World Epidemic Preparedness Day: Lessons From COVID-19

What is International Day of Epidemic Preparedness?

The first ever International Day of Epidemic Preparedness was on the 27th of December, 2020. This was called for by the United Nations to, “advocate the importance of the prevention of, preparedness for and partnership against epidemics.”  

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Why is this day important? 

As the decade’s most devastating infectious disease, COVID-19 taught us several things. One of the major things the world learnt from the pandemic was the significance of keeping yourself informed. It is only when you know what you are fighting against, that you can be prepared to protect yourself. 

That is the intention behind the International Day of Epidemic Preparedness. 

What else did COVID-19 teach us?

The International Day of Epidemic Preparedness aims to ensure people know how to shield their health during an epidemic. The world very recently went through a global health crisis, and there is no better time to revisit what we all learnt from it. 

Below are some things we all learnt from COVID-19, and should keep in mind in the context of a similar crisis: 

1. ASK FOR HELP 

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When the world saw this global healthcare crisis, healthcare systems came to the brink of collapse. Several people found themselves unable to access treatment, while many others could not afford it. A silver lining was that we were all in it together, and many people opened themselves up to getting help. Through methods such as crowdfunding, people raised treatment funds online and were able to save themselves and their loved ones. 

The world came together to help each other once. And we learnt that none of us are alone. If you find yourself in the middle of a medical emergency, start a fundraiser to get help with paying for treatment. 

2. KEEP YOURSELF INFORMED 

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The world witnessed health updates down to every second. We all understood that in order to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe, it was important to follow new updates. It is only when we know what the situation is, that we can protect ourselves from it. 

Keeping ourselves updated with the latest statistics, number of active cases, the most efficient protective measures, etc., helped us all. It is important that we carry this forward to keep ourselves safe in a similar situation. 

3. PRACTICE SELF-CARE:

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Despite COVID-19 being a global health crisis, we learnt the importance of self-accountability. While we were all in it together, it was also incredibly important to take care of ourselves. Small things like washing our hands regularly, or regularly checking oxygen levels, created a large difference. 

4. FOLLOW PROTOCOL

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After deploying their resources towards research in the medical field, several governing organizations introduced some safety protocols. Be it the United Nations’ World Health Organization, or the local government - all regulating bodies did their best to protect the community. While the governance did its part, our duty was to keep these protocols in mind during our day-to-day life. 

Things such as social distancing, wearing masks, and sanitizing our hands played a crucial role in the spread of the pandemic. It is important that we follow such protocols to protect ourselves and each other from such large-scale, contagious health crises that we might face in the future. 

COVID-19 has been a series of lessons on a global level. It is important that we learn from what we did right, or what we did wrong, to protect ourselves in the future. 

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*Please note that any views expressed are those of the authors’ and do not reflect the beliefs or opinions or views of ImpactGuru.