Covid appeared in the global world, and Asian countries were the most prepared: they regularly meet with epidemics and created mechanisms for stopping outbreaks. States that are not accustomed to such threats were not ready for pandemic both from the point of view of epidemiological control and the resources of the healthcare system. All this influenced the everyday habits of people and the approach of governments to provide medical care.

Association of scientists from around the world

The danger of a new unknown disease forced scientists around the world to unite and solve the problem together. For example, on the GISAID platform for quick exchange of data on viruses causing Covid, thousands of full genomes are already available, and this number increases by hundreds every day. With the help of these data, scientists are trying to reconstruct the transmission schemes of the virus.

Many scientific journals accelerated the time of reviewing articles, which made it possible to receive relevant information about the virus and treatment methods much faster than at normal times. However, this approach also had the opposite side: articles with unproven conclusions were published.

In addition, research groups began to actively publish data from their research without reviews - on resources such as Medrxiv or Biorxiv. The latter became the starting point for the appearance of the studies of Indian scientists in the media about the “supernatural ” similarity of SARS-COV-2 with HIV, who fuel the theory of conspiracy about the artificial origin of the Covid virus. This theory was later refuted in the journal Emering Microbes & Infections.

Exacerbation of psyche problems

Quarantine restrictions, lack of communication and economic hardships - all this is reflected in the psyche of people and the possibility of getting help, said Robert Mardini, CEO of the International Committee of the Red Cross. Covid pandemia negatively affected the mental health of every second person living in the UK, Colombia, Lebanon, South Africa, Switzerland, Ukraine and the Philippines, follows from the results of the survey of the International Red Cross.

Doctors surveyed by VTIMES not notice a similar trend in Russia: people began to contact psychotherapists and neurologists much more often. They are worried about anxious disorders with phobias and depression.

In the coming year, stress-related disorders will become even more, says Vice President of the International Society “Stress under Control”, Associate Professor of the Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Pathology RUDNN Olga Kotova.

The Red Cross is sure that projects aimed at improving psychological health should be included in state healthcare development strategies.

The world forgot about other diseases, besides Covid

During the pandemic, other diseases that are not related to Covid have faded into the background.

Coronavirus negatively influenced the medical care system that has been established in Russia, says Sergey Shulyak, general director of the DSM Group analytical agency. Planned operations were postponed, and patients with a Covid entered non -defense hospitals, he explains.

“Putting off the procedures, reducing the costs of prevention and treatment of chronic diseases, as well as non -compliance with the schedule for taking medications may have a long -term negative effect on health, although the exact degree of exposure to these factors is not known,” the PWC consulting company report in the USA.

There is a risk that infections like Covid can appear with a certain frequency, says Nikolai Bespalov, Development Director of the analytical company RNC Pharma. According to him, in Russia it is necessary to change the approach to organizing a healthcare system so that it can respond to such challenges without serious losses. In his opinion, the “closing of the economy” or individual industries is a very bad way out.

The formation of new habits

Covid instills in the inhabitants of the Earth new habits: now we often like my hands, hold a social distance, come up with new types of greetings and wearing masks.

This is not the first time: for example, in America AIDS also changed the behavior of the population - the number of people using condoms has grown, and needle exchange programs appeared. The study of behavioral models is important, because for public health care, their change can be cheaper and simpler than using financial incentives, says a professor of behavioral economy Colin Camer from the California Technological Institute.

Take at least the usual wash of the hands: for decades, doctors urged us to wash our hands. They give the same advice under coronavirus. If people get used to more regular wash their hands, it will also help save from the flu many lives for many years to come, the tuning fork notes.

Digital technologies against Covid

The development of new technologies often occurs during outbreaks of diseases, when innovations become a necessity, a group of British and Danish scientists writes in the medical journal Nature Medicine. So, during outbreaks of Ebola's fever in West Africa in 2014–2016. The data of mobile phones were used to model the routes of the population, and portable devices for sequencing the genome allowed to more effectively monitor contacts and better understand the dynamics of outbreaks.

In 2020, the Chinese application Alipay HealthCode followed the contacts and compliance with strict quarantine measures, limiting transactions for users with high risk, the article in Nature Medicine says.

In Russia, restrictions are also introduced. For example, Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin by his decree blocks transport cards to people related to risk groups. And those who are sick with Covid or contacting with them should prove to find on the quarantine through a special application in smartphones.

In general, quarantine and various restrictions for the elderly and people with weak immunity can increase the popularity of wearable devices and portable medical equipment among Russians, which transmit the patient’s health directly to the doctor. Such devices can determine the level of oxygen in the blood, remove the electrocardiogram or measure pressure.

Deloitte consulting company in a report on key trends in 2020 medicine, noted that more and more Americans use technologies to monitor their health. What is noteworthy, because of Covid, users began to more willingly share their health data.

The development of telemedicine

During the pandemic, access to doctors was difficult and associated with the risk of infection. As a result, the demand for remote consultations with doctors has grown multiple around the world, says Ivan Kartovitsky, chairman of the board of the National Television Association. In a number of countries, there was also a simplification of access to this service - for example, US President Donald Trump allowed consultations in ordinary videos - in Skype or Facetime.

According to Deloitte surveys, the number of Americans virtually visited by doctors increased from 15% in 2019 to 19% in 2020. In April of this year, this indicator increased to 28%. Most of the respondents reported that in the future they were ready to visit a virtual doctor again.

“Because of the Covid-19, the behavioral models of consumers are transformed,” says Damir Khusainov, director of the group of industry-biological sciences of the Deloit CIS industry. “If earlier telemedicine in Russia was considered as exotic, now this direction has received an additional incentive: the consumer is ready to receive medical services remotely.”

In Russia, the demand for telemedicine consultations has grown multiple, confirms Kartovitsky. For example, for the doctor “Doctor Near” the number of daily telemedicine appeals compared to the pre -icing period has grown tenfold - up to 3000 patients, said the CEO of the company Denis Shvetsov.

In addition to the growth of demand for remote medical assistance in private clinics, the state connected to telemedicine: Moscow created a telemedician center that monitors the condition of patients with Covid.

At the same time, the telemedicine industry in Russia remains strongly regulated, and the doctor is significantly limited in his actions, Kartovitsky notes. For example, during the primary remote consultation, the doctor cannot diagnose. In order to get treatment, a prescription for the medicine or arrange a sick leave, the patient must come to the clinic.

If all this becomes possible remotely, Russians will receive a full -fledged medical service.

Starting online trade in medicine

Distribution of distance medicines in Russia was expected for a long time: for three whole years the bill adopted in the first reading in December 2017 remained without movement. And only after the start of the pandemic, the Russians had the opportunity to order medicines without a prescription at home.

So far, only pharmacies can deliver medicines, but it is possible that soon the headache tablets can be ordered along with the book or products on the usual marketplace.

Healthcare in the era of Covid