Apr 08, 2020 21:00:00

What should the whole society face when facing the pandemic of the new coronavirus?

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe issued an emergency declaration on April 7, 2020. As a result, in the seven prefectures of Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama, Chiba, Osaka, Hyogo, and Fukuoka, it took about one month from April 8 (Wed) to May 6 (Wed). You will be urged to refrain from unnecessary and urgent outings, and will be asked to close schools and restrict the use of large facilities.

Adam Kucharski , a mathematician and epidemiologist, explains the containment measures that society as a whole should work on to limit the spread of the new coronavirus.

How can we control the coronavirus pandemic? | Adam Kucharski-YouTube


◆ Q1: What does “containment” mean for the sudden spread of infectious diseases?

'Containment is, roughly speaking,' trying to control infected and contacted people 'and has no effect on many people. This method worked very well during the global

outbreak of SARS from 2002 to 2003. However, COVID-19 was overlooked. In some cases, they may or may not have been detected, and you may need to know the large populations that are likely to be infected, and any missing can lead to an outbreak . '

◆ Q2: If the containment is not enough, what are you waiting for next?

'In that case, it will change the social exchange of people on a large scale. All people will have less close contact with others who have the opportunity to spread the infection and reduce the spread of infection. To avoid crowds, go to restaurants, or take school breaks to reduce social contact. ''

◆ Q3: What are the risks that everyone needs to be aware of?

'For example, when shaking hands with people, you need to pay attention not only to 'shaking yourself with someone' but also to the secondary side of 'who your opponent will shake next. Although the risk of infection and the risk of becoming more severe are low, it can also make indirect contact with people who may become more severe if they develop, and we must consider society as a whole. We have to think about changing our behavior dramatically, but it is necessary to respond to the reality we are facing. ''

◆ Q4: How much distance do you need to be from other people?

'It's difficult to state the exact distance, but it's a good idea to keep it about two to three meters apart, even considering the spread of aerosols. In most cases, the new coronavirus is infected in a diet or crowded situation You should be more concerned about situations where you are close to a person because the virus hits the surface of the object and gets on your face and hands. '

◆ Q5: What protection standards should each country take?

'I think countries around the world are first gathering information about what is effective in spreading COVID-19 and its spread. We also found that strong political interventions can control social movements to reduce transmission. Since the beginning of March 2020, some of these methods are socially, economically and psychologically burdensome, and long-term containment is difficult. It's important to consider the trade-offs as to what is the most effective way to reduce that burden.