The world today is faced with a pandemic in the shape of Corona Virus that has the potential to completely shut down our present day working and lifestyle. The corona virus is not as deadly as the influenza virus that confronted mankind in early 1900's. What made influenza virus more lethal was it's spread through the air, one could contract it just by breathing air in the close vicinity of an infected person. With no treatment available initially, the influenza epidemic swept the world and killed an estimated 50 million people. One fifth of the world's population was attacked by this deadly virus. Within months, it had killed more people than any other illness in recorded history. Once medication and treatment was discovered influenza/flu became a routine matter.
Similarly, Corona Virus will also become a routine matter once it's remedial medication is developed. Till that time, the Corona Virus has the potential to take a heavy toll in terms of lives lost, more importantly, it can result in the complete breakdown of our administrative and social governance. We are all very aware of our fragile local government bodies functioning and lack of resources to effectively take measures to stop the meltdown of the system.
To cut to the chase, let us suppose 10,000 people residing in Rawalpindi are suspected of being infected with the Corona Virus, we do not have enough hospitals, clinics or beds to effectively quarantine and determine the patients being infected or otherwise. If hospitals start turning patients away and some of those may well be infected then the spread of the virus will continue, not to mention the impact on the immediate family members both in terms of health risk but emotional stress.
We need to setup emergency medical camps in cricket, hockey stadiums and equip these with free of cost testing and quarantine of infected patients for further treatment. NOBODY SHOULD BE TURNED AWAY UNTIL CLEARED AFTER THOROUGH MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS.
An emergency would have to be declared and additional resources will have to be catered for to combat this deadly virus.
THIS IS CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER THAT NEEDS IMMEDIATE ATTENTION.
