​​​​​​​Intensive measures in NE Syria against COVID-19 since its outbreak

When the first case of the novel Coronavirus (COVED-19) was recorded in Wuhan, China, on November 17, 2019, the world did not take the matter seriously, turning in less than a month it into a global pandemic worldwide.

As of Sunday, the virus has claimed nearly 110,000 lives and infected nearly 1.8 million people worldwide. So far, no cases of the virus have been reported, according to the Health Authority in the NE Syria.

A quick move to prevent the Coronavirus outbreak in NE Syria

The virus absence is the in the region is credited to the early precautionary measures taken of the Autonomous Administration with the infections spread in the neighboring countries of Syria, thanks to 11 resolutions of the security and health measures.

The Autonomous Administration began with the first measures on 11 March by issuing the resolution 15 to close border crossings to the autonomous-administrated areas, particularly the Simalaka crossing.

It was followed by resolution 23 on 12 March to shutdown all schools and universities to students, to avoid large gatherings and sterilize educational centers on the other hand.

 The crisis cell formation

The Autonomous Administration of the North and East of Syria formed a crisis cell to manage the current phase on March 14, under resolution 27.

On March 15, the Crisis Cell issued Resolution 28, which stipulated that all departments and institutions of administration should be closed for three days to sterilize them and secure the means of prevention within them.

After this date, the administration tightened its precautionary measures, under Resolution 28, imposed a curfew in NE Syria on March 19.

Facilities to ease the lives of citizens under the curfew

The curfew has come into effect  since March 23 and included closing all border crossings, movement between cities and within cities and closure of markets, except for grocery stores, food rations, ovens, health centers and hospitals.

On March 25, to ensure applying the curfew, the movement and visits were banned. monopoly  traders are punished, money exchangers are facilitated, and the business process is facilitated,  the Autonomous Administration allowed exchange bureaus to open their offices on Friday of each week.

On March 29, it decided to bury the deceased from outside the north and east of Syria in private cemeteries near the crossings, they entered to avoid the transmission of the coronavirus and quarantining their companions for 14 days  in specially-designed center by the AA.

Food aid for the needy

Within its efforts to secure the needs of citizens under the curfew, the Autonomous Administration directed the distribution of food aid on needy families who rely on day labor, in accordance with resolution 30 of the Autonomous Administration.

On April 6, It extended the curfew until 21^st of August 2012 in accordance with resolution 32, and lifted the ban on some necessary shops and spare shops to open with the approaching the harvest season in line with the public interest  under the same resolution.

In order to ease the burden on citizens the Autonomous Administration issued resolution 33 on April 6, exempting people from water, electricity and hygiene from tax bills in northern and eastern Syria for 3 months.

On the same date and at the military level, the administration issued resolution 34, which suspended recruitment of SDF fighters, in order to prevent gathering during the recruitment and training process.

In order to focus on the implementation of the curfew, the administration issued resolution 35 on April 6, in which financial and legal sanctions were imposed on anyone who violates the generalization of the ban in northern and eastern Syria, and called on residents to abide by the circulars and resolutions issued to prevent the emergence of the coronavirus in the region.

60,000 members of the internal security forces oversee the curfew

The internal security forces in the NE Syria have used more than 60 thousand of its members to implement the resolutions and limit the violation of the curfew, according to the co-chair of the interior Authority in the Autonomous Administration Ali Hajjo, who described the rate of compliance" good", and estimated it  at " 80%".

"The curfew was accompanied by services from the Local Administration Authority and municipalities in all cities and towns of northern and eastern Syria, including cleaning and disinfection of the main and secondary streets, which are still going on today," Joseph Lahdo, the co-chair of the authority said.

On the health front, the Health Authority has mobilized its medical staff in the northern and the private and public sector, in order to respond to the current phase, and has worked to deploy its medical teams in cooperation with the Kurdish Red Crescent, and the health teams of the ISF in all the crossings of the autonomous areas.

It also worked with a Swedish institute to discover a medical tool for detecting testing "Kit", and went to set up special medical points to screen suspects of COVID-19, and established 13 centers throughout northern and eastern Syria.

Quarantine centers

The Health Authority is preparing quarantine points for arrivals out of northern and eastern Syria, by changing wedding halls to quarantine points which  numbered according to the Health Authority to 8 centers.

Since April 10th, the administration has imposed quarantine on the village of Um al-Housh in the Al-Shahba areas on suspicion of infection after Syrian government forces sent someone who has ended his military service in the village.

The Syrian government disrespect the lives of the people in NE Syria

Despite these intensive precautionary measures, people are afraid that the Syrian government disresprct Syrians' lives, and continues to send planes loaded with people from Damascus, as well a the Turkish occupation sends the Coronavirus contracted from Turkey to the occupied areas in Serêkaniyê and Girê Spî /Tel Abyad, as well as the W.H. medical aid for the Syrian Government and Jabhat al-Nusra-controlled areas and its lack of support for the autonomous areas.

The co-chair of the Health Authority in the Autonomous Administration, Jiwan Mustafa, criticized the approaches of the World Health Organization and said in an interview with our agency that they have not received any support from them so far. He indicated that they are in contact with W.H.O in hope of obtaining support, especially the advanced diagnostic devices "PSR".

A.J

ANHA