Fuertes, Lornie S.

The Coronavirus disease is an infectious disease caused by a new strain of coronavirus

(WHO). This new virus was unknown before the outbreak began in Wuhan, China in December
2019, and the infection has since spread to many countries around the world and become a
Pandemic. Covid-19 is a respiratory illness and is largely spread via droplets in the air. These are
typically expelled when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

The risk of death has been difficult to calculate and people were getting more stressful
and worried. Fear and worry about our own health and the health of our love ones. The question
is, how can we respond to this outbreak?

Lockdown or quarantine is an emergency protocol that prevents people from leaving a

given area, means of transportation is suspended and checkpoints manned by the police would
serve as border patrols, classes are suspended, curfew is strictly implemented--to separate and
restrict movements of people especially for those who were exposed to disease. As per (Dr.
Ashton) mandating quarantine and isolation flattens the curve or slows the spread to protect
vulnerable populations.

Mass testing could be one of the most cost-effective public health interventions that
government could implement. Indeed, as noted by the director general of the World Health
Organization (Tedros Adhanom) asking people to stay at home and shutting down population
movement is buying time and reducing the pressure on health systems. Mass testing allow early
detection of infection on individuals so that they can be isolated before they can spread the virus.

For me, lockdown will only be effective if backed up by mass testing. If there are mass
testing, then we can isolate and cannot expose these patients. But the saddest part is we have
limited testing kits. All we need is for us fellowmen to be knowledgeable about the virus, follow
the simple rules given by health professionals or by simply doing proper hygiene, be more health
conscious and obey what the government is strictly implementing.