The world may choose to live with Virus to save lives and the economy

 

The world may choose to live with Virus to save lives and economy

By Kelechi Okoronkwo

The world is looking tired of hiding from Coronavirus. And there is no promise that a little further hiding and denial of oneself would guarantee normalcy. The World Health Organisation (WHO) which has been accused of mismanaging the virus initial stages has warned that “this virus will be with us for a long time”, adding, “make no mistakes about this”

Humanity has a way of living with whatever it cannot subdue. Living with COVID-19 entails fashioning effective ways to manage it such as homegrown measures to cure or at least manage the disease. Countries are beginning to apply scheduled easing of lockdown. But that does not mean that things were guaranteed. From Germany in Europe to the United States of America and to China and Africa,the reason for easing lockdown has been to save the economy and give the ordinary people the much needed reprieve from starvation.  

For more than five months now, the world has been battling this invisible enemy. Coronavirus is the leveler. Both the superpowers and the inferior powers have been conquered and pressed to remain in their houses. All religion traditions and spirituality on earth have been disarmed by the physical strength of an invisible force. Science and technology have failed the economies who trusted so much in them.

 

The world’s largest economies are the worst hit for now.  At the last count, more than two million, five hundred persons globally, have been infected by COVID-19 with nearly two hundred thousand deaths as at today. Out of that figure, the United States, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom among others have the highest figures.

 

Apart from deaths of humans, the world economy is in tatters. Global oil price has fallen. Few days ago, US oil fell to the negative side, selling at -03USD per barrel, the first in the history.  

Some countries like China, where the virus emanated have observed lockdown for more than three months. But China is still having cases of COVID-19.  Other countries like the United States, Italy, France and Germany have locked down for upward of two months. But these have not guaranteed complete healing of the land from the virus.

Coronavirus crept into Africa early March, hitting South Africa. South Africa was the first African country to declare a lockdown.

The country declared 21-day lockdown first before it extended it for another two weeks. However, at the moment, South Africa has not stopped getting more new cases of the virus. As at this morning, South Africa recorded 170 new cases.

Ghana is the first African country to lift total ban on lockdown. But it does not mean that the West African country is no longer getting new cases. As at this morning, Ghana recorded 112 new cases. But Ghanaian President, Nana Akufo-Addo said he was lifting the ban to save the economy from total collapse having been able to achieve a considerable containment of the spread of the virus.

How long can we lockdown?

The world is feeling the impact of lockdown. The developed economies in Europe and America are complaining. But developing economies in Africa and Asia are the hardest hit. Governments are deploying stringent measures to keep citizens inside their homes but that is not completely successful. There have been demonstrations in Israel, US, China, Germany and in most African countries, asking the authorities to relax lockdown over prevailing economic challenges. In Africa, government pledged palliatives to poor citizens to enable them stay in-doors. But, due to lack of data and transparency, the palliative measures are not getting into the hands of the vulnerable citizens. For how long then could people wait at home while livelihood is endangered? The world is taking a desperate decision to live with whatever humanity could not subdue. 

Kelechi Okoronkwo is a Nigerian writer and journalist.