Vesetalü Tetseo
PhD, Systematic Theology, South Korea
The COVID-19 pandemic is ravaging the whole world today with a total case of 173,367,123 so far. Out of these cases, 156,138,472 recovered/discharged, 3,728,881 reported deaths, and 13,499,833are still active cases (5June 2021). The World health organization reported as of 1 June 2021, a total of 1,638,006,899 vaccine doses have been administered. Unfortunately, India has the second-highest rate now at 28, 574, 350 confirmed COVID-19 cases, only next to the USA which has 32,979, 307 cases (WHO, 4thJune 2021 reports). Sadly, the Second Wave hit Nagaland more severely than the First Wave. More so, it has come to our door in rural areas too. This means the situation is going out of control and ushered in the needed time to come together and act now.
1. South Korea Response: South Korea reported the first confirmed case of COVID-19 on 20th January 2021. Currently, it has 143,596 confirmed cases, with 1971 people dead, mostly elderly patients with underlying illnesses. A total of 7862 is isolated for quarantine, while 133,763 have been released, after fully recovering from the Novel Coronavirus, said the Korea Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (5thJune 2021). The Korean Government acted very quickly to the pandemic and implemented a policy to contain the virus by adapting to an online community and various rules of social distancing.There was no total lockdown rather, a series tier of social distancing rules in the community is implemented.This is called the Step-by-step standards for distancing and quarantine measures: Level -1, Level-1.5, Level-2, Level 2-5, and Level 3. Every level differs concerning working, educational institutions, business, community lives, and religious activities.At present, Seoul City is under Level 2-5.The following are some of the policies:
1.1. Wearing of mask mandatory: We cannot go anywhere without wearing a mask,and check our temperature before entering the church, school, shop, restaurant, etc.Keeping the records of visitor’s contact is mandatory. Besides ventilating and disinfecting, and maintaining a distance between workers in a high-risk area is mandatory.
1.2. Restriction on public gathering: Gathering of more than four people in public places are ban, 1/3 of the employees work from home, religious activities like church opens with 20 members, and different business entity, companies, and educational institution abide by restriction to opening and closing hours besides following the working policy imposed by the government.
1.3. Contact tracing is mandatory: This means once a person is identified as active with the COVID-19, everyone who has come to his/her contact within 14 days is compulsory to take the COVID-19 test and they must be in self-isolation or home quarantine for 14 days although they tested negative. Business/ school/ churches/companies are closed when any active cases are identified until the contact tracing and necessary precautions are completed.
1.4. Adopt extensive community tests through different low contact testing centers, containers, and tents: 1. Drive-thru testing, 2. Set-ups of COVID-19 test centers, containers and tents in many different places so that the public can access easily in their neighborhood, 3. The people are guided to the centers through mobile applications, confirmed cases on digital maps, and tracking the health and movement of the travelers.
1.5. A strict policy on quarantine and self-isolation: Every active individual has to stay in the quarantine centers. The government imposed strict restrictions on the facilities, diets, and monitor their movement and temperatures daily. Their contacts who tested negative are also imposed self-isolation at home, monitored closely, and report to the district office or centers after the quarantine period.
1.6. Provided funds, schemes for working family, business, and students affected due to the pandemic
1.7. Starts vaccination on 23 February 2021. Aims a herd immunity by November 2021.
'Herd immunity', also known as 'population immunity', is the indirect protection from an infectious disease that happens when a population is immune either through vaccination or immunity developed through previous infection. To safely achieve herd immunity against COVID-19, a substantial proportion of a population would need to be vaccinated, lowering the overall amount of virus able to spread in the whole population. One of the aims with working towards herd immunity is to keep vulnerable groups who cannot get vaccinated (e.g., due to health conditions like allergic reactions to the vaccine or other health complications) safe and protected from the disease/virus (WHO, 2021).Although, there are still ongoing active cases with the fear of the third wave looming besides other challenges, the Koreans are doing a fine job handling the pandemic.
2. Application to the Naga Community Context
2.1. Mandatory rules of wearing masks, maintaining social distancing, washing hands, and hand sanitizing be implemented strictly: Our community is not digitalized like the Korean so the temperature check may not be possible everywhere.
2.2. Restriction on public gathering: Besides lockdown and sealing of houses, there should be a strict restriction of public gatherings, business structures, working environment, and social gatherings.For shift contact tracing, there must be a record of every visitor in all office, church, and business establishments during or after lockdown until the virus is contained in the community.
2.3. Make contact tracing mandatory to contain the virus in the community: Organize more awareness programs to take away any stigma for the COVID-19 patient. Contact tracing is necessary at this point to contain the spread of the virus. Contact tracing must include family, friends, neighbors, and the church community. Even if they tested negative, they must maintain self-isolation for 7-14 days to curb the virus flow.
2.4. Adopt Extensive community test through different low contact testing centers: Make testing centers beside hospital more accessible to the whole community in a different place instead of conducting random street testing.Train more volunteers for assistance with proper guidelines.
2.5. A strict policy on quarantine and self-isolation: Active cases must be provided with a well maintain quarantine center. The Naga government must provide proper facilities outside of hospitals for mild cases. Staying at home endangers more community transmission and endangers other lives too. There is a need to implement volunteers who can assist the medical experts/frontline workers here. These volunteers must be selected through strict medical test and properly trained to perform their assigned tasks. The patient after coming home must self-isolate for 7 to 14 days as per the doctor’s advice. This is a precautionary step taken by the Korean government.
2.6. Provide funds, schemes for working family, business, and students affected due to the pandemic: There are existing funds and schemes in the State as reported but in most cases that is not enough for the low-income family/daily wagers. The Government must provide more extensive schemes to recover the economy and also sustain the livelihood of the poor and needy in the community.In case of lockdown, there must be trained volunteers who can visit any household that may be in poverty in the neighborhood. Our community is accessible and we know who is who so it can be cover while maintaining social distance and proper guidelines. Starving kills more than the COVID-19 virus. The church community can step up here to be the Good Samaritan and help our neighbors and community through donations, charity works, or voluntary service in partnership with the government or as an independent organization. There can be a charity donation group in every neighborhood to meet the need of the people through trained volunteers. The church community can spearhead this mission as a home mission.
2.7. Receive the vaccination for herd immunity in the State: To receive the vaccine is your personal choice. However, the fact remains that vaccination paves the way to return to normal lives. And it also protects the vulnerable people such as the elderly people and those who cannot receive the vaccine due to their health complication. For such goal, receiving the vaccine for herd immunity is recommended to avoid the third or fourth wave and curb the second wave. Those with health complications must consult the doctor if there will be any side effects before, they take the vaccination. The reported death cases after the vaccination are mostly affecting those with prior medical history. A healthy person receiving the vaccine may be a good act toward your family or neighbors who has health complications or toward elderly citizens. Maintaining social distancing, wearing mask, staying home and taking precautions is our contribution to the society now. The COVID-19 virus is fatal and more so to vulnerable people.
I will speak in this manner as Apostle Paul talked about his freedom of eating meat offered to idol to the Corinthian Church (1 Cor.10). For the weak and sick people, I will give up my freedom to go out and meet people, and stay home.And if I go out, I will maintain social distancing and wear mask if it will save more lives. I will not let my freedom in Christ endangers the weak Christians and become a stumbling block to others (1 Cor. 10: 9-13).
May God bless our land and community!
