Last update:
   22-Apr-2024
 

Arch Hellen Med, 41(3), May-June 2024, 397-403

SPECIAL ARTICLE

Prioritizing healthcare workers' access to resources and treatment during public health crises
Τhe COVID-19 case

H. Varvayannis,1 M. Karamanou,1 K. Moraitis,2 C. Tsiamis,3 E. Poulakou-Rebelakou1
1Department of History of Medicine and Medical Ethics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens
2Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens
3Department of Public and One Health, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, Karditsa, Greece

COVID-19 has overwhelmed healthcare systems globally imposing the dilemma of how to ethically ration healthcare resources to meet exponential demand. A much-debated question is whether healthcare workers (HCWs) −a society group greatly affected by the pandemic− should be offered priority access to healthcare resources and treatment. To contribute to this debate, this article discusses the emergence of the pandemic and how it affected healthcare systems' ability to meet demand. After discussing the impact of the pandemic on HCWs, this article presents and analyzes the main arguments in favor of prioritizing HCWs' access to resources and treatment during the current public health crisis and any other crisis with similar characteristics. It proceeds to presenting and analyzing the main arguments against HCWs' prioritization providing a comprehensive view of the debate. Finally, it rejects the main arguments against HCWs' prioritization with the purpose of better informing strategic decisions to effectively protect this key healthcare workforce.

Key words: COVID-19 pandemic, Healthcare workers, Prioritization, Public health crises, SARS-CoV-2.

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