Countries are implementing various methods to lower the spread of COVID-19, such as physical distancing and national lockdown. These methods are designed to buy time for scientists to find a vaccine and/ or antiviral medicine for the novel virus. According to the BBC, scientist stated they need approximately 12-18 months to develop, test and distribute the vaccine.
While these methods are helpful as short term solutions, no one knows what will happen if this continues for as long as 12-18 months. Unfortunately, the long-term strategy is remain unclear in any countries. If physical distancing and/ or lockdown are decided to become the only long-term solutions, then, the question is, could we survive physically, mentally, economically and socially for 18 months like this? If not, is it possible to find a more effective exit strategy?
For the rest of us who stay at home, it is a perfect time to gather insight, share reliable information, and find a plausible long-term strategy to help government bodies and our beloved front liners. Not only have we a lot of free time, but also because of the current abnormal living condition, it provokes us to notice things we were previously unaware of. As Albert Einstein said, “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”
Let’s unite and share your thoughts here!

Thank you for all of you who participated and shared your thoughts here. As moderators, it is necessary for us to provide progress summary updates in order to navigate the discussion’s flow in achieving the objective. The discussion has been ongoing for a week now, offering a few insights and ideas such as intensifying the already-implemented methodology (intensive testing, tracking application, etc.) for a short-term solution, and promoting permaculture for local economies and building trust towards science, public authority and reliable media for a long-term solution. The discussion also mentioned a few general problems that arose and could possibly arise.… Read more »
National travel ban and physical distancing policy (PSBB) will be revoked soon in Jakarta; offices, schools, and business district will start to spin again. However, this doesn’t mean that the crisis is over. Policies initiated by WHO such Physical distancing, face mask, WFH etc seems continue to be enforced. With this in mind, we can say that PSBB, so far, is not much a long term solution. For example, even if business districts are open, ideally, society is still enforced to stay at their home. I think the fundamental problem why a long term solution is yet to be found… Read more »
This is one of the problems.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/08/nyregion/coronavirus-brooklyn-janie-marshall-cassandra-lundy.html?algo=top_conversion&fellback=false&imp_id=482146451&imp_id=141220246&action=click&module=trending&pgtype=Article®ion=Footer
I find the current corona situation is both an international and national problem. In the end, countries has to handle the virus themselves.
There’s a correlation on nations that manage the pandemic well. Countries like China and Singapore who applied a more strict or authoritarian policy handled it better than liberal countries like Italy and USA.
Other than that, a more conservative nation that follows the government can be a factor in handling the corona situation. Of course the government also has to be capable, give clear solutions, and in sync with the current international situation, and accommodate the people.
From what I have observed, countries that have some success to suppress the spread of COVID-19 is doing well at: 1. Tracking Application 2. Extensive Testing 3. Honest Reporting 4. Cooperation with well informed public Whilst many countries struggle to fulfil no.1 and 2, how about putting more thoughts and actions on no.3 and no. 4? I pray for those who are in the front lines and dealing with the immediate threats but it is equally important for the rest of us to start building TRUST and MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING, because not only it will contribute to the short term solutions… Read more »
For a long term solution, I agree with your points, but then again, those implementations still far from enough.
1. Tracking apps = very dependant with extensive testing
2. Extensive testing = many countries, especially developing ones, still struggle with it.
3. Honest reporting = Is covered up and crowded by social media noise a.k.a redundant and useless-make-it-worse information.
4. Cooperation with well informed public = Unfortunately, many of them are organize a “panic” humanitarian acts right know – getting drunk by the euphoria of excessive positivity.
Apologize for my sarcasm…
Yes, agree, still far from implementations. Let’s look at the worst case projected scenarios, some countries, have not reached its peak yet, which means we still have time to get the ‘redundant’ to become essential and the ‘useless’ to become useful. Next question is how? We need co-operation from all walks of life. I’m more interested in contributing locally due to my limitation and capacity, others may be able do to more, and good for them! Point no. 3 and no. 4 that I have raised, how about creating visual/graphic poster in languages that can be well understood and digested… Read more »
For me, its not really helpful for government to do the national lockdown. Im working in one of the traditional market in Jakarta right now, and couldnt get paid since the government did this lockdown. On the other hand, so many people died because of this virus. I just hope that we could survive from this mess.
Hmm, from what I know Indonesia have yet to declare national lockdown. There is misunderstanding about the term cause by confusion. I do agree though with your opinion that Indonesian government failed to provide a clear information since not many of us understand about the terms.
True, instead of a Lockdown, the government orders Large-Scale Social Distancing. Do you think this is fully the government fault? how about the role of the media including social media and the ignorance public?
Well, talking about fault. It takes 2 to tango right…
Sadly, the problem is not the tango, its the dead presidents.
implement phermaculture in every family to secure their own daily necessity..so every people don’t have insecurity when they encounter pandemic like this. as we know this pandemic causing the absence of every industries activities that manifest a big scale of unemployment and a down turn of global economy perhaps it will be happened in periods of time . the preperation through phermaculture can be an auspicious system for any communities whom live in anywhere and anykind of condition. if the government still prioritizing the rich for regaining the economy whilst the pandemic still occur, I believe the poor will seize… Read more »
Does covid19 relate to increasing people mobility or is covid19 designed to competition of politics?
It is hard to guess, one thing for sure it’s already impacting every aspects of life. Both problems you mentioned above is – one way or the other – interconnecting. A cause and effect
politic is human’s imaginary creation and some Mass media distribute this imaginary creation to commoners to support their own political discourse.. the fact is somehow some rulers take political advantage amid the moment covid 19 through their allies (media) which lead us to misleading information, changing our focus not to the insight of the pandemic rather to plunge their interest. not to mention Hoax and false facts is overwhelming on social media euphoria . Scientists have to take action independently, to give the fact and be a counterpart to battle the surge Flux of ignorance. we can see from this… Read more »
Hard to tell. When we talk about pandemic, we also talk about national scale right? (as well as local scale). From my standpoint, government has a crucial role to organize national scale’s solution and preparation. For its society, what best they can do is actually to stay at home, “doing nothing” (aka personal reflection and contemplation). The problem with the current euphoria happened in social media is because there are large number of us initiate actions that make things worse rather than helpful; making distribution of necessary informations uneven. “Doing nothing” I’ve mentioned above prove to be harder to do… Read more »
I resonate strongly to what you say about “Doing Nothing”. Thank you for emphasising it. Many of us don’t realise that individual change is also a form of action and it is currently taking place around the globe on a massive scale. Unfortunately, we, human are complaining species, some of us do not understand how blessings some of us really are (myself), being able to join this forum online under a roof, clean water, and a hand sanitiser, etc. This pandemic has taken my realisation of life even further about the need to change from within, in which I hope… Read more »