(By Massimiliano D'EliaNations thrive under normal conditions in the belief that their institutions are capable of managing disasters, halting their impact and restoring stability.
When the pandemic due to Covid-19 ends, the institutions of many countries will go into crisis because they realize they have failed in their mission.
The reality is that the world will never be the same after coronavirus. Coronavirus has indiscriminately affected all the states of the globe without any distinction.
The spread of Covid-19 is so exponential, cases double every five days, that medical supplies have proved insufficient as well as intensive care units (even in western countries that boast excellent health systems). The methodology used to perform the tests proved (in all cases) inadequate to identify exactly the extent of the spread of the infection. Unfortunately, a vaccine may only be ready in 12-18 months.
On the horizon another emergency is already glimpsed, the economic one whose effects could be equal to a Tsunami. For this reason, it is now necessary to work on the post-virus period. World and European leaders in particular are, however, facing the crisis still in a purely national context. The effects, being transversal, will know no boundaries and could generate political and economic "disorder" for entire generations. As of now, it is necessary to have a precise vision on a global and structural program.
Global resilience to infectious diseases will need to be supported. The triumphs of medical science such as the polio vaccine, the victory against smallpox and the medical diagnosis through artificial intelligence, have lulled us into a dangerous complacency, it seemed that we had become invincible.
Covid-19 woke us up from our slumber making us realize that we must develop new techniques and technologies for the control and prevention of serious infections and the "rapid" production of vaccines.
Cities, regions and states will have to constantly confront each other to be able to protect their citizens even from serious infections. In these cases, politics must abandon its colors. All together, to concentrate efforts and resources in the pre-emergency phase to ensure training, logistics and planning for the forces to be deployed, forces already identified and not chosen from time to time.
In full emergency it is necessary to think of a national crisis structure with extraordinary powers (free from the influence of politics) where the uniqueness of command is really exercised. The crisis organization must start from afar and must work closely with a high-level scientific community, prepared to manage catastrophes with pending characteristics. Too many were the professors who took turns on TV, explaining their theses based on knowledge, precisely knowledge. Covid-19 is unknown.
The economy. Although world leaders have learned a great deal from the mistakes made in the 2008 economic crisis, it seems that they are not prepared to face the current economic crisis, which is more complex and unique in the academic field. World trade had never stopped. The contraction due to the global spread of the coronavirus, the necessary public health measures such as social distancing and the closure of schools and businesses have generated a crisis never known before in human history. The effects could only match those in Europe after World War II. For this reason the Heads of State and Government must converge towards a Global Rescue Plan for a credible and lasting economic reconstruction, failing that, the already fragile world equilibrium would be in grave danger.