CAIRO: Egyptian Minister of Health Hala Zayed announced a “corona coexistence” plan on Wednesday, which left many believing the government is not optimistic about the COVID-19 pandemic ending any time soon.
On Wednesday, the number of people in Egypt who have tested positive for COVID-19 reached 5,268, with 380 deaths.
The “coexistence” plan — which is based on following social distancing measures at all venues and re-evaluating measures every 14 days — will begin after the Eid Al-Fitr holiday that marks the end of Ramadan.
Zayed said in a statement that the plan requires the collaboration of all ministries as well as executive and monitoring bodies to set regulations and impose immediate penalties if they are not followed. The first stage of the plan includes general guidelines that must be strictly observed by individuals and corporations in a number of sectors including institutions, malls, markets, the construction industry, factories, and public transport.
However, while some retail venues will reopen, the public will be encouraged to continue using e-services and digital payments, and there will be a focus on boosting online shopping, home deliveries, and maintaining other measures to prevent the spread of the virus.
BACKGROUND
Other measures include taking the temperatures of visitors to business sites, providing an isolation room for any staff members showing symptoms of COVID-19 at work, cutting down on the number of staff present at any one time, providing hygiene supplies such as soap and tissues, continuous sanitization of surfaces using chlorine, maintaining proper natural ventilation of the area wherever possible, and minimizing the use of air conditioning.
“Prevention is the solution,” Ghada Nasr, a professor of public health, said. “It is very important in the upcoming period of coexistence to maintain social distancing, minimize gatherings and crowds, continue wearing gloves and face masks, and to wash your hands regularly.” Nasr added that it is vital to maintain general hygiene and to cover one’s face when sneezing or coughing. She also advised people to eat “immunity-boosting foods containing vitamin D” and to remain vigilant both at work and at home.
“The number of infections may go up or down,” Nasr said. “Things are totally unclear. Perhaps scientists will succeed in making a vaccine or finding treatment. However, it is very important that every person protects his own health.”
Tarek Fahmy, a professor of political science at the American University in Cairo, believes that the plan announced by the government aims at safeguarding people’s lives. He said the plan adopts precautionary measures and “a gradual exit from the exceptional situation we are currently living in” to allow some economic sectors to begin operating again.
He pointed out that other countries have also adopted plans to ease lockdown measures and reopen their economies, adding that he believes the government is handling the crisis well.
“The coronavirus crisis will continue for a while, and therefore, the global economy will suffer a crisis worse than the depression of 2008-2009,” he said, adding that countries will gradually reopen their economies while maintaining preventive measures.
“(Egypt has) announced a preemptive corona coexistence plan in line with an international vision while adhering to the instructions of the World Health Organization. Hence, Egypt is maintaining its safety and taking precautionary measures while re-opening some sectors that are vital to its economy,” he said.
Magda Mustafa, a sociology expert, told Arab News that while some have had a “social shock” due to social distancing, many people have not been greatly affected by the crisis in the first place.
“Therefore, they will not have any social burdens during the coexistence stage,” Mustafa said, adding that “getting over this issue will take some time.”
