One of the greatest shocks about the Coronavirus isn’t that the virus has spread globally, its that in the age of globalization and world institutions there was no global effort in place to combat a pandemic.
Every Nation for Itself
All previous threats reported by the CDC governments and were able to successfully be contained such as SARS and Ebola. We assumed the system for preventing virus’s from spreading globally was air tight. On the contrary, the world’s nation’s like the Titanic came apart at the cracks. The Globe like a sinking ship screamed,” every nation for itself.”
Borders Close-Protectionist Measures
US President Donald Trump initially infuriated EU leaders when he stopped all flights to Europe. While initially the UK was excluded soon after the UK was added to the United State’s list. The very next day EU Commission President announced that no medical supplies would be exported beyond EU borders without agreement of all of the member governments. One by one EU nation’s closed borders and also stopped flights. The EU known for open borders would now support their closure. Similarly, the EU’s open trade policy would take protectionist measures for EU company’s that produced medical supplies.
COVID-19 Halts Global Economy
Then came the reactions in the financial markets. COVID-19 sank them overnight. The Federal Reserve dropped the US interest rates to near 0. Christine Lagarde of the ECB followed the US’s remedy with the euro’s brand of quantitative easing. The global economy came to a literal stop as all flights were grounded. Businesses closed and people were advised to stay in their homes. The US is now preparing to send checks to every American earning under 65K so that they can meet their bills. With all of these closures and measures, the world markets entered a time of “the unknown.” Nothing is certain and no one knows what to expect. Moreover, overnight the world plunged into recession; one, which looks like the crash of 1929.
The World’s Nations React
Meanwhile, while the US enacted various measures, US gun and ammunition sales surged as people prepare for possible food shortages and the resulting increased crime. Italians were maintaining their spirits by singing from their balcony’s. Russia closed its border with Europe. .Vladimir Putin increased the pay of all medical workers working to combat the virus. In addition, Russia’s scientists joined the Japanese in working on test kits and a vaccine. The EU Commission pulled out all of its tools and enacted the IPCS Integrated Political Crisis Response to coordinate the member country’s efforts in combatting the spread of COVID-19.
Italy’s Images Shake the World
The BBC’s images of the military transporting coffins as Italy’s death toll spiked 500 in one day riveted the viewer. An official testified that if there were more cases in the Lombardy region they would not be able to treat them. This was in addition to doctors reporting in earlier days of the crisis that they had to chose who would get treatment. The Italians set up beds in warehouses to even treat the sick. The EU was now the epicenter of the virus. Italy’s deaths would top China’s with over 3400.
Global Mud Slinging Vs. Protocol
It became evident that when dealing with COVID-19 it was every nation for itself. There was little to no coordination with other nations. Instead we witnessed tensions between the US and China. China and Iran accused the US of deliberately forming the virus and using it as a weapon of war. The EU charged Russia with using the Coronavirus to fuel fears in the West by planting disinformation. In addition, the implication, which surfaced that Donald Trump was trying to team with a German company and get the company to move to the US to make a Coronavirus vaccine for profit.
COVID-19 Tests and Vaccines-New Quest For Superpowers
There also entered on the world scene a new contest for the world’s empires. The race to 6G and other new technologies is temporarily kicked aside for the relay to which company and nation produces a COVID-19 vaccine. In addition to also developing the most efficient COVID 19 test.
COVID-19 Bomb Unravels World
With no global coordination on the virus. The US and EU instead followed the lead of the countries such as China Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan whose policies eventually contained the spread of COVID-19.
COVID-19 not only showed all of the cracks of the globalized world to surface, it unraveled it.. No one yet knows the effects to the world markets because of the fallout of the COVID-19 bomb. This should never happen again!
A Global Pandemic Protocol
There needs to be a type of G-7 or G-20, that will also coordinate with the CDC and WHO to establish a Global Pandemic Protocol. It would be best if this “G” meeting stood out on its own from G-7, G-8 or G-20, with a particular set and number of nations devoted solely to this purpose. The decisions that are agreed to must be signed in a declaration and put in place.
A Global Agreement will Safeguard Markets
If this protocol was in place, and lets say it mandated a five or seven day shut down of business and airlines and of borders globally, the markets will know what to expect and will not sink from uncertainty. Nations will not have to be writing checks to their citizens. Instead under the protocol they can take those days as sick days. Nor would they need to nationalize the rail and airline company’s. They will eliminate the global economic fallout.
The Protocol Will Prevent the Spread of Pandemics
As part of the protocol access to supplies would already be in place as well as extra funding. A fund can be built up in various ways. Such as via a tax of profits from vaccines or from medical company’s. But, with an effective set of directives in place it should not get this far. The protocol would be global in scope but will be based on the findings of what contributed to the spread and abatement of COVID-19. If a virus emerges in one nation and two countries are at threat level, travel can shut down to those two countries alone without shutting down worldwide. There can be various steps taken. These will result from the finding of the nation’s which coordinate their efforts.
Pandemics are Certain
In an age of mutating and resistant viruses along with increased temperatures, global pandemics are a certainty. Not to mention the eroding ecosystem’s contribution to the formation of viruses. Moreover in an interconnected world these viruses as we are witnessing with COVID-19 can spread rapidly.
COVID-19 an Invisible Global Enemy
COVID-19 doesn’t care what country you live in, if you are rich or poor, young, old, famous or unknown, a politician, prime minister,, prince, princess, a star athlete, a refuge, a migrant, or homeless person, it infects with no prejudice or respect of persons. Neither will the next virus. In conclusion, the leaders of the world must take the information learned from COVID-19 and put their differences aside and establish a Global Pandemic Protocol.
