THE WORLD Health Organization (WHO) has made the assessment that COVID-19 can be characterized as a pandemic.
Pandemic is not a word to use lightly or carelessly. It is a word that, if misused, can cause unreasonable fear, or unjustified acceptance that the fight is over, leading to unnecessary suffering and death. Thus WHO clarified that describing the situation as a pandemic does not change its assessment of the threat posed by this virus. It doesn’t change, too, what WHO is doing, and it doesn’t change what countries should do.
So what now?
Just looking at the number of cases and the number of countries affected does not tell the full story. Of the 118,000 cases reported globally in 114 countries, more than 90 percent of cases are in just four countries, and two of those – China and the Republic of Korea – have significantly declining epidemics. Eighty-one countries have not reported any cases, and 57 countries have reported 10 cases or less.
Let’s take it from WHO director-general Dr. Tedros Adhanom: “We cannot say this loudly enough, or clearly enough, or often enough: all countries can still change the course of this pandemic.”
Even those countries with community transmission or large clusters can turn the tide on this virus, he said. Several countries have demonstrated that this virus can be suppressed and controlled.
The challenge for many countries who are now dealing with large clusters or community transmission is not whether they can do the same – it’s whether they will. Some countries are struggling with a lack of capacity. Some countries are struggling with a lack of resources. Some countries are struggling with a lack of resolve.
To which group of countries the Philippines belong?
If countries detect, test, treat, isolate, trace, and mobilize their people in the response, those with a handful of cases can prevent those cases becoming clusters, and those clusters becoming community transmission, according to WHO. Is the Philippine government doing enough?
WHO emphasizes four key areas. First, prepare and be ready. Second, detect, protect and treat. Third, reduce transmission. Fourth, innovate and learn.
“I remind all countries that we are calling on you to activate and scale up your emergency response mechanisms. Communicate with your people about the risks and how they can protect themselves – this is everybody’s business,” said Dr. Adhanom.
Find, isolate, test and treat every case and trace every contact. Ready the hospitals. Protect and train health workers.
Prevention. Preparedness. Public health. Political leadership. And most of all, people.
Let’s all look out for each other, because we need each other. We’re in this together, to do the right things. It’s doable.
