World must unite to overcome this virus

I WRITE to ask you to publish this letter, which appeals to the whole of humanity and the world’s political leaders to unite to fight the Covid-19 war. We need to fight this viral war unilaterally for the betterment of the human race.

All the mechanisms of the world’s political and economic systems now need to be allied and mobilised to put pay to this awful contagion.

Unfortunately, the mortality rate from this sinister infection is currently 4% of confirmed infected cases. All known sources tell us that 80% of those infected will get a flu, or cold, and make a full recovery. Children also fare very well.

We universally need to observe precautionary measures; hand-washing and social distancing — both measures are not options — need to become part of all of our daily observances.

Together, we can sanitise the world of the wickedness of the viral pandemic that is Covid-19 and, eventually, when a vaccine is developed, eradicate the contagion.

Industry needs to refocus and retool to produce personal protective equipment — the new armour of war in our time.

Universities need to refocus their research and development activities to find a vaccine and a range of other treatments to tackle and eradicate Covid-19.

At this time, all of humanity who can needs to step up and action the call of the assassinated American President John F Kennedy: “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country, community and world.”

In the eye of this storm, we must take comfort from Kennedy’s suggestion that “the one, unchangeable certainty is that nothing is unchangeable or certain”.

Together, we will overcome the plague that is Covid-19. We will weather this horrifying infectious tsunami, which we will eventually exterminate — but only if we accept the unerring wisdom and hope of Kennedy’s suggestion that: “No problem of human destiny is beyond human beings.”

PAUL HORAN

Assistant Professor School of Nursing & Midwifery Trinity College Dublin