The coronavirus pandemic has taken away many things that we took for granted. Too many of us have seen our lifestyle destroyed. Millions have lost their livelihoods. We are living through an unprecedented crisis. Fortunately global communication systems remain functional. It is comforting to know that we have all the information we need to survive this crisis.
The beginning
On 11 March 2020 the WHO declared coronavirus (COVID-19) a pandemic. This categorization was necessary to assert the real threat caused by the “alarming levels of spread and severity” of the virus. During a press briefing on 19 March, UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated that, “The coronavirus pandemic is a crisis unlike any in the UN’s 75-year history.”
Since these incidents many countries have taken measures to mitigate the spread of the virus from person to person. India, China, France, Italy, the UK, and many other countries have imposed quarantining measures which now affect billions of people. More than half of humanity currently lives under some form of restriction on citizens’ mobility.
Understanding lockdown
Quarantining measures are a necessary evil. Coronavirus has infected more than a million people, of whom more than 50,000 have lost their lives. The risk of infection has forced governments to act. ‘Lockdown’ is often a loosely used term. The WHO certainly does not define it. Governments interpret and impose it based on risk assessment. Most past incidences of imposing a lockdown were in response to terror threats. The current state of lockdown in many nations is more or less self-enforced.
The purpose of a lockdown is to minimize person-to-person physical interactions. To this effect a lockdown usually involves shutting down schools and public places. All but essential transport services are also shut down. People are allowed to shop for groceries and other essentials. However, restrictions are imposed on how many people can enter shopping areas.
The duration of time they are allowed to spend shopping is also rationed. If the pandemic situation exacerbates, governments may impose more severe forms of quarantining such as ‘emergency lockdown’, ‘full lockdown’ or curfew. These may be enforced by paramilitary agencies or even the armed forces.
Impact
Many governments have ordered businesses and offices to shut down for the duration of the quarantine. Those who can are encouraged to work from home. However, not all employees can. Domestic workers and daily wage earners are facing the worst effects of lockdowns due to loss of livelihood. Long queues form daily outside supermarkets. Panic buying has ensued in places. Large swathes of remote areas have come to a standstill. Many millions have been displaced and their livelihoods shattered.
Remittances
One of the important sources of income for millions of families is remittances. Ria Money Transfer is the lifeline of many such families in several developing countries. We understand how important remittances are for you. We are taking steps to ensure that you can send and receive remittances throughout the duration of the lockdown. You can continue to take advantage of Ria’s services via our website, mobile web, and Ria’s mobile app.
Many governments are discouraging the use of cash during the pandemic. This is because currency notes are suspected to be potential virus carriers. We recommend senders to transfer remittances directly into their beneficiaries’ bank accounts. Please avoid using cash pickup services as much as possible. Cash pickup will remain available to ensure that unbanked recipients and recipients in remote areas continue to have a lifeline.
Please note that the hours of operation in many regions have been restricted due to lockdown precautions. We request remittance recipients to contact the pickup agent to ensure they are open. Ria’s home delivery services will continue to function in some countries including Armenia, the Dominican Republic, Hungary, Morocco, Nicaragua, Peru, the Philippines, and Vietnam.
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April 16th, 2020 by financetwitter
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