Coronavirus Response
The coronavirus pandemic has had global health and economic impacts this year, and the US has the leading number of infections and deaths worldwide. As much as the country has conducted the highest number of tests, more people are still losing their lives in different areas of the country. This report can illustrate the lack of proper leadership in terms of measures and policies that have been put in place to reduce the rate of infections and deaths related to the virus. The fact that each state is making policies and restrictions on their own is not effective since it results in divided opinions that put the nation’s citizens at more risk each day. The country needs to act in unison and put reliable policies that can be useful in reducing the high spread of the virus and, in turn, the number of deaths related to it.
The US has deeply felt the spread and impact of the deadly virus, and this can be seen through the high number of infections and deaths seen in the country. Dealing with the pandemic requires adequate mobilization of several federal and state agencies in the country, as well as in other countries. Appropriate response to the pandemic should involve sufficient response by the National Institute of Health (NIH), including clinical trials, lab research, and testing antivirals that can treat the pandemic. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) should also work to ensure enough supplies should are availed early enough, including respiratory drugs, personal protective equipment (PPE), and medical supplies (Maizland, 2020). The distribution of such resources should be fairly conducted, and states which are highly impacted should be given priority. Proper measures should be effectively put in place to reduce the rate of spread of the disease, since;
- coronavirus can be spread when one is in close contact with an infected person (within around 6 feet), and they may not show the symptoms
- early reopening of national and state borders without coordinated effort in contact tracing can increase interactions which can, in turn, increase the number of infections in the country
- early enforcement of travel restrictions at US borders and closure of illegal immigration can be crucial in limiting the spread of the virus from other regions
- hospital-acquired infections of the virus can be reduced through adequate supply of personal protective equipment and proper usage.
Reducing the rapid spread of coronavirus in the nation can reduce overwhelming in hospitals and enable nurses to focus their energy and resources on providing care to patients with other conditions. A reduced spread of the virus can also be effective in providing care to infected individuals and can facilitate a safer re-opening of state and national borders to enable the economy to resume normally (Hodge, 2020). High disruptions and possible shortages in the supply of drugs as a result of the pandemic can also be reduced through reduced cases of infections, and this can allow the healthcare systems to resume back to normal.
Conclusion
Reliable supply and use of personal protective equipment (PPE) can be effective in reducing the spread of the virus, especially in healthcare centers. To reduce the spread of the virus, states need to enforce stay at home order, especially in most vulnerable regions, until a reduction in the number of confirmed cases and deaths are recorded. Large gatherings should be banned, and limits reduced to less than ten people to ensure all people implement social distancing. A reduction in the number of infected people mainly depends on the degree and willingness of state and federal governments to collaborate and enforce proper policies that can curb the spread of coronavirus.
References
Hodge, J. G. (2020). Federal vs. State Powers in Rush to Reopen Amid the Coronavirus Pandemic. Hodge JG. Federal vs. state powers in rush to reopen amid coronavirus pandemic. Just Security.
Maizland, L. (2020). U.S. Coronavirus Response: Who’s In Charge of What? Council on Foreign Regulations. Retrieved from: https://www.cfr.org/article/us-trump-coronavirus-response-covid19-agencies-in-charge