Abstract:
Healthcare workers have both an obligation to their individual
patients and a long-recognised public health responsibility. In the
context of infectious disease, such as the coronavirus disease 2019
(COVID-19) pandemic, this duty may include the use of quarantine
and isolation to reduce the transmission of disease to protect the
health of the public. Furthermore, doctors have a responsibility
to protect their own health to ensure that they are able to provide
necessary care. These responsibilities may lead to conflict between
patients’ rights of self-determination and doctors’ duty to advocate
for the best interests of individual patients and to provide care in
emergencies.
