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Covid-19 Pandemic
Covid-19 has extensively become a nightmare and paralysed the whole world of all its human activities. Who is not anxious about getting infected? As at 9.26p.m. today, 8 April 2020, there are already 1.446 million confirmed cases with 83,424 cases of mortality. Three nations, namely the United States of America (USA), Spain and Italy, suffer the most with between 135,586 and 401,636 confirmed cases. Their lack of logistics has aggravated the situation. With a higher number of mortality of 14,555 and 17,127 in Spain and Italy, compared to the USA with 12,905 cases, they have overtaken China with 81,802 confirmed cases and 3,333 deaths, the country where the virus was first detected. On the whole, the pandemic has been the worst ever infection without a known vaccine.
The above statistics is proof enough to call for effective quarantine intiatives as the number of infected victims has risen at an alarming rate by the day. Flu-like symptoms, fever, headaches, and breathing difficulties were identified as indicators that the patient is possibly covid-19 positive. With all the concerns about public safety, the Movement Control Order (MCO) was immediately enforced on 18 March 2020 in Malaysia to contain the virus.
Although the MCO has caused much inconvenience as businesses are forced to close, those dealing with the essential services are allowed to operate between 8.00 in the morning to 8.00 at night. Thankfully, daily provisions have been sufficient and panic-buying has been much advised against. A one-metre social-distancing has also been strictly enforced at wet markets and shopping complexes to reduce physical contacts and possible infections.
The feeling of being forced to stay at home, for the last 21 days, since the lockdown on 18 March 2020, is beyond words. After all these years of liberty to move about without restrain, this experience has put many trapped within the four walls of their homes. Those without a stable job or means of financial support have suffered more than those who are still paid their monthly wages, especially with recently launched Economic Stimulus Package by the government in late March 2020. The end has yet to be seen but hopefully, the pandemic will come to an end soon, with all the prayers of repentance, drastic and practical measures to contain it and self-quarantine are maximised.
Stay home and Stay Safe! The rainbow will soon come after the rain.
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Here in Texas, the appearance of the coronavirus has been slow except for a few hotspots. Testing has been very slow to be introduced and limited initially only to medical personnel. So, the number infected may be far higher than those found to be ill by the parameters you listed above. So many may have the disease with no indication at all, spreading it more and more.
Pandora is already out-of-the-box. It might be best once hospital facilities can handle the load, to allow businesses to get back in business while retaining social distancing, masks, sanitation practices and other measures. Waiting for a vaccination may take too long and maybe more costly, economy wise for all those wagers living paycheck to paycheck.
Ron