The ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is pushing the world towards a positive shift in its priorities, Hossam Abdel Maksoud, Egyptian African Businessmen’s Association (EABA) board member and medical expert, said on Saturday.
“What’s happening now is worse than what we witnessed on 11 September 2001,” he said, noting that with many questioning previous public sector budget cuts, particularly on healthcare, countries will now look to prioritise health and food security. This marks a shift away from previous large-scale investments and attention given to military issues.
The virus could affect anyone, not just the elderly or those with underlying health conditions and weak immunity, Abdel Maksoud said. He added that the severity in the spread of coronavirus is due to a lack of commitment to stay at home.
Abdel Maksoud, who is currently in coronavirus-hit New York, said that medical staff at US hospitals are either infected with coronavirus, quarantined or at home and afraid to go to work.
He stressed the need for social distancing, with exception given to those who need to work. Abdel Maksoud added, “The world will not end because you are sitting at home. It’s only temporarily for some weeks, not until the end of life.”
