What is coronavirus is the key question everyone asking but here we discuss "Sphere Standards" for a Coronavirus Response which is given on their website link (https://spherestandards.org/coronavirus/). Coronavirus full name is as Disease Coronavirus and as Virus severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus. Earlier it known as 2019 novel coronavirus is a communicable diseases, it is a Global Pandemic. Covid-19 was started from China in Last months of 2019. There is no vaccine for Coronavirus as yet almost efforts are in progress throughout the world to invent the vaccine. As the new Coronavirus spreads from one person to in 2.6 persons and infected person could feel shortness of breath, coughing and fever, body ache moderate to severe level and the disease could lead to death. Prevention is best like hand-washing frequently, coughing & sneezing in a tissue or in bend of elbow and to be in isolation quarantine till the symptoms go off. Therefore people awareness is important regarding best practices in communities on the virus response. In this regard, Sphere guidance published in February 2020 in multi languages on their official website. We go through it and some of important points are discussed below for learning & educational purpose:
Covid-19 Outbreak Best Response
The Sphere in front line to disseminate good practices to respond to the Covid-19 in a collective manner. The published guidelines are basically sharing of lesson learned and emerging practices for in the Coronavirus response. The sphere initiative is commendable specially the guidelines pertain on basic principals for a successful intervention and specific standards on WASH & Health to respond the Coronavirus Outbreak.
The detailed Sphere Guidelines covers 03 foundation chapters first is Humanitarian Charter, second is Protection Principals, and third is Core Humanitarian Standards (CHS) supports four technical Chapters for Humanitarian Actors, Individual and communities.
Three important factors
The most crucial major factors are three to must ensure while designing an intervention to response the Covid-19. Number one is People are human first so not just see them as affected or suspected cases of coronavirus because human dignity is compulsory which is discussed throughout in Sphere handbook, number two arching factor is Community Involvement in Coronavirus Response Project, Don't Forget People needs like FIs/NFIs, awareness & long-term medical requirements for widespread population while working on prevention of Covid-19 spread is the third key factor of a successful and holistic intervention. Lets discuss in brief about these factors in light of sphere standards:
1). Human Dignity
Everyone on the earth has right to live a life with Dignity and fundamental Protection Principals and Core Humanitarian Standards support us to understand about respect people dignity therefore must involve people from target group in shaping an intervention. A big challenge in Coronavirus response is identification of all target people including hesitant, people who do not like to disclose their disease due to fear being stigmatized or discriminated so their screening and treatment is must if they found coronavirus positive. So trust building of everyone will make the response effective which will only be achieved by ensuring human dignity and providing them supportive messages and care without any discrimination. Sphere Humanitarian Charter Protection Principles No.1 to enhance people safety, dignity, rights and save them from further harm & No.2 Principle is related to impartial treat to fulfill their all needs. These standards guide us the three rights of everyone includes: Rights to Dignity, Protection & Assistance.
2). Engaging Community
Community involvement is key to success to get the effective results in controlling spread of Coronavirus and recognize rumors & myths and can address it on time. Community should follow all Hygiene promotion messages keeping special focus on hand washing which is crucial and compulsory to completely disinfect the hands. Because hands if not disinfected through proper hand wash methods can cause the spread among population therefore proper community awareness sessions on Hygienic practices and hand washing include maintain social distancing are critical but it only works if communities are fully engaged in process of decision making in a response of Coronavirus. To avoid any hurdles in progress of Coronavirus response understanding local culture, beliefs, perceptions, social norms is very important. WHO & health experts are suggesting not to shake hands or hug for greetings or procedure of doing business activities like handling meat so to convince the community to adopt alternates of greetings & performing routine life activities their behavior change and social mobilization activities are essentials towards understanding prevention & treatment measures for specific for Covid-19 Disease.
Community engagement in Coronavirus response example is outreach workers working on mother & child health in communities must adopt safety measures for target community & for themselves. In time of outbreak of Coronavirus there is a lot of wrong concepts and misleading information that may hinder the response in rural and mostly in urban areas therefore tackle it through community groups engagement for example religious groups, social activists, women clubs, labour unions, drivers, doctors and teacher groups. In a Coronavirus Response media sources, public places are helpful tool to disseminate accurate information on available health services with contact numbers and locations. Moreover capacity building of secondary & tertiary care health providers in primary healthcare could be more fruitful being mostly working in cities where spread of Coronavirus is very rapid and all healthcare providers can assist in the response in terms of early warning system for Covid-19 which is a communicable disease.
It is also recommended in Coronavirus Sphere guidelines for community engagement, to have a look on follow chapters Introduction to the WASH & WASH standards, WASH in disease outbreaks and healthcare settings. A section on Urban Setting in What is Sphere? Introduction to WASH & Health Chapters of Sphere Standards are helpful in planning a Covid-19 response.
3. Human needs and Wider Population medical needs
Sphere Health Standards 2.6 and 2.7 guides humanitarian organizations to consider emotional healing, Psychosocial and palliative care to build confidence in affected people and able them to stable their sense of belonging & self. Keeping other standards of health relevant continuously for example mother & child health, injuries, primary, secondary or tertiary care should be on track to avoid discontinuity which can lead to moralities & morbidity other than to coronavirus cases and can affect the response. A example is also given of this in the guidelines that in West Africa in 2014 due to deployment and transfer of health staff to the Ebola Response created a problem of discontinuity of other medical services and needs of target population which means medical services for non-communicable diseases left unsupported due to the shifting of staff & facilities.
On the B Part of Coronavirus Response Sphere Guide Medical Response is discussed with two Chapters i.e. WASH & Health. The WASH Chapter is about Hygiene Promotion, Hygiene items, WASH in healthcare settings on the other hand in Health Chapter the functioning health system, health service delivery, healthcare workforce trained for specific Coronavirus response, IPC, medicines & equipment, essential healthcare services to prevent communicable diseases, prevention standards, survelliance & early response & preparedness, care plan & diagnosis and other necessary factors are spell out in detail to guide a community based response to coronavirus.
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