The numbers of the COVID-19 pandemic speak for themselves: it took only 67 days from the first reported case to reach the first 100,000 detected, 11 days to reach 200,000 and only four to reach the 300,000 affected by SARS-CoV-2.
For Tedros Adhanom Gebreyesus, director of the World Health Organization (WHO), it is possible to change the course of events, but we must go on to attack the virus directly, it is not enough just to defend ourselves.
“Asking people to stay home and other physical distancing measures are an important way to slow the spread of the virus and buy time, but they are defensive measures. To win, we need to attack the virus with aggressive and specific tactics: test each suspected case, isolate and care for each confirmed case, and track and quarantine each close contact , ”said a conference in Geneva.
Protect healthcare workers
The shortage of personal protective sanitary material is one of the problems that needs to be addressed. Health professionals must be adequately protected because if they get sick, who will take care of the rest?
In this sense, the WHO considers it a priority to improve the protection of doctors and other health workers. ” Addressing the global shortage of these life-saving tools means addressing every part of the supply chain, from raw materials to finished product ,” said Adhanom.
Beware of untested medications
The leader of the World Health Organization recalled that there is still no treatment that has proven effective against the COVID-19 coronavirus.
“It is impressive to see the level of energy now going into COVID-19 research,” he said, but clarified that small, observational, non-randomized studies will not provide the answers that are needed.
” Using unproven drugs without the correct evidence could raise false hope and even do more harm than good and cause a shortage of essential drugs that are needed to treat other diseases,” Tedros warned.
It takes the strength of the rich countries
The G20, the twenty richest countries in the world, account for more than 80% of the World Gross Domestic Product. In this sense, the most powerful nations have a responsibility to the rest of the planet, and political commitment and coordination are required at the global level.
“This week, I will address the Heads of State and Government of the G20 countries. Among other things, I will ask them to work together to increase production, avoid export bans and ensure fair distribution , as necessary, ”he said.
And it is that the poorest countries will be, with total security, the most affected by the coronavirus pandemic. For example, it is estimated that the number of people living in poverty in Latin America could grow by 35 million due to the coronavirus. The economy of the region, according to the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, will be impacted on different fronts: exports, tourism, supplies, the price of products and investment.
