Imagine we are in March 2020 and the Coronavirus pandemic is continuously growing up worldwide. This is some news taken from a newspaper which covered the news in that month. Read the article about the way Coronavirus changed everybody’s lives.
There are new disease breakouts every year and some of them have not affected the entire world, but some others have. An example is the COVID-19 which became a pandemic in 2019. People around the world have changed their routines completely. They usually go to concerts or attend family gatherings. The following text shows news and preventive measures people are asked to follow.
What are people doing to prevent COVID-19? Look at the news and find out how people around the world are preventing this new virus. Do you think they are safe by taking these measures? Can you distinguish how people’s habits changed?
World news
NEW DISEASES COMING UP
(adapted from: https://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/coronavirus.html )
The coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic is the defining global health crisis of our time and the greatest challenge we have faced since World War Two. Since its emergence in Asia late last year, the virus has spread to every continent except Antarctica. Cases are rising daily in Africa, America, and Europe. Countries are racing to slow the spread of the virus by testing and treating patients, carrying out contact tracing, limiting travel, quarantining citizens, and cancelling large gatherings such as sporting events, concerts, and schools.
The pandemic is moving like a wave—one that may yet crash on those least able to cope. But COVID-19 is much more than a health crisis. By stressing every one of the countries it touches, it has the potential to create devastating social, economic and political crises that will leave deep scars.
Some visible preventive measures around the world are:
- People are staying indoors.
- Shops, theaters, restaurants and bars are closing.
- People are practicing social distance during work-related activities.
- People are suspending appearances at mass gatherings and civic group activities.
- People are increasing daily cleaning and disinfectant regimens in all inmate living areas, common areas and offices.
- Doctors and nurses are wearing protection equipment (disposable N-95 Masks or disposable Surgical Masks and Disposable Nitrile Gloves) and hospitals are stocking up on disinfectant wipes and hand sanitizer.
- Supermarkets are allowing only one person to get groceries and personal products.
Every day, people are losing jobs and income, with no way of knowing when normality will return. Small island nations, heavily dependent on tourism, have empty hotels and deserted beaches. The International Labour Organization estimates that 25 million jobs could be lost.
How does your life change in a situation like this?