{"id":3917,"date":"2020-08-19T22:03:19","date_gmt":"2020-08-19T20:03:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/?post_type=article&p=3917"},"modified":"2020-08-19T22:03:19","modified_gmt":"2020-08-19T20:03:19","slug":"qed-inkunu-wisq-reattivi-ghall-pandemija","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/article\/qed-inkunu-wisq-reattivi-ghall-pandemija\/","title":{"rendered":"We are being too reactive to the pandemic"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

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If<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>we<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>were<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>analyze<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>actions<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>taken<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>by<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>government<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>in<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>first<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>second<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>waves<\/span>\u00a0of\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>pandemic<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>we<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>would<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>conclude<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>that<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>decisions<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>taken<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>on<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>two<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>were<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>different<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>from<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>each<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>other<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

One<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>recalls<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>decisions<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>announced<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>by<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>government<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>in<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>recent<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>months<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>which<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>were<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>described<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>with<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>respect<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>medical<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>advice<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>provided<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>by<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0Health\u00a0<\/span>Authorities<\/span>. The\u00a0<\/span>population<\/span>\u00a0of\u00a0<\/span>these<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>islands<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>had<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>obeyed<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>advice<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>propagated<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>by<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>public<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>health<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>specialists<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Hence<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>collective<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>discipline<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>prevailed<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>first<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>wave<\/span>\u00a0of\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>pandemic<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>government<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>was<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>commended<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>particlularly<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>by<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>World<\/span>\u00a0Health\u00a0<\/span>Organisation<\/span>\u00a0(WHO), for\u00a0<\/span>keeping<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>number<\/span>\u00a0of\u00a0<\/span>cases<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>low<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Subsequently<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>when<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>we<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>laxed<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>active<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>cases<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>began<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>rise<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>again<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0The\u00a0<\/span>rush<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>get<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>economy<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>back<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>on<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>its<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>feet<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>exasperated<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0WHO\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>warnings<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>countries<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>not<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>let<\/span>\u00a0go of\u00a0<\/span>their<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>controls<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>happened<\/span>?\u00a0<\/span>Our<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>country<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>had<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>responded<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>demands<\/span>\u00a0of\u00a0<\/span>entrepeneurs<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>people<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>in<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>business<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>hoteliers<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>thereby<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>failing<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>listen<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>advice<\/span>\u00a0of\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>health<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>authorities<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Consequently<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>we<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>witnessed<\/span>\u00a0a\u00a0<\/span>lot<\/span>\u00a0of\u00a0<\/span>confusion<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>in<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>way<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>things<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>were<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>communicated<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>discipline<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>quickly<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>fell<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>apart<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Cases<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>have<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>accumulated<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>rapidly<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>were<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>told<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>enjoy<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>summer<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Several<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>people<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>quickly<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>took<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>off<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>their<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>masks<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>had<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>fun<\/span>\u00a0at\u00a0<\/span>parties<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>entertainment<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>venues<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>This<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>has<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>led<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0an\u00a0<\/span>explosion<\/span>\u00a0of COVID-19\u00a0<\/span>cases<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>government<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>has<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>now<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>reacted<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>by<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>announcing<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>new<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>measures<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>is<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>not<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>way<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>how<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>address<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>second<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>wave<\/span>\u00a0of\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>pandemic<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Government<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>is<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>being<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>more<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>reactive<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>situation<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>than<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>active<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>is<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>not<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>taking<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>situation<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>seriously<\/span>. The\u00a0<\/span>well-being<\/span>\u00a0of\u00a0<\/span>workers<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0most\u00a0<\/span>vulnerable<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>is<\/span>\u00a0at\u00a0<\/span>stake<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>What<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>concrete<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>precautions<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>are<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>being<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>taken<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>keep<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>these<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>people<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>safe<\/span>?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>addition<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>social<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>distancing<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>must<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>still<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>be<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>maintained<\/span>\u00a0at\u00a0<\/span>all<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>times<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>those<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>who<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>disobey<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>must<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>be<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>punished<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Enforcement<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>must<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>be<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>strong<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>serious<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>consistent<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>whilst<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>there<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>should<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>be<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>no<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>exceptions<\/span>\u00a0for\u00a0<\/span>violators<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Let<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>us<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>be<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>mature<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>use<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>our<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>common<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>sense<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Meanwhile<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>Voice<\/span>\u00a0of\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Workers<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>continues<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>urge<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>government<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>do<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>more<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>control<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0 virus\u00a0<\/span>before<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>it<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>has<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>fatal<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>effects<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>on<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>both<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>vulnerable<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>country<\/span>\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>economy<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  If\u00a0we\u00a0were\u00a0to\u00a0analyze\u00a0the\u00a0actions\u00a0taken\u00a0by\u00a0government\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0first\u00a0and\u00a0second\u00a0waves\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0pandemic,\u00a0we\u00a0would\u00a0conclude\u00a0that\u00a0the\u00a0decisions\u00a0taken\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0two\u00a0were\u00a0different\u00a0from\u00a0each\u00a0other.\u00a0 One\u00a0recalls\u00a0the\u00a0decisions\u00a0announced\u00a0by\u00a0government\u00a0in\u00a0recent\u00a0months\u00a0which\u00a0were\u00a0described\u00a0with\u00a0respect\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0medical\u00a0advice\u00a0provided\u00a0by\u00a0the\u00a0Health\u00a0Authorities. The\u00a0population\u00a0of\u00a0these\u00a0islands\u00a0had\u00a0obeyed\u00a0the\u00a0advice\u00a0propagated\u00a0by\u00a0public\u00a0health\u00a0specialists.\u00a0Hence,\u00a0collective\u00a0discipline\u00a0prevailed.\u00a0 In\u00a0the\u00a0first\u00a0wave\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0pandemic,\u00a0the\u00a0government\u00a0was\u00a0commended,\u00a0particlularly\u00a0by\u00a0the\u00a0World\u00a0Health\u00a0Organisation\u00a0(WHO), for\u00a0keeping\u00a0the\u00a0number\u00a0of\u00a0cases\u00a0low.\u00a0Subsequently,\u00a0when\u00a0we\u00a0laxed\u00a0the\u00a0active\u00a0cases\u00a0began\u00a0to\u00a0rise\u00a0again.\u00a0The\u00a0rush\u00a0to\u00a0get\u00a0the\u00a0economy\u00a0back\u00a0on\u00a0its\u00a0feet\u00a0exasperated\u00a0the\u00a0WHO\u2019s\u00a0warnings\u00a0to\u00a0countries\u00a0not\u00a0to\u00a0let\u00a0go of\u00a0their\u00a0controls.\u00a0 What\u00a0happened?\u00a0Our\u00a0country\u00a0had\u00a0responded\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0demands\u00a0of\u00a0entrepeneurs,\u00a0people\u00a0in\u00a0business\u00a0and\u00a0hoteliers,\u00a0thereby\u00a0failing\u00a0to\u00a0listen\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0advice\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0health\u00a0authorities.\u00a0Consequently,\u00a0we\u00a0witnessed\u00a0a\u00a0lot\u00a0of\u00a0confusion\u00a0in\u00a0\u00a0the\u00a0way\u00a0things\u00a0were\u00a0communicated\u00a0and\u00a0discipline\u00a0quickly\u00a0fell\u00a0apart.\u00a0Cases\u00a0have\u00a0accumulated\u00a0rapidly.\u00a0 We\u00a0were\u00a0told\u00a0to\u00a0enjoy\u00a0summer.\u00a0Several\u00a0people\u00a0quickly\u00a0took\u00a0off\u00a0their\u00a0masks\u00a0and\u00a0had\u00a0fun\u00a0at\u00a0parties\u00a0and\u00a0entertainment\u00a0venues.\u00a0This\u00a0has\u00a0led\u00a0to\u00a0an\u00a0explosion\u00a0of COVID-19\u00a0cases\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0government\u00a0has\u00a0now\u00a0reacted\u00a0by\u00a0announcing\u00a0new\u00a0measures.\u00a0 This\u00a0is\u00a0not\u00a0the\u00a0way\u00a0how\u00a0to\u00a0address\u00a0the\u00a0second\u00a0wave\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0pandemic.\u00a0Government\u00a0is\u00a0being\u00a0more\u00a0reactive\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0situation\u00a0than\u00a0active\u00a0and\u00a0is\u00a0not\u00a0\u00a0taking\u00a0the\u00a0situation\u00a0seriously. The\u00a0well-being\u00a0of\u00a0workers\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0most\u00a0vulnerable\u00a0is\u00a0at\u00a0stake.\u00a0What\u00a0concrete\u00a0precautions\u00a0are\u00a0being\u00a0taken\u00a0to\u00a0keep\u00a0these\u00a0people\u00a0safe?\u00a0 In\u00a0addition,\u00a0social\u00a0distancing\u00a0must\u00a0still\u00a0be\u00a0maintained\u00a0at\u00a0all\u00a0times\u00a0and\u00a0those\u00a0who\u00a0disobey\u00a0must\u00a0be\u00a0punished.\u00a0Enforcement\u00a0must\u00a0be\u00a0strong,\u00a0serious\u00a0and\u00a0consistent\u00a0whilst\u00a0there\u00a0should\u00a0be\u00a0no\u00a0exceptions\u00a0for\u00a0violators.\u00a0Let\u00a0\u00a0us\u00a0be\u00a0mature\u00a0and\u00a0use\u00a0our\u00a0common\u00a0sense.\u00a0 Meanwhile,\u00a0Voice\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0Workers\u00a0continues\u00a0to\u00a0urge\u00a0the\u00a0government\u00a0to\u00a0do\u00a0more\u00a0to\u00a0control\u00a0the\u00a0 virus\u00a0before\u00a0it\u00a0has\u00a0fatal\u00a0effects\u00a0on\u00a0both\u00a0the\u00a0vulnerable\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0country\u2019s\u00a0economy.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":3922,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"spay_email":""},"issuem_issue":[178],"issuem_issue_categories":[7],"issuem_issue_tags":[],"translation":{"provider":"WPGlobus","version":"2.8.8","language":"en","enabled_languages":["mt","en"],"languages":{"mt":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"en":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false}}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article\/3917"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/article"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3917"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article\/3917\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3924,"href":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article\/3917\/revisions\/3924"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3922"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3917"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"issuem_issue","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/issuem_issue?post=3917"},{"taxonomy":"issuem_issue_categories","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/issuem_issue_categories?post=3917"},{"taxonomy":"issuem_issue_tags","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/issuem_issue_tags?post=3917"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}