At this time, coronavirus is number one public enemy. As a result, it has created a devastating effect on the social economic and political landscape and has taken many human lives and destroyed massive material resources. It has become a curse to humanity at large and many people have lost their lives and many are still suffering as a result of this pandemic disease.
Coronavirus is a global pandemic. We all become vulnerable to it. This heartrending disease has never been in our body before and can become a full blown pandemic. Everyone can contract it and be affected by it. It has no respect to anyone. No one is protected from this endemic disease. It is indiscriminate. It affects everyone irrespective of color, age, gender, religious or any socio-economic or cultural backgrounds.
In the event of this pandemic, usual and natural activities have been curtailed, stopped or at least minimized and that causes an unprecedented chaos, confusion and hopelessness amongst the public at large all over the world. It has caused isolations and quarantined so many people in order to stop spreading the disease to others. Humans like to socialize, to get together, to hug each other, to play with each other etc. We all are used to be close to each other. These values, traditions and norms cannot be the order of the day at this point in time because they are now causes for contracting this disease.
Although this pandemic has created a negative impact on the society at large in all aspects of life globally, as the renowned scientist Isaac Newton’s 3rd law of inertia, “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction”, renowned medical scientists including the WHO are working day in and day out to find solutions and many are risking their lives in doing so in order to save lives. However, we all must listen to their advices and strictly follow their guidelines. It seems however that many are becoming complacent to their advices and the disease has been spreading unwarranted so far.
We must shoot back and get rid of this curse sooner than later and reverse this pandemic to help us all come back to our normal life style.
Further, there are also some myths with no scientific relevance that are confusing the public at large. Myths such as: corona does not affect young people, corona can be washed and flashed out with water, hot weather can kill corona etc. These traditional thoughts contrary to scientific solutions are becoming an obstacle to fulfilling scientific safety responses and procedures. As a result, many, in thousands are contracting this deadly disease and many are disappearing.
Virtual socializing is becoming the norm and is becoming relevant and imperative because normal socializing is giving up its position to virtual socializing to avoid close contact and if possible to stop the spread of coronavirus or at least to minimize it. It is okay to be isolated and it is okay to be guaranteed and it is okay to be tested because these measures are taken for safety purposes to keep us safe; therefore, these scientific measures must be strictly adhered to and be stringently followed.
Since this disease affects everyone, it needs a global and unified response in order to get out and have a long term exit of this endemic disease. Global responses include but not limited to sharing of information, sharing of medical equipment, sharing and assistance of medical personnel and medical information. The long term exit is to get a vaccine to prevent the disease from happening again. We must get the vaccine to get us out of this mess. We need a mechanism to get us out but it has been slow thus far, therefore, countries are going through difficult times right now and are hoping and wishing for a quick solution to this endemic disease. Some measures such as those mentioned above are underway however.
Testing is absolutely critical and countries must share their good experiences and good practices in that regard. Countries must develop a long term strategies in order to get a vaccine sooner than later to save lives. Vaccine takes long time to develop but it is a global question for a global public good; therefore, the sooner it is made and distributed the better for the safety of the public at large. It must be noted that it is now or never for global leaders and governments alike to respond. They should fund the public health hospitals, clinics, medical personnel with needed equipment, manpower and technical and professional assistances.
Since corona is a global endemic, it needs a global and unified response and global cooperation. Here, politics has no place at all. Countries have started to put their differences out and are coming together and responding dutifully vis-à-vis this issue. They are providing public health equipment and sharing experiences as well as medical knowledge and personnel in order to find solutions.
Vaccine may not come very soon but this kind of lockdown cannot go further and we have to find a bridge to releasing vaccine before it becomes a disaster. Everyone must contribute whatever they can and share in finding solutions. There is some hope that vaccine may be out there already to be analyzed and synthesized in order to be an effective solution. Medical persons, nurses, doctors, midwives, volunteers etc. are resiliently working day in and day out taking care of the ill and finding out durable solutions. Some are affected by the disease and some are dying to save our lives. These unique and bighearted professionals deserve our appreciation and our respect. History will remember their dedication and hard work in saving many lives.
Further, people are giving up their hotels, guest houses, and transport vehicles. Centers have been open to host those contracted or affected by the virus and to those affected by financial burden caused by this pandemic. People are starting to do what they did not do before. They are showing the true color of humanity that may stay longer and stay for good in the future. We must say thank you to those who are helping.
Society at one point in time or the other have been confronted with variety of manmade as well as environmental or unforeseen circumstances such as the current phenomenon; however, history teaches us that society also confronted and did overcome those challenges and confrontations as well.
There is currently a whole range of remarkable research that is being done in order to find a solution to this disease and looking at the data, the scientific message seems to be pretty clear. Different attempts are coming out for a vaccine. There are different vaccines already engineered and in place and some have moved to peoples’ testing. There is a whole range of different approaches to make a vaccine but difficult to know which one can work effectively. It is the safety issue and the testing of the vaccine that matters. It takes a lot of testing to know what works effectively. There has to be a solid data in order to know what works effectively under testing. It is believed that they all can be effective and there is a lot of optimism in that regard. However, following proper trail and proper scientifically required testing procedures with no discrimination what so ever is absolutely necessary.
This epidemic has altered our sense of the world and hence, it requires us to adjust and take action we have never taken before. We all must adjust and take action that we cannot make a decision. We need to start to be honest on what we are doing. We need to follow scientific lessons, procedures and directions and must not be misled by non-scientific myths, religious, cultural and traditional impediments contrary to medical and scientific solutions in fulfilling safety responses to this epidemic.
Every nation is affected by this disease and since it is a global endemic disease, it needs a global solution and global cooperation. Hospitals are confronting many challenges and it is taking a lot of these medical personnel in fulfilling their responsibilities; therefore, they must be funded and well equipped with necessary medical critical supply such as ventilators, gloves, masks and other equipment. Governments, the business community, philanthropists, universities, research centers and the public at large must do their share in order to get us out of this unprecedented danger.
The Ethiopian Herald August 4, 2020
BY YOHANNES GEBRESELLASIE (Ph.D.)
