Combatting COVID 19 with Compassion Series with David Nabarro,

Episode III: Building Solidarity with and within Developing Countries

And compassion will lead us home, back to a healthier more equitable global society; if we urgently now direct our attention, resources, best learned Covid19 prevention practices, and health expertise (perhaps also virtual) toward communities in developing countries with little or no local health infrastructure.

These small village communities and larger urban slums or refugee camps are the most vulnerable now to becoming infected by the corona virus— a virus which has largely spread from the developed world to the developing world seemingly overnight.

How do you “stay home” when you are homeless? Conversely, how can you sleep at night without contributing somehow to the COVID 19 fight, knowing that others who live in the dark, have — to a high quality life- the same birth right?

Let’s not forget that the poverty, hunger, conflict, and climate refugee humanitarian crises are still with us…and these people-these communities are not NOT NOW SAFE. They are the least resilient against the corona virus. And, they will be the communities to advance a second global wave of COVID 19 if we are not careful- NOW.

In my interview with Dr. David Nabarro in our continuing series: “Combatting COVID19 with Compassion” it is abundantly clear that we as a global society have a massive opportunity here to invest in the long term health of our future— to finance a complete upgrade of developing world health infrastructure, to reset our global economy trending more toward greater equality, and to create a safer society practicing better hygiene and living more nutritious, healthy lives.

Combatting COVID 19 with Compassion Series with David Nabarro

Episode II: Rigorous Solidarity is Key

Be safe. Be smart, Be kind. This mantra lies at the heart of our NEW series with Dr. David Nabarro, : Combatting COVID 19 with Compassion. Again, David now serves as a Special Envoy to COVID 19 with the World Health Organization. In this episode we focus on building solidarity locally and globally.

Now that we are in lock-down; people need to feel supported emotionally, socially, psychologically; while physically isolating. There are 5 things needed on in every community to build and sustain solidarity:

Knowledge is key, communication is key; public health resources and linking people to them is key.

Everyone can participate in the COVID 19 solution— don’t wait to be asked, figure out ways to use your skills to help, , team up, adapt to others, and serve reliably—others are depending on you. These same principles apply at a global governance level, as well. Rigorous solidarity in coordinating plans, programs, and especially sharing resources with the most vulnerable in developing countries becomes most important. Let’s listen now to what David has to say about meeting the eye of the COVID 19 storm with Compassion.

Combatting COVID 19 with Compassion Series with David Nabarro

Episode I: Special Envoy to WHO on COVID 19

Who would have thought before March 11th that our world would be turned upside down by a microscopic virus? But, today we have the COVID19 pandemic crisis well rooted in 199 countries and territories. At the time of my interview Dr. David Nabarro is the Special Envoy on COVID19 to the United Nations and former Executive Secretary to the World Health Organization. At the time of my interview with him there were 333,000 cases, less than 36 hours later the WHO reports 465,915 cases, worldwide. The pace and scale of transmission of COVID19 is extraordinary.

And , we- the citizens of the world, lie at the heart of the solution to break the chains of transmission and bend the global outbreak curve.

Clear from my interview with David is that physical distancing and sheltering in place is mission critical now for every person , everywhere.

As well, its essential to be well ad rightly informed about the virus from the world’s leading experts. Join me in learning from David about the emergence of the corona virus, the cause and casualty of transmission, what it’s going to take (and how long) to mitigate and eradicate this virus, and who we must support- the 59 million health care workers on the ground, risking their lives to take care of the sick.