Coronavirus: keep calm and carry on seems the smart thing to do

Here in the UAE, schools and universities have been closed and major events cancelled. It is right to take those tough decisions

People salute using their feet to avoid contact, after movement was restricted across Italy. The world should keep calm and carry on with life. Reuters

At times like these, I find that the old saying "keep calm and carry on" can really be a good way of dealing with things. That does not mean that I advocate the adoption of an ostrich-like approach of sticking one’s head in the sand. Instead, I try to make a reasoned assessment of prevailing circumstances and the associated risks, listening to advice from the well-informed and then operating on that basis.

That seems to be a sensible way to behave, here in the UAE at least, as the coronavirus disease continues to spread.

Rely upon trusted sources of information and on science, not upon ill-informed speculation or crazy conspiracy theories

In my years in the UAE, I have been an interested observer of a wide range of events and crises, both with international dimensions and with regional implications. Revolutions, wars, tsunamis and – yes – viruses have come and gone. Some have had a direct impact on the Emirates, while others, fortunately, have passed us by.

Thanks to the rapid development of global communications, through the internet and social media and mobile telephones, the dissemination of news – and of fake news – reaches far more people, far quicker, than used to be the case. That, in turn, means that worries and panic can spread much more quickly.

Looking back, though, I recall several occasions when something verging on panic gripped a section of the population, but was unnecessary. Perhaps there are lessons to be learnt that are of value as Covid-19 spreads.

When Iraq invaded Kuwait nearly 30 years ago and thousands of Kuwaitis arrived fleeing the violence, there were fears that the conflict on the ground would reach here or that Iraqi planes would be able to attack UAE targets. Families were evacuated, some foreign banks shuttered their doors and stockpiling of household goods – even drinking water – took place.

Yet if one bothered to look at a map and do a bit of research, it was obvious that the UAE was too far removed from the conflict zone to be at direct risk. The government adopted a calm and measured response, quietly making preparations for all eventualities, and the fears subsided.

A decade later, with the approach of New Year 2000, there was nervousness that the "Y2K" virus would somehow lead to a collapse in local and global computer systems. Among many computer users, a near-panic set in. In the event, as most IT specialists had said, the day passed with nary a blip.

A few years later, in 2002-2003, there was an outbreak of disease directly comparable to Covid-19 – the Sars coronavirus – with a total of a little more than 8,000 cases being reported, mainly in China and Hong Kong, but with scattered cases in every continent except South America. The 9.6 per cent fatality rate, one should note, was very much higher than for Covid-19.

Physics teacher Regina O'Dwyer demonstrates how Dubai College's remote learning system works. Using Microsoft 365 and Cisco Webex - a Skype-style conference call tool - she can take pupils through live lessons as they sit at home. Victor Besa / The National

Instead of returning to school after the spring break, pupils will login from home for two weeks and watch teachers at Dubai College for each lesson. The school will remain empty except for teachers. Victor Besa / The National

Dubai College principal Michael Lambert said the teachers are preparing to use the remote system for two weeks. Victor Besa / The National

People disembarking from a UAE military transport plane, used to transport medical equipment and coronavirus testing kits provided by the World Health Organisation, upon their arrival in Iran. AFP

Workers clean the Grand Mosque, during the pilgrimage known as Umrah, in the Muslim holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia. AP Photo

Labourers unloading medical equipment and coronavirus testing kits provided by the World Health Organisation, from a UAE military transport plane upon their arrival in Iran. AFP

Tonnes of medical equipment and coronavirus testing kits provided by the World Health Organisation are pictured at the Al Maktoum International airport in Dubai as it is prepared to be delivered to Iran by a UAE plane. AFP

An Iranian lab technician loads a centrifuge with blood samples, taken from patients suspected of being infected with COVID-19 virus, at a hospital in Tehran. AFP

A man wears a protective face mask, following the outbreak of the new coronavirus, as he walks at the Grand Souq in old Dubai, UAE. Reuters

A worker splashes disinfectant in a classroom as part of sterilisation campaign against the new coronavirus, at the Evangelical School, in Loueizeh, east of Beirut, Lebanon. AP Photo

Lebanese workers spray disinfectant in classrooms and halls of a school in the coastal town of Rmeileh, 35km south of the capital Beirut in an effort to prevent a novel coronavirus outbreak in the country. AFP

People wearing protective masks are seen on a street in Kuwait City, amid a global outbreak of the novel Coronavirus. AFP

An empty classroom is seen in a private school in Hawally, after the Ministry of Edudution suspended schools and universities due to the coronavirus outbreak, in Kuwait city. Reuters

A health worker is pictured inside a newly erected coronavirus quarantine centre in Sanaa, Yemen. Reuters

Jordanian Health Minister Saad Jaber and Minister for Media Affairs Amjad al-Adaileh attend a news conference after the country's first case of the coronavirus was confirmed, at the headquarters of the Prime Minister in Amman, Jordan. Reuters

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam (left) and Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan attend a press conference at the Central Government Offices in Hong Kong, China. EPA

Chinese President Xi Jinping learning about the progress on the vaccine and anti-body during his visit to the Academy of Military Medical Sciences in Beijing, capital of China. EPA

Once again, many people in the UAE became concerned about the possibility of it reaching the Emirates. I remember many conversations about Sars that are similar to those one hears now. In the event, though, perhaps partly as a result of a coherent and transparent approach by the government to inform people about the dos and donts, which included most of the steps for self-protection being advised today, no cases of Sars were identified in the UAE. None have been detected anywhere in the world since 2004.

Of course, it is reasonable to be worried about Covid-19. With reported cases worldwide already more than 115,000 mainly in China but also now present in over 100 countries, the virus is clearly the most significant new illness to threaten human health for decades. While official figures suggest that its spread might now be under control in China, cases elsewhere are rising. However, over half of these cases have recovered.

Responding to the crisis poses great challenges for many governments. Tough decisions need to be taken – such as those here in the UAE like the closure of schools and universities, the cancellation of major events and advising people not to travel unless it is essential. It is right to do that.

Medical workers and security personnel attend a ceremony marking the closure of the last makeshift hospital in Wuhan, the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak, following the discharge of its last batch of coronavirus patients, in Hubei province, China. Reuters

A medical staff member collects waste after all patients were discharged at a temporary hospital set up to treat people with coronavirus in Wuhan in China's central Hubei province. AFP

A medical staff member sprays disinfectant at a residential area in Wuhan in China's central Hubei province. AFP

A medical staff member sprays disinfectant at a residential area in Wuhan in China's central Hubei province. AFP

Medical staff transfer an oxygen tank after all patients were discharged at a temporary hospital set up to treat people with the COVID-19 coronavirus in Wuhan in China's central Hubei province. AFP

People who have recovered from the coronavirus leave a temporary hospital in Wuhan in China's central Hubei province. AFP

Employees from a disinfection service company sanitise a subway car depot amid coronavirus fears in Seoul, South Korea. Reuters

Hospital staff assist people waiting in line to be screened for COVID-19 outside the Royal Melbourne Hospital in Melbourne, Australia. Getty Images

Piazza Navona is seen completely deserted in Rome, Italy. Getty Images

Iranian firefighters disinfects streets in an effort to halt the spread of coronavirus in Tehran, Iran. EPA

A civil defense worker wearing a protective suit sprays disinfectant as a precaution against the new coronavirus, in the main market, Baghdad, Iraq. AP Photo

A boy wears a protective face mask as he rides a bicycle in Qatif, Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia imposed quarantine measures on the province of Qatif, following the spread of coronavirus. Reuters

A civil defense worker wearing a protective suit sprays disinfectant as a precaution against the new coronavirus, in the main market, Baghdad. AP Photo

Relatives wearing face masks mourn over the grave of former politburo official in the Revolutionary Guard Farzad Tazari, shown in a poster, who died on Monday after being infected with the new coronavirus, at the Behesht-e-Zahra cemetery just outside Tehran, Iran. AP

An Italian Army officer from the 66° Reggimento Fanteria Aeromobile "Trieste" checks a passenger at the Rome Termini railway station. Getty Images

Soldiers in protectivie suits disinfect people from a China Eastern Airlines plane after it landed at Taoyuan International Airport in Taoyuan City, Taiwan. EPA

People wearing masks sit inside a bus in Manila, Philippines. EPA

A man wearing a mask walks out of a medical equipment store in Manila, Philippines. EPA

A worker wearing protective gear is seen through a window as she works in the room of Susan Hailey, 76, who has tested positive for the new coronavirus, as Hailey's daughters look in from outside the window, at the Life Care Center in Kirkland, Washington, near Seattle. AP Photo

Where, however, there is an effective healthcare system and where governments adopt a policy of releasing information, giving advice and being transparent about the nature of the threat, that should go a long way towards allaying public concerns.

The UAE’s health and crisis management authorities have already done much to counteract the toxic melange of gossip, rumours and conspiracy theories that spill out from social media to affect, and to infect, the population at large.

The Covid-19 virus presents a bigger threat to the UAE, and to the world as a whole, than any of the other topics I mentioned earlier. It will continue to spread, both here and elsewhere. The advice that served us well in the past, though, remains valid. Rely upon trusted sources of information and on science, not ill-informed speculation or crazy conspiracy theories. Take sensible precautions and make appropriate changes to your lifestyle. Worrying about impending doom will not help. Nor is there any need to engage in panic-buying of household items.

In essence, keep calm and carry on.

Peter Hellyer is a consultant specialising in the UAE's history and culture