Background: Iran is a country with a high rate of natural disasters like earthquake. The environmental conditions slow down the delivery of health services, especially in the event of disasters. The modern technologies such as telemedicine are appropriate for facilitating disaster relief operations after an earthquake. This study aimed to develop a model for the implementation of telemedicine in an earthquake.
Materials and Methods: The study was carried out using a mixed-methods research in three phases: 1. review of the literature; 2. qualitative study (modeling); and 3. Delphi method (validation of the model). Databases of Google Scholar, Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed were searched from 1990 to 2019 with the keywords of “telemedicine” AND “disaster” OR “emergency” AND “earthquake”. After screening of the retrieved records, 13 articles met the eligibility criteria and were included in the review study. Ten experts extracted all key elements of telemedicine in the disaster from the articles and categorized them in 6 themes with 38 subthemes. The model of telemedicine in the earthquake was finalized with 2 rounds of Delphi with groups of selected volunteer experts. 
Results: In the first phase of the study, 6 key themes (telecommunication infrastructure, technical infrastructure, financial infrastructure, health infrastructure, organizational infrastructure, social infrastructure, and cultural infrastructure) with 38 subthemes of telemedicine for implementing in the disaster were obtained. At the conclusion of the third phase of the study, 6 key themes with 33 subthemes contributed to the model of telemedicine in the earthquake. Telecommunication infrastructure with a maximum score of 9.24 earned the priority, and social and cultural infrastructure themes with the minimum score of 7.53 came in the end.
Conclusion: The model derived from this study can be used as an applied telemedicine model in an earthquake. We suggest that the results of this study be implemented as a theoretical model, or in a pilot study in a region of the country, and to be evaluated by regarding mortality reduction. We also recommend that a comparative study for using telemedicine in other types of disasters be undertaken.

Background: Communicable diseases are one of the main health problems in Iran. This study aimed at demonstrating the progress of communicable diseases management in more than 30 years of its implementation and pointing out its strengths and weaknesses, as well.
Materials and Methods: This interview-based study using content analysis method was conducted in 2014. Data were collected through deep interviews. Fifteen interviews were conducted with all experts and health system managers at Iran’s communicable diseases management center. The collected data were analyzed using the principles suggested by Strauss and Corbin. 
Results: The establishment of the communicable disease surveillance system was a revolution in the health system of Iran. The strengths of the system are as follows: network-based and integrated health services, well-organized and knowledgeable personnel, national and international supports, strategic and operational plans, and expanded programs of immunization. On the other hand, its weaknesses mentioned by the participants were: disease-based case definition, poor public awareness, poor inter-sectoral collaboration and coordination, insufficient resources, delayed or no notifying target diseases, lack of district laws or incomplete implementation of legislation, failure to provide feedback or ignoring for the results of the analysis, and lack of performance evaluation.
Conclusion: Although the implementation of the communicable diseases surveillance system was a huge achievement in the health system of Iran, however, it needs more improvements based on the present situation. Revision of the rules, restoration and strengthening of the existing structure, the use of modern information and communication technologies, and the establishment of the monitoring and evaluation system are helpful to increase its success.

After presenting the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) in china, it has spread rapidly in the community and now has declared as a pandemic causing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). At the date of writing this report, the COVID-19 has affected 192 countries and one international conveyance (the Diamond Princess cruise ship harbored in Yokohama, Japan) around the world with the total cases of 341,529. In Iran, the emergence of the disease was reported with two cases of COVID-19 deaths in Qom city on February 19, 2020, that caused great concern for the health system and the general public. It was rapidly spread around the country and reach to 21,638 definite cases by March 22, 2020. The special nature of the disease in rapid transmission among individuals in society requires urgent measures and serious actions to control it as quickly as possible. In this report, we describe the current status of the COVID-19 response strategy for reducing transmission in public and patient load in hospitals in Iran. Although Iran has tried to use the successful experience of other countries, such as China, for various reasons, such as non-quarantine of Qom province, as the primary site of disease propagation, lack of public quarantine, lack of seriousness by some citizens and officials, the lack of facilities and personal protective equipment needed for staff use, and restrictions regarding purchasing equipment from other countries due to international sanctions, have served as obstacles to achieve good results.

Background: The COVID-19 epidemic was a biological disaster that may cause or exacerbate burnout in healthcare professionals (HCPs). Our goal was to determine the impact of the long-term COVID-19 epidemic on burnout in front-line healthcare workers and the factors affecting it.
Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional survey on front-line HCPs’ job burnout based on an online platform was conducted at Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences. The demographic characteristics, medical-work-related factors, and COVID-19 exposure were collected by the self-reported Farsi version of the Maslach burnout inventory questionnaire.
Results: Out of 2100 sent questionnaires, 924 participants completed them (44% response rate) of which 280 were male (30.3%). Overall, 850(92%) respondents had a high level of emotional exhaustion, 872(94.4%) had a high level of depersonalization, and 112(12.1%) had a high reduced personal accomplishment. There was a significant relation between higher burnout levels with higher education levels, working in hospitals as clinical staff, and pre-hospital operational personnel as well as having direct contact with a significant number of COVID-19 Patients. A significant number of participants (94.2%) were in severe and moderate burnout levels.
Conclusion: There was a significant increase in job burnout among front-line HCPs during the COVID-19 epidemic compared to former similar studies at the beginning of the epidemic and non-epidemic periods. It is recommended that in disaster management planning, especially in long-standing ones like COVID-19, the proper programs should be considered for increasing the resilience of HCPs.