Outbreak Management and COVID-19 Pandemic

Humanity has battled with various epidemics, pandemics and natural disasters throughout history since it began to live in communities, still continuing to do so. In the past, it was very difficult to overcome many of these phenomena both at global and regional level, and even many people were killed. However, during the plagues, countries attempted to develop a number of strategies, tactics and methods within the scope of combating the epidemic. At this point, these struggles, measures and actions have facilitated prevention and spread of outbreaks, and sometimes they have not been sufficiently efficacious. On the other hand, struggles with epidemics, pandemics and natural disasters, which deeply affect all segments of the society in terms of social, cultural and economic aspects as well as mental and physical health, have been inherited to the present day, becoming a vast accumulation of practices to be re-applied in possible disasters humanity will face. The main point lies in the fact that here is that the struggles fought in traditional societies and modern societies have different characteristics. Especially in those traditional societies where medicine and technology are underdeveloped, the struggles carried out within uncertain constraints have caused pandemics and epidemics to last longer. The modern society we live in today, on the other hand, is on the verge of several risks and threats unlike traditional societies. When we consider the modern society within the risk society approaches, the present risks should also be thoroughly discussed. In this context, epidemics, which are a type of natural disaster, and the methods of combating them should be investigated within the framework of risk and crisis management due to the risks in modern society.