[My partner's answer]
I think that it made me appreciate things that I take for granted my family and something as simple as breathing. Fortunately, I did not get the virus and my family got it but they are okay. I am taking to them most often and now I feel that masks are part of my skin, breathing feels more like a gift now. From my perspective I think that vaccination and the use of masks worked well. I got the three vaccine doses, wore mask and did not visit to crowded places, hopefully it worked. Unsurprisingly, the response of my country to the first cases and the management of patients in the hospitals was lacking, as well as medical resources to fight the virus. Ultimately, the system collapsed. However surprisingly the vaccination campaigns took place very fast, by the time I was receiving the first dose of vaccine in South Korea my family was about to receive the 2nd shot.
Regarding the vaccine effectiveness, certainly, one might assume that after receiving the vaccine we are fully immune to the virus, however considering that the virus is mutating and the effectiveness of the vaccine builds up with time it came to no surprise that even after receiving the vaccine it was possible to be infected. This was the case with my family who got the virus after being vaccinated. However, in my non-scientific opinion I believe that the fact that my family received the vaccination prior to them being infected with COVID 19, made their symptomatology less severe. Therefore, I consider that, in a way, the vaccination was effective but the
On the other hand, I think that at the beginning the tracking technology, in the case of South Korea was effective for tracking people that were meant to be in quarantine and to indicate zones were a person with the virus was spotted in order to disinfect that place and avoid it. However, as the cases grew widely exponentially world wide this type of solution became “obsolete”. Ultimately, what I believe make the difference was the correct use of mask as part of the daily life. Even by 2022 and after many restrictions have been lifted in various countries worldwide a lot of people (I include myself) use the mask even in open places.
I think that we underestimated the situation and did not anticipate that it would turn in an event of such huge magnitude. Therefore, we should not underrate “the power of the mother nature” and be prepared. I think that the research on vaccination related to this type of virus and in general for different illnesses with evident epidemiological potential should be carried out continuously. Moreover, the investment on health and medical institutions should be reinforced with improved conditions for the working staff.