This article captures the webinar narrative on March 31, 2020 of four expert panelists addressing three questions on the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Each panelist was selected for their unique personal expertise, ranging from front-line emergency physicians from multiple countries, an international media personality, former director of the US Strategic National Stockpile, and one of the foremost international experts in disaster medicine and public policy. The forum was moderated by one of the most widely recognized disaster medical experts in the world. The four panelists were asked three questions regarding the current pandemic as follows:

1. 1. What do you see as a particular issue of concern during the current pandemic?

2. 2. What do you see as a particular strength during the current pandemic?

3. 3. If you could change one thing about the way that the pandemic response is occurring, what would you change?

On February 22, 2011 at 12:51 pm an earthquake measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale struck the city of Christchurch, population 376,700 in the South Island of New Zealand. This followed a 7.3 magnitude earthquake in September 2010, but the shallowness (5km) and proximity of the February earthquake to the central city, resulted in far more devastation, with Modified Mercalli scores reaching ten in some areas and upward ground acceleration exceeding 2.4G. The application of the Coordinated Incident Management System (CIMS) routinely used by New Zealand Civil Defence agencies was swift, innovative and efficient, facilitating rapid deployment of local and international emergency teams and response resources. The effectiveness of this response was partially attributed to lessons learnt from the September earthquake which, with hindsight, was a practise for the more serious February event. The community response was equally remarkable, with standard approaches to measuring preparedness and resilience suggesting that community resilience in Canterbury was high. A number of initiatives by the New Zealand Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management may have fostered some of this resilience,particularly community- based resilience-building projects initiated by the Regional Emergency Management Office on 2009 and 2010, supported by the Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management. In addition, website education resources and media promotion (“Get Ready Get Thru”) and a travelling exhibition called “The Pandemic Roadshow” had been particularly well received and remembered by Canterbury residents. However, two key events provided an impetus for the Canterbury community to burnish its resilience. First, the Swine flu (AH1N1) pandemic in 2009 resulted in a greater awareness of public health in emergencies along with a doubling of neighbourhood support groups. Secondly, the September 2010 earthquake resulted in the establishment of the student army of volunteers and improvement of public information management. This presentation will describe the markers of community resilience following the Christchurch earthquake and discuss how such resilience can be fostered in communities where emergency preparedness is not recognised as a priority.

This is a summary of the presentations and discussion of Panel 2.11, Food Security and Nutrition of the Conference, Health Aspects of the Tsunami Disaster in Asia, convened by the World Health Organization (WHO) in Phuket, Thailand, 04–06 May 2005. The topics discussed included issues related to food security and nutrition as pertain to the responses to the damage created by the Tsunami. It is presented in the following major sections: (1) findings; (2) key questions; (3) discussion; and (4) recommendations.

Mapping risk and protective factors that may result in increased chances of survival or a decrease in injuries and fatalities in mass-casualty incidents (MCIs) is an important component in the process of emergency preparedness. While expert risk analyses are based on calculations of probability and damage, public estimates of risks more often are based on qualitative factors. It is important to understand how the public, and not just professional experts, perceive and react to the threat of MCIs whether they stem from natural causes or terrorism. Glenshaw et al provide valuable insight into the impressions and responses of a sample of individuals, both injured and uninjured who were involved in the Oklahoma City bombing. Their analysis helps us better understand what factors influenced the risk of injury to the individuals involved in the event. The main risk factor themes that emerged from the analysis included environmental glass, debris, and entrapment. Protective factors included knowledge of egress routes, shielding behaviors to deflect debris, and survival training. Building design and health status were reported as both risk and protective factors.

Conversion disorder is a form of somatoform disorders which has a high prevalence among women, individuals with lower socioeconomic status, under-educated populations, and in developing countries. However, up to one-half of patients who had been initially diagnosed with conversion disorder were eventually shown to have an underlying organic pathology–mostly neurological or non-psychiatric conditions. In this article, two patients are presented who accessed the emergency department (ED) with an initial diagnosis of conversion disorder in the ambulance that turned out to be stroke.

Serinken M, Karcioglu O. Patients with acute stroke presenting like conversion disorder. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2018;33(4):451–453

Floods are among the most common hazards in the world and can result in a devastating impact on human life and property. The impact of floods on humans can be traced directly to factors such as the location and topography of the area, as well as demographics and characteristics of the existing environment. Pakistan is currently facing the worst humanitarian crisis in history. It is faced with daunting challenges of reviving and reconstructing almost one fourth of the population. Latest government figures indicate that over 14 million people have been affected by the floods. More than 1.5 million cases of diarrheal diseases have been reported so far. Over 235,000 people have been treated at the diarrhea treatment centers set up in the aftermath of the floods. Floods are unique in their nature since every region is characterized by diverse factors. This paper examines closely the diarrheal outbreak in the flood-ravaged provinces of Pakistan. The study looks at the extent of spread of diarrhea across different time periods through a comparative analysis of different provinces affected. There are many direct factors that affect the severity and scale of floods and, in turn, impact human health like contaminated water, cramped living conditions and lack of sanitation facilities. The paper explores the pre-existing indirect factors responsible for the spread of outbreak in the provinces. These range from geography, socio-economic conditions, demographic features, topography, and community infrastructure. These factors play an extremely pivotal role in determining the nature of response required to control the diarrheal outbreak.

A Disaster is the tragedy of a natural or human made hazard that negatively affects society or environment. Disaster impacts physical, psychological, social and economic areas of the individual and family and community. Most of the time these are interlinked to each other and its total impact on the survivors is substantial. Children are more susceptible to disaster suffering, and it is noticeable in many complex psychological and behavioral symptoms. On the other hand, the post-disaster psychological effects on children are not recognized and underestimated by the mental health professionals. India is highly prone to natural disasters such as floods, droughts, cyclones, earthquakes and landslides have been recurrent phenomenon in India. Out of 602 districts in the country, 125 districts have been identified as most hazard prone areas. The recent heavy rainfall and flood between 28th September to 2nd October 2009 in the Northern region of Karnataka State caused several deaths and massive destructions. This was the first time that North Karnataka received highest rainfall. The incessant rainfall that poured for four days caused the flood and devastated and destroyed the entire social fabric of the community. Floods carry greater risks to psychological as well as physical health of children. The psychological impact of the floods on children has been carried out both qualitatively and quantitatively. The quantitative assessment was done to assess the severity of floods impact on children using the Impact of Event Scale (Dyregrov and Yule, 1995). The results showed the children showed higher level of intrusion and avoidance aftermath of floods. Boys had significantly higher psychological impact than girls. However, both boys and girls showed moderate to severe level of psychological impact on the domains of intrusion, avoidance and hypervegilence. The implication of the findings are discussed in the context of framing psychosocial programmes.

Once an emergency has passed, general attention typically returns to dealing with day-to-day system management, and the opportunity to learn from the crisis and improve is missed. Lessons from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis must be learned, and the necessary changes made at all levels, both in terms of improving collaboration and strengthening health systems. This special report provides the conclusion of a workshop held in the European Parliament (EP) in Brussels, Belgium. The event explored the modalities of response and preparation to the COVID-19 pandemic, and to health crises in general. The workshop considered actions at different levels: international organizations (global level), European Union (EU) Member States ([MS] national level), and health services (local level). It provided an opportunity to look back at several initiatives taken during the pandemic, and to draw inspiration from them.

The above contributions by Professors Chazov and Lown, the comments by Dr. Rebentisch, and the Resolutions by the WAEDM, the Red Cross and the WHO indicate that disaster medicine planning for a response to and civil defense protection in case of nuclear war is senseless, wasteful of resources (which are needed for current vital social programs worldwide), and also dangerous, by giving national leaders the impression that some individuals' medical protection in a nuclear war is possible. Most people, including some national leaders and military experts, believe that limited use of nuclear weapons would escalate to a global nuclear holocaust, and that any medical planning for nuclear war might encourage the irrational belief that nuclear was is winnable. Even if it were “winnable” the resulting death and torture of millions of innocent people and the damage of our planet's ecologic balance, make any consideration of the military use of nuclear explosions morally and medically unacceptable.