COVID was YOUR fault
… and get ready for more of these
COVID-19 first came as whispering rumours of an infectious disease. Then it slapped us in the face and incarcerated us. It was YOUR fault. Don’t you dare throw this responsibility into anyone’s arms. Climate change has struck us for many years. Bit by bit, the environment and us are being affected. However, have you ever thought of the species that contribute the most to this mess? Humans. Experts have even said that reducing the human population is a way to reduce the effects of climate change.
However, why I am stating both climate change and COVID-19 in this article? As global warming continues, ice in the Arctic melts and the permafrost thaws (it never melts).
Permafrost: Earth material like gravel, sand, organic soil and mineral soil frozen at or below 0 degrees Celsius for a consecutive 2 or more years.
This not only raises sea levels but also creates a passageway for diseases to reach us and the wildlife. This is especially the case as businesses and governments from all over the world are deciding to develop shipping routes through these Arctic areas. This rapidly increases the spread, just like the lessons we have learnt from COVID-19, tracking down the source is the key to stopping the spread. According to a paper published by scientists, with one of which was Tracey Goldstein (the associate director of the One Health Institute and the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine), “By altering animal behaviour and removing physical barriers, loss of sea ice may create new pathways for animal movement and the introduction of infectious disease into the Arctic.”
Now, you may be asking how can permafrosts contain diseases? To start with, have you ever wondered how long it has been floating for? Most sea ice is approximately 10 years old. It experiences all seasons and weathers within the decade while growing larger and larger as layers pile above. It also undergoes all the diseases we have endured. Please, never question that “bacteria can survive for [a] very long [time]” a virologist at Aix-Marseille University, Jean Michel Claverie said. However, exactly how long is it? Now that, is another question to discover.
Permafrost once thawed, emits large amounts of greenhouse gases. However, for frozen microorganisms in the earth to spread, permafrosts aren’t even required to be thawed completely. The Arctic’s temperature is already rising double the speed of everywhere else in the world. However, that isn’t the most serious danger. It is that humans are exploiting “the Arctic regions, and are marking big holes by which to excavate layers of permafrost that are up to a million years old.” “This is the recipe for disaster because you have humans here and you have the virus when it is fresh.” Instead, if the permafrost makes contact with nature, “They fall into the river. They are exposed to oxygen, which is bad for viruses. They are exposed to light, which is also bad for viruses. And so they will not be revived for very long if they don’t find a host very quickly” says Dr Claverie. Dr Abergel also said: “If [the viruses] come into contact with a proper host then they will reactivate. So if you put a human in a place with frozen viruses associated with pandemic then those humans could be infected and replicate the virus and start a new pandemic.”
We may be able to stop people from moving to and from the Arctic areas, but we aren’t the only ones migrating. Animals like birds migrate and may still bring these diseases to us.
As you can clearly see, climate change is like a disease. It is like another outbreak but ones we have experienced before. So, why aren’t we reacting to climate change immediately? Don’t think we have a lot of time, we actually don’t. Since scientists have found evidence, they have given us a headstart in this race. They have provided us with time to react and resolve it before it bursts. So, now is the time to act or the worst will come soon.
