Surviving Covid-19, The New Global Terror

Who ever knew, that a common flu-like disease many health experts worldwide considered endemic could grow such mighty wings to become pandemic? This same underestimated pandemic disease has caused many cities, that never sleeps to now fall asleep, churches, mosques, great parks, stadiums are filled with unfilled spaces, and celebrities have run out of celebrations, the famous football leagues , the fashion shows, exotic weddings, festivals are all lost to memory.

Indeed, when will this long night of covid-19’s invasion going to end; when parents are looking forward to the day schools will finally reopen for their kids to get back to school, when students can’t wait to meet their friends once again and share tales of their lockdown experience and families could gather socially and spend their holidays as usual.

Finding the world in a standstill, struck by the destructive pandemic disease that has risen the eyebrows of everyone, both young and old in any part of the world in pursuit of safety and life after the devastating effects of the novel coronal virus is nothing to gag about. Currently, we have about over a million confirmed cases of people infected with by the virus worldwide and lie at the mercy of health professionals for their dear lives in isolation centers. Global Surveillance for human infection with coronavirus disease (COVID-19)

Making a quick a flashback about how lively we were with friends and family, going out on public gatherings and other means of enjoying life publicly has been lowered and threatened to be a means of getting and spreading the infection if we dare entertain such acts. This is indeed has derailed the minds of many with intense anxiety and furiousness. Now everyone keeps asking one simple question, are we winning the fight against Covid-19 yet?

Indeed, this is one of the most important questions you may want to find answers to from anyone who is in the position to provide such qualified response at a time where a total or partial lockdown is undoubted the ideal option for every country to keep their citizens alive and reducing the spread. I believe many of us may perhaps will be anticipating that the WHO will finally announce to the entire world about the discovery of a cure to covid-19 which realistically have many scientist furiously on a goose chase on. Guess what, the means of survival in these times is not the survivor of the fittest, but the survivor of the wisest.

The World Health Organization made it quite clear in their recent global status report released on 6^th of April 2020 that; if you are in an area where there are cases of COVID-19 you need to take the risk of infection seriously. Follow the advice of WHO and guidance issued by national and local health authorities. For most people, COVID-19 infection will cause mild illness however, it can make some people very ill and, in some people, it can be fatal. Older people and those with pre-existing medical conditions (such as cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease or diabetes) are at risk for severe disease. With this, we all must realize that the utmost responsibility to stay alive lies much as a personal decision other than a state directive.

As part of materializing our plans towards survival, here are a couple of recommendations we can adopt, enhance or intensify as a country, a continent and world in areas such as health, education, governance, society, security, as well personal lifestyle in such terrifying moments like this:

I will begin by picking education over health as a start, because upon all the education off late, we seem to be committing the same mistakes against the fight of this pandemic. This presupposes that the much education is still not enough as a country, continent and world. At a time like this, we should be deploying a consistent 24-hour information system that will penetrate to the rural and suburban areas with a simple message of surviving the pandemic, especially to the people who are operating in the informal sector.

Moreover, institutions of higher learning especially in Africa and across the world have undergone an indefinite closure have retaliated by deploying the necessary steps to run virtual learning platforms to aid studies as much as possible. Although some of these institutions are still struggling, on how possibly they could deploy their virtual study platforms to the benefit of their students and the academic staff. should be assisted at the national level by means of empowering educational regulatory bodies with the needed resources and expertise to provide such support, not forgetting the telecommunication industry, research and educational networks, professional bodies, university alumni associations, the academic diaspora, curriculum experts and ICT experts among others.

Medical centers, especially in some parts of Africa must be expanded alongside emergency isolation centers to contain the spreading of the virus. In addition, the provision of ultra-modern facilities like ventilators in these health centers can improve our survival and reduce the risk of infection of the people. Currently, the response from non-governmental organizations, public and private institutions as well as entrepreneurs across the world in supporting this fight against the virus has been overwhelming and highly commendable to others to join and the movement.

Law enforcement agencies must urgently revise their operational strategy to be persuaders rather than coercers. In terrifying like these, requires that we educate more than we suppress. The level of anxiety and depression caused by COVID-19 is disheartening as governments try to intensify welfare policies in securing the living of their citizens as they try among other things to restore confidence and hope. Hence, law enforcers must immense their intentions and strategies in seas of sympathy and empathy to control and assist the people as much as possible to understand the effect of this virus and stay home voluntarily rather than applying force to succeed.

Furthermore, our survival against the virus will call for each one of us to adopt a good and healthy eating habit that is capable of building our immune systems. According to several health professionals all over the world, the food nutrients capable of building are immune system is Vitamins C, B6 and E. Vitamin C is one of the biggest immune system boosters of all. In fact, a lack of vitamin C can even make you prone to get sick. In addition, Vitamin B6 is vital to supporting biochemical reactions in the immune system. Whiles Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that helps the body fight off infections. Hence, adding fruits and vegetables to daily diet is a great boost to your immune system.

Finally, in a bid to stay alive and survive the novel COVID-19, we ought to practice judiciously our hygiene tips of regular hand washing, use of hand sanitizers, social distancing, wearing of nose mask at slightly crowded places, wearing of gloves, drinking more water. Moreover, we ought to stay at home much more as means to keep yourself, friends and family, safe from COVID-19.

With hearts of hope, we are bound to succeed.

Agyemang Okyere Darko

Host of African Students’ Voices, AAU TV.