Despite COVID, transparency and integrity are needed

While we are all waiting for decisive steps into a more normal future, I have a strong feeling that in the process to achieve this, transparency, ethics and integrity have flown out of the window.

There is a clear need to get face masks, surgical marks, surgical gloves, surgical caps, PPE sets, test kits and much needed medical equipment for healthcare institutions, for government units, and for the private sector getting ready to re-start business.They need to test their returning employees.

There is plenty news about donations of that from many countries and from private companies. Government hasallegedly placed orders and has plenty money to buy more.

But is there any information what has arrived, where did it go, what is on the way, how much is still needed? Who is planning all this and manages the supply chain and fair distribution?Antibodies testing is good, but where do we get the equipment?Japanese medicine testing in the Philippines – when?Under what rules?

Back to basics! There are two realistic paths to achieving a more normal life:

* One is “population-level immunity.” Two types of tests matter here: one that detects the presence of the virus itself, and one that detects the antibodies that people develop when they’re immune to it.

* The other is the development of a vaccine. Pharma companies are coming up with vaccines (there are at least 21 companies in the world working on coronavirus treatments or vaccines).A vaccine for COVID-19 may be available by September, according to Oxford University scientists who are developing the vaccine.A report in The Times of Israel said the scientists are expected to commence human trials next week for a coronavirus vaccine. A total of 510 people between the ages of 18 and 55 have been recruited to take part in the trial.

And when the vaccines or other treatmentsare available, normal life will resume, but not immediately. The logistics of vaccinating millions of people is no mean feat. And assuming that the vaccine doesn’t all arrive in one big batch, some sort of system would need to be in place for determining who gets the first doses: the people most vulnerable to the disease? Health-care workers? Or political and private VIPs?

In conclusion,businesses that want to get going again need predictability,and the predictability has to be based on transparency, ethics and integrity. It’s too bad that there are no indications that on May 4 business can move.

Additionally, the new beginning in the Philippines must work on its first attempt: a renewed shutdown would have unforeseeable consequences for the country. Proper planning and then decisive implementation are essential. At the moment, only outlines can be seen from a plan how to restart the economy. We need to see a concrete plan, ideally developed with the private sector.

I am interested in your feedback; contact me at [email protected]