Covid-19 Vs Social Impact

Gayan Koralage and Daniella Zulkifli - March 2020

It is Day 14 of the Movement Control Order in Malaysia – 2 weeks of staying at home in order to contain the pandemic. Other countries including Italy, Spain, France, India, Pakistan and many others have also imposed similar restrictions in order to curb the spread of Covid-19. People are asked to stay at home, forcing us to work remotely, spend time with family and loves ones, and to spend more time in front of their computer/mobile/TV screens.

So, what Social Distancing is Doing To Us, socially?

With everyone staying at home, there will be a lot more screen time as opposed to physical interaction.

If you’re fortunate enough to have internet access, you could have virtual parties, birthdays are done on conference calls, and weekends could be spent watching Netflix, Amazon Prime and other streaming services. Shopping and outdoor sports will also have to be substituted with online shopping and e-gaming.

For some people, being at home also means that you will be with your family. This is the perfect opportunity to spend quality time with your loved ones or to catch up on some me-time.

But, it comes at a social cost namely, Work, Childcare and Mental Health

Not everyone has the luxury to unwind and watch Netflix though. Daily wage earners across the world are suffering to put food on the table as they are not able to make a living during lockdowns and will have to find alternative sources of income, and that is not easy to find. The International Labour Organisation (ILO) in its Covid-19 impact assessment estimates that there will be an increase in global unemployment that could be between 5.3 million to 24.7 million, depending on the scenario. Others will suffer from reduced working hours, which translates to lower wages. Those in the gig economy will similarly face difficulties securing jobs.

Lockdowns or similar restrictions also affect childcare. Those in the frontline need help with caring for their children, and relying on grandparents aren’t really a good idea when the elderly are more susceptible to the virus.

WHO has issued a document on “Mental health and psychosocial considerations during the COVID-19 outbreak” for the general population, healthcare workers, people who care for children, the elderly and people with high risk, as well as people in isolation. The document states, among others, that we are to stay calm, get real facts instead of rumours and to be supportive of others.

Impact on Education?

With many countries enforcing school closures, the education sector needs an alternative way of continuing students’ education via e-learning, where it is possible – this, of course, can only work if students actually have internet access. UNICEF estimates that there are about 1,530,584,916 learners around the world who are affected by the Covid-19 related school closures. That is 87.4% of total enrolled learners from pre-primary, primary, lower-secondary, and upper-secondary levels of the international standard classification of education, as well as at tertiary education levels.

The question is, is e-learning a sufficient substitute for physical classrooms, where there’s not much real life interaction with teachers and peers? Are we ready for a fully virtual school?

Impact in People In Need

In a difficult time like this, there are people who are more vulnerable than others. The hardcore poor in particular cannot even afford social distancing – it means you need your own space, running water to wash hands and to clean and the ability to work remotely. Migrant workers, refugees and displaced persons in certain countries face barriers in accessing healthcare services compared to citizens. Being forced to stay home also increases the risk of violence against women, as highlighted by WHO.

The new normal

Will we ever go back to where we were prior to the pandemic? Only time will tell. In China, where business is starting again, things seem to happen in slow motion. People are back at work but there is still a lot of worry and caution. There’s no urgency in spending, and many are still practising social distancing. It will take time for us to recover once this pandemic ends.

So what can we do in the meantime?

1. #stayathome. Travel only if it is absolutely necessary.
2. If you need to go out, take precautions. Practise social distancing, and wear a mask if you're exhibiting symptoms or are at risk. Wash hands frequently.
3. Keep in touch with loved ones. You never know when you might see them next. If you live with your family, now is the perfect time to get together
4. If you have extra time, work on things you've been putting off – that unfinished book, the new hobby you told yourself you’d pick up, any other thing you’ve been KIV-ing in your “To-Do” list for many, many years.
5. Lend some help - there are many individuals and organisations who are out there providing medical supplies, food and other necessities to several people in need. If you can't help out physically you could help by other means, like donating the necessities or into a trusted fund. Even little things matter like tipping the delivery person, giving an extra mask to security personnel, etc
6. Check your privilege. Sometimes we don’t know how good we have things until we lose them. There are many people out there who are not so fortunate, and we need to be more empathetic and refrain from judging other people before trying to understand their situation. 

I think this is a 'litmus test' of how mankind could respond to natural disasters over the next 500 years. Perhaps it's an opportunity to develop better of us responding positively for this crisis time?