Preparedness; A Critical Principle for Ethical Response to Emergencies such as Covid-19

Abstract

Discussions on the ethical issues of triage have risen again in scientific centers following the spread of Covid-19. There are two categories of factors (medical and non-medical) for decision making in triage and patient prioritization. In the event of a severe shortage of resources, non-medical factors will play a major role in prioritizing patients, which causes many ethical challenges. It will be very difficult to manage the challenges without prior preparation and guidance, which may lead to unethical behaviors and decisions. Preparation itself, as an ethical principle, plays an important and fundamental role in the appropriate and timely response to the epidemic. Failure to pay attention to preparation as a moral principle will result in several ethical challenges in responding to the epidemic. Part of what has to do with triage is to define the ethical principles of triage and reach a consensus on it, first among the medical staff and then among the general public. All of this must be done before emergencies occur.