The Use of Tele-Education in Medicine, During and Beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Commentary.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a disease caused by a novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), emerged initially as an isolated illness in December 2019 and later progressed to a global pandemic. Hard-hit areas were lockdown, massively disrupting medical education activities. Tele-education, previously used as a means of long-distance education emerged as a solution in the field of medical education. Tele-rotations for medical students, journal clubs and lectures via Microsoft teams, medical conferences via zoom, residency, and fellowship interviews online, all emerged during this pandemic. Some medical students and trainees found it enjoyable, cost-effective, time saving, feasible, unbiased, and preferred mode of education. Challenges related to supervision, availability, affordability, diminished communication, disturbance of streaming, or distractions due to environment. Tele-education has had a boom in the era of COVID-19. Research is needed further on effective mentoring and supervision of trainees via tele educational teaching models.

A Rare Case Of Severe Acrodermatitis Enteropathica During Covid-19 Lockdown.

Acrodermatitis Enteropathica is a rare hereditary condition characterized by perioral dermatitis, diarrhoea, and alopecia. Aetiology includes autosomal recessive inheritance and acquired causes such as protein malnutrition, malabsorption syndromes, premature births, parenteral nutrition, chronic illnesses, and alcoholism. We report a rare case of a 12-year-old boy who presented with cutaneous manifestations involving the whole body, diarrhoea, and sparse hairs. A low level of plasma zinc, and alkaline phosphatase level was found, and he was started on zinc supplements. He significantly improved in a few days, and was discharged after counselling the parents about treatment compliance. This case highlights importance of early diagnosis, and the importance of treatment compliance in Acrodermatitis Enteropathica. It also stresses the need to take measures to ensure the provision of health facilities especially in remote areas.