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What lessons can we learn from the Coronavirus health crisis?

by Milena Radoman

The Covid-19 pandemic is the most recent global health crisis. What lessons have been learned
from its management? What are the positive points to remember and the pitfalls to avoid? We put
this question to the Department of Social Affairs.

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, the world had
already experienced other health crises. The

Plague terrified Europeans for centuries. The
1347 pandemic struck every country on the planet,
decimating half of the European population in the

process. A first in the history of the world! The
Spanish ‘flu from April 1918 to the spring of 1919
caused between 25 and 40 million deaths, i.e.
more victims than from the terrible WWI trench
warfare that was raging at the same time... How
can we forget the mortality of these epidemics © Manuel Vitali - Direction de la communication
and the powerlessness of the authorities and
doctors to contain them?
Nevertheless, the health crisis resulting from
the spread of the coronavirus in the world will
remain in the records. This total crisis brought the source of contamination (home, school, work Monaco successfully reorganized its health
entire planet to a standstill with unprecedented environment etc.) and by isolating risky contact structures: the coordination between Monaco’s
global confinement, preventing or limiting - with cases in order to anticipate possible clusters”. private clinics and the Princess Grace Hospital

authorisation - most daily activities... “The National screening and vaccination centres have Centre, which manages the hospitalization care
State was obliged to take charge of organising “enabled residents and employees in Monaco to sector, made it possible to maintain the same
community and work environments as well as be screened and vaccinated without advance quality of care for all, despite the pandemic.
public transport and even families − in making payment, all set up within in a very short time”… “Health establishments have shown remarkable
the decision whether or not to send children to solidarity and ethics. They reinvented their patient
school. The management of the crisis required “Monaco mobilized substantial funds” care methods and they collaborated their efforts,
cooperation between the State and private There are other lessons to be learned from this establishing teams in accordance with the State
intermediaries - households and businesses - and crisis: “Online tools helped to assist and inform support system.”
all health personnel”, assesses French economist residents, workers and tourists wishing to visit However, this crisis “also brought to light certain
Daniel Cohen. What about Monaco? “The Covid19 Monaco. A website dedicated to covid19 served as weaknesses,” recognizes the government
health crisis has been a steep learning curve and a a transparent and permanent link for information Minister: “The small size of our territory of
useful element in several areas. Around 600 million about health, business and social issues. It answers course implies dependence on other States to
cases have been reported worldwide since the people’s questions and provides comprehensive acquire equipment. The Principality experienced

start of the crisis, including more than 14,500 in information in real time”, considers Christophe difficulties in supplying masks, as it did not have
the Principality, i.e. more than a third of the local Robino, according to whom “the Principality has safe procurement channels at the start of the
population. Faced with this unprecedented scale, benefited from the helpful reflexes of the resident crisis, unlike large States which were in a more

the Principality had to adapt and show innovation population, and the responsible behaviour of favourable situation.” But there is no question of
and responsiveness by setting up support all individuals following recommendations in a seeing the glass half empty: “Monaco made the
systems intended for Monaco citizens, residents cooperative and supportive spirit.” most of local potential by asking suppliers located
and employees” says the Minister of Health According to the Minister, in this period of on its territory to produce high-performance

and Social Affairs, Christophe Robino. He then crisis “our long-term financial stability meant equipment for the entire population, within
praised his predecessor Didier Gamerdinger, for that Monaco was able to mobilize substantial tight deadlines. The Principality’s modest-size

“putting in place in record time specific structures funds to reorganise healthcare structures and administration authorities had to deal with this
which have undeniably made it possible not to introduce emergency measures for businesses exceptional situation with its own resources. The
clutter up hospital circuits, given the urgency and employers to protect our economy, without State services and health workers in Monaco had

of the situation”: A Covid-19 call centre open 7 any time constraints. Our financial autonomy no precedents in managing such a crisis. Everyone
days a week, a home patient monitoring unit, an made it possible to maintain stability for health, had to reinvent themselves and deploy positive
epidemiological investigation unit, which “helped business and social security structures, and thus energy in order to make the right decisions in
break contamination chains by determining the to support members of our economy.” record time,” concludes the Minister.

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