GLOBAL IMPACT OF CORONAVIRUS!
The world has never seen a global health crisis, which is increasing human hardship and has changed everyone’s lives. This COVID-19 pandemic is more than a health crisis, it has a global impact on all aspects of life in the society.
ELDERLY & OLDER ADULTS
While it is true that this virus does not respect any national borders since it is affecting everyone across the world, older people are the most vulnerable to this infection from COVID-19, especially those with underlying medical conditions. Despite these health struggles, older people also are less suited to be able to self-support themselves in self isolation (Whiting, 2020). This has increased the negative stereotypes about the elderly. Due to this “age-based discrimination”, policies and services should properly be addressed for this age group.
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES
Before this health crisis, Indigenous people were already encountering many issues for example lower income levels, high rates of unemployment and even higher levels of incarceration. This pandemic added more stress to this community. Indigenous health institutions often are “under-equipped and under-staffed” (Al Jazeera, 2020). Although, if services are provided the community faces discrimination. Many Indigenous families live accordingly to traditional and cultural practices, which can also become a barrier in the spread of this virus. It is notable that Indigenous families live in “multi-generational housing”, which makes the Indigenous families vulnerable and puts the elderly at risk (Al Jazeera, 2020). The world had already marginalized this community both socially and economically, but now they are more vulnerable. The lockdowns in these communities, have caused food shortages due to the loss of their land and even less access to food. Therefore, countries should address these specific priorities and needs of the Indigenous people during this global health crisis.
YOUTH
All around the world, national governments and organizations are encouraging the youth to educate families, friends and communities on COVID-19, using verified information. Globalization has increased many technological advancements. With the help of many different social media platforms, the youth is able to spread awareness to the public on this health crisis. The class of 2020 is the generation entering one of the most “worst job markets since the Great Depression” (Villarreal, 2020). Unemployment for the ages 20–24 has risen to 25.7% according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (Pierce, 2020). Although the youth that are employed often work in precarious employment of the economy, which are the target of this virus. Due to the closure of schools and other educational institutions, more than one billion youth have tried their best to adapt to online learning (“Keeping the world’s Children”, 2020). Youth who live under poverty or are migrants, are more vulnerable to adapt to online learning, since they don’t have the basic necessitates of health and education. Being the leaders of tomorrow, the youth are encouraged to hold governments accountable where its necessary. They are encouraged to advocate for politicians to report reliable and scientific information during this crisis and advocate for new policies such as free testing along with sick leave.
ENVIRONMENT
This health crisis has a lasting impact on the environment of the world. Industries have closed down; air travel has been reduced and everyone across the world is practicing social distancing in the hope that we will be able to defeat this virus. All of these measures have resulted in reduced pollution and greenhouse gas emission across the continents. Lockdowns in China have caused a 25% reduction in its Carbon emissions. This statistic believes to have saved at least 77, 000 lives. New York State’s pollution has reduced at least 50%. The city of Venice in Italy reported the water in the canals to have a clear and greater flow of water (Wright, 2020). This happened because boat traffic was reduced, by the help of citizens practicing social distancing. Environmental and climate diplomacy are not being able to successfully be promoted. The 2020 United Nations Climate Change Conference was postponed to 2021 since its venue was transformed into a field hospital (Wright, 2020). The governments should continue to invest in policies that will save our planet Earth.
CHANGE IN THE WORLD
The past few months of 2020 have not been well for the entire world. The planet is fighting a pandemic, stock markets are crashing, schools/colleges/universities have been closed, people are still starving in Yemen and human rights are being violated across the world. If not properly addressed through policy the social crisis created by the COVID-19 pandemic may also increase inequality, exclusion, discrimination and global unemployment in the medium and long term. It is important to acknowledge that this health crisis is global and therefore the solution, to reopen the world should also be global.
On the positive side, the pandemic has allowed many of us to get in touch with our reality. The response to this health crisis has really shown how united and strong the world can be when we all work together. It feels like the world has stopped and nobody knows how to restore it again but there is always light at the end of the tunnel, shortly this year will bring positivity and goodness for everyone! This too shall pass!
SOURCES USED (APA)
Al Jazeera. (2020, May 19). Coronavirus threatens remote Indigenous communities in the Amazon. Retrieved June 03, 2020, from https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/05/coronavirus-threatens-remote-indigenous-communities-amazon-200519160856856.html
Keeping the world’s children learning through COVID-19. (2020, April 20). Retrieved September 10, 2020, from https://www.unicef.org/coronavirus/keeping-worlds-children-learning-through-covid-19
Pierce, N. (2020, March 11). How young people can help respond to the coronavirus outbreak. Retrieved June 03, 2020, from https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/03/coronavirus-global-shapers-young-people-response/
Villarreal, A. (2020, June 08). ‘Adapt and overcome’: Class of 2020 inherits worst labor market since the Great Depression. Retrieved September 10, 2020, from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/08/adapt-and-overcome-class-of-2020-inherits-worst-labor-market-since-the-great-depression
Whiting, K. (2020, March 12). An expert explains: How to help older people through the COVID-19 pandemic. Retrieved June 03, 2020, from https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/03/coronavirus-covid-19-elderly-older-people-health-risk/
Wright, R. (2020, March 17). There’s an unlikely beneficiary of coronavirus: The planet. Retrieved April 30, 2020, from https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/16/asia/china-pollution-coronavirus-hnk-intl/index.html
