Learning from Past Pandemics. Meeting Present Challenges within the COVID-19 Pandemic

What have we learned from past pandemics?

How does an understanding of social medicine help us to face present challenges with COVID-19?

How might one's viral load (of the SARS-2 Virus) impact the human experience of COVID-19?

Dr. Raul Necochea & Dr. Rimma Osipov from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill discuss the factors within these questions regarding the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Comparing past experiences the pandemics/epidemics of the polio virus, small pox and the 1918 Flu, Dr. Raul Necochea, Associate Professor of History & Associate Professor of Social Medicine at UNC CH extrapolates the importance of social medicine. He highlights the importance of a thorough understanding of the communities, health care systems, access to resources through transportation & limited capital directly impacts a community, region or country's collective experience of an epidemic or pandemic.

He compares his own experience with the polio virus fears growing up and how the challenges of access to vaccines impacted future outbreaks of all of the past epidemic and pandemics that humanity has experienced in the last two centuries.

Dr. Rimma Osipov, Clinical Assistant Professor of Hospital Medicine at UNC CH first discusses the impact of viral load upon individuals who may be exposed to the SARS-2 virus that causes COVID-19, noting that continued research, observation, and discourse is needed to determine the complicated interplay between higher viral load and immune response and what indicators may signal that higher viral loads MAY lead to a more intense experience of COVID-19 or MAY place healthier health professionals at greater risk of progression to disease.

Dr. Osipov noted that individuals with pre-existing conditions such as blood clotting disorders were showing better outcomes with appropriate blood thinning medication. She explored briefly a consideration with me that an individual's past medical history MAY have a positive effect/preparation if infected as an option for discussion & research consideration.

She noted an overall problem in all adults with COVID-19 with inflammation - which appeared to be causing multiple complications in vital organs throughout the body in severe cases. Dr. Osipov discussed her work with physician and health care worker stress levels and overall concerns with the stress of possible exposure. She discussed the experience of COVID-19 in the Chapel Hill, NC hospitals since the inception of the pandemic in New York.

She stated that the University Hospital had stopped as soon as the pandemic began and focused its attention on what must be learned on the ground to prepare for patients w/COVID-19 along side of regular patients needing care.

Both Dr. Osipov & Dr. Necochea participated in a panel of professors who initiated a course for medical students - preparing them for COVID-19 treatment. Students are presently participating in this course at UNC CH Medical School & have adapted their 3rd & 4th year expectations to accommodate COVID-19 in residency.