• Molecules and Cells
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.384-391
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• 2021

The recent appearance of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has affected millions of people around the world and caused a global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). It has been suggested that uncontrolled, exaggerated inflammation contributes to the adverse outcomes of COVID-19. In this review, we summarize our current understanding of the innate immune response elicited by SARS-CoV-2 infection and the hyperinflammation that contributes to disease severity and death. We also discuss the immunological determinants behind COVID-19 severity and propose a rationale for the underlying mechanisms.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.139-141
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• 2020

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is currently in progress. Although it is difficult to predict the end of currently increasing COVID-19, it is expected to last for a long time. The COVID-19 is making a lot of changes. Due to physical distancing and living distancing, non-contacts such as wearing facial masks, online lectures, online medical services, telecommuting, and telemarketing are becoming common. In the era of post-COVID-19, online and offline will coexist. Many countries following China's lockdown strategy, which is agreed with the World Health Organization, should be changed to Taiwan's facial mask strategy for reducing the economic problems. The prolonging COVID-19 will add to the economic difficulties, and the US-China confrontation will be difficult to rebound the global economy. COVID-19, such as plaque, smallpox, and Spanish influenza, will be a historical momentum. How to respond to the crisis of COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 will determine the future of the world and Korea.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.113-121
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• 2024

Since its outbreak in late 2019, the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has profoundly caused global morbidity and deaths. The COVID-19 pandemic caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has major complications in cardiovascular and pulmonary system. The increased rate of mortality is due to delayed detection of certain biomarkers that are crucial in the development of disease. Furthermore, certain proteins and enzymes in cellular signaling pathways play an important role in replication of SARS-CoV-2. Most cases are mild to moderate symptoms, however severe cases of COVID-19 leads to death. Detecting the level of biomarkers such as C-reactive protein, cardiac troponin, creatine kinase, creatine kinaseMB, procalcitonin and Matrix metalloproteinases helps in early detection of the severity of disease. Similarly, through downregulating Renin-angiotensin system, interleukin, Mitogen-activated protein kinases and Phosphoinositide 3-kinases pathways, COVID-19 can be effectively controlled and mortality could be prevented. Ginseng and ginsenosides possess therapeutic potential in cardiac and pulmonary complications, there are several studies performed in which they have suppressed these biomarkers and downregulated the pathways, thereby inhibiting the further spread of disease. Supplementation with ginseng or ginsenoside could act on multiple pathways to reduce the level of biomarkers significantly and alleviate cardiac and pulmonary damage. Therefore, this review summarizes the potential of ginseng extract and ginsenosides in controlling the cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases by COVID-19.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.74-79
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• 2020

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which was first identified in Wuhan, China, in late December of 2019 is rapidly spreading across the globe. The South Korean government has ordered the closure of all schools, as part of its attempts to use social distancing measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The effects of the school closures on reducing contagion are generally positive; however, the measure is controversial because of the socioeconomic ripple effect that accompanies it. The author briefly reviewed the existing literature on the mental health aspects of disasters and presents the issues related to school closures due to pandemics, from medical and socioeconomic perspectives and in terms of children's mental health. The results of this review suggest that research on children's mental health in relation to the adoption of school closures as a pandemic mitigation strategy is urgently needed.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.17-34
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• 2023

Objectives Few studies to date reviewed herbal medicines prescribed to pediatric patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We aimed to summarize and analyze these herbal medicines. Methods Nine databases were searched for studies published up until November 24, 2020. Nine case reports and one case series involving 17 pediatric patients were included in the study. The clinical symptoms, interventions, outcomes, pattern identification, composition, and frequency of herbal medicine administration were analyzed. Results The symptoms of pediatric patients with COVID-19 treated with herbal medicines were mild or moderate. Herbal medicines have been used to alleviate symptoms, such as fever and cough. No adverse events were reported. All of the patients who received herbal medicines were discharged from the hospital after symptomatic relief. Pattern identification revealed that the lungs were the most affected organs. Epidemic toxins, wind, dampness, and heat were the primary etiological factors. More pediatric patients with COVID-19 were prescribed a combination of herbal and Western medicines than herbal medicines alone. The frequently used herbs include Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, Lonicerae Flos, Scutellariae Radix, Armeniacae Semen, Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium, and Astragali Radix. Conclusions Our review can serve as a reference for the treatment of COVID-19 in children.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.65 no.4
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• pp.167-171
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• 2022

In the era of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, countries worldwide have implemented several nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) to contain its spread before vaccines and treatments were developed. NPIs included social distancing, mask wearing, intensive contact tracing and isolation, and sanitization. In addition to their effectiveness at preventing the rapid spread of COVID-19, NPIs have caused secondary changes in the epidemiology of other infectious diseases. In Korea, various NPI stages have been implemented since the first confirmed case of COVID-19 on January 20, 2020. This review, based on a PubMed database search, shows the impact of NPIs on several infectious diseases other than severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 in the COVID-19 pandemic era in Korea.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.89-97
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• 2022

More than 2 years after the explosion of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, extensive efforts have been made to develop safe and efficacious vaccines against infections with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. The pandemic has opened a new era of vaccine development based on next-generation platforms, including messenger RNA (mRNA)-based technologies, and paved the way for the future of mRNA-based therapeutics to provide protection against a wide range of infectious diseases. Multiple vaccines have been developed at an unprecedented pace to protect against COVID-19 worldwide. However, important knowledge gaps remain to be addressed, especially in terms of how vaccines induce immunogenicity and efficacy in those who are elderly. Here, we discuss the various vaccine platforms that have been utilized to combat COVID-19 and emphasize how these platforms can be a powerful tool to react quickly to future pandemics.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.313-324
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• 2020

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which causes serious respiratory illness such as pneumonia and lung failure, was first reported in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei, China. The etiological agent of COVID-19 has been confirmed as a novel coronavirus, now known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which is most likely originated from zoonotic coronaviruses, like SARS-CoV, which emerged in 2002. Within a few months of the first report, SARS-CoV-2 had spread across China and worldwide, reaching a pandemic level. As COVID-19 has triggered enormous human casualties and serious economic loss posing global threat, an understanding of the ongoing situation and the development of strategies to contain the virus's spread are urgently needed. Currently, various diagnostic kits to test for COVID-19 are available and several repurposing therapeutics for COVID-19 have shown to be clinically effective. In addition, global institutions and companies have begun to develop vaccines for the prevention of COVID-19. Here, we review the current status of epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment, and vaccine development for COVID-19.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.16-27
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• 2022

In Korea, children aged 5 to 11 have been vaccinated against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) from March 2022. Due to this age group not being at a high risk of developing severe COVID-19 symptoms, each major country has different, circumstance dependent, immunization policies for children. In this review, the COVID-19 vaccination policies for 5-11 years old children in major countries were reviewed and considerations were presented for Korea, where children 5-11 years old are starting to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.77-85
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• 2022

While the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is gradually turning into an endemic disease, concerns about post COVID-19 conditions (Long COVID) are emerging. Obesity is a major risk factor for severe complications of COVID-19, and COVID-19 has a wide range of effects on obesity and metabolic function. This paper aims to examine the interaction between COVID-19 and obesity, the effects and mechanisms of long COVID on obesity, and the role of Korean medicine on long COVID-related obesity. Obesity may worsen with cardiometabolic damage and psychosocial insecurity during COVID-19 and long COVID-induced neuroinflammation, systemic inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and hypoxia also may aggravate obesity. Korean Medicine treatments, which have been widely used to treat obesity, have the potential to improve obesity in the era of long COVID by intervening in these mechanisms.