COVID-19 and Healthcare System Readyness

Abstract

Since the Coronavirus outbreak, the value of good healthcare has risen dramatically. So, how prepared are you as a person to deal with healthcare issues caused by COVID-19 or some other medical condition? Who would have guessed, at the start of 2020, that these three terms would have such a significant effect on our everyday lives, not just our health? Those who saw Steven Soderbergh's medical thriller Contagion (released in 2011), on the other hand, must have seen the virus outbreak on humans [1]. COVID-19, the infectious disease, is still spreading, with nearly 62 lakh people infected as of June 3 according to WHO estimates, with a fatality rate of about 6% as nearly 3.7 lakh people have died worldwide so far. Not only can the effect be seen in people's lives, but it can also be seen in the economic fabric of nations [2].

Introduction

Since the Coronavirus outbreak, the value of good healthcare has risen dramatically. So, how prepared are you as a person to deal with healthcare issues caused by COVID-19 or some other medical condition? Who would have guessed, at the start of 2020, that these three terms would have such a significant effect on our everyday lives, not just our health? Those who saw Steven Soderbergh's medical thriller Contagion (released in 2011), on the other hand, must have seen the virus outbreak on humans [1]. COVID-19, the infectious disease, is still spreading, with nearly 62 lakh people infected as of June 3 according to WHO estimates, with a fatality rate of about 6% as nearly 3.7 lakh people have died worldwide so far. Not only can the effect be seen in people's lives, but it can also be seen in the economic fabric of nations [2]. Despite early warning signs, almost all countries failed to act quickly enough to prevent the spread of Coronavirus. Although some countries have managed to curb it, others are still dealing with it. Because of its early preparedness, Taiwan is one of the few countries that has been able to monitor the spread of Covid-19 to a large extent.However, this is not the case with many others. Governments have finally been forced to acknowledge the condition of their preparedness as a shortage of sufficient PPE packs, masks, beds, ventilators, isolation centres, and other products has become a major concern. Many countries have started to work in this direction in order to strengthen their capabilities, but only after the deadly virus has already reached their borders [3]. The best defence against a pandemic epidemic is a well-functioning healthcare system. This is true for both nations and individuals. Since the Coronavirus outbreak, the value of good healthcare has risen dramatically. So, how prepared are you as a person to deal with healthcare issues caused by COVID-19 or some other medical condition? Cost of hospitalization The cost of COVID-19 care in a hospital will vary greatly depending on where you live, the type of hospital you want, the amount of days you stay, whether you have a ventilator, and how full the ICU is. The stay could last up to 14 days or more, depending on the outcome of the tests, the completion of monitoring, and the duration of the isolation period, and the hospital bill could cost up to Rs 5 lakh or more. Aside from being a lethal virus with human-to-human transmission, the COVID-19 has had an economic effect, as economic activity has come to a halt as a result of the authorities' lockdown orders. Shops, establishments, organisations, and corporations were all shut down, and some employees were laid off. Employees who lose their jobs face another problem in addition to the loss of profits. With the loss of a career comes the loss of the employer's Group Health Insurance plan. Many workers who rely exclusively on their employer's group benefits are particularly vulnerable during these periods.

References

1. WHO Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
2. WHO reports on Covid-19. Retrieved from https://covid19.who.int/
3. WHO Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) advice for the public. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public.