COVID-19 the showdown for mass casualty preparedness and management: the Cassandra Syndrome

COVID-19 the showdown for mass casualty preparedness and management: the Cassandra Syndrome

Federico Coccolini, Massimo Sartelli, Yoram Kluger, Emmanouil Pikoulis, Evika Karamagioli, Ernest E. Moore, Walter L. Biffl, Andrew Peitzman, Andreas Hecker, Mircea Chirica, Dimitrios Damaskos, Carlos Ordonez, Felipe Vega, Gustavo P. Fraga, Massimo Chiarugi, Salomone Di Saverio, Andrew W Kirkpatrick, Fikri Abu-Zidan, Alain Chicom Mefire, Ari Leppäniemi, Vladimir Khokha, Boris Sakakushev, Rodolfo Catena, Raul Coimbra, Luca Ansaloni, Davide Corbella, Fausto Catena

Abstract Since December 2019, the world is potentially facing one of the most difficult infectious situations of the last decades. COVID-19 epidemic warrants consideration as a mass casualty incident (MCI) of the highest nature. An optimal MCI/disaster management should consider all four phases of the so-called disaster cycle: mitigation, planning, response, and recovery. COVID-19 outbreak has demonstrated the worldwide unpreparedness to face a global MCI. This present paper thus represents a call for action to solicitate governments and the Global Community to actively start effective plans to promote and improve MCI management preparedness in general, and with an obvious current focus on COVID-19.

2020

coronavirus, COVID-19, epidemia, Pademia, mass casualties, Management

DOI: 10.1186/s13017-020-00304-5

World Journal of Emergency Surgery

BMC

Surgery, Medical emergencies. Critical care. Intensive care. First aid

EN