In the face of the pandemic, we are not all equal. As an individual, but also as a citizen residing in a particular country. This editorial address the second point: the strategies and measures put in place by the different governments of different countries, but also the habits and customs of the different population, both of which play a significant determining role in addressing the crisis. Here is a benchmark of the “good students” who have made it as difficult as possible for the virus to spread, and whose policies have proved effective to date (1). This is not an exhaustive analysis – the situation develops and changes by the hour –but it serves as a good indicator of where we are at this moment.
Respect for hygiene rules
Sometimes coincidences appear to be fatal. At the end of February, the IFOP polling institute released a survey showing that the French had a difficulty with hygiene. One of the most striking results being that “only 3 out of 4 French people (76%) undertake full bathing and grooming every day” (2). The hygiene of the population of a country is one of the first factors of resilience in the face of the spread of a virus.
A study by Haris Interactive in Malaysia has shown that Malaysians’ awareness of the danger of the pandemic has led Malaysians to wash their hands more – a change in behavior that affects more than 76% of the population (3). It would be interesting to have a comparative study showing the impact of this factor depending on the country, but we can already imagine that it can play an important role in terms of prevention (4).
Wearing a mask
The shortage of masks will undoubtedly be included in the health scandals of a country like France. On the contrary, the respect of this prophylactic constraint will have been beneficial for some countries. In Asia, this precaution is seen as essential for collective interest and in particular in a country like South Korea, for example. Le Figaro explains in the article headlined “Coronavirus: in South Korea”, that everyone has been wearing a mask since February (5). A Korean woman explains that “People who do not wear a mask in the metro or in the street are frowned upon. You have to wear a mask so as not to contaminate others”. Recall that this country was one of the very first hit by the pandemic after China, as Philippe Lacoude reported on our website: “The situation is now serious in South Korea, which initially took things lightly. With nearly 3,736 cases confirmed on March 1, 2020”. It is all the more striking to see that South Korea is today cited as an example by many scientific commentators, for its good management of the crisis (6).
Anticipating the crisis “at the right time”
Some governments have been able to anticipate the crisis better than others, taking restrictive but necessary measures, which have turned out to be beneficial for their country. This is the case of Georgia, for example, which limited travel as early as January 28, long before other European countries. That decision – an early and decisive action that was praised by the WHO – taken by the Georgian Prime Minister Georgi Gakharia was followed by others such as the early cancellation of major sporting and cultural events (7). Georgia also closed ski resorts, restaurants and bars, All of these actions were taken when very few people were infected. Measures to cushion the economy immediately followed and an economic rescue plan was launched (tax deferrals, loans guaranteed by the government, VAT refunds…). A dedicated website was set up by the government to communicate directly with citizens in real time (8). As Gabriel Wacksman for European Scientist points out, this ability of governments to anticipate the pandemic, and then act decisively, is fundamental and even more appreciable when it comes from a small country.
Wearing the mask made the difference in South Korea, but we another key element is the ability to massively test the population. So, as Eric Van Vaerenberg reminded us on our site, this country made more than 15,000 tests a day. Today, everyone is convinced that massive testing is the solution. WHO has also called for widespread testing. In Europe, Germany (9) performs more than 500,000 tests per week (10). In Romania, there has been talk of testing “the entire population of Bucharest”, or 1.8 million inhabitants (around 10% of the country’s population). In the case of COVID-19, the advantage of the tests is that they make it possible to detect people who are infected without showing symptoms and who can therefore take appropriate action.
To distance oneself socially
This precaution can be applied by each individual without constraint and by exercising his full responsibility as soon as he is informed of the risk that he makes others run or of the risk that he may run in their presence. But the fact is that in the case of COVID-19, individuals are not necessarily aware of the fact of being infected and therefore of being vectors of contagion.
Countries like Taiwan and Singapore have stood out for the establishment of Contact Tracing, which is very well explained in the infographic produced by the Swiss epidemiologist Marcel Salathé (11). The general idea being to identify and confine the contaminated people as quickly as possible and in a non-targeted manner.
Singapore was also noted for the crackdown put in place for failure to follow established rules for social distancing: those who do not follow these rules are now at risk of imprisonment (12). Measures that seem to prove their great effectiveness, because even if these two countries are close to China (13), the number of cases seems extremely low.
The key question: How to NOT be in lockdown for months?
Barring pharmaceutical breakthroughs, I currently don’t see a responsible exit strategy without testing, contacting tracing, and isolation. https://t.co/QcV1e7ADiD
— Marcel Salathé (@marcelsalathe) March 26, 2020
While some will blame China (14) for having hidden the pandemic for longer than necessary, it is undeniable that the use by this country of advanced technologies has played a fundamental role in the fight against the pandemic and the search for an exit route. Eric van Vaerenbergh, already quoted, makes a complete list of the panoply of technological solutions deployed by China to detect and monitor individuals infected with the virus. The facial recognition company Megvii, installed a prototype temperature measurement system using facial recognition in a district of Beijing; infrared cameras to measure body temperature in public places; voice recognition assistants capable of handling 200 telephone calls in five minutes and assisting hospitals in their screening tasks; applications to check if you have been in contact with a patient, facial recognition, and so on. To this must be added that China is now equipped with advanced medical equipment. One is amazed by the Health Code project, a QR code useful a pass for all our daily activities as explained by Marc Rameaux for our site.
Generalized confinement / “Lockdown”
This measure is undoubtedly the last resort in terms of action. As we know, faced with the emergency, many countries have used it, starting with China. Wuhan took very strict containment measures on January 23, 2020, and 15 other Chinese cities followed. In Europe, Italy was the first country to use it, followed by France. It is difficult to say whether this measure is beneficial for a particular country, because it is applied differently in each country and is not necessarily followed with the same discipline everywhere. Finally, it should be noted that this last resort even if it seems to have been more or less adopted by all countries, has catastrophic economic and socioeconomic consequences. However, when we reach stage three of the pandemic, this strategy seems to show its effectiveness to reverse the curve.
A reactive hospital infrastructure
Here is the final criterion, which is difficult to judge. However, we can rely on the data provided by worldometers (15), which compares the efficiency of healthcare systems. At the top we find Israel with 5 deaths for 2495 cases, which is a fatality rate of 0.2%; Norway with 14 deaths for 3,191 cases, or 0.2%; Australia with 13 deaths for 2,799, or 0.5%, and the rare countries such as Georgia, with no deaths at all so far.
As this short guide demonstrates, the best prepared country would be the one that ticks all of these boxes and scrupulously applies all effective measures…. This analysis shows above all that everything – absolutely everything – is important: governments who know how to take the right measures at the right time, but also citizens who have appropriate customs and are willing to take responsibility in the face of the pandemic.
Lessons to consider for the future!
(1) Based on information from the following website https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6
(4) On the date of publications, Malaysia has confirmed 3116 cases, of which 50 fatalities.
(6) On the date of publication, South Korea has confirmed 9976 cases and 169 fatalities.
(7) Of note: 4000 Georgian citizens trapped overseas were brought home immediately by the government.
(8) On the date of publication, Georgia has confirmed 130 cases of COVID-infections, and no fatalities.
(9) On the date of publication, Germany has confirmed 77 981 cases and 931 fatalities.
(13) On the date of publication, Singapore has confirmed 1000 cases and 4 fatalities, whereas in Taiwan the numbers are 338 and 5 respectively.
(14) On the date of publication, China has confirmed 82 394 cases and 3 322 fatalities.
Katika hali ya janga hili, sio wote ni sawa. Kama mtu binafsi, lakini pia kama raia anayeishi katika nchi fulani. "Hii ni hatua ya pili: mikakati na hatua zilizowekwa na serikali tofauti za nchi tofauti, lakini pia tabia na desturi za idadi tofauti ya watu, ambazo zote mbili zina jukumu muhimu la kuamua katika kukabiliana na mgogoro huu. """ "Hii ni alama ya ""wanafunzi wazuri"" ambao wamefanya iwe vigumu iwezekanavyo kwa virusi kuenea, na ambao sera zao zimethibitika kuwa na ufanisi hadi sasa. """ Hii si uchambuzi kamili - hali inaendelea na kubadilika kwa saa - lakini hutumika kama kiashiria kizuri cha mahali tupo kwa sasa. Kuheshimu sheria za usafi Nyakati nyingine matukio ya bahati mbaya huonekana kuwa yenye kuangamiza. Katika utafiti uliofanywa na shirika la utafiti la IFOP, watu wa Ufaransa walipata matokeo ya kushangaza kuhusu afya yao. "Miongoni mwa matokeo ya kushangaza zaidi ni kwamba ""tu 3 kati ya 4 Wafaransa (76%) kufanya kuoga kamili na grooming kila siku"" (2)." Usafi wa watu wa nchi ni moja ya mambo ya kwanza ya upinzani dhidi ya kuenea kwa virusi. Utafiti uliofanywa na Haris Interactive nchini Malaysia umeonyesha kuwa ufahamu wa Wamalaysia wa hatari ya janga hilo umewaongoza Wamalaysia kuosha mikono yao zaidi - mabadiliko ya tabia ambayo yanaathiri zaidi ya asilimia 76 ya idadi ya watu. Ni muhimu sana kuchunguza athari za hatua hii kwa nchi, lakini ni muhimu sana kugundua athari za hatua hii kwa nchi. """Ukosefu wa vinyago vya uso bila shaka utajumuishwa katika kashfa za afya za nchi kama Ufaransa." Kinyume chake, kuheshimu kizuizi hiki cha kuzuia kutakuwa na faida kwa nchi fulani. Katika Asia, tahadhari hii inaonekana kuwa muhimu kwa maslahi ya pamoja na hasa katika nchi kama Korea Kusini, kwa mfano. "Kama ilivyoelezwa katika makala ya Le Figaro, ""Coronavirus: in South Korea"" inaonyesha kuwa watu wote wamekuwa wakivaa kinyago tangu Februari." Mwanamke mmoja wa Korea anaeleza kwamba <unk>Watu ambao hawavaa kinyago katika gari-moshi la chini ya ardhi au barabarani hawapendwi. Lazima uvale kinyago ili usiwaambukize wengine. "Kama ilivyoelezwa na Philippe Lacoutte kwenye tovuti yetu, ""Sasa hali ni mbaya sana nchini Korea Kusini, ambayo mwanzoni ilichukua mambo kwa urahisi.""" Takriban kesi 3,736 zimethibitishwa mnamo Machi 1, 2020. "Hata hivyo, ni jambo la kushangaza kuona kwamba Korea Kusini leo inatajwa kama mfano na wasemaji wengi wa kisayansi kwa usimamizi wake mzuri wa mgogoro huo. """ "Kutabiri mgogoro ""wakati unaofaa"" Baadhi ya serikali zimeweza kutabiri mgogoro vizuri kuliko nyingine, kuchukua hatua za kuzuia lakini muhimu, ambazo zimethibitika kuwa na faida kwa nchi yao." Kwa mfano, Georgia ilianzisha sheria ya kuzuiwa kusafiri mnamo Januari 28, muda mrefu kabla ya nchi nyingine za Ulaya. Uamuzi huo - hatua ya mapema na ya kuamua ambayo ilisifiwa na WHO - uliochukuliwa na Waziri Mkuu wa Georgia Georgi Gakharia ulifuatiwa na wengine kama vile kufutwa mapema kwa matukio makubwa ya michezo na kitamaduni (7). Georgia pia imefunga vituo vya ski, mikahawa na baa, hatua hizi zote zilichukuliwa wakati watu wachache sana waliambukizwa. Hatua za kuimarisha uchumi zilifuata mara moja na mpango wa kuokoa uchumi ulianzishwa (kuahirisha ushuru, mikopo iliyoidhinishwa na serikali, kurudishwa kwa kodi ya thamani ya ziada...). Serikali imeanzisha tovuti maalum ili kuwasiliana moja kwa moja na wananchi kwa wakati halisi (8). "Kama Gabriel Waksman kwa European Scientist anavyosema, ""uwezo huu wa serikali kutabiri janga, na kisha kutenda kwa uamuzi, ni muhimu na hata zaidi inayothaminiwa wakati inatokana na nchi ndogo.""" """Kuvaa kinyago kulifanya tofauti nchini Korea Kusini, lakini kitu kingine muhimu ni uwezo wa kupima idadi kubwa ya watu." "Eric Van Varenberg, mwanasayansi wa afya wa Marekani, alisema: ""Nchi hii inafanya vipimo zaidi ya 15,000 kwa siku." Leo, kila mtu anaamini kwamba upimaji mkubwa ni suluhisho. WHO pia imeomba upimaji wa wingi. Ujerumani (9%) inafanya vipimo zaidi ya 500,000 kwa wiki. Romania imesema kuwa itajaribu idadi ya watu wote wa Bucharest, yaani watu milioni 1.8 (karibu asilimia 10 ya idadi ya watu nchini humo). Kwa mfano, katika kesi ya COVID-19, faida ya vipimo ni kwamba zinawezesha kugundua watu walioambukizwa bila kuonyesha dalili na kwa hivyo wanaweza kuchukua hatua sahihi. Kujihami kijamii: Hatua hii ya tahadhari inaweza kutumika na kila mtu bila vizuizi na kwa kutumia jukumu lake kamili mara tu anapojulishwa juu ya hatari ambayo anawafanya wengine kukimbia au hatari ambayo anaweza kukimbia mbele yao. Lakini ukweli ni kwamba katika kesi ya COVID-19, watu binafsi hawajui lazima ukweli wa kuwa na maambukizi na kwa hivyo kuwa waambukizi. Nchi kama Taiwan na Singapore zimejitokeza kwa kuanzisha Ufuatiliaji wa Mawasiliano, ambayo inaelezwa vizuri sana katika infographic iliyotengenezwa na mtaalamu wa magonjwa ya kuambukiza wa Uswisi Marcel Salat. Wazo la jumla ni kutambua na kuwakamata watu walioambukizwa haraka iwezekanavyo na kwa njia isiyo ya lengo. Singapore pia ilijulikana kwa ukandamizaji uliotengenezwa kwa kushindwa kufuata sheria zilizowekwa za kutofuata umbali wa kijamii: wale ambao hawafuati sheria hizi sasa wako katika hatari ya kufungwa gerezani. Hizi ni hatua ambazo zinaonekana kuthibitisha ufanisi wao mkubwa, kwa sababu hata ikiwa nchi hizi mbili ziko karibu na China (13), idadi ya kesi inaonekana kuwa ya chini sana. Swali kuu: Jinsi ya kutokuwa katika kufungwa kwa miezi? Isipokuwa mafanikio ya dawa, kwa sasa sioni mkakati wa kuondoka kwa uwajibikaji bila kupima, kuwasiliana na kufuatilia, na kutengwa. "Marcel Salaté, Mfaransa, ameandika: ""Wakati wengine watalaumu China kwa kuficha janga hilo kwa muda mrefu kuliko inahitajika, ni jambo lisiloweza kukataliwa kwamba matumizi ya teknolojia za kisasa na nchi hii yamecheza jukumu la msingi katika kupambana na janga hilo na kutafuta njia ya kutoka." Eric van Varenbergh, aliyetajwa hapo awali, anafanya orodha kamili ya suluhisho nyingi za kiteknolojia zilizotumiwa na China kugundua na kufuatilia watu walioambukizwa virusi. Kampuni ya utambuzi wa uso ya Megvi imeweka mfumo wa kipimo cha joto kwa kutumia utambuzi wa uso katika wilaya ya Beijing, kamera za infrared kupima joto la mwili katika maeneo ya umma, wasaidizi wa utambuzi wa sauti wanaoweza kushughulikia simu 200 kwa dakika tano na kusaidia hospitali katika kazi zao za uchunguzi, programu za kuangalia ikiwa umekuwa na mawasiliano na mgonjwa, utambuzi wa uso, na kadhalika. Kwa hili lazima kuongezwa kwamba China sasa ina vifaa vya hali ya juu vya matibabu. "Kama ilivyoelezwa hapo juu, ""Project Health Code"" ni kifaa cha QR ambacho kinaweza kutusaidia katika shughuli zetu za kila siku, kama ilivyoelezwa na Marc Rameaux kwenye tovuti yetu." Ufungwaji wa jumla <unk> Lockdown <unk> Hatua hii bila shaka ni chaguo la mwisho katika suala la hatua. Kama tunavyojua, kukabiliwa na dharura, nchi nyingi zimetumia, kuanzia na China. Wuhan ilichukua hatua kali sana za kuzuia mnamo Januari 23, 2020, na miji mingine 15 ya China ilifuata. Katika Ulaya, Italia ilikuwa nchi ya kwanza kuitumia, ikifuatiwa na Ufaransa. Ni vigumu kusema kama hatua hii ni faida kwa nchi fulani, kwa sababu ni kutumika tofauti katika kila nchi na si lazima kufuatwa na nidhamu sawa kila mahali. Mwishowe, ni lazima ikumbukwe kwamba njia hii ya mwisho, hata ikiwa inaonekana kuwa imechukuliwa zaidi au chini na nchi zote, ina matokeo mabaya ya kiuchumi na kijamii. Hata hivyo, tunapofika hatua ya tatu ya janga hilo, inaonekana mkakati huu unaonyesha ufanisi wake wa kubadilisha mwelekeo. Miundombinu ya hospitali ya kukabiliana Hapa ni kipimo cha mwisho, ambayo ni vigumu kuhukumu. Kwa mujibu wa ripoti ya Worldometers, ambayo ni utafiti wa kimataifa unaofanya kulinganisha ufanisi wa mifumo ya huduma za afya. "Kwenye orodha ya nchi zilizo na vifo vya watu wengi zaidi ni Israel, ambayo ina vifo vitano kwa kila kesi 2495 na kiwango cha vifo ni 0.2%; Norway, ambayo ina vifo 14 kwa kila 3,191 kesi, au 0.2%; Australia, ambayo ina vifo 13 kwa kila 2,799 kesi, au 0.5%; na nchi za kipekee kama vile Georgia, ambazo hazina vifo hata kidogo.""" Kama mwongozo huu mfupi unavyoonyesha, nchi iliyo tayari zaidi ingekuwa ile ambayo hutimiza vifungo vyote hivi na hutumia kwa uangalifu hatua zote zenye ufanisi.... Uchambuzi huu unaonyesha juu ya yote kwamba kila kitu - kabisa kila kitu - ni muhimu: serikali ambazo zinajua jinsi ya kuchukua hatua sahihi kwa wakati unaofaa, lakini pia raia ambao wana desturi zinazofaa na wako tayari kuchukua jukumu mbele ya janga hilo. Mambo ya Kujifunza Kutokana na Mambo Yaliyotokea Wakati Ujao! "Kutokana na taarifa kutoka tovuti ya ""GISandData.maps.arcGIS.com.apps.ops.dashboard.index.html"" (BDA 7594740fd4299423467b48e9f64) hadi tarehe ya kuchapishwa kwa taarifa hii, Malaysia imethibitisha kesi 316 ambazo 50 zimesababisha vifo." Kuanzia tarehe ya kuchapishwa kwa ripoti hiyo, Korea Kusini imethibitisha visa 9976, na 169 wamekufa. Serikali ya Georgia imewasili raia wake 4,000 waliokamatwa nchini Georgia. Kwa mujibu wa taarifa ya shirika hilo, Georgia imethibitisha visa 130 vya maambukizi ya COVID-19 na hakuna vifo. Katika tarehe ya kuchapishwa, Ujerumani imethibitisha kesi 77981 na vifo 931. Tangu tarehe ya kuchapishwa, Singapore imethibitisha visa 1000 na vifo 4 wakati Taiwan ina idadi ya 338 na 5. Kwa mujibu wa taarifa ya shirika hilo, China imethibitisha visa 82,394 na vifo 3,322.