Global Health: The economic repercussions prevent the option of complete closure during the second wave of Corona

Cairo-Sana

The Regional Director of the World Health Organization for the Eastern Mediterranean, Ahmed Al-Mandhari, ruled out returning to the option of complete closure during the second wave of the spread of the Corona virus, referring to the economic repercussions of the closure, stressing at the same time the need for all countries to adhere to strict application of precautionary measures and to work hard to contain the virus.

In an interview with Sputnik today, Al-Manzari said, “The global economic conditions make a return to lockdown an unavoidable and not an option, and we understand that,” indicating that the closure that was applied in the first phase contributed significantly to limiting the spread of the virus in the countries that applied it based on an assessment. He is careful about the risks while adhering to all preventive measures and other precautionary measures, but a return to closure again is unlikely, especially with the economic repercussions that the world is currently suffering from.

On the possibility of controlling the pandemic without a complete closure, Al-Manzari explained that controlling the pandemic during the second wave depends on many things, the most important of which is the complete overcoming of the boredom and fatigue from the prolonged pandemic, which led to societal and governmental laxity.

He stressed the need for countries to work diligently to contain the virus through strict application of precautionary measures, expanding surveillance of the virus, discovering cases of infection, isolating the infected, whether at home or in health facilities, and tracing contacts and caring for them.