RTA in a COVID-19 Environment

• Main Authors: Zosky, GR, Norris, K, Woods, G, Flies, A
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) 2020
• Subjects: Biomedical and Clinical Sciences; Clinical sciences; Rural clinical health; Antarctic; Antarc*; Antarctica; Australian Antarctic Division
• Online Access: http://ecite.utas.edu.au/143153

This review was commissioned by the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) to address thephysiological and psychological risks posed by the COVID-19 pandemic to Antarcticexpeditioners returning to Australia (RTA). We reviewed the literature with a focus on theimmunological and psychological impacts of deployment to Antarctica, the return journey andthe reintegration process. SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the COVID19 pandemic, isa respiratory pathogen that requires an effective and appropriate immune response.Expeditioners RTA are at heightened risk of adverse health effects of SARS-CoV-2 infectiondue to the well-documented immunosuppressive effects of spending extended periods in theAntarctic environment. In addition, due to the impact of intolerance of uncertainty, threats tothe health of family and friends, changes to societal functioning and delayed RTA, Antarcticexpeditioners are at an increased risk of adverse psychological outcomes as a result of theCOVID-19 pandemic. In this context, we developed a series of recommendations to mitigateagainst these heightened physiological and psychological RTA risks.