Coronavirus - Are We Learning the Lessons?

Coronavirus is a latest vehicle by which we can learn some important lessons about society.

Through this awful global event, we can now witness and analyse and test the social character and behaviours we have until now simply assumed.

Societal response to crisis, resilience, cohesion, all of that stuff can now be tested in real time.

How we are now witnessing people behaving towards each other in this crisis is food for a banquet of thought.

We hope that everyone watching this crisis unfold is also paying attention to how people are reacting to it. Not just individuals, but organisations, governments, leaders, influencers, the media.

For instance, we are now aware of how poorly planned our governments are in responding and communicating in a crisis.

Official communication to the general public on how to deal with the crisis is a mess. Politicians are making statements like "Go and attend mass sporting events." and the medical professionals are saying "Don't attend mass sporting events."

The media has made more of a mess of communication by interviewing different "experts" every day.

Some schools are closing, others are not. If we're cancelling events of more than 500 people, why are we sending our kids to schools with populations well above 500?

Why are we still using public transport?

Do we go to the GP or not?

The Australian Federal government took seven weeks before launching an advertising campaign to educate people on the virus on TV.

Politicians are telling us not to shake hands, and then they shake hands! On TV just after they've said it!

Where is the advice on buying out supermarkets? Where is the contingency to prevent shops being cleared of basic supplies?

It took several weeks before practical information on the virus was communicated from a single reliable authoritative source.

Questions not answered:

1. How long does the virus last on surfaces?

2. How is the virus spread?

3. How do people self-isolate when they are working and need to address compensation for absences?

4. How do you take leave from work for two weeks when you don't have enough leave?

5. Why should we stop buying a year's worth of toilet paper?

6. What should we be stocking up on?

7. How long will this last?

8. What contingencies does the government have on keeping society going?

9. What preventative measures are being taken by the emergency response services?

10. What new threats should we be prepared for in the coming months?

11. Is our current strategic infrastructure, power, water, waste, communications, food supply, able to cope?

Many are arguing that we should give the government and leaders in society a bit of slack. After all, this is an unprecedented event.

Well guess why we plan for things?

We have the power to plan for unprecedented events.

A hospital emergency department has no idea what's going to be coming through their doors at any given minute, but somehow they are always prepared.

Nuclear war has not happened, it would be unprecedented, but we have been ready for decades.

The outbreak of a novel virus is something that was always a possibility and probability in some cases.

The unprecedented argument is a lame excuse for poor leadership and poorer planning.

The befuddled, confused, vague, contradictory answers to these questions from multiple sources with different responses should be a wealth of Lessons Learned data for future crisis management and planning.

Everyone is watching the progression of the viral infection and its affect on every aspect of life.

Hopefully some people in the right positions are thinking about what we do next time.


Sure puts things into perspective!