Coronavirus as a Global Complex Problem Looking for Resilient Solutions

Abstract

A new type of mysterious zoonotic virus called coronavirus is swiping the world, killing thousands of people and infecting hundreds of thousands, without any foreseen innovative solutions. The pandemic of COVID-19 could be categorised to be a complex problem since it is both challenging to discover and difficult to manage. The complexity of the coronavirus comes from its capacity to interact and evolve in unexpected ways. Yet, with this complex global problem, it is still possible to come with innovative solutions, if we managed to follow practices that shorten the time to learn about the virus and comprehend it. 

The researcher reviews the sequence of events of the first three months since the breakout of COVID-19 in December 2019, to set the mindset of the reader to consider this a complex problem that has constructs that need to be addressed, before we look for classical solutions. In order to simplify the complexity of this virus as a problem, a framework is proposed to help the specialised scientists to study the puzzle of coronavirus as a time-bound problem that could have resilient solutions. The framework focus on the traceability of the virus, besides its ‘doubling time’ and the Case Fatality Rate (CFR). Formulas of change and overall effectiveness of problem-solving are discussed, followed by a recommendation of how to optimise the utilisation of the proposed framework.