FAST-TRACKING ON THE COVID-19 PHASE 1

INTERVENTIONS MUCH NEEDED IN THE PANDEMIC

MEDICAL APPARATUS.

“…The villainy you teach me, I will execute- and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction.” Merchant of Venice: act 3, scene 1. A monologue well demonstrated by the character Shylock to Antonio. In this monologue, Shylock expresses displeasure in the mannerism of Antonio’s treatment towards him, and he intends to revisit the treatment or far worse be more villainous. I tend to have a soliloquy on my imaginary stage; what if the earth is revenging on all the bad decisions we’ve been doing to it? Has the coin flipped for the human race to taste its own medicine? Hands down to mother earth, if Coronavirus is a way for the earth to act in self-defence.  COVID-19 in its phase one has seen developing countries fight tooth and nail to break even, yet the determination has yet to yield results. The numbers are yet to take a stall by the end of April, with exponential growth by the day. 

WHO, Ministry of Health and the governments are encouraging behavioural change in order to reduce the risk of new infections. Phase 1 is a very tedious and energy drenching period where the measures to curb spread through cessation of movements and other means are taking a toll on patience. Several institutions have been rendered sterile, matters business; tragically the impact on our economy is inevitable. Policies of work, movement and gathering among others have been altered significantly. 

The long hours at home are also impacting the mental wellness of individuals. Certainly, we all anticipate for normalcy, but we need to brace ourselves for a longer period of uncertainty. Countries like China; currently in phase 2 of the pandemic have somehow a semi-normal lifestyle. For developing countries to reach this phase, then we need to emulate the stringent measure taken. Yes, that bitter pill require swallowing.

CORONAVIRUS 

Since man must survive, innovations to solving world problems will be the best thing since sliced bread. Employers and their employees have now capitalise on digital platforms to have meetings and deliberate on issues at the comfort of their couches. Supermarkets and eateries have been able to capitalise on delivery applications to attend to customer’s need. Maybe this might be the best way going forward but it’s still early to predict. More apparent, there’s need to increase testing capacity so as to identify the hot spots and curb the disease. 

Governments can increase testing capacity by partnering with the private sector; hence spike innovations in testing gadget like the pregnancy kit innovation. Senegal is leading the race, having developed a one dollar COVID-19 testing kit. Application developers can provide their expertise to expedite the process of contact tracing, so as to straighten the curve. Well, these are suggestions and my words are not law, just playing my role like the character Shylock so as to spark debate.


Drastic times call for drastic measures, hence adhering to the call for action in behavioural change is adamant and prudent. Well, is a total lockdown necessary to curb COVID-19? The answer, I live it to you. Mental wellness is a loose cannon that needs intervention a.s.a.p. Ensuring you have someone to check on you from time to time and engaging in meaningful endeavour can reduce the risk of mental deterioration. 

PATHWAY 

The mind is the most powerful organ, feed it with positivity and alas your perspective changes. Assessment, cultural concepts of distress and interventions should be sort after. Mental health is not a destination, but an ongoing process. It’s about how you drive, not where you are going. Most of all let’s take care of mother earth before it turns its fangs on us. Time is the only thing that will allow you to find yourself again. We ought to think before acting, lest the earth cast a villainous spell on us.