The next covid-19 related challenge Costa Rica will face is how to return to something similar to normalcy without seeing a surge in infections and deaths. Keeping the country almost shut down is not a viable long-term solution.
The WHO recommends certain conditions be considered when starting to lift measures. It also recommends strong monitoring in places of high vulnerability such as nursing homes and mental health clinics. While workplaces may start reopening, there should be physical distance between desks or workstations and co-workers should distance themselves in interactions.
We must not rush back to normalcy as Singapore did. That country lifted its quarantine and opened borders and the result was catastrophic. This Tuesday alone, there were more infected than in all of February and March combined.
More cases are expected as we return to normal but we have to seek a balance of getting back to normal without causing many more to fall ill or die. Getting back to a true normal is months away at best. Following protocols may become tedious but we must stay strong in adapting to this new way of life and social interaction.
