The Necessity of Revising Communicable Disease Surveillance Programs in theWorld: Lessons from COVID-۱۹ for Decision Makers

December ۲۰۱۹ witnessed the first cases of the SARSCov-۲ virus in Wuhan (China). In less than four months,it spread quickly to almost every country across the world(۱, ۲). According to the WHO daily reports on May ۱۸, ۲۰۲۰,about ۴.۵ million people were infected with COVID-۱۹ and۳۰۰ thousand people were died throughout the world (۳).Although more than ۸۰% of the new virus is geneticallysimilar to the SARS-Cov-۱ virus, it has unknown functionalcharacteristics. The unknown features of COVID-۱۹ diseasecaused difficulties for its prevention and treatment.Furthermore, regarding the scientific and practical uncertaintyaround the virus, deciding about choosing the bestmethod of prevention and treatment is difficult (۴). Thevirus is characterized by a high rate of spread, and. Ofcourse, all around the world none of the health decisionmakersand/or researchers was expecting that one daythe world would be engaged with such a contagious disease.Decision-makers of health programs should havebeen considered the SARS-Cov and MERS-Cov epidemicsas the prognosis of larger epidemics (۵). After the occurrenceof two major epidemics during the past two decades,some researchers were concerned about the possibility ofa new epidemic. The past has not been taken too seriously.COVID-۱۹ pandemic is a big surprise for healthcare systemsall around the world (۶).

Keywords:

Communicable Disease , COVID-۱۹ , Non Communicable Disease , Decision Makers