SUCCESS STORIES FROM SOME COUNTRIES IN COPING WITH COVID, AND PREPAREDNESS FOR FUTURE HEALTH THREATS: PRESENTATION OF FREE ONLINE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
Abstract
This article presents documents downloadable for free on the success stories from countries such as Taiwan and Vietnam, which in 2020 limited the number of victims respectively to 7 and 35, while most other countries reported disproportionately larger losses. The economic growth in these two countries also remained positive. Taiwan contained Covid thanks to timely actions taken from December 2019, including border control and quarantine of passengers arriving from Wuhan. Public education campaigns, citizen engagement with government policies, and the civic technology of this country helped to contain the disease without a lockdown. According to several documents, the intense global circulation of the virus contributed to the development of several variants, which implied a decline in both vaccine effectiveness and acquired immunity in recovered people. The article presents studies aimed at reducing the transmission of the disease, considered the best way to prevent both life losses and the development of new variants; they also include public health surveillance and international cooperation. According to the “One Health” approach, the health of humans, animals, plants and ecosystems is interdependent. An estimated 60-75% of human infectious diseases originate from animals. Several studies provide examples of the factors that facilitate the transmission of zoonotic diseases; understanding them is essential to preventing future outbreaks. Wildlife trade, with stressful transportation and close vicinity of cages where different species are kept, facilitates transmission and creation of new viruses. A document discusses the association of the MERS outbreak with changes in camel husbandry. Disease outbreaks have been associated with land use change, forest destruction, urbanisation of deforested areas, and facilitating contact between humans and dangerous viruses. Forest fragmentation may have consequences on biodiversity, resulting in increased risks for human health. Some studies deal with relations between conflicts and disease outbreaks. Some documents deal with the links between our lifestyle and immune system.
Este artículo presenta documentos descargables de forma gratuita sobre las historias de éxito de países como Taiwán y Vietnam, que en 2020 limitaron el número de víctimas a 7 y 35 respectivamente, mientras que la mayoría de los demás países registraron pérdidas desproporcionadamente mayores. El crecimiento económico de estos dos países también se mantuvo positivo. Taiwán contuvo la COVID gracias a las medidas oportunas adoptadas a partir de diciembre de 2019, entre ellas el control de fronteras y la cuarentena de los pasajeros procedentes de Wuhan. Las campañas de educación pública, la participación ciudadana en las políticas gubernamentales y la tecnología cívica de este país contribuyeron a contener la enfermedad sin necesidad de imponer un confinamiento. Según varios documentos, la intensa circulación mundial del virus contribuyó al desarrollo de varias variantes, lo que implicó una disminución tanto de la eficacia de las vacunas como de la inmunidad adquirida en las personas recuperadas. El artículo presenta estudios destinados a reducir la transmisión de la enfermedad, considerada la mejor manera de prevenir tanto las pérdidas de vidas como el desarrollo de nuevas variantes; también incluyen la vigilancia de la salud pública y la cooperación internacional. Según el enfoque «One Health», la salud de los seres humanos, los animales, las plantas y los ecosistemas son interdependiente. Se estima que entre el 60 % y el 75 % de las enfermedades infecciosas humanas tienen su origen en los animales. Varios estudios proporcionan ejemplos de los factores que facilitan la transmisión de enfermedades zoonóticas; comprenderlos es esencial para prevenir futuros brotes. El comercio de animales silvestres, con el estrés que supone el transporte y la proximidad de jaulas en las que se mantienen diferentes especies, facilita la transmisión y la creación de nuevos virus. Un documento analiza la relación entre el brote de MERS y los cambios en la cría de camellos. Los brotes de enfermedades se han asociado con el cambio en el uso del suelo, la destrucción de bosques y la urbanización de zonas deforestadas, lo que facilita el contacto entre los seres humanos y virus peligrosos. La fragmentación de los bosques puede tener consecuencias para la biodiversidad, lo que aumenta los riesgos para la salud humana. Algunos estudios tratan de la relación entre los conflictos y los brotes de enfermedades. Algunos documentos tratan de los vínculos entre nuestro estilo de vida y el sistema inmunitario.
Questo articolo presenta documenti online scaricabili gratuitamente, sui successi di paesi come Taiwan e Vietnam che nel 2020 hanno limitato le vittime, rispettivamente a 7 e 35, mentre altrove le perdite sono state sproporzionatamente maggiori. La crescita economica in questi due paesi è rimasta positiva. Taiwan affrontò il Covid con azioni tempestive, ad es. controlli di frontiera e quarantena dei passeggeri in arrivo da Wuhan già dal dicembre 2019. Campagne educative, adesione dei cittadini alle iniziative governative e “tecnologia civica” hanno contribuito a contenere la malattia senza bisogno di lockdown. Secondo vari documenti, l’intensa circolazione globale del virus ha contribuito allo sviluppo di diverse varianti, riducendo sia l’efficacia dei vaccini che l’immunità acquisita con la guarigione. L’articolo presenta studi volti a limitare la trasmissione della malattia, considerato il modo migliore per prevenire perdite di vite umane e sviluppo di varianti; questi includono sorveglianza sulla salute pubblica e cooperazione internazionale. Secondo l'approccio "One Health", la salute umana, animale, vegetale ed ambientale sono interdipendenti ed il 60-75% delle malattie infettive umane ha origine dagli animali. Vari studi danno esempi sui fattori che ne facilitano la trasmissione; la loro comprensione è fondamentale per prevenire future epidemie. Il commercio di animali selvatici, con trasporti stressanti e stretta vicinanza delle gabbie in cui sono tenute specie diverse, facilita trasmissione e creazione di nuovi virus. Un documento descrive come l’epidemia di MERS è stata associata a cambiamenti nell’allevamento dei cammelli. L’insorgenza di epidemie è stata associata a cambiamenti nell’uso del territorio, includendo la distruzione delle foreste; l’urbanizzazione di aree precedentemente deforestate facilita poi il contatto tra esseri umani e virus pericolosi. Alcuni documenti studiano l’effetto della frammentazione delle foreste sulla biodiversità ed i maggiori rischi per la salute umana. Altri studi trattano la relazione tra conflitti ed epidemie. Alcuni documenti sono dedicati alle relazioni tra stile di vita e sistema immunitario.
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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejphs.v8i3.231
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