TY - JOUR
T1 - Logic in the time of coronavirus
AU - Inglis, Timothy J.J.
PY - 2020
Y1 - 2020
N2 - Much has happened here since the local news media trumpeted the first Australian COVID-19 fatality, and stirred up a medieval fear of contagion. We now need to take a step back to examine the logic underlying the use of our limited COVID-19 countermeasures. Emerging infectious diseases by their nature, pose new challenges to the diagnostic-treatment-control nexus, and push our concepts of causality beyond the limits of the conventional Koch-Henle approach to aetiology. We need to use contemporary methods of assessing causality to ensure that clinical, laboratory and public health measures draw on a rational, evidence-based approach to argumentation. The purpose of any aetiological hypothesis is to derive actionable insights into this latest emerging infectious disease. This review is an introduction to a conversation with medical microbiologists, which will be supported by a moderated blog.
AB - Much has happened here since the local news media trumpeted the first Australian COVID-19 fatality, and stirred up a medieval fear of contagion. We now need to take a step back to examine the logic underlying the use of our limited COVID-19 countermeasures. Emerging infectious diseases by their nature, pose new challenges to the diagnostic-treatment-control nexus, and push our concepts of causality beyond the limits of the conventional Koch-Henle approach to aetiology. We need to use contemporary methods of assessing causality to ensure that clinical, laboratory and public health measures draw on a rational, evidence-based approach to argumentation. The purpose of any aetiological hypothesis is to derive actionable insights into this latest emerging infectious disease. This review is an introduction to a conversation with medical microbiologists, which will be supported by a moderated blog.
KW - coronavirus
KW - countermeasures
KW - COVID-19
KW - principles of aetiology
KW - SARS-CoV-2
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85084617778&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1099/jmm.0.001191
DO - 10.1099/jmm.0.001191
M3 - Editorial
C2 - 32320375
AN - SCOPUS:85084617778
VL - 69
SP - 653
EP - 656
JO - Journal of Medical Microbiology
JF - Journal of Medical Microbiology
SN - 0022-2615
IS - 5
ER -