Covid 2019 pandemic is continuing causing devastation all over the world. In an unprecedented way, for protection vaccine is also invented and produced within much less than expected time by companies from US, UK, Russia, China, Iran and Cuba, and a queue of more is awaiting approval. These are working and most of the people in developed world are immune with the shots. Health measures as instructed like social distancing, masking, hand-wash and sanitizing is on all over the world. Those not following the health guidelines, specially in densely populated developing countries, are having the worst impact.
In the free flow of information, lots of twisted information are floating in the social media. So reliable and verified source is important to take prudent decision. There is no doubt that it’s a virus, once attacked, the way-out protocol is yet to be accepted by all doctors. Because of various variants of the virus and the immune capability of individual patient, it is obvious that all wouldn’t be treated in same manner. Out of 189 million positive cases in the world 4.07m couldn’t be saved, which is 2.15% and the official percentage is 1.7% in case of Bangladesh. At the beginning, the victims were limited to aged persons, but new variants are not sparing youngers even. As managing a patient is yet not full proof, prevention is certainly better than cure or the preferred option in our hand.
Whatever may be the variant, it is agreed by all that it spreads through droplets. Research is on to specify, how droplet from the infected being transmitted to a non-infected person. Foremost understanding is that it goes in through mouth or nose carried from any surface by own hand or through nose while still in the air by inhaling from infected person’s sneezing or spitting. So right use of mask covering mouth & nose for both infected (known or unknown) and potential target, is the first level of protection. Then come, handwash & sanitization, which can protect hand transport to intake. The next and so far, most scientific way of protection is getting the jab. Lot of news are floating on more effectiveness, band of ‘x’ brand by ‘a’ country or group of countries, acceptance of specific vaccine by specific immigration department etc. We must remember that the vaccines are yet to be tested on same variant and same type of people and it would be premature to come to a conclusion on their effectiveness. So, anyone, approved by WHO should be good. In this regard, I would like to mention that when the epidemic turned into pandemic, intellectual property rights of the vaccine formula and test results should have been bought by WHO at a reasonable cost while approving for distribution among countries interested to produce them free of cost.
Hats off to the frontline doctors and other professionals, who fought relentlessly to stop the spread of Covid-19. It’s great that their sacrifice and risk-taking have kept the casualties and infections less than what were predicted. But what if the situation goes beyond control? Wouldn’t it lead to collapse of emergency services? The medical service professionals are serving extra hours with the limited facilities that we have. So far outdoor patients were dealt with extra hour services, but would it be possible if number patient rises beyond the capacity of doctors? Currently ICUs in most hospitals are saturated and the patients’ increase trend is threatening to overboard hospital capacity too. So, besides capacity building, emphasize needs to be given on prevention.
In Bangladesh 1 million (0.6%) of the population 165m are infected and 85% are already cured. When natural death per month is 78 thousand plus, deaths from Covid-19 have been 17 thousand in 17 months. One on 78 ie 1% addition due to covid is yet to be visible. The impact couldn’t be felt by most of the countrymen!
This calls for a social awareness movement. Bangladesh has achievements like coming out of Pox, Polio etc. The way ‘ek chimti lobon, ek mutho gur’ eradicated Cholera casualty or controlled Diarrhea or the way Family Planning had been successful with the introduction of ‘maya bori/raja condom’ advertisements, we can now also launch a massive campaign to fight Covid atrocity and protection with vaccination and health measures like social distancing, masking, hand-wash, sanitizing etc. The motivational penetration in every mind would some day be irrelevant like those campaigns in ‘80s but impact would be long lasting. If we don’t do it now, it’s going to go out of hand for natural ending. Positively, it can ensure herd immunity in the society but if not, the cost would be unbearable.
So instead of waiting for government, who are doing their best at their priority, can we make a clarion call to socially responsible corporate houses, to engage their appropriate advertising firms, prepare mind blowing contents, and get them aired or publish through all types of media in a massive way. Our celebrities may be called for volunteering in such initiative, with acknowledgement. A leading business forum can play the role of coordinator for distribution of the jobs evenly.
M Musleh Uz Zaman, MBA, is the Managing Director of amz Solutions Limited
