Background
The coronavirus, COVID-19 pandemic, is the greatest challenge and global health challenge since the end of World War II. COVID-19 was first reported in December 2019 in Wuhan Province, China (Remuzzi & Remuzzi, 2020). Since its emergence, the coronavirus has spread across the globe except for Antarctica. Countries across the world, right from the Americas to Europe, Asia, and Africa, are reporting daily cases of COVID-19. Nations are racing to counter the spread of the highly contagious disease within their borders. Scientists provide that COVID-19 spread once people come into close contact with an infected person, infected surfaces, or inhale respiratory droplets; it is characterized by dry cough, fever, and shortness of breath (Rothan & Byrareddy, 2020). Being a novel virus, the COVID-19 lacks vaccine or proven medicines that could be used to prevent or treat it. However, while it is a huge challenge to the medical fraternity, it cannot be left unattended because of its speedy spread and impact to the affected. Medical practitioners continue to use various approaches, including the treatment of disease symptoms before they are worse. There is an urgent need for effective health policy measures to counter the spread and treat those infected.
Impact
According to the Situation Report-136, the global pandemic has surpassed the 6M mark with 6,416,828 infections and 382, 867 deaths globally (World Health Organization, WHO, 2020). The WHO report indicates that the United States is leading with more than three million cases and 168, 553 deaths. COVID-19 has affected not only the social aspect of the people but also the economic and other spheres of human life. Its impact is felt in the economy as production activities stall due to the fear of the disease's spread. In the wake of dwindling country and global economy, governments should formulate and enforce elaborate yet effective health policies to counter the virus spread while at the same time reviving their economies.
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Policy Response
The COVID-19 presents uncharted territory and, therefore, every country should rush against time and resources to formulate health policy measures to control the spread of the virus. The need for an effective health policy response is informed by the impact of the new disease to different sectors. Its effects go beyond people's health to the economy, social, and political affairs. Nonetheless, the buck stops with the development of strategic health policies to minimize the COVID-19 impact on other spheres of the people's lives. Various health policies have been tested since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan, China.
Social Distancing
With the recommendations of the World Health Organization, different countries have taken stringent measures to advance social distancing among the people. Cases of curfews, partial, and total lockdown of the movement have been reported to work effectively in curbing the spread of the coronavirus. Besides, the social distancing policy entails the stoppage of recreational activities to minimize people's movement or close contact with infected persons. According to Remuzzi and Remuzzi (2020), social distancing has proven to be an effective health policy because it keeps people apart to reduce contact with infected persons. When an infected person speaks, sneezes, or coughs, he or she spreads the virus. If the released droplets are infected, it is highly likely to contract COVID-19. Therefore, social distancing is imperative in COVID-19 prevention. Notably, while formulating policy measures and enforcing them is possible, people adhering to the directives is a challenge. Governments across the globe have not only set punitive penalties but also instructed their enforcement officers to use necessary force to ensure compliance.
Quarantine for Travellers
Quarantine for people traveling across the country or from abroad has been used as a preventive health policy to fight COVID-19. Several countries, globally, have set quarantine interventions to ensure people entering their borders. Either it is by the sea, land, or air stay at home in isolation for 14 days to limit the virus spread (Remuzzi & Remuzzi, 2020). The self-quarantine policy is enforceable to all people regardless of whether they have possible COVID-19 symptoms or not. This measure is necessary because scientifically, the disease is known to have been taking even up to 14 days before the symptoms develop (Rothan & Byrareddy, 2020).
Use of Personal Protective Equipment
The World Health Organization recommends the use of personal protective equipment to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Nations have taken the requirement a notch higher from just the medical practitioners and other hospital staff to the public. While the movement has been curtailed, not unless people need essential services or when it is highly necessary to move, all individuals must be wearing protective masks while in public. Although the PPE masks are meant to trap liquid droplets or prevent people from inhaling the free droplets, defiance among some people is common. As a measure to ensure the use of PPE masks at all times, nations have set up punitive penalties against those found to contravene the rules. In Dubai, a person would receive a fine of "up to $800 for failing to wear a mask" (Turak, 2020, par.4).
Conclusion
Indeed, COVID-19 is a highly contagious disease whose global impact cannot be underrated. With over 6 million global cases, people succumbing to the coronavirus continue to be reported world over. Countries need to embrace the WHO recommended health policies to minimize the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Tested health policies include quarantine for travelers, use of PPEs, and social distancing.
References
Remuzzi, A., & Remuzzi, G. (2020). COVID-19 and Italy: what next? Lancet, 395: 1225–28. https://www.thelancet.com/action/showPdf?pii=S0140-6736%2820%2930627-9
Rothan, H. A., & Byrareddy, S. N. (2020). The epidemiology and pathogenesis of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak. Journal of Autoimmunity, 109, 102433. Retrieved from https://aslm.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/The-epidemiology-and-pathogenesis-of-coronavirus-disease.pdf
Turak, N. (2020, Jun. 4). Dubai fines more than 100 beachgoers up to $800 for failing to wear masks, social distance. CNBC. Retrieved from https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/04/coronavirus-dubai-fines-beachgoers-for-failing-to-wear-masks.html.
World Health Organization (WHO). (2020, Jun. 4). Coronavirus disease (COVID-19: Situation Report-136 . Retrieved from https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/situation-reports/20200604-covid-19-sitrep-136.pdf?sfvrsn=fd36550b_2
