Published in:
Open Access
01-12-2020 | Triage | Editorial
Ethics guidelines on COVID-19 triage—an emerging international consensus
Authors:
Susanne Joebges, Nikola Biller-Andorno
Published in:
Critical Care
|
Issue 1/2020
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Excerpt
COVID-19—classified as a pandemic by the WHO on March 11, 2020—is expected to put tremendous strain on many healthcare systems. Early epidemiological analyses show that compared to the seasonal flu, COVID-19 patients may require ventilation much more frequently [
1]. This can lead to a shortage of ventilators and intensive care resources, resulting in limited medical care and death [
2]. Whereas some countries have been exposed very early [
3], others had the opportunity to prepare for the ethical challenges that emerge when intensive care resources become scarce. …