In times of COVID-19, epidemiology is a unifying science

Abstract

In the end of December 2019, China reported an outbreak of pneumonia in Wuhan, a city with more than 11 million inhabitants, to the World Health Organization. Days later, a new agent (SARS-CoV-2) was identified; since then, it has spread throughout the planet, resulting in one of the most challenging pandemics in recent history. Faced with this scenario, Epidemiology plays an important role, given that its techniques and methods have contributed to generating knowledge, assisting in decision making in healthcare. This text presents a succinct reflection regarding the importance of epidemiology in light of the current pandemic.