This articles includes insight about COVID-19, WHO's action, France's lock down and the ways these information is useful for Nepal
Insights into Coronavirus
According to WHO, Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered corona-virus. No medicines or injections for this virus has been known so far.
World Health Organization (WHO) had declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on 30 January 2020 in response to the increasing cases of COVID-19 around the world. Similarly, WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus’s opening remarks at the media on 11th March 2020 on COVID-19 calls into public attention for solidarity in the awareness and prevention of this outbreak. WHO announced the name to this virus as COVID-19 on February 11 and WHO stated COVID-19 is as pandemic on March 11.
The first COVID-19 outbreak was seen in Wuhan, China. The First known death in China was discovered in Jan 11, 2020 and so far across the world, the deaths from this virus has reached to 13,689, cases has increased to 319,067 and 96,006 infected has been recovered according to the latest update of Wordometers.info. The first case outside of China was confirmed in Thailand on January 13. On the European continent, first cases were confirmed in France on January 24.
World Health Organization acting in response to COVID-19
To combat the Coronavirus, WHO has collaborated with International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). Through this collective effort, WHO can pass the regular update on COVID-19 to its network of over 45 million businesses and helped these businesses take informed and effective action plan to protect their employees and communities.
WHO with its partners has launched The COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund, online fund collection system and created wire transfer fund collection system COVID19Fund@unfoundation.org. These works aimed to raise money from a wide range of donors to support the work of the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners to help countries respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC), UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO) worked together to support safe school operations and to support learning and well-being of students by finding the alternative way to offer education.
Covid-19 prevention steps in France
The figure below shows the number of cases in metropolitan France from 24th January to 4th March, 2020.
On 9 March 2020, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced the national quarantine in response to the increasing number of cases and deaths from Covid-19. While Italy was in quarantine, life in France was as usual however the big events in cities were postponed or cancelled. Till the first week of March 2020, coronavirus’s effect in France was not came in the media highlights but later cases start to increase in France as well. The lockdown of Italy has already send message to France and to other European countries about the need to take preventive measures.
On March 12, the French president, Emmanuel Macron spoke to the nation about Coronavirus outbreak for the first time. He announced that all educational institutions will close from March 16 and the decision for lockdown was not taken. But, n 16th March 2020, Monday night, the French president, Emmanuel Macron addressed to the nation for the second time declaring "we are at war" and thus announced national lockdown.
From March 17, anyone who wished to go to street for any reason has to carry with them the “Overriding Declaration of Movement” and violators of this restriction will be fined 38 Euro which could be increased to 135 Euro. This measures is to protect people’s health by asking them to stay at home and limiting their movement and this rules required people to sign a document stating where they are going if they have to go out for any reasons.
People are strongly advised to call phone number 15 which is the national emergency medical service number if people developed symptoms of Coronavirus or in need of immediate help. In this case, health providers will come home to test them.
French Ministry for Higher Education and research has released an information note addressing an international students that "international students whose institutions are closed are informed to go back home, as much as possible and in compliance with measures taken for international travel. Similarly, international students in France whose resident permit will be expired soon will benefit from the specific attention of the government since the specific instruction in the projected emergency law to cope with COVID-19 epidemic will allow the French government to take all adequate measure to extend the residence permits of students.
French universities are asking all the students who are within or outside France for exchange, internship or research program to return either to France or stay safe in wherever they are.
Universities are offering courses online and the models of final examination are adapted and carried out at the designated time. Universities are sending emails to students to postpone internship and are continuously updating about the new systems developed by university to be in contact.
Supermarkets, grocery shops, pharmacies, banks are adopting strict measures to limit the number of customers inside them by making a waiting line outside them. We can see that the service providers in bank, employees at the counter in the supermarket, all are wearing masks, gloves and using hand sanitizer. We can also see the reduced number of employers working there in this crisis time. In the bank and supermarkets, lines have been marked in the floor at 1 meter distance.
According to France 24, a French state-owned international news television network based in Paris, “France corona virus's deaths increase by 112 in a day to 674, with 16,018 confirmed cases (health ministry France)”. France’s president on 16th March announced for 15-day lock-down banning public gatherings and walks outdoor stating that “we are in health war” and the military are mobilized to provide emergency health accessibility to public. The reports published in the France 24 website, dated March 18 mentioned that the Eastern France has the increased number of cases and deaths from Coronavirus. For helping people to take to hospitals and to prevent violation of these rules, police are being mobilized.
As mentioned in ( Massonnaud, Roux, & Crépey, 2020-03-16), “In France, there is an increasing concern regarding the capacity of the healthcare system to sustain the outbreak, especially regarding intensive care units (ICU)”. Government is trying best in all aspects and be ready to deal even in the worst condition of outbreak. Aside of the social distancing and lock-down measures, government is also working on the expansion of ICU capacities bed in hospitals in each metropolitan city in France.
Following the lock-down decision by France government, people were panicking because the cases were increased each day. For students, they required to adopt to the new teaching methods. Some universities have already fixed date for exams and after lock-down, universities changed the test module, so students are required to adopt to it. People also had to think whether to buy more now or buy only for certain time. Thanks to communication media, they were talking that France government has discouraged stock piling and supplies wont be cut up in the supermarkets. Also, in the first week of France’s lock-down, media presented that Italians are singing from their windows for solidarity and the people in China are recovering. Similarly, media too started talking that Chinese doctor who were taking care of patients moved to Italy to help Italy take care its people admitted in the hospital.
During the same week, we tend to hear that other European countries also decided to lock-down, restrict international and national flights, close public places, limit gathering etc.
COVID-19-Global Issue
According to WHO, Coronavirus COVID-19 is affecting 191 countries and every country are adopting the measures to control it. Despite the attempt of the preventive measures of the government, the virus is spreading from one person to another person.
Confirmed Cases and Deaths by Country, Territory, or Conveyance according to Worldometers.info, https://www.worldometers.info/
World record: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/
Nepal can learn from France’s preparation
Till the date, it is good news for Nepal that COVID-19 suspected everyone tested negative, but we need to be ready in case the disease spreads in Nepal.
The compulsory screening of the people coming to Nepal should be carried out at the airport. Government should ensure that there are enough resources to carry out this test. Self-quarantine may not be effective when the increasing inflows of NRNs from COVID-19 effected countries. Similarly, Nepal Ministry of Immigration has published the notice dated 13th March 2020 regarding travel restriction related to COVID-19 and for NRNs, it is asked for swan test PCR health certificates but it is difficult to obtain this certificates because in France because in the crisis period, the priority will be given to those who have developed the cases. Therefore, Nepal government should take into consideration and arrange for government supported quarantine before joining family if the people coming to Nepal shows symptoms of COVID-19. Also, government should research on the current capacity of hospitals and to look for increasing further capacities. The integrated communication across all media is very important for giving live update and guiding people.
There are likely that if the virus continues to spread and the lock down begins in other countries, Nepal government should bring it citizens back. If the lock-down continues for several months, there are great chances that people become unemployed or fired. Currently, many people are paid even though the company are closed but if the lock-down prolonged, people may be unpaid. Similarly, if the Nepalese who are currently working in Dubai, Qatar, Malaysia, Japan etc. will require to return due to the continuous lock-down, there is more chances that this receiving country will take time to welcome them again. In that case, country won’t be receiving remittance from large proportion of foreign worker and there will increase unemployment in Nepal. Taking into consideration, government need to plan how to engage people back home.
It is reported that ex-Gorkha Nepali soldier, Lila Bahadur Rai currently residing in United Kingdom with his family died due to Corona virus and the family is kept in isolation in UK. Gorkha ex-soldiers Organization, Lalitpur in official statement states that disease, COVID-19 is more dangerous than first and second world war. Therefore, like the post-world war situation need to be handled carefully, Nepal need to plan carefully so that this threatening situation don’t affect its people, economy, development, infrastructure and well-being.
At national and international level, COVID-19 has been compared as a war situation. To overcome this war situation, we need solidarity. The present preparation, current investment in infrastructure, technology will really add value in near future and will turn out to be a wise current decision. Lets unite together and contribute from every level, every profession to see brighter, better, happy and prosperous Nepal where every citizens can see their future in it.
References
nytimes.com/2020/03/08/world/europe/coronavirus-europe.html
About Writer
The writer is a research-based Master student of Migration Studies (Major International Law) at University Cote d’Azur, Nice, France. She is a graduate of master’s in international business at IAE Nice Graduate School of Management, France. She is a personal blogger and content writer.
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