May 2021
COVID 19, otherwise referred as Corona
Virus, changes the world, killing people and
devastates world economies
By Dr Samuel Vandi
Late December 2019, the first case of Corona
Virus case was detected in Wuhan,
the capital of Hubei Province of China.
Since then, it has totally affected the
world, killing millions, disrupts world supply
chains and devastates world economies.
COVID – 19 has forced a lockdown of social,
economic and even political activities, particularly
in major European, Asian, American and
African cities. Today India, Brazil and United
States are leading in infection and death rates,
while major European countries like Germany,
Turkey and Britain are experiencing 3rd time
lockdowns.
At the peak of the pandemic, infected persons
in most European and American cities were left
to die in their homes because there were simply
no bed spaces for them at the hospitals.
On the economic front, it is simply devastating.
Kristalina Geogieva, Head, International
Monetary fund IMF, puts its bluntly: “Corona
Virus has created the worst crisis since the Great
depression.
In Africa, however, though impacted by the
pandemic, there is relative economic sustainability
as the virus infection and death rates
have so far been minimal. In West Africa,
Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea score relative
successes in COVID 19 management styles,
resulting in low infection and death rates. The
same trajectory with Nigeria, Ghana, only
South Africa that got a spike in both infection
and death rates.
Today, India is the epicenter of COVID – 19
cases. The hospitals are currently overwhelmed
and overstretched. Cemetery centers for burning
of dead bodies are overfilled. The COVID
Vaccine Manufacturers Serum Pharmaceuticals,
responsible for Africa’s supply chain
of vaccines, has temporarily halted supply to
Africa, due to export fatigue, to concentrate on
the current explosive way of COVID infections
and deaths in India.
In the United States, it is the same scenario.
Since President Joe Biden was inaugurated on
January 20 2021, he promised 100 million doses
of vaccines in his first 100 days, which elapsed
on April 29, 2021. True, over 100 million
Americans have been vaccinated, with infection
and death rates reducing, a far cry from
the astronomical rise during former President
Donald Trump.
West African countries, particularly Sierra
COVID 19, otherwise referred as Corona
Virus, changes the world, killing people and
devastates world economies
dr samuel vandi
Leone, has managed COVID – 19 cases so
well that the WHO and other international
organizations have showered encomiums on
the management strategies to the National
COVID – 19 Emergency Response Center NACOVERC,
led by Sheku Fantamadi Bangura,
for outstanding successes recorded under the
former stewardship of Rtd Brig Kellie Conteh,
in low COVID -19 infection cases and deaths
in the country. Added to this laurel, is the swift
economic intervention strategies by the fiscal
and monetary authorities in sustaining economic
activities at a relatively stable level.
A similar management style has been exhibited
in virtually all African countries, resulting
in relative stability in the availability of goods
and services in the continent
In Nigeria, for instance, infection and death
cases have been on the down ward trend for
the past weeks due to impressive management
style by health authorities. South Africa is the
only country on the continent that is currently
facing severe challenges due to mutational
characteristic of the virus. Though its health
authorities are meeting up expectations in
stemming the wave of infections and deaths,
the country is still beset with huge number of
COVID related infections and deaths.
India is today the world’s leading epicenter
in infection and death rates. The hospitals
are overwhelmed. Oxygen is short supply.
Cremated centers are overstretched. The
country witnesses a daily 300,000 infection
rate and over 1,000 deaths. The capacity of its
health system is far below the explosive wave
of the virus.
Brazil is America’s epicenter with massive
wave of infections and deaths. So also Turkey,
Europe’s epicenter of the virus, with strict
lockdowns in both countries.
In the United States, it is the same picture.
Since President Joe Biden was inaugurated on
November 20 2020, he promised 100 million
doses of vaccines in his first 100 days which
elapsed or April 29, 2021. True, over 100
million Americans have been vaccinated
with the infection and death rates reducing,
a far – cry from the astronomical rise during
former President Donald Trump.
West African countries, particularly Sierra
Leone, has managed COVID – 19 cases so
well that the WHO and other international
organizations have showered encomiums on
the management strategies to the National
COVID – 19 Emergency Response Center
NACOVERCE, led by Sheku Fantamadi
Bangura, who recently took over from Brig
Rtd Kelly Conteh, for outstanding successes
in low COVID infection rates and deaths
in the country. Added to this laurel, is the
swift economic intervention strategies by
the fiscal and monetary authorities in sustaining
economic activities at a relatively
stable level.
COVID 19 will forever linger on in the
minds of all, as its devastation on world
economies has been cataclysmic, leaving
behind scars that will be indelible in years
to come.