Covid 19 Pandemic: Redefining National Security and Health Policy

Abstract

The covid19 pandemic is a global health crisis of unprecedented scale and has forced the governments, policy makers and international organizations to redefine and rethink the paradigms of national security and its relationship with health policy. With approximately 1739007 confirmed cases world wide and 108432 conformed death from this disease covid19 has effectively transcended the traditional conventions on national sovereignty, borders, security and International law. From Wuhan china the disease has spread to 213 countries and territories and has involved all continents except Antarctica. Most of the countries and societies affected with covid19 have seen lock downs, travel restrictions, economic stagnation, curfews, closed businesses and schools practically disrupting normal life, weakening political and economic systems and threatening the society in general. The broad social, political, economic and religious consequences of this pandemic makes it imperative that countries especially developing countries like Pakistan rethink their national security policy and incorporate health security as an essential component of its national security doctrine.