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By Abdullatif Shara
countries started to open up and restore certain activities including sports, we noticed that some athletes are being affected with the virus. Even if the numbers are low and percentages are around 10 percent, there is still a chance that the virus may move to healthy teammates, because testing cannot be done daily - rather it is being done selectively.
In Kuwait, the Public Authority for Sport allowed the return to training starting with individual sports, gave instructions put forth by health authorities and started to take swabs and carry out tests. Results showed that by June 27, 1,198 tests were carried out, out of which 52 were positive, in addition to 59 described as unclear, which will be retested.
Mathematically the percentage is low, but health-wise it is critical, because if one person can infect 50 others and each of those 50 can infect 50 more, then it is really a very long chain. We must be vigilant and follow instructions to the letter no matter where we may be.
I hope that the opening of the government and private sector does not give the general public a false indication that the pandemic is over or under control, because the fact is quite the opposite and as we are seeing that cases are on the rise and there is no relenting.
Many, including the World Health Organization (WHO), are saying we have to brace for a second wave of COVID-19. I am not sure this wave has started yet, but second wave or not, we must be careful and act for a very long time as if the virus is still there.
There are many contaminants surrounding us and we must learn how to properly deal with them. Our joint efforts must be directed towards cooperation in following preventive measures, which will actually help ward off the coronavirus and any other disease.
The National Center of Biotechnology Information (NCBI), which is part of the US National Library of Medicine, spoke about the roles and responsibilities in preparedness and response. It said while all sectors of society are involved in pandemic preparedness and response, the national government is the natural leader for overall coordination and communication efforts.
NCBI added that a whole-of-society approach to pandemic preparedness emphasizes the significant roles played not only by the health sector, but also by all other sectors - individuals, families and communities - in mitigating the effects of a pandemic.
Developing capacities for mitigating the effects of a pandemic, including robust contingency and business continuity plans, is at the heart of preparing the whole society for a pandemic. Activities such as capacity development, planning, coordination and communication are cross-cutting and require action by all parties.
Final Word: Teamwork: Coming together is the beginning, keeping together is progress, working together is success. —Henry Ford
