World War II was the defining moment for baby boomer parents. They settled the battle with guns, and finally fearsome weapons of mass destruction. The SARS-CoV-19 virus requires a different approach says Bill Gates. This time, the global community will have to appreciate that cooperative innovation, not guns will win this virus war.
Smart Tools and Innovation, Not Guns Will Win This Virus War
The lock down has narrowed our focus to asking when can we get out of this? Perhaps the right question is how can we learn to live with this. Whichever the case we need innovative new tools that help us detect, treat, and prevent Covid-19 says Bill Gates.
We can’t defeat an enemy if we don’t know what, and where it is, he explains. Innovation, not guns will win this virus war. But only if we test enough people to detect and intervene at hot spots efficiently. We can’t afford the luxury of waiting until case numbers and deaths reach trigger points.
Smart Knowledge is the Way to Beat the First Modern Pandemic
Well that’s what Bill Gates calls it, and he has been correct about many things in the past. We need to find innovative ways to increase the rate of testing. He believes a self-swabbing approach would be faster, and free health workers for palliative duties. However, we still need to focus on essential workers and known contacts.
This turn implies a more-goal directed approach to contact tracing. Bill Gates favors the German approach of interviewing everyone who tests positive, and rigorously following up with their contacts.
We urgently need to continue the search for more efficient treatments, and the holy grail of an antiviral drug that could halt the virus in its tracks. Innovation, not guns will win this virus war if we keep our guard up. However, as Bill Gates points out this requires a collaborative global approach.
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