World enduring hard times, no one predicts how long the virus lasts
Thousands of healthcare workers are on frontline working around the clock to contain the spread of coronavirus and save lives in the hotbeds of this global epidemic while numerous countries have put into practice various social restrictions aimed at slowing down the contagion of the virus.
In efforts of vanquishing the virus, some physicians have called on the world powers to step in aggressively in developing drug for the virus aligned with introducing various relief packages for the coronavirus- hit- economy.
World Health Organization (WHO) has also expressed growing concern over the reluctant coronavirus responses by some rich countries and shortages of medical supplies. It as well urged all countries to fight the pandemic in unison.
By the same token, United Nations has pleaded the international community and G20 countries for aid worth two billion USD for the most vulnerable segments of the society in a bid to stem the virus.
In fear of second wave of the epidemic, China which has successfully controlled the locally transmitted coronavirus cases has barred the entry of foreign visitors since last Saturday.
Despite lingering worldwide health crisis and warning of medical experts, President Donald Trump has pledged to Americans that U.S. would be opened up for business on Easter. But, on Sunday, he expanded the social distancing guidelines beyond Easter until April 30, 2020.
For its part, European Union (EU) has called on member states to work in unity and show solidarity to each other at the ongoing all-out war against the pandemic.
According to some available information, Germany and France have totally banned protective gear exports which are in dire need in Italy and Spain that have become the epicenters of coronavirus in Europe.
This global pandemic has already caused psychological and economic shocks as the quarter of the world‘s population are now on lockdown. Fortunately, the death toll and confirmed cases in African countries are so far too less comparing to others.
But, many have been warning that the African case will be one of the worst human catastrophes in parallel with the poor public health system. Moreover, many Africans are not taking the virus seriously enough despite governments’ tough coronavirus measures.
While the world is facing the worst health crisis in the human history, medical experts are busy to develop drug for COVID-19. They are as well urging governments to tighten containment which in turn help to enforce home-stay-orders.
For the time being, the only option for the world in defeating the virus is that implementing effectively WHO‘s sole COVID-19 solution that is Isolation, Testing and Tracing.
Some health experts have also advised the general public to turn deaf ears to rumors that are circulating on social media regarding the discovery of coronavirus drug and to follow up reliable new sources as much as possible.
In its latest statement, WHO states that no matter how many clinical trials for COVID-19 drugs are being executed, what matter most is that the drug has to be proven effective passing through the criteria for a given new drug by pertinent bodies. It has also remined the world that the medicines that were said to be effective for Ebola virus were found to be ineffective later.
WHO, therefore, has called on nations under lockdown to attack the virus in order to not to give second window opportunity for COVID-19.
Ever since the outbreak of the virus, no one has predicted when the epidemic lasts, but some are saying it will last for 12 or 18 months considering the time that will be needed to develop drug for COVID-19. Thus, until then the world has to be well prepared to contain the virus as the worst is yet to come, according to some medical experts.
The Ethiopian Herald March 31/2020
BY DANIEL BEYENE
