Conclusions

The emergence of the COVID-19 outbreak was not a choice, but its persistence might be a result of the cognitive biases that primarily affect medical, strategic, and consumer decision-making. Due to the lack of sufficient knowledge, there are many scientific uncertainties associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, and uncertainties are a potential source of meta-cognitive bias and, therefore, poor performance. Such cognitive biases broadly consist of the following four categories: prior hypotheses and focusing on limited targets, exposure to limited alternatives, insensitivity to outcome probabilities, and the illusion of manageability 12. For a strategic decision-making process, cognitive biases happen at the level of research, education, and execution. A systematic review of studies identified 19 cognitive biases that threaten medical decision-making 13. They can occur at the screening, diagnostic, and therapeutic levels. Biases imposed by unreliable data or delayed data release occur at different data sharing levels. Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of the levels of decision-making under the influence of different cognitive biases. In this manner, a rational mode of action should not be only limited to decision-making in a single area of interest but it requires decision makers in different areas of management to frame the least biased outlet of decision-making.
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