Tough measures needed for Covid-19

LET us be realistic, with the current surge in reported Covid-19 cases in the country, the Government really has no choice but to enforce some draconian tactics to control the surge.
Whether we like it or not, the wearing of face masks must now became a daily routine and be made mandatory in our effort to minimise the spread of the coronavirus.
This, we must get used to.
Movement of people must be restricted and our military need to be equipped and supported to enforce all approved Covid-19 protocols.
We have written about this for almost a year and will continue.
Since the coronavirus outbreak over a year ago, countries worked hard to put a stop to the spread of the virus.
Many succeeded through breaking the cycle by human intervention. Many said it was punishing, draconian and hostile but they did that.
PNG went into a lockdown and a state of emergency was called.
This was to give time for the Government to assess and put in place mechanisms to control and prevent any further spreading of the virus.
So really, we had almost a year to prepare for the current surge in numbers.
PNG’s record as of Sunday (March 7) stands at: 1,670 Covid-19 cases from 17 provinces: NCD (704), Western (325), West New Britain (196), West Sepik (174), Morobe (48), ARoB (39), East New Britain (38), Madang (35), Eastern Highlands (24), New Ireland (23), Western Highlands (18), Central (15), East Sepik (13), Southern Highlands (3), Milne Bay (2) and one case from Hela – all through community transmission.
PNG also has recorded 16 deaths from the Covid-19.
Community transmission is when there is no clear source of origin of the infection in a new community.
It happens when you can no longer identify who became infected after being exposed to someone who interacted with people from the originally infected communities.
Common knowledge is that the coronavirus will not move unless people move it.
When we stop moving, the virus stops moving.
Let us adhere to what the Government has put in place through the “Niupela Pasin” to take effect relating to the coronavirus and to abide by it to stop the virus from entering our respective communities.
From the World Health Organisation, people can catch the Covid-19 from others who have the virus.
The disease can spread from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth which are spread when a person with the Covid-19 coughs or exhales.
These droplets land on objects and surfaces around the person.
Other people then catch the Covid-19 by touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their eyes, nose or mouth.
This is why it is important to stay more than 1 meter (3 feet) away from a person who is sick.
So the message of ensuring one’s home is clean and for people to maintain general personal hygiene and cleanliness and social distancing is very important.
Social distancing measures and wearing of masks has become a practice worldwide.
Social distancing works.
It reduces transmission of the virus effectively and lessens the impact on already stretched healthcare services.
In the meantime, the message of practicing hand hygiene (wash your hands regularly with soap and water), respiratory hygiene (cover your cough) and food safety (cook food well before eating) as a prevention measure for yourself as well as your family members and your community must continue.
Some hard decision like a partial lockdown must be implemented to put a lid on what could become an outbreak of the Covid-19 in PNG.