COVID-19: VARIEGATED ROUTE MAP OF ETHICAL QUESTIONS

Authors

  • Mathew Illathuparampil St Mary’s Institute of Technology and Science, Palakkad

Keywords:

COVID-19, Patient Confidentiality, Professional Responsibility, Research Ethics, Triage/Resource Allocation

Abstract

The fast and widely spread pandemic COVID-19 across the world elicits several prompt responses from medical, political, epidemiological, financial and social sectors. They are all very much in place. Equally relevant are the ethical issues which call for thorough consideration while the humankind is bent on fighting the novel coronavirus in a frantic mood. Without pretending to be exhaustive, this paper brings forth six areas that unleash the most pressing ethical questions during the COVID-19 pandemic. They include questions related to professional responsibility versus personal safety, patient confidentiality, triage/resource allocation, research ethics, personal liberty versus common good, and the environment. This paper does not attempt to propose solid ethical approaches to the ethical questions, instead offers a birds-eye-view of the range of relevant ethical questions. It ends with a reflection on the question whether going through the pains of the epidemic, either as an affected person or as persons close to affected people, will make us morally better persons mechanically.

Author Biography

Mathew Illathuparampil, St Mary’s Institute of Technology and Science, Palakkad

Mathew Illathuparampil currently serves as Director of St Mary’s Institute of Technology and Science, Valliyode, Palakkad. He is a visiting professor of Christian ethics in various theological Faculties. He completed PhD in Christian ethics from KU Leuven, Belgium, in 2002. He has authored many books and articles in areas like business ethics, technology studies and fundamental moral theology. Email: illathuparampilmathew@gmail.com

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Published

2020-11-09

How to Cite

Illathuparampil, M. (2020). COVID-19: VARIEGATED ROUTE MAP OF ETHICAL QUESTIONS. Asian Horizons, 14(3), 736–746. Retrieved from https://dvkjournals.in/index.php/ah/article/view/3198

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