Essay Example: Types of Pandemic Responses

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed unpreparedness in many countries with a shortage of medical supplies being evident. Other challenges include reacting to the mass casualties and fatalities and economic recession experienced in most states. This paper seeks to discuss the different types of pandemic responses adopted by people and governments worldwide. The World Health Organization, in collaboration with specific governments, has directed various pandemic responses which include, wearing a mask, washing hands with soap and water regularly, maintaining physical distances, travel restrictions, and imposing lockdowns among other regulations.

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Washing hands with soap and running water has been advocated as the number one measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Healthcare professionals have proved that the Coronavirus is killed by soap, and thus, washing hands with any soapy material for at least twenty seconds kills the virus. The effectiveness of handwashing in controlling Coronavirus's spread has led to the installation of handwashing and sanitizing booths where people are expected to sanitize or clean their hands. Besides, people must sanitize or wash their hands before entering or getting services from many businesses, organizations, or government offices.

Wearing masks has also become a world new normal as it has been proven to be very effective in preventing the spread of the virus from an infected person. Coronavirus enters the body through tissues like eyes, nose, and mouth, and thus, covering these parts has been very effective in protecting people from contracting the virus (CDC COVID-19 Global Response). Also, the virus is spread through respiratory fluids like mucus. Covering the mouth and nose using a mask means that the droplets from an infected person's cough will not be released in the air but will be trapped by the mask, thus reducing transmission risk.

Another pandemic response Adopted around the world is keeping physical distance. When people observe a reasonable social distance, they tend to reduce physical contact like touch. Bearing in mind that the Coronavirus can survive on surfaces for a varied period, keeping physical distances has been very helpful in protecting people from contracting the virus from other people’s clothes, hands, and droplets from another person when coughing or talking. To maintain physical distancing, most governments have banned all kinds of public gatherings like political rallies, religious meetings and cultural ceremonies (CDC COVID-19 Global Response). In other cases, the number of people allowed in conferences is significantly reduced to a specific number to ensure social distancing is achievable in the available space.

Some countries have imposed lockdown and travel regulations to contain the pandemic. For example, when the epidemic was reported in Wuhan, the Chinese government locked down that specific area to prevent the people from that area from spreading the disease to other places. The United States government also imposed lockdown in New York when the city became overwhelmed by the pandemic. Most countries also imposed travel regulations by stopping international and local flights around the world.

In conclusion, there are other pandemic responses employed like intense civic education. To achieve all the above response strategies, WHO and world governments have invested heavily in educating the world population on pandemics. Like Tanzania, some other countries have decided to seek spiritual power and insisted that the Coronavirus cannot affect them. However, complying with WHO's directions has proved fruitful as the cases of Coronavirus-positive people reported every day are reducing significantly.

Work Cited

“CDC COVID-19 Global Response.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 5 Aug. 2020, www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/global-covid-19/global-response.html.