Help stop the spread of Covid-19

The National Editorial

THERE is no denying that the effect of the Covid-19 remains uncertain.
The Covid-19 pandemic is far more than a health crisis: it is affecting societies and economies at their core.
The impact of the pandemic will vary from country to country.
While we cannot compare Papua New Guinea to other developing and developed nations, the Government should use lessons from the Covid-19 and realign its focus to improving the health systems in the country, border security, education and agriculture and road infrastructure.
Lessons learned from how China, South Korea, Singapore and our neighbours Australia and New Zealand brought down rate of infections should be considered.
What they did aggressively was now being done world wide – early containment and social distancing.
Many countries came up with strategies in dealing with the effect of the pandemic and for PNG, we let our guard down, hence, now the surge.
Last August, China reinstated a strict lockdown near Beijing, affecting around 400,000 people, after a small surge in cases.
After the pandemic emerged in China at the end of 2019, the country managed to get the new infection to a consistently low level.
Small surges were taken very seriously by the country’s health authorities.
Victoria, whose capital Melbourne in Australia for months prided itself on a tough approach to social distancing measures.
Here in PNG, we still have ignorant people not complying with the various orders and putting everyone at risk with their no-care behaviour.
The National had a front page story last August ‘Strain on facilities’ which we saw as serious and should not have been taken lightly.
Dr Gary Nou from the Rita Flynn isolation facility said Port Moresby should not get past 1,000 cases – the curve should be flatten.
Rita Flynn facility has 50 beds. The facility can accommodate 76 beds, possibly stretched to 100 if need be, but it could not exceed that.
So, 1000 cases is too much.
At that time, statistics for PNG was heading towards 200 cases.
If everyone faithfully lived according to the “Niupela Pasin”, the spread would have slowed down.
All we had to do was practice social distancing by avoiding public spaces and generally limiting our movement.
Despite the new normal (Niupela Pasin) already in place, we still have daily increases of the Covid-19 cases.
“Niupela Pasin” is the new way of living that makes basic hygiene and safe distancing a part of our new culture – as individuals, families and communities.
It means adopting behaviours and actions that are consistently practiced to reduce risk of the Covid-19 and other infectious disease.
It involves a society where people take responsibility for their own health and their families.
Limit your movement and comply with heath measures by washing or sanitising your hands:

  • WEAR face masks at all times in public places;
  • WASH your hands with soap and water (practice personal hygiene);
  • MAINTAIN social distancing (stay at least 1-2 meters way from others); and,
  • SNEEZE into your elbow; and,
  • DO not touch your face, eyes and nose.

Every step that we take in this process will be a relief to some and a cause of disappointment or concern to others.
The social and economic effects of this crisis are substantial.
But it is unavoidable that many people will be affected to some extent.
The coronavirus will not move unless people move it.
When we stop moving, the virus stops moving.