The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on rabies post-exposure prophylaxis services in Asia.
Hum Vaccin Immunother
; 18(5): 2064174, 2022 11 30.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1819749
ABSTRACT
Human rabies is a preventable disease through post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) in rabies endemic countries where enzootic cycle of dog rabies occurs. The COVID19 pandemic has induced an unprecedented challenge for under-funded and already stretched healthcare systems particularly in low- and middle-income countries, which are unfortunately bearing a huge burden of human rabies. An analysis of hospital-based PEP data in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, focus group discussion and key informant interview have been carried out to better understand the impact of Covid-19 pandemic in human rabies prophylaxis. It is necessary to better prepare for human rabies prophylaxis in future pandemics based on lesson learnt from current pandemic. The PEP should be categorized as an emergency medical service, and it should be part of the hospital medical emergency. Mass dog vaccination against rabies should be accelerated to reduce the risk of potential bite of roaming dogs and pet dogs in communities. It is a wise decision to invest in cost-effective preparedness, i.e., mass dog vaccination rather than costly response, i.e., human rabies prophylaxis.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Rabies
/
Bites and Stings
/
Rabies Vaccines
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Experimental Studies
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
/
Qualitative research
Topics:
Vaccines
Limits:
Animals
/
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
Asia
Language:
English
Journal:
Hum Vaccin Immunother
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
21645515.2022.2064174
Similar
MEDLINE
...
LILACS
LIS