Pfizer’s Meme is an award-winning weekly newsletter that explores the lessons
we can learn from the pandemic and the world’s reaction to it. To get the
newsletter, you can subscribe here.
Every Saturday, we’ll dig deep into the
lessons of Covid and the world’s response to it, guided by the wisdom of a
range of global experts.
Lessons From The Epicentre
Pfizer’s Global Covid Response team will use this newsletter to share their
findings and analysis, as well as insights and best practices from around the
world. We’ll also hear from some of the experts who are helping to shape
international guidelines and responses to the pandemic.
No one can accurately predict how the pandemic will play out. But one thing
is for certain: we will come out of it stronger and more determined to protect
ourselves and our families. This is going to take a lot of hard work from all
of us, and it begins with a renewed commitment to research and education.
Lessons From The World’s Reaction
It’s been just over a year since the world first heard of Covid, and already
we’ve learned a great deal about how this pandemic will be remembered. These are
the three most important and insightful lessons we’ve learned so far.
- It’s All About Trust
- It Starts At The Top
- It Affects Everyone
Lessons From The First Month
It’s been just over a month since the first cases of Covid were reported,
and already we have a clear idea of how this pandemic is going to change the way
we live. Here are some of the key takeaways.
- It’s The Economy, Stupid
- There Are No Shortcuts
- Stay At Home
- Reverse Fractionation
- Social Distancing
Let’s take a quick trip back in time to March 17, 2020, when the first case
of Covid was reported in the U.S.A. Up until that point, almost no one knew
very much about Covid. But once that news broke, people started scrambling to
learn more about this mysterious new virus. That’s when the world learned that
Covid is extremely contagious, and that there was essentially no vaccine or
preventive treatment available.
In the days and weeks that followed, the U.S. experienced an unprecedented
amount of fear and anxiety. In fact, a nationwide survey conducted April 22-24,
2020 found that 41% of Americans said they were very likely to get sick from
Covid, while 29% said they were likely to get the virus. Similarly, a nationwide
survey conducted March 19-27, 2020, found that 56% of Americans were very
uncomfortable around people with Covid in close proximity, while just 12% were
very comfortable with that.
In the months since, the world has changed in many ways. For one, we’ve
learned a great deal about Covid. We know now that it’s highly contagious and
can live in feces for several days, among other body fluids. So if you think
you’ve seen or done something that put you at risk for Covid, you can rest
assured that you’re not alone in thinking that. This is also why it’s so
important to protect yourself and your family members by staying at home and
only going out for essentials.
Lessons From The Global Community
Around the world, we’ve witnessed some absolutely amazing things,
humanitarian efforts that would’ve been unthinkable just a few months ago.
In Italy, where the pandemic began, and in many other parts of Europe,
citizens have gotten up and started living their lives again. Museums and
galleries have reopened, restaurants and cafes have popped up, and people are
once more going to work. In short, life in Europe has essentially returned to
normal.
In the U.S., life is slowly beginning to normalize as well, with some
restrictions, of course. Tourists are once more able to travel, and the
economy is slowly gaining ground after a terrifying start.
Other countries, however, remain in lockdown, with very few exceptions.
Cases are continuing to rise in places like China, where the number of cases has
passed the epidemic stage and into the thousands. South Korea, the world’s
third-largest economy, reported 15,600 new cases on April 23, and just one
day later, that figure jumped to 28,800. More than 85,000 people in that
country have now tested positive for Covid.
Here’s a look at some of the remarkable things that have happened around the
world since the pandemic began.
Spain
The Spanish government under Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has made
health a priority, establishing special hospitals and installing thousands of
masks. According to several media reports, some health care workers have
preferred to leave their jobs rather than wear masks, arguing that they’ll deal
with Covid patients later in life anyway. This, despite the fact that most
people who get sick from Covid don’t need medical assistance beyond what’s
available in most communities.
Sanchez has also taken the lead in pushing for social isolation measures,
including closing schools and non-essential businesses, limiting travel, and
enforcing hygiene practices. Though these measures have disrupted daily life,
they’ve helped to contain the pandemic in Spain and prevented it from becoming
worse. According to statistics from the Spanish government, there were just 5,600
reported cases of Covid in the country as of April 23, 2020, and just 64 deaths,
all of which occurred in a single hospital in Madrid.
United Kingdom
In the U.K., Prime Minister Boris Johnson has taken a more cautious
approach, initially advising citizens to remain indoors except when necessary.
Just days after the U.K. reported its first case of Covid on March 13, 2020,
Johnson ordered the closure of all schools, followed by the extension of
lockdown three weeks later. On April 5, he extended the lockdown another
fourteen days, until April 24.
Meanwhile, the economy has taken a devastating hit, with unemployment
jumping from 2.9% to 13.8% in the space of just four weeks. Over 50,000
voids, or jobs, have been lost. But Johnson has vowed to protect jobs,
keeping workplaces open with strict measures, including mandating employee
testing and vaccinations. Though several industries have been hard hit, the
U.K.’s automotive, pharmaceutical, and hi-tech sectors have seen massive
losses. Johnson has also committed to spending over £50 million on research
into a vaccine. Several promising vaccine candidates are currently being
tested.
France
The government in Paris has taken a more liberal approach, initially
ordering a total lockdown and banning indoor gatherings of over two people. But
that hasn’t dented the enthusiasm of the French people, who have shown remarkable
resolve in battling the pandemic. According to a recent survey by France’s
Institut Mines La Rochelle, just over half of the respondents were worried
about getting sick from Covid. But only 16% were worried about running out of
essential supplies, while 37% were concerned about not having enough time for
family and friends.
The French have also adopted numerous new rules and regulations to combat
Covid, including banning commercial deliveries and restricting restaurants,
bars, and cafes to takeaway meals only.
Canada
The provincial government in Ontario, Canada’s largest province,
has taken a similar approach, announcing the closure of non-essential services,
including gyms, nightclubs, and casinos, and limiting businesses to only those
essential to keeping food on the tables of Ontario families. Like the
French, the Canadians have also locked down a significant portion of their
country. According to government statistics, there were just 1,100 cases of
Covid in the country as of April 23, and no deaths. But the numbers are
undoubtedly much higher thanks in part to the country’s relatively small
population.