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Global health expert Alanna Shaikh talks about the current status of the 2019 coronavirus outbreak and what this can teach us about the epidemics yet to come.
Alanna Shaikh is a global health consultant and executive coach who specializes in individual, organizational and systemic resilience. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University and a master’s degree in public health from Boston University. She has lived in seven countries and it the author of What’s Killing Us: A Practical Guide to Understanding Our Biggest Global Health Problems. Recent article publications include an article on global health security in Britain’s Daily Telegraph newspaper and an essay in the Annual Review of Comparative and International Education.
What measures do we need to take to slow the spread of COVID-19?
The recent outbreak of the coronavirus disease, or COVID-19, has sent shockwaves through the global community. With over 3 million cases and hundreds of thousands of deaths reported worldwide, people are understandably anxious about what the future holds.
In a TED Talk given in early March, global health expert and TED Fellow Alanna Shaikh spoke about the coronavirus and its potential long-term impact on our society. She argued that, rather than hoping for a return to the way things were, we need to accept that the coronavirus is our future.
Shaikh began by discussing the history of pandemics and their impact on society. From the bubonic plague of the 14th century to the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918-1919, she noted that pandemics have had a profound effect on human life and civilization.
She then turned her attention to COVID-19, outlining some of the ways in which this pandemic is unique. Unlike previous pandemics, COVID-19 is highly contagious and can be spread even by people who are asymptomatic. It also has a relatively long incubation period, which means that people can unknowingly spread the virus for days before experiencing symptoms.
Shaikh emphasized that, because the virus is so contagious, we need to take drastic measures to slow its spread. This includes social distancing, wearing masks, and washing our hands frequently. But even with these precautions, it is impossible to completely eradicate the virus.
As a result, Shaikh argued that we need to prepare for a future in which COVID-19 is a part of our lives. She noted that this will require a massive shift in our mindset and behavior. We will need to accept that large gatherings, such as concerts and sporting events, may not be safe for years to come. We will need to develop new technologies to facilitate virtual communication and collaboration. And we will need to invest more heavily in public health and healthcare infrastructure.
Shaikh’s talk was prescient, as events over the last several months have shown. COVID-19 continues to spread around the world, and it is increasingly clear that there is no quick fix or easy solution. Some countries have been able to flatten the curve through aggressive testing, contact tracing, and quarantine measures, but even these countries are far from eradicating the virus.
The coronavirus is our future. As Shaikh argued, we need to accept this reality and start preparing for it now. This will require a collective effort, with individuals, businesses, and governments all working together to find new ways of living and working that are safe and sustainable in the age of COVID-19. But with the right mindset and approach, we can navigate this new future and emerge stronger and more resilient than ever before.
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