Review of the efforts of the Japanese Society of Echocardiography for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) during the initial outbreak in Japan

J Echocardiogr. 2020 Dec;18(4):226-233. doi: 10.1007/s12574-020-00487-5. Epub 2020 Sep 5.

Abstract

Under the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the Japanese Society of Echocardiography (JSE) has been working to protect medical staff involved in echocardiographic examinations and to prevent secondary infections caused by the examinations since mid-March 2020. This review aims to describe the footprint of the JSE's responses, focusing on the 3 months in which the initial outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic occurred in Japan. We summarized the six parts as follows: (1) the initial actions for COVID-19 of JSE, (2) JSE's actions for infection control-associated echocardiographic examinations, (3) statements from the American Society of Echocardiography during the COVID-19 pandemic and their Japanese translation by JSE, (4) making videos for explaining the practice of echocardiography during the COVID-19 pandemic, (5) attempts with the JSE members' opinions by the communication platform and surveys, and (6) efforts of final statement during the initial spread of COVID-19. We look forward that this review will help daily practices associated with echocardiography under the COVID-19 pandemic and in the future event of an unknown infectious disease pandemic.

Keywords: COVID-19; Echocardiography; Japanese society of echocardiography; Pandemic.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19 / epidemiology
  • COVID-19 / prevention & control*
  • COVID-19 / transmission
  • Disease Outbreaks*
  • Echocardiography / methods*
  • Echocardiography / standards
  • Education, Medical, Continuing
  • Humans
  • Infection Control / methods*
  • Infection Control / standards
  • Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional / prevention & control*
  • Japan / epidemiology
  • Practice Guidelines as Topic
  • Societies, Medical
  • Video Recording