All the news channels were reporting the panic of the third wave of COVID being caused by the Omicron variant. After watching the news about the effects of the pandemic on people's business and life Write a diary entry about what you were feeling at that point of time.
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A N S W E R :
Good afternoon everyone.
In the past week, we have seen a rapid escalation of cases of COVID-19.
More cases and deaths have now been reported in the rest of the world than in China.
We have also seen a rapid escalation in social distancing measures, like closing schools and cancelling sporting events and other gatherings.
But we have not seen an urgent enough escalation in testing, isolation and contact tracing – which is the backbone of the response.
Social distancing measures can help to reduce transmission and enable health systems to cope.
Handwashing and coughing into your elbow can reduce the risk for yourself and others.
But on their own, they are not enough to extinguish this pandemic. It’s the combination that makes the difference.
As I keep saying, all countries must take a comprehensive approach.
But the most effective way to prevent infections and save lives is breaking the chains of transmission. And to do that, you must test and isolate.
You cannot fight a fire blindfolded. And we cannot stop this pandemic if we don’t know who is infected.
We have a simple message for all countries: test, test, test.
Test every suspected case.
If they test positive, isolate them and find out who they have been in close contact with up to 2 days before they developed symptoms, and test those people too. [NOTE: WHO recommends testing contacts of confirmed cases only if they show symptoms of COVID-19]
Every day, more tests are being produced to meet the global demand.
WHO has shipped almost 1.5 million tests to 120 countries. We’re working with companies to increase the availability of tests for those most in need.
WHO advises that all confirmed cases, even mild cases, should be isolated in health facilities, to prevent transmission and provide adequate care.
But we recognize that many countries have already exceeded their capacity to care for mild cases in dedicated health facilities.
In that situation, countries should prioritize older patients and those with underlying conditions.
Some countries have expanded their capacity by using stadiums and gyms to care for mild cases, with severe and critical cases cared for in hospitals.
Another option is for patients with mild disease to be isolated and cared for at home.
Caring for infected people at home may put others in the same household at risk, so it’s critical that care-givers follow WHO’s guidance on how to provide care as safely as possible.
For example, both the patient and their care-giver should wear a medical mask when they are together in the same room.
The patient should sleep in a separate bedroom to others and use a different bathroom.
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