The Covid-19 crisis and how it will change us irrevocably !!

The ongoing COVID19 global pandemic has affected our lives in more ways than we could have ever imagined. The scale of the current crisis is unprecedented in modern times and extreme measures are being taken by nations to ensure that the spread is contained. Many countries have declared this epidemic to be the biggest crisis post Second World War and Great Depression. There are towns in Northern Italy where an entire generation succumbed to the deadly virus in a matter of few days. Even though lock-downs are being enforced in many parts of the world, experts believe that the situation is likely to get worse before getting better.

Amongst this uncertainty and skepticism about future, let us take a pause - reflect & contemplate how this impending predicament affects humanity and the ramifications from a long and short term perspective.

The last few weeks have been a humbling reminder of the vulnerability of human life. For a generation that has heretofore only read about similar catastrophes in books and seen it portrayed in film it is a harsh realization of the fragility of our existence. The childish optimism that such misfortunes will never befall humanity again is gone. In a way it is ironical, for a species that has made gigantic strides in diverse fields of technology to be overwhelmed by what ought to have been an innocuous virus. The temerity and hubris of certain governments & people to downplay the threat at the outset has been disproved with grave repercussions. The virus is ruthless – it doesn’t discriminate between religions, race, social class or wealth. 

From the way this virus is spreading and our response towards the threat, it is clear that no matter how modern or civilized we become, the basic instinct of survival makes us similar to hundreds of other species who co-inhabit the planet with us.

Take the case of India. Not too long ago, the nation was mired in controversy over a sectarian bill that sought to dictate citizenship on the basis of religion. There were vitriolic arguments among political parties, protests in various parts of the country and a nation stood divided. However, with the threat of a looming epidemic, all of this seems to be a distant past. The way the nation has unified against the disease is unparalleled in recent history. It is incredible to see a city like Mumbai that never sleeps come to a complete halt during the nation-wide lock-down. This kind of reciprocation is significant in another aspect. A country that has been highlighted in the recent past for marginalizing its minority community, the fear of this contagion has united all irrespective of religion, community or social class.

Humans have always considered themselves to be a gregarious group. Since inception, we have cherished the company of other fellow beings and thrived from these interactions. However, as enforcement of lock-downs become severe and billions of people get affected by it, the basic tenets of human liberty and individual freedom are at stake. It is not natural for us to stay indoors, locked-up for long periods of time. It’s therefore no surprise that police have had to resort to extreme actions to restrict movements of people on the streets. Governments had to enforce almost curfew like lock-downs to ensure people stay confined to their homes. Never before has staying at home meant saving your country.

For me the biggest takeaway from the current situation is a renewal of faith in public administration. It is refreshing to see governments across continents in fervent action to help their people. Their actions ranging from protecting jobs, enforcing employment regulations, declaring financial stimulus packages to uplift economy will surely help in mitigating this exigency. I’m sure left to the whims of the private enterprise and free economy, situation would have been much worse.

Many consider globalization to be the cause of the spread of this infectious disease. However, I do not think that to be true. There have been epidemics in the past as well that had drawn on for decades, encompassing continents and entailed a severe toll on human lives. The most recent one that comes to mind is the Spanish flu of 1917-18 that killed between 20-50 million people globally and infected close to one third of the population. We live in a far more connected world today. Information and knowledge sharing is much faster with the concomitant result that people and governments can take preventive action much earlier on the basis of real time data. India for eg, has been able to learn valuable lessons from China and take preemptive measures. 

People with stable jobs and the option of working at home should consider themselves fortunate during this period. Imagine the plight of the poor, daily wage earners who may die of hunger before the virus kills them. Think of the people employed in essential services like healthcare, defense, warehouse, delivery, telecom, banks, etc. who risk not only their lives but also of the family everyday so that others can stay safe within the confines of their homes. We need to be more appreciative of this, their employers too should acknowledge these efforts with special allowance and perquisites.

The coronavirus pandemic has coerced employers to provide work from home option to any employee whose work can be done remotely. A recent report showed that as of Mar’20 almost 25% of the workforce to be working remotely. The present scenario could accelerate this shift towards adoption of work from home options for employees especially in IT and ITEs domain. 

In the middle of this gloom, let’s look at some of the positives that have emerged due to this emergency:

• For most people who until recently were “too busy” to spend time at home with family, this is a chance to spend quality time with near and dear ones. Relish these moments when you have the opportunity to do so.
• For many people reliant on domestic help for basic survival needs like food, cleaning, washing clothes, etc., the present situation provides the prospect of becoming self-reliant. With maids and cooks on leave during lock-down many have been coerced to learn such domestic stuff the hard way for sustenance.
• It could never been a better time to pick up something new – a hobby / interest that you’d wanted to dabble with but never found the time to do so. It could be anything – learning a foreign language, a musical instrument, writing, reading a book, taking an online course, etc. This is the probably the best shot you will get.
• As fewer vehicles ply on roads and many factories shut operations the level of air pollution has come down dramatically. There has been a noticeable reduction in the density of nitrogen dioxide, one of the major pollutants that kills many every year. The resultant effect – the air we breathe hasn’t been cleaner in decades.

Inasmuch as we consider ourselves to be rational beings, we do not always act that way. We needed a virulent strain of a novel virus to teach us basic etiquette like washing hands regularly, covering mouth while sneezing, maintaining safe social distance, etc. For a generation that is used to the convenience of getting everything on the click of a button, having to wait in queue at a store has become a major nuisance. During this upheaval, the idea that scientists are on the verge to unlock the mystery to immortality seems ludicrous.

Many feel we had it coming, karma is a bitch!! We have put tremendous strain on the environment due to our irresponsible actions. By invading habitats of species with reckless expansion we have already created an ecological imbalance.

Humans have survived many a turmoil in the past and emerged from them successfully, I’m sure we will get of this eventually as well. At what cost, we still don’t know. My only hope is that we come out of this crisis with humility, become considerate to fellow beings, let go of the notions of infallibility and be more responsible for our actions. To go back to status quo, would mean ignoring not only the struggle we had to endure, but also overlooking the warning signs that could jeopardize our existence on this planet. As Eleanor Roosevelt aptly said, “When will our consciences grow so tender that we will act to prevent human misery rather than avenge it?”