COVID-19: THE LESSONS WE LEARNED - ­LOOKING BACK AND AHEAD

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared that the COVID-19 pandemic is no longer a global health emergency. The announcement comes after the pandemic claimed over seven million lives, negatively impacted economies, and led to lockdowns around the world.

The WHO views the consistent drop in COVID-19 mortality for the past three years as encouraging, hence the downgrade. The announcement that COVID-19 is no longer a global health emergency reflects the recent dramatic decline in fatalities attributed to the novel coronavirus.

Official statistics show that the number of deaths from COVID-19 dropped below 5,000 on average over the past few weeks, a dramatic decrease from the tens of thousands who perished every week when the pandemic was at its peak.

Looking Back

On January 30, 2020, the WHO declared COVID-19 an international crisis after being discovered in Wuhan, China. Two months later, the WHO declared COVID-19 a global pandemic on March 11, 2020, with more than 118,000 cases in 114 countries and 4,291 deaths.

Approximately 764 million people (although the figures are likely a vast undercount) were infected by the virus, which spread fast over the world. As a result, countries all across the globe imposed strict lockdowns, mandated the wearing of face masks, and encouraged social distancing in response to the disease's spread. International air travel was restricted or even stopped in some locations, and regular testing for the virus, even at family gatherings, became routine.

Office workers were asked to work from home, and businesses were closed. As a result, millions of people were further impoverished due to the lockdowns, which significantly impacted already fragile economies.

One of the pandemic's key turning points was the introduction of vaccines. The COVID-19 vaccine developed by Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech was proven to be 95% effective in clinical trials and was approved for emergency use. The WHO estimates that 13 billion doses have been administered, protecting many individuals from death and severe illness.

Variants and subvariants had been discovered by the beginning of 2022. As Delta and Omicron spread, so did the accessibility of COVID-19 vaccinations. Due to the highly transmissible omicron subvariants, COVID-19 case numbers were rising.

On May 5, 2023, The WHO declared that COVID-19 is no longer a global health emergency. However, the virus is still spreading and evolving, though at a lower degree of concern, continuing to threaten global health.

What We Learned From COVID-19

The pandemic utterly changed our lives. So have we learned anything from the experience?

The COVID-19 pandemic upended life as we know it and may have also impacted us personally, changing everything from our morning rituals to our life objectives and ambitions. Many claim that the world has irrevocably changed. However, if the vaccines reduce infections and variations are kept at bay in the upcoming year, life may return to normal. But what will we learn from the previous year at that point? Are there any silver linings? Let's have a look.

Lesson 1: Masks are critical tools.

When the pandemic started, it entailed a global effort to ensure everyone adopted habits that would keep themselves and others safe and healthy. This included the widespread use of masks both inside and outside. They are a barrier preventing respiratory droplets from spreading, making them a critical COVID-19 preventive approach.

Lesson 2: Vaccines are effective weapons.

Given the most recent favorable outcomes from immunization trials, vaccines continue to demonstrate their effectiveness in preventing disease. Vaccines are worth getting, and the adverse effects pale compared to the illness itself.

Lesson 3: We must take mental health seriously.

An increase in reported mental health issues, called "a second pandemic," has drawn attention to the need to address mental health. People are struggling with issues like balancing work and childcare, job loss, feeling isolated, or losing a loved one to COVID-19, thus increasing the prevalence of mental health illnesses, which were already rising pre-pandemic.

Lesson 4: We have the capacity for resilience

While everyone’s situation is not the same (and some people have suffered enormous challenges), many have learned that it is possible to be resilient amid a crisis. As a result of the pandemic, people have engaged in a variety of self-care activities. They have changed their workout routines, adjusted to post-pandemic socialization, and adapted to new work schedules.

Many people began looking for new methods to deal with the stress. Resilience-building techniques can be compelling with even minor adjustments. The modifications may sound like the same old advice: exercise more, eat better, drink less alcohol, begin meditating, and maintain relationships with friends and family. But all of these advices are supported by research, founded on facts.

Lesson 5: There's a new meaning to the adage "age Is just a number"

This goes beyond the pandemic. Your lifestyle, including your diet, level of physical activity, weight, and quality sleep, directly affects your health, immunity, and ability to recover.

Lesson 6: The best you can do is hope for stability but prepare for the opposite

The pandemic was one of the most jarring wake-up calls in recent memory to show us how quickly everything can change. More than any other disaster, COVID-19 showed us how important it is to have response plans that are adaptable and scalable. It is impossible to know what a calamity will bring with certainty. However, if you know what tools you have on hand, you can use the proper ones when you need them.

The Bottom Line

COVID-19 has profoundly impacted our world and continues to be a factor. Its effects must act as a constant reminder of the risk of new viruses and the catastrophic harm they could cause. And the lessons we have learned over the previous few years may be helpful in this regard.

If you’re not already vaccinated, take the first chance you get. The best COVID-19 vaccine is the one that is available to you the soonest.

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Resources:

• CDC. “CDC Museum COVID-19 Timeline.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 15 Mar. 2023, www.cdc.gov/museum/timeline/covid19.html.

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