Open AccessCOVID-19: systematic learning across boundaries requires a conceptual agreement
Author(s) -
Knut Ole Sundnes,
Geir Sverre Braut
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of public health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.953
H-Index - 82
eISSN - 1651-1905
pISSN - 1403-4948
DOI - 10.1177/14034948211027086
Subject(s) - covid-19 , agreement , psychology , medicine , geography , virology , linguistics , outbreak , philosophy , pathology , disease , infectious disease (medical specialty)
The COVID-19 epidemic has revealed a shortage of basic knowledge and understanding of pandemics, especially regarding their dynamics and how to contain them. The results are a host of governments' decrees and instructions, one replacing the other, often within the same week. It has further, in a truly short time, resulted in an overwhelming number of publications, many of them prioritising early publication over quality. This commentary addresses the concept of structured research related to disasters and how the use of endorsed guidelines will facilitate well-designed evaluation research with improved rigour and external validity, even if applied retrospectively. The outcome should be a solidified knowledge base. Further, the important role of public health efforts is to be highlighted, as their role has proved crucial during the COVID-19 pandemic.