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Italian Public Health Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Case Report from the Field, Insights and Challenges for the Department of Prevention

Author

Listed:
  • Emanuele Torri

    (Department of Health and Social Policies, Autonomous Province of Trento, 38122 Trento, Italy)

  • Luca Gino Sbrogiò

    (Department of Prevention, Local Health Authority 3 of Venice, 30174 Veneto Region, Italy)

  • Enrico Di Rosa

    (Department of Prevention, Local Health Authority 1 of Rome, 00135 Lazio Region, Italy)

  • Sandro Cinquetti

    (Department of Prevention, Local Health Authority 2 of Treviso, 31100 Veneto Region, Italy)

  • Fausto Francia

    (Department of Prevention, Local Health Authority of Bologna, 40124 Emilia Romagna Region, Italy)

  • Antonio Ferro

    (Department of Prevention, Local Health Authority of Trento, Autonomous Province of Trento, 38123 Trento, Italy)

Abstract

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak is rapidly progressing globally, and Italy, as one of the main pandemic hotspots, may provide some hard lessons for other countries. In this paper, we summarize the current organizational capacity and provide a pragmatic and narrative account of strategies and activities implemented by the Department of Prevention (Dipartimento di Prevenzione)—the regional entity of the Local Health Authority of the Italian National Health Service in charge of public health—since the beginning of the outbreak. We conduct a preliminary analysis of general strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) of the response strategies from a local perspective. Furthermore, we provide firsthand insights on future directions and priorities to manage this unprecedented pandemic. Our case report gives a qualitative view of the healthcare response, based on the experience of frontline professionals, with the aim to generate hypotheses about factors which may promote or hinder the prevention and management of a pandemic locally. We highlight the importance of a public health approach for responding to COVID-19 and reshaping healthcare systems.

Suggested Citation

  • Emanuele Torri & Luca Gino Sbrogiò & Enrico Di Rosa & Sandro Cinquetti & Fausto Francia & Antonio Ferro, 2020. "Italian Public Health Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Case Report from the Field, Insights and Challenges for the Department of Prevention," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-12, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:10:p:3666-:d:361887
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Cosimo Distante & Prisco Piscitelli & Alessandro Miani, 2020. "Covid-19 Outbreak Progression in Italian Regions: Approaching the Peak by the End of March in Northern Italy and First Week of April in Southern Italy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(9), pages 1-9, April.
    2. Jia Wang & Zhifeng Wang, 2020. "Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) Analysis of China’s Prevention and Control Strategy for the COVID-19 Epidemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-17, March.
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    4. Yuxin Yan & Woo In Shin & Yoong Xin Pang & Yang Meng & Jianchen Lai & Chong You & Haitao Zhao & Edward Lester & Tao Wu & Cheng Heng Pang, 2020. "The First 75 Days of Novel Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) Outbreak: Recent Advances, Prevention, and Treatment," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-23, March.
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