying to Pacific Island environments, provides a heuristic, easily accessible epidemiologic framework to identify methods for interventions that are practical and reliable towards COVID-19 containment, prevention, and control. Using accessible evidence based public health policies, infection risk can be decreased with the objective of maintaining in-country health and social stability. These case studies have also been examined for their relevance to current discussions of health care infrastructure and policy in the Pacific Islands, especially that of vaccination and repatriation of citizens marooned in other countries. The need for aggressive preparation on the parts of territories and nations not yet heavily exposed to the virus is critical to avoid a rapid "burn-through" of disease across the islands, which would likely result in catastrophic consequences.
disease transmission; viral diseases; coronavirus disease 2019; human diseases; public health; pandemics; case studies; disease control; economic impact; epidemiology; exposure; health care; health policy; immunization; infection control; infectious diseases; islands; morbidity; outbreaks; population density; urban areas; vaccination; immune sensitization; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; man; Pacific Islands; Marshall Islands; American Samoa; Micronesia; Palau; Mariana Islands; Guam; Commonwealth of Nations; Federated States of Micronesia; Northern Mariana Islands; Oceania; USA; Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus; Betacoronavirus; Coronavirinae; Coronaviridae; Nidovirales; positive-sense ssRNA Viruses; ssRNA Viruses; RNA Viruses; viruses; Homo; Hominidae; primates; mammals; vertebrates; Chordata; animals; eukaryotes; high Human Development Index countries; upper-middle income countries; American Oceania; Polynesia; Caroline Islands; high income countries; very high Human Development Index countries; lower-middle income countries; medium Human Development Index countries; APEC countries; North America; America; OECD Countries; SARS-CoV-2; viral infections; Belau; Commonwealth; communicable diseases; Cnmi; United States of America
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Collection:
Databases of international organizations
Database:
GIM
Type of study:
Case report
/
Experimental Studies
Language:
English
Journal:
Hawaii Journal of Medicine and Public Health
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
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