Today, as we face difficult decisions about closing down the economy because of the second wave of coronavirus, the decision-makers need to take into account both economic and public health considerations, and anything they decide will harm one group or another.
The virus affects different age groups differently, and there is a long period in which asymptomatic carriers can infect others. That period creates a few different difficulties. First of all, it's hard to identify where they themselves contracted the virus, and it's hard to identify those they infected. Identifying outbreaks is hard when there are several days during which the patient or the carrier could have been infectious.
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The shortage of epidemiological researchers has hurt the health care system's capacity to track those outbreaks. It's clear now that mistakes were made in terms of investing in epidemiological research, as well as with the amount of time it takes to get the results of a corona test. These two factors have created a situation in which it is very difficult to cut off chains of infection quickly or effectively. It is vital to assign more personnel to these two areas to get a handle on the pandemic.
But there are other actions that can be taken to stop the spread, and the most important are to prevent public gatherings and for people to wear masks. Recently, a list of the places where people most commonly contract the virus was published. It's important to note that the list was based on only a minority of confirmed cases, because in most instances it is impossible to determine where a patient was infected. It is hard to base the steps we take on reliable information, because it is lacking.
One solution, which might not be ideal, but allows us to limit exposure to the virus, is moving leisure sites to the open air, while maintaining social distancing of two meters (six feet). For example, we should consider opening restaurants and cafes where tables can be moved outdoors and set up two meters apart; spending time at the beach, where we can keep our distance; and visits to nature sites and parks, with restrictions on the number of people allowed in. This is the time to be creative in finding ways to open businesses while avoiding crowds. Combining localized and nationwide closures could be a solution for certain hotspots.
In addition, we cannot demand that the decision-makers take sole responsibility for finding solutions. We need to identify places that put us and our families at risk. As part of that, demand that anyone around you wear a mask. A combination of smart behavior and caution will reduce your risk of catching or spreading the virus.
We are all worried. There is no one who is apathetic and saying "This has nothing to do with me." We've gotten to the point where the public and the media are busy finding guilty parties rather than looking for solutions. Again, there are two sides to the coin. On one side, this is a democracy and we have the right to express our opinion and choose leaders who can manage the situation, and we don't have to blindly accept what our leaders decide. On the other, playing an ongoing blame game causes people to lose faith. Instructions issued are met with distrust, and the public isn't convinced that they will lead to the desired result, which keeps them from adopting the regulations, and from there it's all downhill.
Think about what you can do to avoid putting yourselves and others at risk. We need to be creative in finding open spaces in which to spend time without getting too close to other people, and change social norms to demand that we keep our distance and wear masks. That is how we can live our lives during corona and also allow our economy and physical health to flourish.
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