I beg all readers in Colombia to help prevent the collapse of healthcare and general chaos by staying at home as much as you can.
With the collapse of hospitals in the capital Bogota, Colombia is now confronting the COVID-19 pandemic’s worst case scenario.
The cascade effects of a collapse of the healthcare system, which can also be expected in other cities, are incalculable and must not be underestimated.
The available statistics are on average 10 days old and the health authorities’ limited testing capacity causes the real number of infections to be multiple times higher than the official statistics.
Because approximately 80% of the people who are infected suffer no symptoms, contagion is incredibly easy, which is not only threatening healthcare, but also law enforcement.
Weeks before Bogota was deprived of healthcare, Mayor Claudia Lopez already said that 20% of the city’s police department were either infected or quarantined.
Beyond whatever stay at home orders are in place where you live, it is of extreme importance to be responsible, stay at home as much as you can and help others to stay at home as much as they can.
You don’t want to be the person who inadvertently contributes to the collapse of healthcare or the decimation of law enforcement capabilities.
I know that home confinement is driving you crazy — it is driving me crazy too — but remember that the collapse of the healthcare system means that people will die from preventable deaths.
The police will have their hands full with anti-social people trying to take advantage of the crisis and they depend on your self-discipline to be able to maintain order.
Going for a walk can’t harm anyone as long as you avoid crowded areas. Maintaining a steady routine, such as doing basic chores at home, for example, help you maintain stability in your life, according to psychologists.
Most importantly, don’t hesitate to call your family or friends if you feel lonely, depressed or are suffering from anxiety. You may be alone at home, but you’re not the only one.
All pestilences in history have had devastating effects, and so will this one. We humans, however, have survived all of them, and we have rebounded every time.
The coming three months may be the hardest three months in our lives, but they will pass just like hundreds of other epidemics and plagues have passed.