Public awareness key to limiting spread of Covid-19

Source:-times.com

Public health indicators have shown that the spread of coronavirus has largely been contained in Qatar, but authorities clarified this does not mean the pandemic has been reversed or that it has disappeared altogether.
People continue to be admitted with mostly moderate Covid-19 symptoms. At the peak of the coronavirus, Qatar had seen more than 2,000 new confirmed cases a day, but for the past few weeks the number has constantly remained under 300.
Several countries around the world are already witnessing the second wave of coronavirus, and this could occur in Qatar as well, if citizens and residents do not take precautionary measures seriously, the Supreme Committee for Crisis Management stressed recently.
People’s awareness about the pandemic and ways to mitigate it by maintaining proper hygiene and social distancing, and their commitment to following other precautionary measures, especially relating to gatherings and social events, will go a long way in limiting the spread of the virus.
The Supreme Committee for Crisis Management noted it has recently become evident that socialising without proper caution is the main source of spreading Covid-19 in the country.
The committee has approved a three-phase plan to re-impose certain Covid-19 restrictions to prevent the resurgence of the coronavirus pandemic in Qatar, if the Ministry of Public Health recommends so, based on its continuous monitoring of health indicators.
As the spread rate of the pandemic around the world is on the rise, the authorities noted it is necessary to apply mandatory quarantine to all travellers returning to Qatar until further notice.
Overall, Qatar has done well given that its Covid-19 death rate has remained one of the lowest in the world, besides registering a fall in the number of hospital admissions and a decrease in the number of daily cases in the last few weeks.
The pandemic has presented a unique set of challenges for all of us. We are still learning more and more about coronavirus every single day, but public health experts continue to warn that you don’t actually have to be exhibiting symptoms to spread the new coronavirus.
Authorities in as many as 214 countries and territories have reported about 34.6mn Covid 19 cases and 1mn deaths since China reported its first cases to the World Health Organisation (WHO) in December.
Covid-19 affects different people in different ways. Most infected people will develop mild to moderate illness and recover without hospitalisation.
A person infected with the virus can be contagious as early as three days before he or she begins showing symptoms. In addition, some people never develop symptoms, but are still able to spread the virus.
The pandemic has placed a new level of personal accountability on each one of us. To slow the spread of coronavirus and protect the health and vitality of our people, we must remain committed to the extra precautions our public health officials are recommending.
At the core of these preventive measures is the need for continued social distancing and take all of the precautions seriously — even if one is healthy.