The "Knock-on" Effects of COVID-19 on Healthcare Services

Abstract

This chapter provides an overview of how COVID-19 affects the healthcare sector by providing aglobalised and systemic look at how healthcare services and healthcare work has been prioritized toaddress the COVID-19 epidemic to-date. We focus on the significance, impact, and consequences forso-called "other" healthcare services and workers who were co-opted into and whose worksubsequently came to be about the COVID-19 response. Firstly, we discuss how primary health carein Ireland refocused to adapt to the needs of the pandemic. Secondly, how changes in secondaryhealth care in Argentina were experienced, specifically through the lens of health care workers in aprovincial case study hospital. Thirdly, we review the impact COVID-19 had on tertiary health care inhospitals and the emergence of field hospitals in South Africa as the epicentre of South Africa´s healthcare response.