Bacha, Obiyathulla Ismath2023-04-102023-04-1020211307-671Xhttp://doi.org/10.18678/dtfd.891171https://search.trdizin.gov.tr/yayin/detay/422363https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12684/11431The traditional view, of a linear relationship between the development levels of countriesand their ability to deal with problems has been completely changed with the coronavirusdisease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The countries hit hardest by the pandemic have beenthe so called developed ones of Western Europe and the USA. Equating development tomega cities has been shown to be misplaced. The pandemic has spread fastest in crowdedcities such as New York and Los Angeles. Aside from overpopulated cities, ignoring theenvironment and the need for healthy living conditions are other important reasons for theirfailure to control the epidemic. Yet, countries such as Taiwan, South Korea and Japan havehad very low infection rates relatively, even though most of their populations live in largeurban centers. The difference may be due to the extensive practice of using face masks inthese countries. The need to emphasize and rely on science and technology to solve theproblems of humankind is among the key lessons that the pandemic has taught us. A finallesson the virus has taught us, is that regardless of which country we live in, our well-beingand destinies are closely indeed intertwined. A health care crisis anywhere in the world canaffect us all and very quickly too.en10.18678/dtfd.891171info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessArticle23S12426422363