Debate Essay on Alternative Policies for COVID-19 Response
Instructions:
In 3-5 double-spaced pages, please do the following:
1. Argue your position on the topic you’ve been assigned for your in-section debate
2. Detail and provide a response to three (3) counterarguments
3. Cite at least three (3) influential or important sources for your arguments
Some notes:
• It may be helpful (and kill two birds with one stone) to write this with the debate structure in mind.
• You will be better prepared for the debate if you select the best arguments against your position to reckon with; you can show us that these are strong arguments by citing important or influential sources that support them
• Keep in mind that the debate winner is the one who makes the most persuasive argument, so be sure to use the tools of rhetoric and persuasion we’ve been learning throughout the class.
My debate topic:
Covid-19 RESPONSE: Severe quarantines and social distancing are not the best way to address the spread of COVID-19 or provide for the common good. Governments should pursue alternative policies to address the issue that do not adversely affect the U.S. economy.
Please reach 3 pages literally!
Subject and Section
Professor’s Name
Date
Debate Essay: Alternative Policies for COVID-19 Response
COVID-19 has affected millions and millions of lives in two years. In that span, the government and health authorities have been authorizing many safety protocols to ensure everyone’s safety despite being exposed to the virus. The most widely used protocols, which were even implemented globally, were massive quarantines and physical distancing. However, these protocols are ineffective. Therefore, the government must prioritize constructing new policies that will enhance the welfare of every individual and reduce mortality and morbidity without the said restrictions.
Quarantined areas have been a trend, beginning from Wuhan, China, the origin of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many studies focused on the effectiveness of this strategy in hampering the spread or transmission of the virus from one community to the next. A study by Tang et al. revealed that surges of the epidemic were mainly based on the quarantined and suspected areas, which have shown more extraordinary transmission than the rest of the communities. Conversely, Patel et al. contradicted the results of this research by stating that there is still a conflict on the understanding of its effectiveness. Initially, the efforts may be effective in flattening the curve. However, the strategy is not sustainable and may only have short-term effects. Despite the lockdowns, an increasing trend in the number of cases has still been observed in some areas. This means that other factors must be taken into consideration, and the government must take an active role in constructing policies that have a long-term impact on the community (Patel et al.).
We should understand the need to change such policies. Quarantines, specifically the areas placed on lockdowns, inflicted significant adverse physical, mental, and social impacts on the individual citizen to the community. In the results of one online survey for parents analyzed using logistic regression, most of the participants’ children, at 69.5%, demonstrated alterations in their emotional capacity, 55.3% illustrated changes in their usual daily activities, and 62.2% demonstrated the difficulty of sleeping. These resulted in the high correlation between parental and child stress. The former’s psychological distress comes from the worry about their family’s inability to provide necessities, such as food and health needs. The problem was more profound in families of lower socioeconomic status than those with high financial capacity. The study has also shown that the mental problems eradicated the routines during the pre-pandemic state (Fasano et al.).
Aside from these, Patel et al. discussed that the quarantines and lockdowns interrupt local community health delivery’s standard and previously fast action. This prevents those who require to access health and other necessary resources to sustain life. As a result, people die from diseases other than COVID-19. This is alarming as the pandemic compounds the impact of the previous diseases that are curable. The authors also explained that such strategies are only effective in countries with almost absolute physical control within their population and those with tremendous technological advances. Therefore, these strategies may not be effective in democratic and developing countries like India.
The same is valid with the study results on physical distancing during encounters with other people based on research and statistics. Studies revealed that the spread rate of the virus increases in crowded areas. Hence, physical distancing measures must be strictly implemented (Thu et al.). Daghriri and Ozmen also realized that social distancing is 80% to 100% effective in reducing the spread of infection and number of deaths.
Indeed, social distancing must be followed at all times, and this can be achieved without implementing quarantines or lockdowns in certain areas. Pe...