4 Important Lessons from COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has turned the life of billions of people upside down. With imposed lockdowns to contain its spread, daily life for most people has changed a great deal. However, the world has also learned many valuable lessons during this ordeal.
Washing hands is essential, whether there’s a pandemic or not
Because of COVID-19, millions of people have realized the importance of maintaining good hygiene. For example, you’ve probably read hundreds of articles recently about how to wash your hands properly
Respiratory viruses spread when droplets enter the body through the nose, mouth, or eyes. This usually happens when your hands touch your face. And touching other people is a common way for the disease to spread.
Transparency is important
While the number of people infected with the virus has leveled off in some areas, the world is still facing danger. COVID-19 is making world leaders and authorities handle the situation with data transparency for the benefit of everyone. Nowadays, it is not just important for everyone to know the number of infected and deceased people, but also models and projections.
Data is a crucial source of knowledge that informs people about their collective strategy against the virus. For example, if the initial data and information on the virus were made clear in Italy, it could have had positive effects on the outcome. There were even politicians who shook hands in Milan as a way to tell people not to panic.
Prevention is easier than cure
Many countries infected with the virus approached the problem by following it and not preventing it. For instance, the virus has already entered many countries before decrees about restrictions were issued. The restrictions turned into lockdowns for major cities, and then entire countries.
While this may be a wise short-term solution, it will backfire when one is dealing with a health issue. The lockdown may have facilitated the spread of COVID-19 since the initial restrictions did not include some regions. When decrees were announced, a massive exodus followed and therefore the virus spread to new regions.
Mass testing is key
Countries such as China and South Korea showcased the best response for stopping the outbreak of COVID-19 when thousands were infected. In China, both potential and confirmed patients were quarantined. There was also a restriction on the movements of citizens, as well as flights coming in and out of the country.
On the other hand, South Korea controlled the outbreak effectively, as is evident from its low fatality rate without resorting to the same measures as China. What was the strategy that both countries used? Mass testing.
These Asian nations learned from the MERS outbreak in 2015 to create an organized disease control system that could produce many test kits in a short period. This enabled the country to test more than 15,000 individuals per day.
May The World Not Forget the Lessons It Has Learned From COVID-19
The novel coronavirus is a major health crisis that has taught people of all ages, social class, race, and color many important lessons. COVID-19 should be treated as an eye-opener. Chances are, this won’t be the last unknown virus the world will face. So we need to learn from this experience to be better equipped to deal with any similar challenges we will face.