key: cord-258676-6kgxpcwc
authors: Haleem, Abid; Javaid, Mohd; Vaishya, Raju; Deshmukh, S.G.
title: Areas of academic research with the impact of COVID-19
date: 2020-04-15
journal: Am J Emerg Med
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajem.2020.04.022
sha: 
doc_id: 258676
cord_uid: 6kgxpcwc

Coronavirus (COVID-19) endemic is growing exponentially in the whole world. Researchers, technologists, doctors and other healthcare workers are working day and night on the development of vaccine and medicinesto control and treat this virus. SARS-CoV-2 is the name of the virus responsible for causing COVID-19 disease, which is highly infectious and lethal.With exponentially increasing infections, proportionate fatalities are being reported both from developed and under developed countries. As of today, more than one million people across the world have been reported infected with this virus, and more than 65,000 people have died of this disease. Hence, there is an urgent requirement for conducting academic research on several aspects of this highly contagious disease, to find effective means of containment and treatment of the disease, for now, and in future. We have identified some opportunities for academic research related to COVID-19 and have also provided suggestions to contain, prevent and treat this viral infection.

The SARS-CoV-2 virus has significantly affected the health, economy, and socio-economic fabric of the global society. The costs involved in the containment and treatment of this infectious disease are exorbitantly high, which even the wealthiestand developed countries are finding it difficult to sustain. COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted the crude, stock market, gold and metals and almost all areas of the global market [1] . Large research laboratories and corporate houses are working with a high speed to develop medicines and vaccines for the prevention and treatment of this dreaded disease. To deal with these current health management challenges, we need a comprehensive understanding of the effect on the health system, global business, and culture. COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the WHO on11th March 2020 [2] . COVID-19 has become an international emergency in a short period and will have long-lasting effects. There is an urgent need to identify and study the areas of academic research which will be impacted by COVID-19 [3] .

This manuscript highlights potential areas of academic research which are likely to be impacted by COVID-19. The main objectives of this paper are to provide awareness and to identify the research areas related to COVID-19. It may help improve the understanding of this disease and describe the psychological impacts of this pandemic and how these could change as the disease spreads.

It appears the Coronavirus is zoonotic and originated in China. Scientists have not yet been ableto identify the animal source of the infectious agent and have not determined whethera persistent animal reservoir of the infectious agent exists. It is also unclear whether SARS, like influenza, is a seasonal disease that would have receded on its own. It remains to be seen whether it will reemerge on a seasonal basis, and if so, how virulent future manifestations would be. The answers to these questions would undoubtedly advance the world'sability to predict and prepare for a resurgence of COVID-19.

COVID-19 has disrupted the economies and the lives of individuals around the world. There are many areas of research needed regarding COVID-19 [5, 6] . Table 1 identifies significant research areas which be profoundly impacted by this pandemic. We need to undertake extensive research on these areas.

J o u r n a l P r e -p r o o f Medication/ Therapy  Hydroxychloroquine and Azithromycin have been claimed to be effective in prevention and treatment, in some anecdotal case series and in-vitro  Certain retroviral drugs (used for the treatment of HIV) are being considered as a promising therapy  Provide education of the disease and medication to ensure having the correct treatment  Personal medication record, documentation and its action during medication are required 3

Health Care and equipment  Research is going on for the essential medical equipment to fulfil the crisis of COVID-19  Various equipment like surgical masks, protective gear,sanitizer, andventilators must be available to all on time  There is a requirement of protective clothing which meets the required medical standards  Test kit for this virus must be provided inaccurate time to avoid further delay 4

Social  Social distance should be maintained to avoid the further cause of infection and controlling of this disease  People gathering like a party, festival, and marriage must be avoided  Social research must be establishedfor the knowledge and conducting a new inquiry  Back to joint family systems  Avoid cinema, gymnasiums, swimming pools and support clubs 5

Economic  Almost all manufacturing sectors are affected, and the whole supply chain is disrupted among all affected countries  Travel & tourism industry  Due to the closing of all market, business, and software companies, the economy is directly affected  Mostly affected are the people who can earn their money at daily J o u r n a l P r e -p r o o f wages, lower middle class  Research must be required on how to uplift the economy  Poverty and hunger 6 Environmental  Overall air pollution is getting reduced by this virus which has a positive impact on the environment  Climate change and industrialization  Energy-efficient devices  Lower carbon is required in future which can make less drasticchanges in manufacturing requirements 7

Sustainability  Fulfil the environmental, economic and social profit of the people  Improve productivity and sustainable medical business and supply chain  Sustainable supply chain, organizations, healthcare 8

Psychiatric  COVID-19 creates mental illness among the people who can further cause depression  To know how people can keep happy in their homes which can make better treatment of a mental disorder  Work to handle the ongoing stress, situation and other psychosocial disabilities  Proper positive communication and accurate information required among the people 9

The emergence of a new workplace and work culture  The proper new workplace is required to complete the ongoing work which can prevent to spread this virus  Manage all meeting and events with proper precautions or better to conduct it online  Audio, video conferencing, WhatsApp group can be followed for discussion  Avoid face to face meeting and successfully replace it with online events or teleconference to prevent any type of infection Extensive research is required for the development of a vaccine for the prevention of Coronavirus infection. There is an urgent need for early production and manufacturing of the essential items like personal protective equipment, medicines, and ventilators to combat this pandemic. All measures to keep a social distancing by the public must be ensured by avoiding social-cultural and religious programs and festivals etc. during this pandemic. Along with these, healthcare measures to deal with COVID-19 pandemic, there is also an imminent requirement for theresearch to improvethe global economy, which has taken a tremendous beating and is unlikely to recover in the near future [7, 8] .

COVID-19 pandemic is a public health emergency of international concern.It has posed new challenges to the global research community. With the help of academic research, there is a need for a better understanding of the COVID-19 and its socio-economic ramifications on society. The future research will be multi-disciplinary and trans-national.We see a new wave of research in the biological and the medical sciences for the well-being of the civilization.

Timely research papers about COVID-19 in China

Coronavirus Has Become a Pandemic, WHO. Says. 11 th

Preparedness and vulnerability of African countries against importations of COVID-19: a modelling study

Learning from SARS: Preparing for the Next Disease Outbreak: Workshop Summary

Breakthrough: Chloroquine phosphate has shown apparent efficacy in treatment of COVID-19 associated pneumonia in clinical studies

The effect of travel restrictions on the spread of the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

Can we contain the COVID-19 outbreak with the same measures as for SARS

Potential scenarios for the progression of a COVID-19 epidemic in the European Union and the European Economic Area

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