THE FOURTH HORSEMAN OF 21ST CENTURY: COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Abstract

As the end of 2020 is approaching, its finest message to all of us has been how a pernicious virus like Sars-CoV-2 can change the pace of the world, by being an impetus to a global pandemic. COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by WHO on March 11, 2020. Since then, it has infected more than 40 million and killed at least 1.1 million people as this review was written (October 2020). However, the 2020's come not only with challenges, such as the pandemic itself, but also with opportunities for possible breakthroughs. Throughout human history, physicians examined their patients by touching them, arranged appropriate treat- ments by diagnosing them applying both usual and unusual methods, and tried their best to protect public health, in some cases even by testing the drugs and vaccines they discovered on themselves first. Bedside medicine to hospital medicine, followed by laboratory medicine, are the three crucial cornerstones accepted in the medical history. We now face a fourth potential corner- stone-to-be: could the telecommunication of physicians with their patients through the internet become the fourth essential cornerstone in the history of medicine?

Keywords

• Covid-19
• Sars-Cov-2
• pandemic
• healthcare

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