THE world welcomed 2020 wary of the novel coronavirus outbreak in China in December 2019, but blind to the immense damage that the disease — COVID-19 — would inflict on the planet, making the last 12 months one of the most wretched ever in human existence.

More than 1.8 million people worldwide have so far succumbed to the virus, which has infected just over 83 million in almost every country, with the United States suffering the heaviest toll — 344,030 deaths and 19.85 million cases up to yesterday, according to Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Centre.

Here in Jamaica, COVID-19 has been responsible for 302 deaths from the 12,827 people who tested positive since the first case was reported on March 10, 2020, while a total of 10,383 have recovered, according to data released by the Ministry of Health and Wellness yesterday.

Globally, the pandemic’s economic impact has been devastating. At mid-December, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimated that national output for emerging and developed economies would contract by almost six per cent for 2020, except for China which is forecast to grow, Forbes magazine reported.

Global stock markets suffered dramatic falls due to the pandemic, with the Dow Jones reporting its largest-ever single-day fall of almost 3,000 points on March 16, 2020.

At the same time, world oil prices slumped by more than a fifth in 2020, as the deadly virus ravaged the world’s appetite for crude, despite a vaccine-driven upturn at the end of 2020.

Locally, the Jamaican Government submitted a request to the IMF for emergency financial assistance of about US$520 million to help meet the urgent balance-of-payments needs stemming from the pandemic. The IMF Executive Board approved the request in May, while noting that the COVID-19 shock hit Jamaica only a few months after the successful completion of its precautionary standby arrangement with the fund, which was underpinned by strong ownership and civil society oversight.

But the closure of borders worldwide crippled the tourism industry, leaving the more than 350,000 Jamaicans who directly make a living from tourism-related businesses, and thousands of families and communities that benefit indirectly from the industry in limbo.

As the crisis persisted, tourism sources reported that the industry started losing US$14 million a day after the shutdown in March.

Across other sectors, more than 100,000 jobs were reported to have been lost and many small businesses either closed or downsized.

Amid the gloom, though, the island’s health care providers and other first responders, including the security forces, rose to the challenge.

In the critical health sector, led by Minister Dr Christopher Tufton and Chief Medical Officer Dr Jacquiline Bisasor-McKenzie, hospitals were equipped with ventilators, thanks to Jamaica’s international partners, particularly the United States, United Kingdom, European Union, and Canada.

The Ministry of Health and Wellness (MoHW) eventually exhausted $4 billion of its $5.6-billion COVID-19 budget, with the bulk of it expended on drugs and personal protective equipment. Additionally, the Government acquired the services of 140 Cuban doctors and nurses to help Jamaica combat the pandemic.

Tight nightly curfews were imposed to stem the spread of the virus and the health and wellness ministry embarked on a massive public education campaign, which is still ongoing, to have Jamaicans observe COVID-19 safety protocols.

Health care professionals have been visiting communities across the island, at great risk to themselves, conducting tests and contact tracing. And while all the elements of the State’s health response have not been perfect, the country, however, won kudos in March from the World Health Organization (WHO) and US Government for its handling of the pandemic.

“Thank you so much for your leadership — and preparedness — for #COVID19, @christufton. #Jamaica Being ready for #coronavirus is key to pushing it back fast. Together, for a safer world!,” WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus posted on Twitter.

Equally, United States Ambassador to Jamaica Donald Tapia said in a tweet: “We want to congratulate the GoJ and the MoHW for its timely reporting of COVID-19 cases and aggressive containment strategy. The MoHW has shown that one of the best defences is appropriate public sensitisation on preventative methods and the importance of early case recognition.”

Given all that has transpired, the Jamaica Observer has voted COVID-19 Newsmaker of the Year and our health care providers Observer Heroes 2020.