When the first case of coronavirus [COVID-19] was reported in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei in December 2019, nobody thought that it would become a global pandemic. Even now, as governments are still trying to enforce policies to prevent the virus from spreading, new cases of infection are still on the rise. To date, the virus has infected more than 5 million people, and caused over 300,000 fatalities.
Some of the measures that have been taken by governments to control the spread include quarantine, social distancing and shutting down businesses. The COVID -19 outbreak has thus far caused severe damage to the global economy and isolated entire societies from employment, travel, and performing daily tasks.
Earlier last week, the International Labour Organization [ILO] reported more than 2.7 billion jobs are now threatened by the pandemic, which represents around 82% of the global workforce.
In a recent webinar, Professor Josh Cartu, joined by his guest speaker, Fahad Al Tamimi from the National Center for Disease Prevention and Control, explained to viewers that if policy makers would enact three steps, the coronavirus spread could be reduced, and society could return to work almost immediately.
Educate people about the virus and how it spreads
Josh Cartu says, “If the government wants to end the spread of Covid-19, it must ensure that citizens understand how the virus is spreading”.
According to Professor Cartu, when it comes to educating society about the virus, more can be done by governments to explain in simple laymen terms. “The preventative measures announced thus far include wearing face masks, keeping social distance, washing hands properly, and using disposable gloves”, says Josh Cartu, while explaining governments have a responsibility to provide more in-depth elaboration, specifically because the infection rate continues to climb.
The esteemed economics professor lectured online viewers, “Society needs to be extra careful when shopping for groceries, handling shopping carts, and be cautious when touching products, or exchanging cash and credit card at the cashier”.
Dr. Fahad Tamimi reiterated and expanded on the professors words stating governments around the world, from Canada, the United States, Saudi Arabia and the Far East need to do a lot more in effort to raise awareness on how the virus is contracted by putting up signs in public places warning the public that touching elevator buttons, doorknobs, car doors, or sharing a computer mouse are all potential mediums for contraction.
Distribution of Rapid Result Covid-19 Test Kits
Professor Cartu advises governments to manufacture and distribute test kits that produce speedy results. “As a result of rapid testing, German health officials have substantially lowered their countries mortality rate” while lecturing “The ability to identify hosts who are yet to reveal symptoms is crucial for treatment purposes and containing the virus.
Fahad Tamimi revealed the distribution of free coronavirus test kits, producing fast results within minutes reduces the spread of the virus, and has proven effective to saving lives in countries like Vietnam.
In addition, explains Fahad Al-Tamimi, “Governments should set up free drive-thru testing areas. The chances of infection at a hospital or private clinics have risen significantly, whereas drive-thru testing sites allow people to remain in their vehicles at a safe distance from others.”
Open Global Markets
If the government takes proactive steps to prevent the spread of the virus by educating residents and offering free rapid testing kits producing results within minutes”, says Fahad Al Tamimi, “all markets can be opened effective immediately, reviving industry and employment opportunities”.
In the otherwise, explains Fahad Tamimi, continued global quarantines will result in poverty, and more people will die from unrelated health conditions such as heart disease and cancer than they would from the coronavirus. Dr. Tamimi says “We need to put society back to work and fuel the economy as it supports health care staff, hospital equipment and is vital to financing the required research required by pathologists to develop a vaccine solution”.
Governments around the world cannot afford to gamble on health care. The comprehensive steps outlined below are not casino games of chance.
