Mr. Director:
From academic and political sectors, a debate has begun on the viability in our country of measures, which, without mitigating the effects of Covid-19, aim to eradicate contagion. The answer is yes, as there are countries that are close to achieving Covid-free scenarios. Attempting to eradicate it is an ethical duty as the pandemic, with all its sleing of pain, death and economic damage, could continue to harm for much longer, due to the slow vaccination in many countries and the emergence of new variants. Given the enormous personal, family and social impact that the pandemic is and will continue to generate, it is key to develop conditions that shorten this situation. The strategy for this is known and only possible if all actors, government, politicians, entrepreneurs and citizens agree to act decisively and together in various areas simultaneously and interdependently, overlapping synergistic measures – using the recent example of Public Space – as “the holes of a Swiss cheese”. The main ones are: sufficient and timely measures of economic and social protection, which, in ensuring sustensure, avoid displacement and give effect to quarantines; have rapid testing and achieve maximum levels of traceability and early isolation; support primary care, local proposals and community involvement, which contribute to communicating risk and developing practices with a sense of common good; maintain strict health control of our borders; and promote vaccination in our country and universal access to them in all countries. Only in this way, as has been pointed out, “can we honor those who have passed away, thank those who have been on the front line, and regain our emotional, physical, family and work peace of mind.” Among all, it is possible to materialize a hope of being free of Covid. Perhaps that, acting together, is the hardest thing for us now given the multiple interests at stake and the political polarization and mistrust that exists. Not overcoming it will still cost us a lot of pain. That is why it is more urgent to support any initiative that goes online to generate agreements that allow us to effectively eradicate SARS-Cov2.
Osvaldo Artaza, Dean Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, University of the Americas
