Lessons Learned After Three Months on COVID-19 Front Lines

Coronavirus is a moving target, but NJ’s health care professionals now know telemedicine, sharing data and stockpiling PPE can mean difference between life and death

By LILO H. STAINTON , NJ Spotlight

A cough and a fever aren’t always among the warning signs. Nearly one-third of those infected don’t show symptoms. Telemedicine really can be integrated into our health care practices. Stocking 90 days worth of supplies makes sense, even if they tell you otherwise in business school.

Those are among the lessons New Jersey’s health care leaders have learned in battling COVID-19 over the past three months, according to experts who also said these insights will improve the state’s ability to respond to a second wave of the virus.

In some cases, changes to the health care system are already underway, they said, such as how doctors’ offices are changing protocols to help keep patients safe. Other issues will take longer to make right, like boosting investment in public health and addressing the racial disparities in health care that the coronavirus exposed.