Monday 23 March 2020

Global awareness for a global threat of COVID-19

In general, because the global threat of pandemics requires a global response, cooperation between various disciplines and authorities, as well as the systematic monitoring of changes in outbreak risk factors, are vital for effective forecasting, surveillance, prevention and control of emerging diseases like COVID-19 and its epidemics.

More than three quarters of the human diseases that are new, emerging or reemerging at the beginning of the 21st century are zoonoses, i.e. caused by pathogens originating from animals or from products of animal origin. Emerging zoonotic diseases are increasingly recognised as a global issue with potentially serious impact on human health effects. Today, it is estimated that the emergence of this contagious CORONA virus could reach all continents in less than three months.

Situational Awareness is a crucial activity at all stages of a pandemic, including prepandemic, spark, and spread periods. It requires the support of health care resources (such as hospitals, doctors, and nurses), diagnostic infrastructure, and communications systems. It also requires the population to have access to and trust in the health care system.

Public Health Measures can slow the transmission and spread of COVID-19. These measures can take the form of personal protective, environmental, social distancing, and travel related interventions. Currently, there are no vaccines or specific pharmaceutical treatments available for COVID19. Public health measures are and will continue to be an important tool to reduce transmission and prevent spread of COVID-19.



To stop the spread of coronavirus, everybody is asked to observe social distancing  guidelines, to essentially ‘stay at home’ Everybody has been asked by the government to help slow the spread of Covid-19 by working from home where possible, avoid non-essential use of public transport and everyone should be trying to follow all necessary precautionary measures as much as is practicable.

Preventing the spread of coronavirus is a matter of ‘social responsibility' - stay at home in order to fight coronavirus pandemic.


Article by Dr.Yashoda Tammineni,
MSc, Ph.D.
HSE,HOD at NIFS

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