Mobility data from Colombia and across Latin America illustrates the gradual breakdown of lockdowns, with compliance waning as time went on. Failing to accompany them with testing to localise and isolate outbreaks squandered a precious head start, says Michael Touchton at the University of Miami's COVID-19 Observatory. "The lockdown lost its effectiveness over time and the Colombian government did not take advantage of the early period, when cases were fewer, to expand its hospital capacity or take stronger measures in favour of mask wearing and limited, regional quarantines upon reopening. The point is not to eliminate the disease through lockdown. It's to find the time to address it properly when the number of cases become manageable for testing and contact tracing," Touchton says. Though widespread testing and tracing is particularly challenging in Latin America due to its lacking public health infrastructure and diverse populations, lockdowns used alone are not a sustainable solution, Touchton says. The results are already being borne out and will likely become clearer in the coming months. Colombia has seen a rise in cases since measures were relaxed in September and it is feared a second wave of cases will hit in November or into December as Christmas celebrations begin. After the economic damage caused by the first lockdown, observers say there is little public support for another being implemented. But should hospitals become overwhelmed, buying time with lockdowns may be the only option, once again.
Luke Taylor, 'Colombia implemented a six-month lockdown to control coronavirus but there was a steep price to pay', ABC News
