Coronavirus in Pakistan: US-based scholar suggests measures to curb spread

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A man stands with a cleaning kit as he offers hand wash to passengers following an outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), at a railway station in Peshawar, Pakistan March 17, 2020. Photo: Reuters

Pakistani-American economist Dr Atif Mian has suggested several important measures that Pakistan can take in order to contain the coronavirus epidemic as the number of cases continues to surge.

In a series of tweets on Saturday, the economist advised authorities to take bold steps if they want to save people from the pandemic.

“Pakistan is on an explosive coronavirus trajectory and needs to take immediate, bold and clear-headed steps to protect its people and the economy,” he warned.

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Here are the five steps that Pakistan should take immediately, according to the economist:

1. National lockdown. Shut down all non-essential activities, and gatherings of all sorts (social or otherwise) to minimize contagion. This is an emergency. 

“This act will buy you essential time to build critical capacities and plan ahead,” Mian explains.

2. Build testing and relevant health care capacity on war footing. Train health workers for contact-tracing, re-purpose buildings for recovery wards etc. Bring all resources to bear on this. 

“It is testing [of the disease] and certainty of safety that will allow the country to return to normalcy,” he said.

3. Essential supply chains must keep flowing. Food, medicine, logistics etc should not be in short supply. Use the military to help out, Mian says.

4. Massively expand social protection programs (like BISP). Get the private sector and NGOs involved in protecting the most vulnerable to help. This should be a national call, Mian urges. 

5. Now you have breathing space of a few weeks. Continuous testing and contact-tracing can tell us when and where we can start easing up to bring the economy towards normalcy.

"This will be a test of will and competence. Thousands, perhaps millions, of lives depend on it," he has warned.

Read also: Sindh reports 15 more coronavirus cases, nation-wide tally rises to 519

The number of confirmed cases in Pakistan rose to 519 on Saturday after Sindh reported 15 more cases in the province.