Italy and its delay phase, deaths and crisis with growing figures

Italy has a population of approximately 60,484,796 according to UN data. In latest figures, the rate of covid-19 patients cases have reached a shocking 80,589 with 8,215 deaths reported. US, now has a much higher figure which is expected to peak in next few weeks. What must be taken into consideration when comparing the figures is the size of both these countries. Italy is 301,340 sq kilometers and US is 9,826,675 sq Kilometers. Hence, U.S is approximately 32.5 times the size of Italy.

This informs us that even with all the precautionary measures that Italy may have taken in comparison to China, Iran, South Korea, it was not enough to prevent the enormous rate of spread of the disease or the high rate of deaths. The question then arises that if U.S which also has delayed taking preventative measures and is still on semi lockdown in some of its states what will the trend look like in terms of Coronavirus infection spreading and number of deaths?

What could mean more deaths in U.S and the current trend.

Currently the medical staff are being advised to re-use their masks “rather than throw them away” and sanitise their hands. First hand report from a medic in New Jersey U.S, suggests that “lately, all medical staff have been given masks to be kept in a brown paper bag. A new mask will be provided every 3 days and is to be reused after being sterilised with UV light”. Luckily, a physician had researched that UV light degrades the protective electrostatic charges on the polypropylene material of the mask.

If this idea had gone unchallenged the medic states it would have been catastrophic for the medical staff, as they would have been examining Covid-19 patients with unprotected masks. According to a study sanitising the masks reduces its efficiency, as a layer of the mask is wiped away (fig 3). U.S food and drug administration (FDA) guidelines for the common N95 respirator masks state, “it should not be shared or reused”. A nurse died in a New York hospital where workers are reduced to using trash bags as protective medical gear.

Front line staff are putting their lives at risk because the healthcare system is inadequate, lacking essential equipment and resources. Next expected crises no doubt will be shortage of staff. UK has pushed out an emergency notice calling back retired staff to its NHS hospitals to support the already exhausted medical staff; It’s not clear if U.S has taken this step.

These medical errors and glitches have become far too frequent, whilst countries in the West have had ample time for preparation, just by observing the critical situation in China, Iran, South Korea and Italy.