Pandemic, it’s a terrifying word that has eroded the whole world since 2019. It was introduced as Covid-19 as Coronavirus plunged into our smoothly running routines. It has altered the shape of the complete world and is therefore needed to be known more minutely so we can reshape the world to come out of its tedious game.
So what is a Pandemic? We should know it first.
‘Pandemic is an outbreak of global proportions.’
It comes to a stage when infection due to some virus becomes capable of spreading widely and rapidly. And the disease behind pandemics can cause a severe illness and can come out as a communicable disease. Unfortunately, the world is currently going through a global outbreak of Covid-19.
On 11 March 2020, WHO determined it to be a pandemic. Awareness and planning could somehow help us. Pandemic and other large scale outbreaks can disgracefully claim millions of lives, it disrupts many societies and can hence devastate economies too. Many countries in the Western Pacific have national plans for pandemic preparedness.
92% of the countries conduct outpatient surveillance for influenza-like illnesses.
29 countries in the Region have shared data through FIuID, a global influenza data-sharing platform.
The health security threats will continue to occur unpredictably and will challenge even the most advanced health systems.
The time instructs us to move forward with some mandatory follow-ups that could be our safety measures against pandemics. Of course, we cannot stop new diseases, but certainly, we can prepare ourselves before they appear. While the whole world is still reeling with the Covid-19 pandemic, public health and emergency experts are correspondingly preparing for the next to come. We need to learn about 5 strategies that will give the world a head-start and even help to prevent the next outbreak or epidemic from blowing up into a pandemic.
- Shore up the systems already in place.
If the pathogen starts spreading, governments have their emergency management systems to respond, providing a framework to respond to crises that range from infectious diseases to natural disasters and terrorist attacks. Thus, one convenient way to be prepared for the future pandemic is to ensure the availability of required structures and systems such as funding, training and personnel for a rapid global response even before any of its hints even arrive.
- Preparedness requires a “Community Approach” that expects everyone, especially underserved or vulnerable populations, to be involved in planning.
- A coordinated response by a diverse team is critical for public health emergencies work cumulatively.
- Reviewing the response to the current Covid19 pandemic at all levels and “Integrated After Actions” findings can be used as the syllabus for the preparedness for the next expected pandemic.
- Few new normals like face masks, online, businesses, etc give a very dramatic picture to society’s ongoing behaviours, which are mandatory and easy too.
Summing up, we can say that Covid19 taught us to adopt certain habits to adjust if the next pandemic strikes.
Work is Worship 