Greetings all. It is a rather unusual Friday and for some
reason I have taken a break from my writing break to add a voice (hopefully of
reason) to the (social) media buzz about the Covid-19.
We might want to begin with the obvious. Covid-19 is caused
by a new strain of coronaviruses. Worth noting is that these viruses have
always been there and they cause respiratory illnesses that affect people in many
ways. The new strain, however, has been known to spread rapidly with now over
200, 000 confirmed cases and over 8700 deaths globally. When you tune in to the
mainstream media, major global news channels are spending over 90 percent of
their time reporting on the effects of the pandemic and the social media is
awash with both updates and mistruths about the disease. Perhaps we from Richie
Online, could add a voice of reason to this whole noise, I thought.
While the virus originated from China, recent surveillance
reports have shown that China has been able to contain the virus with no new
local infections reported as of March 18. The epicenter of the disease is now Europe
where countries like Italy and France are reaching their peak incidences of the
infection and numbers of deaths registered. We are also seeing a spread of
cases into Africa with some countries reporting deaths.
Those who have been following might have come across
statements like “Africa is 4 to 6 weeks behind Europe in the Epidemic”. While
this might have been a technical statement, others have taken it as if the
people who said such had a death wish over us. To think about such a statement,
we would have the following to consider. In a pandemic situation like this, an
outbreak would have a source, in this case China. With globalization, the
disease would inevitably spread to other countries at different time points. At
the moment, people have predicted (using mathematical models and what have you)
that Africa would be as many weeks behind Europe which means the stage of starting
of the detection of cases and reaching the maximum number of cases will take
about 4 to 6 weeks. Worth noting is also that at some point the number of cases
begins to decrease and in the same way we are behind Europe in having the
disease, we will be behind them with clearing it.
Recently, we have had reported cases in the neighboring
Zambia and Tanzania with no deaths reported in the countries. The fact that our
neighbors have reported having had confirmed cases is drawing mixed feelings
among the populace. While some on the conservative extreme of the spectrum feel
like there is need for a lockdown, social distancing and other measures, there
are some on the liberal side who have their arguments against the introduction of
such.
The fear of the disease and its spread is driven by a number
of factors. On the objective side, there is the rapid spread of the disease in
the wake of globalization and the fact that our health system may not be able
to cope. Our neighboring countries are registering cases and measures like quarantining people or placing
the country on a lockdown my not effectively work here for different reasons
that I would not like to get into now. Then there is the mainstream and social
media. Most global media houses are spending most of their time reporting on
the disease and sometimes rather irresponsibly.
Closer to home, there is a bunch of Homo sapiens that find pride in being the first to share news with little attention paid to whether it may be true and how it may impact others. There is mass hysteria among the people to an extent that some have concluded that what may kill us is the panic and not the pandemic itself.
Closer to home, there is a bunch of Homo sapiens that find pride in being the first to share news with little attention paid to whether it may be true and how it may impact others. There is mass hysteria among the people to an extent that some have concluded that what may kill us is the panic and not the pandemic itself.
On the other hand, some would argue against the institution of extreme measures like putting the country on a lockdown before we actually register a case. Then there are the arguments that cite the recovery rates that are upwards of 70 percent and the death rates that roam around 3.4 percent. This is small if you compare the numbers of deaths attributed to diseases that are endemic in this part of the world like malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. And then there are those that cite the fact that the disease is mostly affecting the elderly and those that already have issues with their immunity. Two extremes.
Despite people holding the two views, there are some who are
lamenting the lack of political leadership in the preparedness for the
emergence of the outbreak in Malawi. While we know for sure that there are some
efforts to screen people who are coming from high risk countries by the Ministry
of Health and the College of Medicine and its affiliates, we have not seen
symmetry in the preparedness from our leaders. One could take exampled from the
United Kingdom and the United States of America where leaders are giving daily updates
on the outbreak and sensitizing people. Closer to home, presidents in Zambia,
Uganda, Tanzania and more recently have taken it to their people and addressed
them about the coronavirus outbreak.
If I were to be asked as to which side I am on between the
liberals and the conservatives, I would say that I am standing in the middle
and here is what I mean. The coronavirus may not be in the country yet, but I
think it is important for people to be aware of it. The reason is simple; this
virus will hit us at one point or the other. It is not a matter of if, but a
matter of when and as such we need to sensitize people on what is coming for them.
On top of that, the government and other partners in the health sector should
use this honeymoon phase to prepare along the lines of diagnostics and
treatment while the rest of us should be working on getting used to behavioral
changes that will limit transmission.
To the liberals… The coronavirus is real. While most of the affected have been white people and the elderly, audits have shown that the disease can also affect people of color and young people so we are not immune. While the disease may not be that infectious and have a low death rate, we should look beyond the numbers and realize that the 8000 people who died are individuals and some of them were healthy as we were. In other words, it is not good to be blinded into being laid back about the pandemic by statistics. You or someone you know could be in the statistics of the infected or affected if you do not stay safe.
To the conservatives, I would commend you for being
cautious. There is a looming danger and something needs to be done about it. On
the other hand, the current situation may (underline MAY) not warrant the introduction
of the measures that have been instituted in other countries. I have seen a few
people walking around with masks in places outside of medical facilities.
Perhaps we might want to hold off the mask and use it when we need the most.
So… What do we do now? In my view, this time should be about
preparing because like I pointed out, it is just a matter of time. While we are
in the honeymoon period before the announcement of any confirmed case, I think
it is good to invest in getting all the relevant and accurate information about
the disease. Some of us that have been privileged to have the internet can
visit relevant websites like that of the World Health Organization to look for
reports and tips on how to prevent. There is also a provision of some WhatsApp contacts from
which you can ask for information from the WHO and the Society of Medical
Doctors, Malawi (SMD). There is a danger with believing in things that are in
circulation over the internet, based on what is happening elsewhere and that is
why consulting local experts like the SMD Malawi might be very important.
Other than the specific information and the guidelines that
we would get from the Ministry of Health, it is important to maintain the
basics of what we may have heard. Frequent hand washing with soap or hand sanitizer
is encouraged as it reduces the risk. We should avoid touching the face
especially the nose, mouth and eyes as these provide entry points for the virus
into our bodies. We should avoid unnecessary contact with people who are sick and
are showing symptoms of the disease (fever, dry cough, shortness of breath) and
we should avoid being in huge crowds where the risk of contracting the virus
may be huge. The virus may not be here, but it is good for us to get used to preventive
habits in readiness for the time that it will come into our borders. Then there
are the other health habits like having a balanced diet, exercising and getting
enough sleep that generally improve one’s health and immunity, but prevention
comes first.
Other than these biological and preventive measures we have
mentioned, it is worth mentioning that we should not get into rumor and panic-mongering
in issues to do with the virus. While it is good to stay cautious and safe, it is
also good to be calm and to avoid inciting unwarranted fears.
I hope that this helps.
The Society of Medical Doctors is taking questions on the
Coronavirus through text and WhatsApp on
You can also find the English and Chichewa information pamphlets
on the disease on the following links:
