The Ministry of Health in Rwanda has put in place strong measures to counter the global pandemic and these are important to follow.

I want to add a perspective from the outside, living in Sweden closer to the epicenter and with over 1000 confirmed infected.

The disease caused by the new coronavirus is called COVID19 and we are learning more about it every day.

Some important lessons should be highlighted now that Rwanda begins to tackle this virus.

Because the virus is new, no one is protected by prior infections, we have no vaccine yet, and we have no effective treatments yet. All we can do at the moment is limit the spread, protect the most vulnerable people and support our health care workers tackling the pandemic at the frontline.

The most important observation from countries where large scale testing and monitoring has been performed is that the vast majority of people become infected and experience only a very mild disease such as a few days of fever and cough.

Some even do not notice any symptoms at all. So why is everyone so worried about this disease? And why are we working so hard to limit the spread of the disease? The explanation is twofold.

First, elderly people and individuals with underlying conditions such as cancer, lung disease, and cardiovascular disease are at high risk of developing very severe pneumonia and even dying from the conditions.

Second, the sheer number of infected people will likely be very high before the disease stops spreading.

This poses a major risk of overwhelming the capabilities of our health care systems, leading to additional deaths from normally treatable diseases such as accidents, heart attacks, and complicated deliveries.

This risk is particularly great in countries where the number of doctors is small and critical equipment like ventilators and intensive care is scarce.

So, what can, and should we do? Is there something for the general population to do in order to limit the impact of this disease? Absolutely.

First, we must limit the speed of the spread by adhering to the government’s strict measures to limit gatherings of people. We must wash our hands carefully and most importantly stay at home and isolate ourselves if we experience any symptoms of infection, even if very mild.

If you feel a slight cold, stuffed nose, headache or cough, do not think "I am well enough to go out today,” you should instead think, "I am well, but if I do not stay at home, I will risk transmitting a virus to someone much more susceptible than me, I should, therefore, stay at home.”

Infected elderly individuals can have a mortality rate of up to 20% even with the most advanced intensive care, and much higher without it.

That means thousands of frail and elderly Rwandans will die if this virus spreads freely and we do not all act in solidarity and do everything we can to limit its spread.

Social distancing is key. Do not visit your grandparents or other elderly if you have any signs of disease, even if mild and you feel fine.

In Sweden, many elders live in nursing homes that are now closed off from visitors and staff at these homes are carefully tested for infection before being allowed to work.

In Rwanda, however, most elderly live in communities and with families. The challenge of social distancing is obviously greater, but everyone must take every possible measure to try and separate anyone with symptoms from the elderly family members this time.

Another important risk group is health care workers. Their exceptional dedication to helping the infected puts them in danger of getting severe disease and several doctors and nurses in other countries have perished from the virus already.

If you have slight cold, mild fever and cough, but you are not severely ill and you are young, do not seek medical care. My mother and other people in our communities have a habit of running to their local clinic as soon as any illness hits, big or small.

Unnecessary visits to clinics and hospitals can potentially overwhelm our health care workers who need to focus on the most serious illnesses.

We all need to act in solidarity with health care workers working with the severely ill COVID19-cases. We should also not contribute to further spread of the virus.

If you are not severely ill with difficulties breathing or other severe symptoms, please stay away from the doctor during this epidemic.

The health care system is at risk of collapse if everyone at the same time seeks care. Doctors and nurses must now be able to focus on the elderly and people with underlying conditions who will become severely ill if infected.

As Rwandans, we have overcome massive challenges in the past. This is another time when we must show solidarity.

Do your part: practice social distance; stay at home if you have any symptoms of cough, fever or similar; stay home for 2 days after your symptoms are over; do not visit your elderly family members if you or your children have any symptoms of disease, and do not seek medical care unless you are so severely ill that you need urgent care.

Only by solidarity of the vulnerable and the health care workers will we be able to limit the impact of this new virus. Young people need not care for themselves, you will most likely experience a mild disease and be well after a few days of flu-like illness.

But you need to act responsibly not to pass the virus on to someone much more sensitive than yourself. Kindness is to care for those around you, and kindness and consideration towards those more vulnerable than yourself can defeat this virus.

The writer is a Rwandan living in Sweden. She is also a co-founder of LittleHills.org.