On eagles wings: Our recovery from Coronavirus (XIII). Work In Progress
Have a beautiful first week of June 2020.
“My first hummingbird”. An original aquarelle painted by Eleonora Escalante. Size: 7 inches x 5 inches. Handmade in watercolor paper Fabriano 5. If you wish to buy it, please visit https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/eleonora-escalante
We live in a WIP “Work in Progress” age. Let´s begin with some revisions of the material I have posted at this current saga. As you have already perceived it, Eleonora Escalante Strategy has been trying to publish relevant substance knowledge that can help us to recover, to return back after the pandemic. We have already disclosed personal views in relation to how to re-start the education sector (once the authorities approve it is safe to do it). We also unveiled our “wonder woman strategy” for the economies, including three examples of how to begin to work. Since Corona Times is a “work in progress” assignment, given the unknown details that day by day are being updated with the Novel Coronavirus, of course, all our premises are subject to change. Last week, the United States CDC warned us of the serological testing weaknesses (16% of the results are false positives) when it comes to decision making for returning back to “normal work-gathering activities”. In consequence, we must re-adjust and change our own innovation paradigms. Given the CDC and immunologists´advice, it seems to us that diagnostic RT-PCR testing type is the one that “medically” appears to be better. Nevertheless, we also must use it with careful proceedings otherwise, we are simply losing our resources for “economic decision making”.
Testing has been created for medical reasons. Please be aware that each test (RT-PCR or serological or any new one that may arise) has a “medical” purpose. The tests have been designed and produced for “health decision making” of diagnosis and/or antibody immunization to potentially produce vaccines from the plasma of the recovered cases. So, testing is purely designed to diagnose those who are sick (PCR-Test) or to find those who have been sick (Serological Antibody Test).
Connecting the dots. What we are trying to do as economic or business strategists is to connect the dots between “health decision making” and “economic recovery decision making”. That is why Eleonora Escalante Strategy took the risk to use the idea of “excellent” testing as a key element when it comes to understanding who is or not sick for discerning how to start our “working or social gathering” activities. Both tests (serological and RT-PCR) ideally complement our thesis for the “wonder woman strategy”, only if these are accurate, and are handled properly when it comes to proceedings (quantity, quality, frequency, territorial area). If these premises are not done correctly, testing falls apart not only for “medical” purposes but for “economic recovery” plans.
Why did I initially recommend Serological Testing for “economic recovery decision making”? According to health experts, the serological test helps us to identify who has had the virus (asymptomatic or not). Those who have been sick of Coronavirus get a “positive result” at the serological testing. This is helpful when it comes to deciding who can return to work safely. Just imagine that between 70% to 80% of all the Corona infected individuals (or have had the virus are asymptomatic, and do not know it). These people are by now safe to work (they were infected, did not know it, spent a month with the sickness but are now recovered). If we apply RT-PCR testing “only”, we are missing all the chunk of recovered cases who can return to work immediately because they are by now “immune for the time being”, they won´t get the disease again, they won´t contaminate neither will be exposed to new contagion. That is why I advised the use of serological testing. This test works under the “past tense” premise. But if the CDC has warned us that 16% of the serological testing results are simply wrong (false positives), our testing strategy can´t rely on them. OK.
The massive use of RT-PCR testing ONLY tells us who is the sick individual “now”, (at this precise moment of time). In consequence, this test also helps a lot when it comes to the “present tense”.
Testing has a cost. In developing economies, we must add that the main disadvantage of using testing (Serological or RT-PCR) when it comes to work-gathering decision making is inherently linked to the unavailable number of tests required and the lack of money to pay for them. Testing is not free. It is expensive for developing economies (unless the WHO provides for free to all over the world). When in times of pandemic quarantines, governments from poor countries are positioned to choose in between providing a payment check relief or food aid to families in quarantine or invest in tests which at the end of the day if not properly conducted, or inaccurate, won´t help us. If serological antibody testing is not done under the “diamond testing standard of excellence”, it won´t help us to determine how to proceed with our economic re-start economic performance.
Serological Testing COVID19. Source: https://www.technologyreview.com/2020/04/02/974964/the-coronavirus-test-that-might-exempt-you-from-social-distancingif-you-pass/
I would like to conclude: in an ideal scenario, where companies or governments or educational entities can afford accurate testing for their employees or students, it is pretty advisable to do both tests (RT-PCR for current diagnosis, and serological for determining if you have been sick) when re-initiating economies. But if we lack resources, or we can´t get the proceedings of the test correctly (quality, quantity, territorial area, and frequency), it is insane to spend on a partial testing or non-accurate testing that won´t help us. Given the CDC warning about serological testing, we can´t rely on them for the time being.
Practicing Sanitary Measures is crucial. But we have to return to work and study. Therefore let´s make the rest of the sanitary measures a reality. If no testing will be employed, we must have to practice social distancing, cleaning measures at the facilities and objects, sanitizing hands constantly, usage of facial shields, or proper facial masks. Everything has to be done following the WHO instructions.
Mobility has to be sorted out. Finally during the transportation routines, as business decision-makers or leaders, I kindly suggest to please adjust your employee schedules on different days, and hours. That will help your employees to transport themselves at different timing which will reduce people at peak hours in bus, train or tram stations and their respective transportation mediums. The number of people inside each collective transport system must be reduced to at least half, keeping the social distance as much as you can.
Eco-cities blessings for our resurrection. As I already have announced, the Coronatimes tragedy has to be the beginning of our renewal. Our new normal must be to build a path and different roadmaps to create eco-cities in the future. I believe (and this is not an assumption) that cities with a more environmental value proposition are in better shape to counteract against viruses and other natural disasters. Those cities and nations which started to build their residents´minds with an eco-print mentality have been stronger during the Corona Times. And what is more interesting, to me, is that these cities do not have the most high-end NAIQI technologies on earth, but are extremely committed to caring for the environment. They have done their homework. Eco-cities have been teaching their citizens about how to live and care for nature creation since ages ago. Eco-cities have used a diversified transportation system that relies mainly on cycling, pedestrian lanes, and other green transportation alternatives. Eco-cities have taught to each family to build their own “huertos caseros” or cultivate essential veggies and fruits at home; Eco-cities keep things simple and effective when it comes to entrepreneurial ecosystems; Eco-cities are always watching the big picture with a long term vision despite the climate troubles or emerging technologies, Eco-cities are in love with their own culture and natural resources which are so clean, but so so tidy and neat that you can breath pure oxygen, observe everything at the bottom on crystal clear waters at rivers, lakes and ocean beaches. Eco-cities respect and maintain the old centuries infrastructure architecture and mingle it with the new modern horizons. Eco-cities are pretty and full of charm (the best painting settings). Eco-cities are sporty, enjoyable, healthy, and with plenty of security for each and all its inhabitants. Eco-cities have built democratic surveillance that helps to promote social-economic progress. Eco-cities are ready and prepared for climate change disasters with anticipation. Eco-cities are prepared with universal health systems that work and are ready against bacterias or viruses or even biological weapons. Eco-cities are a blessing to cherish God. You can feel the presence of God in them because all their citizens care for them as much as they care for themselves. Let´s see 8 examples of swiss eco-villages or cities which are a reflection of the meaning of eco-cities (Source of photo: The Discoverer)
El Salvador is wet. Before closing my post of today, I would rather ask you for your prayers and solidarity extending a hand. El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras have been hit by a Tropical Storm Amanda. We are extremely vulnerable to the rain season. Hundred of neighborhoods are somehow affected by floods and mudslide destruction every year. We are wet with rain during Corona-times. Our country is requiring an integral hydrology design and reparation when it comes to rain, sewage, and potable or drinking freshwater systems. We have been suffering the destruction of floods for years and years and years. The causes of our water problems are at a national level, and it requires a national solution to fix it for the next 200 years.
On my next publication (this Friday 5th), we will begin (irrevocably) with the first post about Eco-cities when it comes to our mindset. Our motivation or need for accomplishment to create eco-cities must start in our brains. Blessings have a beautiful Wednesday.
Sources of reference utilized for this post:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/lab/resources/antibody-tests-guidelines.html
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public
Disclaimer: Illustrations in Watercolor are painted by Eleonora Escalante. Other types of illustrations or videos (which are not mine) are used for educational purposes ONLY. Nevertheless, the majority of the pictures, images, or videos shown on this blog are not mine. I do not own any of the lovely photos or images posted unless otherwise stated.
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