The development of a vaccine against COVID-19

"Since the start of the Coronavirus outbreak, thousands of people have either fallen ill or lost their lives to this virulent virus. Medical services have also been stretched to their limits. Hopes are being pinned on the development of a vaccine to protect society from the disease".* More and more questions concern about the a potential and the ethical issues surrounding the development and distribution of a vaccine.

*More at: https://www.vaticannews.va/en/church/news/2020-09/uk-bishops-on-ethical-concerns-of-potential-covid-19-vaccine.html

**Further reading: https://www.catholicweekly.com.au/archbishop-fisher-op-lets-not-create-an-ethical-dilemma/ ; http://www.bioethics.org.uk/images/user/covidbriefing2.pdf; https://lozierinstitute.org/an-ethics-assessment-of-covid-19-vaccine-programs/

***COMECE  - https://www.tkkbs.sk/view.php?cisloclanku=20201123034;
https://ec.europa.eu/info/live-work-travel-eu/coronavirus-response/public-health_sk;
http://www.comece.eu/site/en/home;  

****USCCB - https://www.catholicnews.com/use-of-pfizer-moderna-covid-19-vaccines-is-morally-acceptable-say-bishops/

*****KBS: https://www.kbs.sk/obsah/sekcia/h/dokumenty-a-vyhlasenia/p/dokumenty-kbs/c/stanovisko-konferencie-biskupov-slovenska-k-ockovaniu-proti-covid-19, 

https://www.kbs.sk/obsah/sekcia/h/dokumenty-a-vyhlasenia/p/dokumenty-vatikanskych-uradov/c/vakcina-s-rovnym-pristupom-pre-vsetkych

https://www.health.gov.sk/Zdroje?/Sources/psd-subory/Infografiky-psd.zip

Picture: https://theconversation.com/infecting-a-volunteer-with-coronavirus-to-develop-a-vaccine-heres-what-consent-should-look-like-139884

Ethics resources for responding to novel coronavirus Covid-19.

Are you looking for ethics resources for responding to novel coronavirus Covid-19 like myself? Here is what I found:

1. The Hastings Center has assembled ethics resources for responding to novel coronavirus Covid-19. The Hastings Center developed a resource for health care institutions and ethics services to support leadership and practice during the emergency. More at: https://www.thehastingscenter.org/ethics-resources-on-the-coronavirus/

2. Bioethics.net has assembled a bioethics toolkit for people dealing with COVID-19. More at: http://www.bioethics.net/tags/covid-19/

3. The American Journal of Bioethics. More at https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15265161.2020.1764143
 

The ethical issues that have emerged caused by the COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2

The Center for Bioethics & Human Dignity  has compiled a page containing information relevant to the current pandemic. It includes a brief overview, an introduction to at least a few of the ethical issues that have emerged, information on books and resources that are relevant to these issues, and a section on new articles that have been generated to address these issues in the specific context of coronavirus, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2.

See more at https://cbhd.org/content/coronavirus-explanations-and-ethical-issues

See also: https://cbhd.org/content/criteria-allocation-limited-healthcare-resources-timeless-challenge-coronavirus-covid-19

Managing Ethical Issues in Infectious Disease Outbreaks

I recently found very insightful book by WHO on Managing Ethical Issues in Infectious Disease Outbreaks. Authors seeks to assist policy-makers, health care providers, researchers, and others prepare for outbreak situations by anticipating and preparing for the critical ethical issues likely to arise. Infectious disease outbreaks are frequently characterized by scientific uncertainty, social and institutional disruption, and an overall climate of fear and distrust. Policy makers and public health professionals may be forced to weigh and prioritize potentially competing ethical values in the face of severe time and resource constraints.

More at: https://www.who.int/ethics/publications/infectious-disease-outbreaks/en/