Summary of Article Key Points
An article titled Covid-19 — navigating the uncharted relates to the subject of health and medicine, and, to be more specific, it explores the current epidemic of Covid-19. The authors review two academic works of Lee et al. and Guan et al., respectively, which examine the symptoms, the incubation period, the most vulnerable group of patients, and some viral anomalies (Fauci, Lane, and Redfield, 2020). It is worth noting that Fauci et al. (2020) also provide their own critical or informative comments. Judging by the focus on quantitative data, it can be argued that a descriptive quantitative methodology guides this article with an emphasis on median statistics.
The main results of the article are the fundamental epidemiological data on Covid-19. They are a mortality rate of presumably 1%, the most affected age group of about 59 years, the viral reproductive number of 2.2, the incubation period of nine to twelve days, and supportive care therapy (Fauci et al., 2020). The authors discuss the alleged real indicators of Covid-19, but also express their own opinions about the possible methods of treatment and the creation of the vaccine (Fauci et al., 2020). Pathogenesis and the Covid-19 genome, as well as methods for diagnosing and treating the virus, are highlighted as topics for future research.
Critique of the Article
The research topic is exceptionally relevant and literally vital for many people, both patients, and doctors. It is due to “increased infectivity” (Fauci et al., 2020, para. 4) and “critical challenges for the public health, research, and medical communities” (Fauci et al., 2020, para. 1). It is also worth noting the small number of literary sources studied and the emphasis mainly on median statistics, namely the age and gender groups (Fauci et al., 2020). The authors of the article made the right decision when choosing a descriptive quantitative study since much attention is paid to reviews of medical data and the nuances of testing. According to Fauci et al. (2020), “whereas 78,191 laboratory-confirmed cases had been identified in China as of February 26, 2020, a total of 2918 cases had been confirmed in 37 other countries or territories” (para. 5). It is also because of the general prevalence of quantitative methodology in the research topic of health and medicine.
Regarding the results, researchers provide general academic information about Covid-19, while great attention is paid to the incubation period, though they do not list and analyze the symptoms themselves. For example, Fauci et al. (2020) limiting themselves to the terms such as “so mild” (para. 2). The authors critically discuss the articles being reviewed, note their limitations, provide professional comments and recommendations, including on the objectives of future research. According to Fauci et al. (2020), “this finding of a delay in the progression to serious disease may be telling us something important about the pathogenesis…” (para. 7). In general, unlike the discussion aspect, the results of the article are not without minor flaws.
Implications of Findings
This article is a brief and informative summarizing academic material for both amateurs and such professionals, especially for epidemiologists and virologists. The vocabulary of the article has familiar and understandable terminology except for the paragraph on the treatment methods for patients with Covid-19. The authors provide fundamental data on the virus, a brief chronology of its research during the outbreak in Wuhan, and suggest precautions and containment strategy (Fauci et al., 2020). Researchers also give topics for further studies for novice professionals and skilled medical workers.
Critique of Relevance
The article was published about a month ago; however, a significant part of the questions investigated in work regarding Covid-19 did not lose relevance. The high mortality from Covid-19 among the older population still prevails. Most countries took proposed restraining measures such as social distance and communication via the Internet in early April (Fauci et al., 2020). But as reality has shown, these restrictions are only partially valid, since the number of infected people is still increasing, especially in the USA and Italy. The therapeutic methods described are relevant not only because of their efficacy but also because the vaccine has not been created. The authors’ emphasis on the importance of the study of the pathogen also remains relevant because, at this time, different scientific societies argue about whether it is the natural or artificial origin of the virus.
Personal Reflection
Most of the medical data about Covid-19 for me was already known through official government sources and various social media. Nevertheless, I was surprised that experts view Covid-19 more as pandemic influenza based on the mortality rate and respiratory distribution (Fauci et al., 2020). I also find some mirror similarities between the current epidemic of coronavirus and early 20th-century Spanish flu when talking about the most vulnerable population. The point is that the Spanish flu affected mainly young people, while the older people had immunity from the disease. As the findings of the article show, humankind is facing a reverse situation today.
References
Fauci, A. S., Lane, H. C., & Redfield, R. R. (2020). Covid-19 — navigating the uncharted. The New England Journal of Medicine, 382.