COVID-19 Pandemic Risk Assessment and Management

The assignment discusses the COVID-19 pandemic's increasing trend in mortality and reviews the situation to determine why early control measures were ignored. It outlines strategies for rapid and serious implementation of preventive measures to reduce transmissions and allow time for expert developers to create a medication and vaccine. The document also includes a bibliography with references from Wikipedia, ECDC, Risk.net, CDC, and the Australian Government Department of Health.

ATtempts to mitigate the accelerating Coronavirus cases in Australia
MARCH 15, 2020
Payal Agrawal
ID: 45680248

Executive Summary
This report is focused on the global pandemic disease COVID-19 which was reported lately in
December 2019 in a small province called Wuhan in China and spread throughout the world
affecting around 140 countries and more than 150000 people. Like many other countries this
disease has shown its hazardous effects in Australia recently and the cases are on a increasing
trend. This report mainly deals with affects of corona virus in Australia and focuses on
implementing risk management strategies to conquer this disastrous situation. The methodology
used to perform risk analysis is based on journal Information technology project management by
Schwalbe. In this report, both qualitative and quantitative approaches are applied to evaluate the
risk. It also suggests some possible solutions that can be effective to minimize the dangers from
this disease and finally eliminate it from Australia and the globe itself.
Table of Contents
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Introduction.................................................................................................................................................3
1. Purpose............................................................................................................................................3
2. Scope...............................................................................................................................................3
3. Goal.................................................................................................................................................3
Risk Management Approach.......................................................................................................................3
1. Pre-assessment: Planning (Identify, Analyze and Evaluate the risk)................................................3
2. Assessment: Monitor and Control...................................................................................................5
Conclusion and future recommendations...................................................................................................6
Bibliography................................................................................................................................................6
Introduction
Corona virus disease also known as COVID-19 has emerged as a global threat since it spread
throughout the world in very less time affecting around 140 countries and taking lives of
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thousands of people. It was considered as a pandemic by WHO in march 11, 2020. Like other
nations, Australia could not remain unaffected. This is a pneumonic disease which mainly affects
respiratory system causing pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome. This disease
shows symptoms in 14 days period. Symptoms include cold, flu, cough and shortness of breath.
There is no vaccine developed for treatment of this disease being the main reason for its
uncontrolled spread throughout the world. This virus spreads through cough droplets and the
carrying agents could be physical contact with infected person, through air which contains virus
from the infected person and through touching virus contaminated areas.
1. Purpose
The purpose of this risk management project is to evaluate the dangers of Coronavirus disease
and propose procedures and systems that aids in mitigating the risk as soon as possible. This risk
assessment report provides a defined qualitative and quantitative assessment of the recent
situation regarding Coronavirus cases in Australia. It addresses affectability, risks,
vulnerabilities and safeguards. The report prescribes practically applicable measures to mitigate
threats of Coronavirus in Australia.
2. Scope
The scope of this risk management approach is to address the Coronavirus disease outbreak in
Australia through imposing solutions at different levels whether technical or non-technical so
that potential dangers can be avoided before the situation becomes outrageous. If not controlled,
the situation could result in:
 Higher number of fatalities and increased deaths
 Disability to treat the victims due to lack of medical services and medical practitioners
 High risk for medical professionals being affected
3. Goal
The overall mission is to target the global pandemic Coronavirus disease and mitigating its
affects primarily in Australia.
Risk Management Approach
The assessment for COVID-19 evaluates the risk factors of accelerating coronavirus, impacts
caused and discusses ideas to overcome the pandemic disease. The assessment recommends
appropriate safety measures, allowing higher level to make knowledgeable decisions about safety
initiatives.
1. Pre-assessment: Planning (Identify, Analyze and Evaluate the
risk)
Currently, people residing in Australia are at a high risk of being affected by the evil
Coronavirus disease. The risk of severe disease COVID-19 infection amongst
younger people aged between 18 to 40 is considered moderate and considered high
for small children and elderly group specially for the individuals with chronic
underlying conditions such as diabetes and HIV which are responsible for weak
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immune system. The danger of transmission of COVID-19 in public places such as
hospitals and educational institutes with large number of vulnerable population is
considered high. There is threat that the capacity of the health care institutions will
not be able to sustain the increasing number of victims and provide sufficient
medications. The affect of transmission in such places can be limited by
implementing preventive and control strategies. One of the major factors for
transmission of this disease worldwide is travel being the main reason for spreading
oh this disease from a small province in China to worldwide. As the disease spreads
through contact with contaminated victims, it is being transferred from one person to
another and one nation to another when the victim crosses any boarders.
A risk assessment matrix is shown below to understand the level of associated risks:
Risk Level Geographic exposures Exposures through
physical contact
High Travel from Hubei
Province, China
Residing in the same
house, having physical
relations and taking care of
affected without
precautions and isolation.
medium  Travel from
mainland China
outside Hubei
Province
 Travel from a
country with
widespread
sustained
transmission, other
than China such as
Hongkong,
Singapore and Italy.
 Close contact with
a person with
symptoms of
COVID-19.
 Travelling in the
same aircraft and
being seated
closely
 Avoiding
precautions such as
use of masks and
sanitizers
Low Travel from any other
country
Being in the same
environment for long time
although without physical
contact such as schools,
malls and hospitals.
No risk Not travelled Not being in contact with
such person, taking proper
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precautions while stepping
out.
2. Assessment: Monitor and Control
The spread of Coronavirus disease is very quick and needs a immediate targeted action in
order to avoid severe consequences. The speed with which the COVID-19 is transmitting,
it will take just a couple of weeks before the situation turns out to be alike China and
Italy. This virus being the novel type, out bodily systems are more suspectable to its
affects. The identification of this disease includes moderate symptoms of flu and cold to
severe symptoms of pneumonia. There are no vaccines available till date and the current
victims are being treated with regular medications which are proving to be lightly
effective. Measures taken at this stage ought to eventually target shielding the most
vulnerable populace from serious sickness and lethal result by decreasing transmission
and strengthening medical services. Besides affecting people physically, the situation as
created crises for essentials in Australia, as residents are stocking up goods such as toilet
paper, sanitizers and medications and demands are unbearable.
There have been 249 confirmed cases of Coronavirus disease across Australia with
majority of cases being reported in NSW including 3 deaths. Although, there is no
widespread community till date, the government have imposed some rules and measures
to further prevent the outbreak. The government has limited gatherings to 500 people
including the Easter shows being cancelled and requested limited gatherings for critical
workforces like doctors. There is a travel ban from China and other severely impacted
nations.
Even though there are reinforcements regarding the control of COVID-19, the speed and
accuracy of those reinforcements is lacked behind. The virus being capable of migrating
at an uncontrolled pace, more rapid and targeted actions are required. Some mitigating
measures that are to be adopted to control the disease are as follows:
 Social distancing is the foremost measure to prevent from the transmission. It
includes complete isolation of the symptomatic person, reduced social gatherings
and workplace meetings.
 Self- awareness about personal hygiene such as use of sanitizers, masks and
following coughing etiquettes is a must to avoid transmission.
 Excessive care is to be taken in health centers to protect health professionals and
staffs and other unaffected patients from being contaminated. Special training are
to be provided to hospital staffs to remain protected.
 In case of limited supplies, the demand are to be satisfied initially for high risk
people and reached to others secondarily.
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 Security systems are required to be developed in order to identify the cases more
easily and at initial stage. These security systems should be imposed in airports
primarily so that no victims can invade our territory.
 Enforcing use of antibacterial and sanitizers in public places such as malls,
schools and banks is a must.
Conclusion and future recommendations
The mortality caused by COVID-19 is in increasing trend. Reviewing the situation shows that
ignoring the potential threats at early stage when it was easier to impose the controls is a major
reason for its widespread. Also, the weakness of our authorities to prevent the virus from
entering Australian territories even though the potential hazards were known. Both the manual
and AI predictions are made that the virus will show a increasing trend and will affect millions
before it is eradicated completely. The alternate can only be seen if a strategic approach that is
relied upon rapid and seriously imposed application of these preventive measures that will
ultimately help reduce the number of victims and consequently reduce transmissions as well.
This will allow recent patients to be cared and allow more time for expert developers to develop
a medication and vaccine so that the Coronavirus can be eradicated completely from the globe.
Bibliography
Schwalbe, K. & ProQuest, 2019. Information technology project management /
Kathy Schwalbe, Ph.D., PMP, Professor Emeritus, Augsburg College. Ninth.,
En.wikipedia.org. 2020. 2019–20 Coronavirus Pandemic. [online] Available at:
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019%E2%80%9320_coronavirus_pandemic> [Accessed 8 March 2020].
European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. 2020. Rapid Risk Assessment: Novel Coronavirus
Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic: Increased Transmission In The EU/EEA And The UK – Sixth
Update. [online] Available at: <https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications-data/rapid-risk-assessment-
novel-coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19-pandemic-increased> [Accessed 7 March 2020].
Risk.net. 2020. A Peek Inside Op Risk Managers’ Coronavirus Response - Risk.Net. [online] Available at:
<https://www.risk.net/risk-management/7491576/a-peek-inside-op-risk-managers-coronavirus-toolkit>
[Accessed 13March 2020].
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2020. Risk Assessment And Management. [online] Available
at: <https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/risk-assessment.html> [Accessed 11 March 2020].
Dailytelegraph.com.au. 2020. PM’S New Border Restrictions As Schools Stay Open. [online] Available at:
<https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/lifestyle/health/australia-is-running-out-of-supplies-to-test-for-the-
coronavirus/news-story/148d5b7d304291b2ea8d67eb80617b03> [Accessed 8 March 2020].
Australian Government Department of Health. 2020. Coronavirus (COVID-19) Health Alert. [online]
Available at: <https://www.health.gov.au/news/health-alerts/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-health-alert>
[Accessed 11 March 2020].
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