Outbreaks of communicable diseases happen in diverse areas, and one consequential infection is the respiratory syndrome coronavirus. The national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2020) recognizes several types of human coronavirus. However, the most recent one that affects respiration is severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes COVID-19 disease (Harcourt et al., 2020; Millett et al., 2020). My local region that was impacted by this type of respiratory syndrome coronavirus is Prince George’s County in Maryland, which belongs to CDC region B alongside six other states (Megahed et al., 2022). The outbreak was discovered in region B and Prince George’s County, MD, at the beginning of March 2020 (Allen et al., 2022; CDC, 2022b). Other CDC regions have also been affected by SARS-CoV-2, although with varying severities (Millett et al., 2020). The recent outbreak of respiratory syndrome coronavirus has influenced numerous people across many areas.
SARS-CoV-2 presents a danger for multiple individuals due to the easiness of its transmission. Two risk factors typically associated with the selected outbreak associated with coronavirus outbreak are age and being part of an ethnic or racial minority (Jordan & Adab, 2020). For example, black Americans are at a greater hazard of infection because their occupations are more likely to require direct contact with others, and they often have limited access to healthcare (Millett et al., 2020). The disease can be transmitted person-to-person when an infected individual breathes out droplets and particles of the virus that can land on or be breathed in by someone else (CDC, 2022a; Harcourt et al., 2020). One noteworthy epidemiological determinant of the outbreak is the public response which can be represented through non-compliance with containment regulations that can lead to overcrowding of health facilities (Rovetta, 2022). Accordingly, SARS-CoV-2 can be easily spread among the public and affect many people.
Furthermore, the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 and subsequent COVID-19 disease have impacted my community in Prince George’s County, MD, at a systems level by affecting the functioning of different organizations. For instance, Maryland’s authorities have ordered stay-at-home restrictions since March 30, 2020, and until May 15, 2020, leading to schools and multiple businesses not operating normally (“COVID-19 restrictions,” 2022). Although Maryland ended the majority of coronavirus emergency rules on July 1, 2021, some organizations appear to be still recovering from lockdowns (“COVID-19 restrictions,” 2022). While in the US, states are moderately autonomous in their decisions, other countries typically set regulations for all their residents (Koh, 2020). To compare, when the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak occurred in Singapore closed all non-essential businesses and schools from April 7, 2020, until June 1, 2020 (Koh, 2020). Consequently, the recent outburst of respiratory syndrome coronavirus has impacted communities at a systems level by causing considerable restrictions.
There is a protocol for the community from local levels to report an outbreak to the CDC. When people in an area become exposed to a pathogen and start seeking treatment, the regional health department must investigate and register the results in NORS (National Outbreak Reporting System) (CDC, 2019). NORS is a web-based platform monitored by the CDC to control outbreaks in the US (CDC, 2019). Moreover, the CDC has developed a procedure for reporting cases of COVID-19. To observe the spread of SARS-CoV-2, local health departments must regularly inform CDC by completing the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (CDC, 2022c). Accordingly, the nation’s each region is expected to monitor its residents’ health and report important information to the CDC via online forms.
Two strategies that could be recommended to prevent an outbreak of respiratory syndrome coronavirus from happening again are to facilitate health education and reduce risks among individuals who have contact with wildlife. The first suggestion is proposed to teach people how to behave in case of an emergency and explain the significance of complying with the rules that are meant to protect society (Rovetta, 2022). The second strategy is advised as a pre-outbreak surveillance approach due to the origin of SARS-CoV-2 to identify novel virus spillovers (Daszak et al., 2020). The two recommendations prevent a potential outburst and prepare the public for a crisis.
References
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019). National Outbreak Reporting System (NORS). CDC. Web.
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022b). COVID-19 integrated county view. CDC. Web.
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Megahed, F. M., Jones-Farmer, L. A., Ma, Y., & Rigdon, S. E. (2022). Explaining the varying patterns of COVID-19 deaths across the United States: 2-stage time series clustering framework. JMIR Public Health and Surveillance, 8(7), 1-12. Web.
Millett, G. A., Jones, A. T., Benkeser, D., Baral, S., Mercer, L., Beyrer, C., Honermann, B., Lankiewicz, E., Mena, K., Crowley, J. S., Sherwood, J., & Sullivan, P. S. (2020). Assessing differential impacts of COVID-19 on black communities. Annals of Epidemiology, 47, 37-44. Web.
Rovetta, A. (2022). Health communication is an epidemiological determinant: Public health implications for COVID-19 and future crises management. Health Promotion Perspectives, 12(3), 1-3.