As businesses close to help with the prevention of COVID-19 transmission, the financial impact together with job losses is among the most significant influences since the outbreak. Being in the dark about how the pandemic will pan out influences the physical, economic and mental well being of all involved. Despite our fears, communities and businesses alike in many regions have displayed a more humane response in the face of disaster – actions that could assist countries preparing for coronavirus. COVID-19 is weakening in China and there are more new cases each day in Europe than the case was in China during the epidemic’s peak. Italy has surpassed it with the most deaths in a country due to the virus. Within sixty-seven days the initial one hundred thousand cases were reported worldwide which increased to an astounding two hundred thousand in eleven days and another four to reach three hundred thousand confirmed cases – a figure which is currently exceeded.
What Are The Human Magnitudes?
During recent weeks, we have noticed a substantial economic influence of the COVID-19 virus on vulnerable industries such as tourism, manufacturing, hospitality, and travel, as well as financial markets. This subsequently influenced numerous people, typically those who are self-employed, least well-paid or are working in informal milieus in the gig economy or part-time work with nil-hours contracts. Certain governments announced economic implementations to safeguard jobs, wages and supporting self-employed individuals, however, there is a lack of transparency in numerous countries about how such implementations will be incorporated and how individuals must manage a loss of income in the interim. Behind these statistics, one has to look at the human costs following the epidemic, from the physical effects of being infected to the death of family and friends, as well as the fear and mental trauma that most are experiencing. Not knowing what is going to happen and how the pandemic is going to end is affecting the physical, mental and economic wellbeing of everyone. Have a look at this post about the digital dollar on Covid-19 relief bill divides US congress. Fear of the unfamiliar can often result in feelings of panic, for instance when individuals feel they are deprived of life-saving treatment or protection or fear of running out of necessities, that could result in panic-buying. The psychological stress is often linked to the feeling of a lack of being in control during these uncertain times.
Misunderstanding Doing More Damage
In all instances, the shortage of information or incorrect information, either given maliciously or inadvertently, can intensify the effects. There is a substantial amount of misleading information circulated online about COVID-19, from speculation regarding government responses to fake medical information. Individuals are at the mercy of social media posts from a seemingly trustworthy source, potentially increased and spread by “copypaste” posts, that share information through copying and pasting every new post as if it is an original source, in comparison to posts which are liked or shared. This blend of nonsense and half-truths makes it tricky for social media agencies to distinguish fake from original and filtering them out.
Cyber-Crime On The Increase
Unfortunately, hackers and criminals exploit the current situation and there has been a substantial increase in Coronavirus-themed malicious sites with over sixteen thousand new coronavirus-linked domains registered since this year January. Hackers are selling hacking tools and malware via COVID-19 discount codes on the dark web, many of which are specifically aimed at accessing company data from home-worker’s laptops, which may not have equal security than in an office environment. Social lockdowns and distancing have also encouraged unselfish behaviors, in part due to a sense of we are all experiencing this together. Numerous people report experiencing boredom or expressed concern for putting on weight. Many experiences a much slower pace of life and with not socializing in public anymore, find more time to allocate to family and pets at home. The disadvantage of self-isolation and social lockdown are symptoms of confusion, traumatic stress, anger, and confusion, all of which are worsened by fear of transmission, having restricted access to necessities and supplies, inadequate information, and experiencing stigma or economic loss. The anxiety and stress can result in higher alcohol consumption, and subsequently family and domestic violence. The closing of all schools, childcare facilities, and social distancing to prevent the spread of coronavirus places extra worries on working parents, particularly since conventional sources of childcare and elderly grandparents fall in the category of being the most vulnerable to the disease.
Indispensable Actions From The Business Communities
The first priority of Governments, society and business must be health measures. It is vital for businesses to display solidarity and work as a unit to protect their staff, customers and local communities, and also manufacturing, supply chains, and logistics operations. Daily updates on the company website with input from experts and scientists are more useful than counter politicized broadcasted messages in the media and from governments. This is especially true for large corporations that have the capacity for doing so. Messages regarding what companies are doing for workers in their communities are also essential. Some businesses are assisting schoolchildren from vulnerable households who don’t have access to school meals. Others provide public health messages with regard to effective handwashing. CEOs can set an example by self-isolating and working from home. Following World Health Organization guidance, there is a necessity for business communities to move from general support to particular actions and focus on their country’s access to crucial supplies, including community care packages with essential items that may be limited. These missing items may fall under the following categories:
- Hygiene – HTH70% alcohol-based hand sanitizer, Chlorine, liquid soap.
- Diagnostics – Lab confirmation tests, RNA extraction kits, lab screening tests, enzymes.
- Personal protection equipment – Aprons, gowns, sterile gloves, gowns, face shields, protective goggles, masks (FFP2 & N95).
- Case management equipment – oxygen delivery machines, oxygen concentrators, mechanical ventilators.
The call for action involves more funds, to work alongside manufacturers to generate capacity and organize buying to guarantee access, particularly for poorer countries that have less resilient public healthcare systems. The idea is creating global security stockpile of equipment of supplies, an endeavor that involves:
- Emergency funding
- Access to and upturns in manufacturing capacity
- Access to supplier and national stockpiles
- Distribution and warehousing capacity