The world never imagined coronavirus could cause a pandemic and claim thousands of lives. As of this writing, there are 6, 150, 049 recorded cases. Of these, 2,729,917 have recovered. Sadly, COVID-19 took 370,499 lives. There are still 3,049,633 active cases. Government and world leaders, in an effort stop or at least curb the spread of the disease, crafted strategies and implemented measures.
While the world waits for the vaccine or drug that can fight the virus, the strategies and measures that governments implement and how their respective citizens react and submit to them serve as success indicators. In some countries, policies have indispensably influenced how situations progress in a battle against an unseen enemy.
There is hope in the worldwide battle against COVID-19. The pandemonium the pandemic created allowed a room of opportunities for other countries to silently craft the panacea that would end the plight of their people and the bleeding that the spread of the disease has been causing to every aspect of a country’s existence.
With the successful implementation of strategies, Montenegro, a small country of about 620, 000 population has already declared that it has successfully defeated the virus. Hence, COVID-19 free. This country has a thing or two to teach everyone how to successfully wage the battle.
Montenegro is always a step ahead
The last European country to have confirmed coronavirus in its territory on March 17, 2020 is the first European country to declare to be COVID-19-free. Montenegro does not boast of highly advanced health facilities yet it has achieved an elusive feat other countries hope to duplicate. The European country last recorded a COVID-19 case on May 4. The country registered 324 recorded cases and nine deaths in its 68-day battle with COVID-19.
The country has been COVID-free since May 9. The government of Montenegro managed to defeat COVID-19 without resorting to setting curfew or introducing a state of emergency. The government, through a tweet, acknowledged their strategy that is “to always be one step ahead”.
In March, with the recorded COVID-19 case in its territory, Montenegro closed down. The government shut airports, seaports and its borders.
With this development, the Balkan country has opened its borders to tourists from neighboring countries such as Croatia, Slovenia, Austria, Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Albania, Greece. Countries have to pass the epidemiological criteria to have its citizens allowed in Montenegro. These countries should “have no more than 25 COVID-19 patients per 100,000 inhabitants”.
