The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic prompted universities across the United States to close campuses in Spring 2020. Universities are deliberating whether, when, and how they should resume in-person instruction in Fall 2020. In this essay, we discuss some practical considerations for the use of 2 potentially useful control strategies based on testing: (1) severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing followed by case-patient isolation and quarantine of close contacts, and (2) serological testing followed by an “immune shield” approach, that is, low social distancing requirements for seropositive persons. The isolation of case-patients and quarantine of close contacts may be especially challenging, and perhaps prohibitively difficult, on many university campuses. The “immune shield” strategy might be hobbled by a low positive predictive value of the tests used in populations with low seroprevalence. Both strategies carry logistical, ethical, and financial implications. The main nonpharmaceutical interventions will remain methods based on social distancing (eg, capping class size) and personal protective behaviors (eg, universal facemask wearing in public space) until vaccines become available, or unless the issues discussed herein can be resolved in such a way that using mass testing as main control strategies becomes viable.

Different coronavirus disease (COVID-19) testing approaches have been implemented among Italian regions, reflected in heterogeneous testing rates. We analyzed the number of COVID-19-related deaths in relation to the number of tests performed among the most affected Italian regions. We showed that regions with the highest number of tests performed (Veneto and Toscana) had the lowest 30-day crude mortality rate per 100 000 inhabitants. In addition, an inverse association between crude mortality rates and tests performed (mortality rate ratio for a unit increase in tests per 1000 inhabitants: 0.92; 95% CI: 0.89–0.94) was observed. Early identification and isolation of active cases (including asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic subjects) could have had an important effect in lowering COVID-19 mortality.

In many parts of the United States, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) cases have reached peak infection rates, prompting administrators to create protocols to resume elective cases. As elective procedures and surgeries get scheduled, ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) must implement some form of widespread testing in order to ensure the safety of both the ASC staff and the patients being seen. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently announced the approval of new serological testing for SARS-CoV-2, a test that can indicate the presence of IgM and IgG antibodies in the serum against viral particles. However, the possibility for reinfection raises questions about the utility of this new serological test, as the presence of IgG may not correspond to long-term immunity. SARS-CoV-2 has been known to form escape mutations, which may correspond to a reduction in immunoglobulin binding capacity. Patients who develop more robust immune responses with formation of memory CD8+ T-cells and helper CD4+ T-cells will be the most equipped if exposed to the virus, but, unfortunately, the serology test will not help us in distinguishing those individuals. Given the inherent disadvantages of serological testing, antibody testing alone should not be used when deciding patient care and should be combined with polymerase chain reaction testing.

As an emerging discipline, disaster nursing is very important in disaster emergency management, but there are few mature practice models and theoretical discussions. In particular, the contribution of nursing staff in disaster emergency has not yet received widespread attention and recognition. After more than 10 y of rapid development, China’s disaster nursing has gradually formed a Chinese model and Chinese experience. During the global fight against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), this article takes the nursing work in disaster emergency rescue as the perspective and briefly describes the development process of disaster nursing in China to introduce the practice and theoretical development of disaster nursing in China to nursing workers around the world. Analyzing the role of Chinese nurses in national disaster emergency response provides a reference for global disaster nursing talent capacity building. By sharing the Nightingale spirit of Chinese nurses in disaster emergency, we will show people all over the world the professional value of disaster nursing practitioners and pay tribute to the nursing staff engaged in disaster emergency work.

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic overwhelmed health services in France during March 2020 and, to cope, service delivery was reduced in most disciplines. However, as this was impossible for Obstetrics, the COVID-19 infection had to be added to existing clinical care pathways at the children’s hospital, Hôpital Necker–Enfants Malades. This was further complicated by an increasing number of pregnancies affected by infection, in addition to scientific uncertainty about the virus. Procedures based on scientific recommendations from French and international authorities were adapted to maternity care and regularly updated as the situation progressed. Weekly medical manager team meetings covered the evolving clinical situation, and an initial evaluation revealed that our procedures worked well. However, it was necessary to adapt the policy as the epidemic progressed rapidly. Shortly after March 16, traffic control bundling was implemented in anticipation of a dramatic increase in pregnant women affected by infection and to better protect the staff. By April 18, with the peak of the COVID-19 epidemic receding, protocols were again readjusted to meet new service delivery requirements. Although a full debrief is yet to occur, from an operational level perspective, staff response was more than satisfactory. While preventing another epidemic may be impossible, this experience will improve our resilience in the future.

While many nations are struggling to slow the transmission rate of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), Vietnam has seen no new locally acquired cases since April 16. After implementing 22 d of nationwide social distancing, on April 23, the government of Vietnam announced the easing of social distancing measures. This allows the country to restart its socio-economic activities in a gradual, prudent manner. Domestic tourism and exports of agricultural and anti-COVID-19 medical products take priority over the other sectors in this postpandemic economic recovery. Importantly, the country needs to stay vigilant on the fight against the disease to prevent a possibility of another outbreak.

The emergence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a novel unknown virus that is challenging whole countries all over the world, has prompted different strategies from various governments. Iran, as one of the first countries to experience the onset of the virus outbreak, made and implemented some policies that should be assessed, so that lessons may be learned for the future. Although some negative actions and policies, such as delays in cancellation of international flights especially from China, not taking the disease seriously and comparing it with seasonal influenza, and the like, are hard to ignore, some impressive actions are also vividly clear. Policies, such as social distancing, dramatically increasing social awareness about preventive actions in terms of public health, and using masks and hand washing, were cost-effective policies that resulted in successful control of the virus in the first onset. While some quite clearly ineffective decisions were made by Iranian authorities, the huge catastrophic effect of sanctions cannot be forgotten. Possibly in level situations with similar countries, Iran will have far better results regarding preparedness for future pandemics like COVID-19.

Delivering adequate health care in the setting of the ongoing pandemic is challenging. Due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the Tokyo Metropolitan government has been forced to expand their acute health-care capacity corresponding to infectious diseases within a short period. Responding to this situation, health emergency and disaster experts of the Tokyo Disaster Medical Assistance Team took the initiative in creating a brief education course. We established the course for expanding infectious disease care capacity by a dedicated hands-on lecture for health professionals who are unfamiliar with infectious disease care in ordinary circumstances. Our lecture included the typical course of COVID-19, use of personal protective equipment, environmental sterilization, medical-ward zoning, and safe caregiving. Hospitals that received customized lectures reported by means of a questionnaire that the lectures were well suited to their needs. Currently, the health-care system in Tokyo has increased its capacity to meet the demand and has not been affected by COVID-19. Our experience shows that health emergency and disaster experts can assist hospitals in crisis by providing educational materials.