With almost nine months into a year that is earmarked as the worst year in the 21st century, the reality is that the novel coronavirus is still in charge and people are confounded by doubts despite reassurances from governments of a recovery from the pandemic.
Most people in the world have been affected directly or indirectly with heightened uncertainty over the economy, employment, finances, relationships, and of course, physical and mental health. They are stressed, anxious, and powerless over what tomorrow may bring.
None of us know exactly how and when this pandemic will end. Many infected people are still dying and their numbers are increasing incessantly amid questions about when it will end. This is the question that is constantly asked by every individual, family, community, society and nation. Life has become volatile.
Even after three quarters of the year passed and the reason behind the breakout of the pandemic is still unknown, I think our immediate focus should be on strategies that will be a pathway to start the coming year afresh.
We should not forget the fact that despite our scientific and technological prowess and the unfathomable resources at our disposal, a virus invisible even to the naked eye has massively halted our normal life. So it should be seen as a reminder to further challenges in the future even as we keep making progress in science and research.
Health experts were quick to act on the outbreak of the coronavirus along with authorities to help stop the spread of infection and flatten the curve. Scientists who identified the virus immediately suggested physical distancing, wearing masks, and quarantine as the ways to fight the microbe in the absence of a cure or vaccine.
Against this background and amidst this global health crisis, policy makers should emphasise on the need for cutting-edge research and science education that are crucial in how we respond to future threats. Science-literate next generations could literally save us.
Science matters and we can see it in the care that our loved ones receive, in the skill of our healthcare providers, and in every aspect of our economic engines.
Policymakers in Oman are prioritizing their actions in order to be effective and efficient. The Sultanate’s long-standing investment in promotion and support for entrepreneurship and its focus on creating a tech-savvy society looks to be paying dividends during the pandemic.
The Research Council Oman set up a Covid-19 research programme with a clinical and public health scope covering areas including telemedicine, therapeutics and diagnostics, as well as environmental impacts of the virus. All funded projects are planned to be executed in the coming months, aiming to produce applied and practical results.
No doubt, we will ultimately win the fight because our experts all over the world are working overtime to find a solution. In order to better prepare for the future, we should focus on what could happen if the unexpected, like the present COVID-19 situation arises.
The COVID-19 pandemic is forcing us to reconsider our hierarchy of values. Our need to be safe and healthy is preeminent because without these things we are not able to pursue our future needs.
While our endeavor should be to promote science and technology, stay safe and healthy, take care of each other, and never stop learning!
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