Ruhi Rizvi: Could Trump's incompetence lead to COVID-19 devastation on par with Italy?
Written by: Ruhi Rizvi
Measures being taken by Donald Trump
In US, states have all taken steps to either lock down or advise social distancing. Have these measures come a little too late? It is fairly visible from a map of U.S that many states are not on full lockdown.
Fig. 1: States in America on semi and full lockdown.
At time of this article, according to the Worldometer Corona website, the figure for Covid-19 patient cases climbed to a total of 83,672 and 1,209 deaths. Number of infected patients with Covid-19 has now bypassed the rates of patients infected with Coronavirus in Italy. New York is said to have become the epicentre for the US’s outbreak with 37,258 plus 4,292 new cases.
The loss of thousands of lives could be put down to several measures that should have been in place, weeks before U.S had its first cases of the novel Corona virus. The specialists report that there are shortages of ventilators, testing kits, gloves, gowns and face shields, which are not fully made available to the hospitals, other vital medical equipment and hospital beds. The White House continues to dismiss talk of shortages, while medical staff fear loss of colleagues and patients.
The situation in United States has presented itself with words and lack of viable action in bid to save lives. Essential advice was kept from the public at large; its delay can also be a major contributing factor to the current crises on US’ hands. Some medical advice in respect of the analgesia to be avoided was not given as an urgent precautionary measure and may have resulted in fewer deaths. Advil (ibuprofen) a non steroid anti inflammatory drug according to World Health Organisation was not to be used for Covid-19. Tylenol (Paracetamol) is being deemed as the safest analgesia to be taken in symptomatic patients, as there is not much research around Covid-19 available at present and patients may have side effects from Advil as preconditions are not always diagnosed in emergencies of this kind.
Fig. 2: Global rates of Covid-19 patients infected, deaths and recovery
Italy and its delay phase, deaths and crisis with growing figures
Italy has a population of approximately 60,484,796 according to UN data. In latest figures, the rate of covid-19 patients cases have reached a shocking 80,589 with 8,215 deaths reported. US, now has a much higher figure which is expected to peak in next few weeks. What must be taken into consideration when comparing the figures is the size of both these countries. Italy is 301,340 sq kilometers and US is 9,826,675 sq Kilometers. Hence, U.S is approximately 32.5 times the size of Italy.
This informs us that even with all the precautionary measures that Italy may have taken in comparison to China, Iran, South Korea, it was not enough to prevent the enormous rate of spread of the disease or the high rate of deaths. The question then arises that if U.S which also has delayed taking preventative measures and is still on semi lockdown in some of its states what will the trend look like in terms of Coronavirus infection spreading and number of deaths?
What could mean more deaths in U.S and the current trend.
Currently the medical staff are being advised to re-use their masks “rather than throw them away” and sanitise their hands. First hand report from a medic in New Jersey U.S, suggests that “lately, all medical staff have been given masks to be kept in a brown paper bag. A new mask will be provided every 3 days and is to be reused after being sterilised with UV light”. Luckily, a physician had researched that UV light degrades the protective electrostatic charges on the polypropylene material of the mask.
If this idea had gone unchallenged the medic states it would have been catastrophic for the medical staff, as they would have been examining Covid-19 patients with unprotected masks. According to a study sanitising the masks reduces its efficiency, as a layer of the mask is wiped away (fig 3). U.S food and drug administration (FDA) guidelines for the common N95 respirator masks state, “it should not be shared or reused”. A nurse died in a New York hospital where workers are reduced to using trash bags as protective medical gear.
Front line staff are putting their lives at risk because the healthcare system is inadequate, lacking essential equipment and resources. Next expected crises no doubt will be shortage of staff. UK has pushed out an emergency notice calling back retired staff to its NHS hospitals to support the already exhausted medical staff; It’s not clear if U.S has taken this step.
These medical errors and glitches have become far too frequent, whilst countries in the West have had ample time for preparation, just by observing the critical situation in China, Iran, South Korea and Italy.
Fig. 3: N95 mask and effects of UV light
People’s reliance and loss of trust in the U.S Government.
National institute of allergy and infectious diseases Dir. Anthony Fauci has won much support from the U.S Public for being factual. He responded to CNN reporter regarding President Donald Trump by saying: “he expresses in ways which could lead to misunderstandings about what the facts are about a given subject”. At one point President had stated that the FDA had approved an anti malaria vaccine to be used to treat corona virus -- another false remark. Other statements that had been claimed as false include Donald Trump contradicting the U.S surgeon by telling public that, “things were getting better”, when in actual fact, “things were going to get bad” is what was really stated. These are serious blunders, which no doubt will affect public trust, morale and how they interpret the seriousness of Corona Virus. At such a critical juncture, should a person holding one of the most important offices, especially President Trump, be reckless with statements?
What preventative steps should have been taken and could save further lives?
It may have been just a little over two weeks, since the United States fully closed their borders by announcing flight cancellations to passengers from China, Iran and Italy and Europe. Most domestic flights continued to see movement across states; UK being one of the airports that welcomed passengers from China, Italy, Iran and elsewhere with no testing kits at the airport and no quarantine measures.
This delay phase, whether it be US, Switzerland or UK; the response to the pandemic renders the decision makers accountable for so many lives. Los Angeles Mayor, Eric Garcetti in an interview (to Business insiders) has openly warned that “there will be a huge loss of lives than people are used to having around them and that he was worried about the irreplaceable loss of lives.” Whist pushing back against “premature optimism, he stated “leaders who suggest we are on the verge of business as usual are putting lives at risk”. Mayor Eric Garcetti has said that “lock down in Los Angeles may possibly last until May.”
Up and down and across the United States, same picture of its healthcare system emerges; Similar shortages in beds and equipment. It’s difficult to comprehend that health and safety has been put on the back burner, which was once a priority in all emergencies. Despite the crises and expert’s views, that the pandemic hurricane is about to peak in the coming weeks, President Donald Trump remains focused on ‘being open for business’.
When U.S is entering one of the worst phases in history with deaths climbing at an unimaginable level, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo continues to put further sanctions on Iran. It may seem that Corona virus is advantageous to Trumps administration in places offshore but its not drawing attention where its needed the most. If President Trump fails to heed to advice being offered by the medical and epidemiological experts and professionals, there is a great chance that millions of people could lose their lives not by just the disease but the negligence of the current U.S Government.
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