Lessons from coronavirus

The coronavirus has now spread to every single country in the world. More than three billion people have now been urged to stay at home as governments battle to contain the pandemic sweeping the globe and taking a heavy toll on human lives amid dwindling medical supplies.

India became the latest country to implement a lockdown forcing more than a billion people to stay at home. Many countries such as UK, France, Italy and some US states have imposed mandatory lockdown measures while others have imposed curfew, quarantines and social distancing measures.

The WHO, which is back in the spotlight, had warned that the outbreak was accelerating and countries should take strong, coordinated action. It has been noted that the first 100,000 cases worldwide took 67 days to reach, but just four days to go from 200,000 to 300,000 cases. The health agency also warned the United States could be the next epicentre of the virus despite claims by President Trump that he intends to keep the country open for business. The global city of New York is expected to be the epicentre in the US as masks, ventilators and even political goodwill is desperately are in short supply.

While the coronavirus has brought waves of bad news from deaths, economic meltdown and lockdown, there have been a few bright spots. As humans stayed indoor, the earth has been taking a moment to heal itself. Air pollution had improved in many parts of the world largely due to low traffic, travel bans, and factories shutdown. China’s carbon emissions declined by 25 percent in the four weeks to March and the slowdown led to a decline in coal consumption at power plants and use of oil at refineries.

There have been other environmental benefits such as clearer waters, cleaner beaches and fresher air, even though benefits may be short-lived once the health crisis is over. The pandemic had also led to better hygiene and cleanliness. The message from health experts has been clear from the start to wash your hands properly. All the extra hygiene appears to be paying off as a number of other infectious diseases have fallen.

China imposed a permanent ban on the illegal but widely prevalent trade and consumption of exotic wildlife, seeing the impact it had on the national economy. And while people are worried about getting bored staying indoors, it has also given an opportunity to check on their families and reconnect with their friends. With every hardship there is ease and the coronavirus has given us an opportunity to reconsider and reflect on our lives.