Kurdistan’s proactive response to coronavirus pandemic

The science is clear. Because this novel strain of coronavirus — now classified with the epidemiological name "SARS-CoV-2" — is so infectious, reducing the number of people infected can prevent an exponential jump in the number of people they are able to infect. Therefore, swift action is needed to "flatten the curve" of spiking infection numbers  – waiting too long is deadly.

Too many countries are now seeing the results of failing to listen to medical experts, who have from the beginning stressed the need for early action to prevent the outbreak from spreading out of control. Taking a "wait and see" attitude, out of fear of doing too much too soon is the most likely course to end up in a situation where efforts will be too little, too late to save the lives of some.

One region stands out in the Middle East in its response to the global outbreak — in stark contrast to the poorly managed scramble that several governments are struggling with, the Kurdistan region has shown strong leadership in tackling the novel coronavirus early and effectively.

Take the example of Iran, Kurdistan's neighbour, where the government downplayed the virus until it could no longer hide the fact that several public officials got sick.

Data: Professor Mick Roberts, Massey University

Iran is struggling through an outbreak that has now become worse than in China, where the outbreak first began. Iran's pandmemic began in the holy city of Qom, which has been so affected that the city is building secluded mass graves for coronavirus victims which literally be seen from space. Over 700 Iranians have perished as a result of the new contagion.

Kurdistan promptly shut its borders with Iran on February 25 — more than a week before the first death was recorded, on March 4th.

The decision immediately impacted trade and travel on a high-traffic border – but it was the right decision. Had the KRG acted later, the risk of infecting thousands people could overwhelm the healthcare system and lead to total chaos. But it didn't – and the region has a much better chance of weathering this storm.

Kurdistan ordered the closure of its schools and universities in late February, far earlier than most other countries, and before it even had any recorded cases.

All religious ceremonies and congregations have also been cancelled. Free disposable gloves were handed out to shoppers in malls which remained well-stocked amid the rush to stock up before a complete curfew lasting 48 hours.

As a result, the Kurdistan region has managed to keep the number of infection in the double digits with one confirmed death, an elderly cleric in Sulaimani. Proactive measures taken by the KRG more likely than not contributed to the limited spread of the virus.

All this happened ahead of a major two-week spring holiday, Nowruz — which is in many ways equivalent to cancelling Christmas for most people in the West.

The curfew has produced an eerie quiet in the deserted streets or major cities Erbil and Sulaimani. The only sound audible in Erbil's usually-bustling bazaar and citadel were birds singing. Congested roadways are also almost completely empty. Nature seized the opportunity to offer a cleansing rain.

This is the first time a generation in this region country have experienced a quiet like. Lengthy and costly war against the Islamic State, as well as the brief sectarian skirmishes October 2017, have made it seem as though life in the cities of Kurdistan could go on so serenely. This time feels different.

Of course, it’s presently unclear if these measures will ultimately prove enough to prevent an outbreak. That being said, despite the fact it is not a full-fledged independent country, Kurdistan has been a leading nation in taking preventive measures to stop the spread of this global pandemic and deserves recognition for that fact.

On March 14, Kurdistan’s Prime Minister Masrour Barzani addressed the people of Kurdistan, praising them for following restrictions aimed at limiting any potential outbreak and protecting public health. He also called upon property owners to be more lenient on rent wherever necessary due to the extraordinary situation “so we can share the burden together and alleviate the impact.”

One hopes that Kurdistan learns from this experience and develops similar civil defence measures as contingencies for dealing with any future emergencies, terrorist attacks, or wars.