The world is in a precarious situation. On one hand, the Corona virus pandemic is hitting us hard and strong, with infection and death rates rising by the day and on the other hand, as a result of this pandemic, the economy is gloomy, unemployment is rising, stock market is falling, famine is looming, poverty is rising.

Some of these devastating ripple effects on the economy is largely due to the lockdown measures put in place by various governments around the world. While the lockdown measures are necessary to curtail the spread of the virus and get things under control, many countries struggles to enforce a total lockdown and so getting the desired control over the pandemic has been slow and frustrating.
Do we however continue with the lock down measures? How long can it be sustained before the world economy completely crashes? It has been postulated by some authorities that until there is a cure or vaccine, no one can confidently say when the pandemic will be over. Scary right? To take a cue from the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918, the second wave of the infection was even worse than the first. To put things into perspective, we are probably still in the first wave of covid 19 infection worldwide. Then the burning question is:
How many more covid 19 related death is still to come?
How long can the world lock down for?
How many more times will the Arabian and Western Government have to pay its citizens to sit at home?
How many more unprecedented bailouts funds to small scale businesses will the UK and United States government roll out?
How many more donations will be required by private citizens to assist the poor?
How much longer will ships remain stranded in the sea?
How much longer will our lives be on hold?
Is there a way we can curtail the the spread and still open the economy while we await a cure and vaccine. Is their a way we can slowly ease back to life as we know it?
Can a face mask, face shield and hand gloves be used as a temporary solution?
Can we produce in large numbers face mask that can safely protect against this virus. A mask that can be reusable, durable, disinfected, and affordable. If the popular surgical mask is not protective enough, n95 mask is too technical to use and clothes masks are sub standard then can we focus on producing a face mask that is suitable.
If it becomes mandatory for every one to use the recommended face masks, face shields and put on hand gloves whenever they go outside, this will as well slow down the spread of the Corona virus. Certainly, it will not be as effective as the stay at home measures currently in place, but it will definitely slow down the spread of the virus and at the same time open up the economy because people will be back to work.
The world will definitely look funny with every one walking around with a face mask, a field shield and gloves but then it’s a price we will have to pay to defeat the virus and also keep up with our lives, maybe not as it used to be, but at least avoid being 100% grounded as it is currently.
These are unprecedented times, we are in uncharted waters but no matter how big the challenges, humans will always survive, we will always win, we have always won. Shouts out to all the leaders making the big decisions, shout out to all the health workers all over the world, we say thank you, shouts out to all the scientists working round the clock to find a cure and vaccines and finally, my condolences to everyone that has lost loved ones, may their soul rest in peace.
Dr Adesayo Daramola