5 lessons from Asia on how to live with a coronavirus outbreak
Since the novel coronavirus outbreak began in China last December, it has spread across the world and now threatens to become a global pandemic.
The virus, formally known as Covid-19, has infected more than 90,000 people globally and killed more than 3,000. Though the majority of cases and deaths remain in mainland China, these past two weeks have seen self-sustaining clusters form in Europe, the Middle East, and the United States -- and new cases reported in Africa and Latin America.
Countries are now scrambling to contain the virus, imposing travel restrictions and mandatory quarantines -- an echo of the shutdowns and emergency measures that swept across Asia two months ago.
As Asia continues to grapple with rising numbers of infections, here are ten lessons -- good and bad -- from the region on how to deal with a coronavirus outbreak.
Be transparent with the public
Government transparency and publicly accessible information can help educate citizens on the risks and necessary precautionary measures, as well as avoid panic or misinformation.
Singapore, for example, sends out daily briefings on coronavirus updates -- how many new cases are confirmed, how many patients have been discharged from hospital, and whether new clusters are appearing.
And in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan and South Korea, government agencies have launched aggressive public information campaigns on what is being done and what citizens can do, distributing this information on citywide posters, television ads, and more.
In Japan, regular flu cases have dropped dramatically -- reportedly because of this rise in public education and health awareness, according to local media.
A lack of reliable information can also give rise to baseless rumors. In Singapore, a false claim that a foreign domestic worker had died took hold. The government quickly released a statement clarifying that was false; nobody has died of coronavirus in Singapore thus far.
Transparency helps reduce hysteria, and gives other countries and international experts important information in understanding the spread of the virus.
Crucially, government willingness to share hard truths -- with both the public and internally within government -- can help avoid fatal missteps, such as those made in China during the early weeks of the outbreak.
In December, when the virus first began spreading, whistleblowers like Li Wenliang, in the Chinese city of Wuhan, tried to warn people -- but were silenced by authorities. Li, who was made to sign a police statement about his "misdemeanor," died in February of the virus, sparking public fury and deep mistrust of the government.
Conduct social distancing
The virus spreads when people are in close physical contact -- so one of the most important measures a government or its people can take is social distancing.
Social distancing is exactly what it sounds like -- putting some distance between yourself and others, and avoiding situations where you might be close to many other people.
To this end, countries across Asia have suspended schools, canceled public gatherings such as Lunar New Year festivities, closed public spaces like swimming pools, and recommended people work from home.
In China, more than 780 million people -- about half the country's population -- are still under some form of travel restrictions, as part of the effort to limit people's exposure to each other.
We're already starting to see some of these social distancing measures come into effect in big cities across Europe, where the outbreak began in Italy in mid-February.
More than 100 schools have closed in France's Oise region, affecting more than 28,000 students. The Louvre museum in Paris and the famed La Scala opera house in Milan have both closed, and the Paris half-marathon has been canceled.Be ahead of the game
Authorities can prepare for an outbreak even before the virus arrives in large numbers.
In January, as it became clear that the virus was spreading rapidly across Asia, countries got ready by setting up quarantine centers, ordering more medical supplies in advance, and organizing cross-departmental government emergency response committees.
Taiwan formed an epidemic response command center and in late January; that same week, the island confirmed its first case. Other preemptive measures included preparing more than 1,000 beds in isolation wards, conducting drills at hospitals and facilities for infection control, and stocking up on medical supplies to counter rumors of shortages.
Don't be afraid of your pets
A dog tested positive for coronavirus in Hong Kong last week, sparking incorrect fears that pets may be able to catch and transmit the virus to their owners.
Experts agree: that's almost definitely not the case.
Coronaviruses can live on surfaces and objects -- meaning the virus could be present on the surface of a dog or cat, even if the dog or cat hasn't actually contracted the virus
"Present evidence suggests that dogs are no more of a risk of spreading (coronavirus) than inanimate objects such as door handles," wrote Sheila McClelland, the founder of Hong Kong-based Lifelong Animal Protection Charity, in a letter to city authorities, shared with CNN.
So don't quarantine your pets, stick face masks on them, or abandon them -- just stick to the basics of good hygiene. Wash your hands after touching your pets, and if you're really concerned, wipe your pets' paws with antiseptic wipes after they've been outside.
Don't stigmatize patients
As the virus spreads, so does fear, paranoia, and discrimination.
Experts have warned against stigmatizing patients; for instance, quarantines are undoubtedly vital to the containment process, but if done improperly, patients could potentially be treated with less dignity and respect.
And in largely white countries like the US, UK, and Australia, stigma can take a more xenophobic, at times outright racist, form -- there has been an uptick of racist assaults and harassment in these places, targeted at people of Chinese or East Asian descent.
It's also why the director general of the World Health Organization urged countries not to impose trade bans in February, warning that it could feed "fear and stigma, with little public health benefit."
"Where such measures have been implemented, we urge that they are short in duration, proportionate to the public health risks, and are reconsidered regularly as the situation evolves," he added.
And finally -- don't panic
While governments and citizens should prepare for the virus, it's also important not to panic.
Based on current available data, the virus is thought to have a fatality rate of about 2% -- that's higher than influenza, which is about 0.1%, but much lower than severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, (9.6%) and MERS, Middle East respiratory syndrome (35%).
For many people, symptoms are just like those of a common cold, and may go away on their own.
In China, more than half of all cases have recovered and been discharged from hospital -- 47,204 out of a total of 80,151 cases, according to the country's National Health Commission.
For those with a weakened immune system, the elderly and the very young, there's a chance the virus could cause a more serious illness such as pneumonia or bronchitis. People with symptoms that feel worse than a standard cold should see their doctors.
No comments:
Post a Comment