Peer-review started: April 21, 2021
First decision: July 27, 2021
Revised: August 10, 2021
Accepted: December 28, 2021
Article in press: December 28, 2022
Published online: January 25, 2022
Processing time: 268 Days and 20.5 Hours
The novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which triggered the ongoing pandemic, was first discovered in China in late 2019. SARS-CoV-2 is a respiratory virus responsible for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) that often manifests as a pneumonic syndrome. In the context of the pandemic, there are mixed views on the data provided by epidemiologists and the information collected by hospital clinicians about their patients. In addition, the literature reports a large proportion of patients free of pneumonia vs a small percentage of patients with severe pneumonia among confirmed COVID-19 cases. This raises the issue of the complexity of the work required to control or contain the pandemic. We believe that an integrative and pluralistic approach will help to put the analyses into perspective and reinforce collaboration and creativity in the fight against this major scourge. This paper proposes a comprehensive and integrative approach to COVID-19 research, prevention, control, and treatment to better address the pandemic. Thus, this literature review applies a pluralistic approach to fight the pandemic.
Core Tip: Pandemic control requires optimal knowledge of the pathogen, infection routes, mode of transmission, and intervention strategies. The contagiousness of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) complicates pandemic control or containment because asymptomatic carriers, incubating patients, and recovered patients are all potentially contagious. This literature review proposes and justifies the value of a pluralistic and integrative approach to COVID-19 research, prevention, control and treatment.