Pandemics (coronavirus disease-2019), experiences, lessons learn, and the future

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is the defining global health crisis of our time andthe greatest challenge we have faced since World War Two. Since its emergence in Asia in 2019, thevirus has spread everywhere except Antarctica. We have now reached the tragic milestone of more than2 million deaths, and the human family is suffering under an almost intolerable burden of loss. However,the pandemic is much more than a health crisis, it’s also an unprecedented socioeconomic crisis. Stressingevery one in the countries, it has the potential to create devastating social, economic, and political effectsthat will leave deep and long-standing scars. Every day, people are losing jobs and income, with noway of knowing when normality will return. Small island nations, heavily dependent on tourism, haveempty hotels and deserted beaches. We have been supporting countries since the very early stages ofthis crisis, donating essential protective medical equipment. As the response evolves, and after assessingthe immediate, medium- and long-term needs, we are moving into the socioeconomic response. It willrequire all of society to limit the spread of COVID-19 and to cushion the potentially devastating impactit may have vulnerable economies. We must rebuild trust and cooperation, within and among nations, andbetween people and their governments.