Mitigating the Twin Threats of Climate-Driven Atlantic Hurricanes and COVID-19 Transmission

Shultz, James M.; Kossin, James P.; Hertelendy, Attila; Burkle, Fredrick; Fugate, Craig; Sherman, Ronald; Bakalar, Johnna; Berg, Kim; Maggioni, Alessandra; Espinel, Zelde; Sands, Duane E.; LaRocque, Regina C.; Salas, Renee N.; Galea, Sandro

doi:10.1017%2Fdmp.2020.243

i

Mitigating the Twin Threats of Climate-Driven Atlantic Hurricanes and COVID-19 Transmission

2020
By Shultz, James M. ; Kossin, James P. ; Hertelendy, Attila ; ...

Details

Journal Title:

Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness
Personal Author:

Shultz, James M. ; Kossin, James P. ; Hertelendy, Attila ; Burkle, Fredrick ; Fugate, Craig ; Sherman, Ronald ; Bakalar, Johnna ; Berg, Kim ; Maggioni, Alessandra ; Espinel, Zelde ; Sands, Duane E. ; LaRocque, Regina C. ; Salas, Renee N. ; Galea, Sandro
NOAA Program & Office:

NESDIS (National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service) ; NCEI (National Centers for Environmental Information)
Description:

The co-occurrence of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season and the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic creates complex dilemmas for protecting populations from these intersecting threats. Climate change is likely contributing to stronger, wetter, slower-moving, and more dangerous hurricanes. Climate-driven hazards underscore the imperative for timely warning, evacuation, and sheltering of storm-threatened populations – proven life-saving protective measures that gather evacuees together inside durable, enclosed spaces when a hurricane approaches. Meanwhile, the rapid acquisition of scientific knowledge regarding how COVID-19 spreads has guided mass anti-contagion strategies, including lockdowns, sheltering at home, physical distancing, donning personal protective equipment, conscientious handwashing, and hygiene practices. These life-saving strategies, credited with preventing millions of COVID-19 cases, separate and move people apart. Enforcement coupled with fear of contracting COVID-19 have motivated high levels of adherence to these stringent regulations. How will populations react when warned to shelter from an oncoming Atlantic hurricane while COVID-19 is actively circulating in the community? Emergency managers, health care providers, and public health preparedness professionals must create viable solutions to confront these potential scenarios: elevated rates of hurricane-related injury and mortality among persons who refuse to evacuate due to fear of COVID-19, and the resurgence of COVID-19 cases among hurricane evacuees who shelter together.
Keywords:

Climatic Changes COVID-19 (Disease) Hurricanes Climatic Changes Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Source:

Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, 14(4), 494-503
DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1017%2Fdmp.2020.243
Document Type:

Journal Article
Rights Information:

CC BY
Compliance:

Submitted
Main Document Checksum:

urn:sha256:98861c07de25e670870a090a79965feb19b9c2a570a0477403ed72694ab0cc76
Download URL:

https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/46595/noaa_46595_DS1.pdf
File Type:

[PDF - 1.09 MB ]

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