COVID-19 is truly a pandemic in the real sense. When it first broke out in China, it was immediately labelled “a Chinese virus”, but it did not take it long for it to prove the world wrong. China put in place strict and stern measures, especially in Wuhan, the initial epicentre where people were dropping like flies. When the virus started crossing borders pretty fast, most countries ignored it, downplayed it and simply dismissed it. Last week it broke the one-million barrier and Spain overtook Italy, the US and China for most deaths. The World Health Organization (WHO) is now under attack from the very people who first opposed the preventive measures it suggested. Today, New York City is paying the ultimate price with close to 150,000 infections. This virus can only be defeated with concerted efforts by all countries as suggested by many African Heads of State who swiftly came to WHO’s rescue, not playing blame-games for political mileage. Countries with the financial clout were quick to write cheques, not in support of finding a cure, but propping up their industries. Big business saw an opportunity to cash in. The manufacturing giant General Motors announced it would manufacture 30,000 ventilators for $500 million. While many were waiting to board the gravy train, one man, Chinese philanthropist Jack Ma, singlehandedly came to the world’s rescue. He put his money where his mouth is and now other individuals are also pitching in and making a difference. Fighting the Coronavirus is not for the faint-hearted and it is not done on social media; it needs to get many united and multiracial hands dirty.
