It’s Not All Doom and Gloom
Just when we thought we were at the top of this steep hill we’ve been climbing for the past 8+ months, we realized we were only back at the bottom. The United States of America hit a staggering 12,379,135 cases of coronavirus on November 23, 2020, with 257,514 reported deaths. Today, the US is reporting around 198,034 COVID-19 cases a day. Compared to the approximately 30,000 daily cases being reported in the months of April and May, we are averaging at a shocking 168,000 more cases daily.
But, everyone knows this. The media, whether it be a newspaper article or a TV program, mainly shows the doom and gloom of this pandemic, highlighting the major economic disruptions or the state of all global financial markets. Politicians have even found a way for coronavirus to be politicized, turning the pandemic into a global spectacle rather than forwardly addressing the issue. But, by no means am I trying to undermine the devastating impacts of this pandemic. Rather, while I believe that sufficient light has been shone on the serious, overwhelming aspects of coronavirus, I also believe that not enough light is being shone on the positive outcomes, not necessarily of the pandemic itself, but how this historically significant period of time has impacted the compassion, ease, and respect that we, humans, live our lives. So, rather than romanticizing the subject any longer, why don’t we focus on the progressive, positive effects? Why don't we read in-between the lines of those news articles to find the silver lining?
On an environmental and personal front, families are presented with the opportunity to spend more time together. There is a newfound appreciation for the outdoors, and lessened local pollution.
A survey of 2,000 American adults, 1,200 of whom were parents, by The New York Post revealed that, in these unprecedented times, over 66 percent of the respondents said that the pandemic has brought them closer to their families than could have ever been imagined before. As the stay-home order has taken numerous things away from “normal” daily life, it has also provided, though, the opportunity for parents who otherwise would spend all day at work, to spend time with their children who would normally be away for 6+ hours a day.
It’s during times like these when the idea of our outdoor parks being more than just green spaces, but rather public spaces, is reinforced. An increase in activities gearing towards staying inside has only made us want to go outside more. And so we’ve turned to our national and local parks, spending the time outside enjoying the natural beauty of our world, we otherwise wouldn’t have immersed ourselves in.
In accordance with the effects of quarantine, as millions of Americans are being kept at home from work and school, public pollution, in several places, has been on a notable decline. Back in March and April, an almost immediate effect of a nationwide quarantine was the reemergence of animals in national parks like Yosemite, Tel Aviv’s Hayarkon Park, and more, without having to fear hundreds of tourists, noise, and trash. Additionally, on a more global front, northern India has reported being able to see the Himalayas Mountain, 125 miles away, for the first time in 30 years. And, the drastic reduction in motor-vehicle use has led to a drop in the nitrogen dioxide that would otherwise be generated from the burning of fossil fuels.
Now, the progress made on an economic front has been astounding as well. People have gained immense, and well-deserved, respect for doctors and healthcare workers, communication and corroboration via the internet has never been easier, and major breakthroughs have been made on the vaccination front.
You can easily get engulfed in your own suffering and worry, forgetting the medical professionals that are front lining this entire pandemic. During this period, a new light has been shone on the hardships these doctors, nurses, and caregivers are enduring. Various social media platforms have taken to showing the real faces behind the help being given to the millions of men, women, and children hospitalized. The “cloak” hiding the truth has been taken off, and now people are able to see how their direct actions in accord with COVID-19 regulations, affect the lives of these professionals.
Switching to the virtual world and going back in time to March and April, schools, jobs, and companies across the country were faced with the daily struggle of finding efficient, easy ways to meet online. This initial struggle contributed to the inability to have a completely seamless transition from the “real world” to this new virtual landscape. But, as we’ve seen, in just 7–8 short months, these communication bases have expanded to platforms used by hundreds of millions of people worldwide; a phenomenon corroborated by the Stock Market, with Zoom’s stock doing the best it has ever done.
Lastly, and perhaps the most important landmark to come from this pandemic, is associated with its vaccine. Before the arrival of coronavirus, the shortest amount of time it had taken scientists to develop a vaccine for a virus of such magnitude, was 4 years and 5 months, form mumps. In comparison, successful vaccines for coronavirus are in the trial phase, just 11 months after the beginning outbreak, with several companies such as Pfizer and BionTech collaborating together. What does this mean for the future? Well, this rapidity and newfound technology indicate that as a society, we will only be more prepared to face such pandemics as they come.
It is so easy to get entangled in all the negatives, in all that has gone wrong, that sometimes the positives and good outcomes slip right past you. I believe it’s important, at times, to take a step back and give yourself a break from all the terror that is constantly thrown in your face. It is important, even in a pandemic, even amidst coronavirus, to take a look at all the occurrences from the past year that have been for the better. We’ve all heard the phrase “a blessing in disguise.” I’m sure the devastating impacts of coronavirus will be deep and long-lasting, but I hope that 20, 30, 50 years from now, we will also realize that this challenging situation has accelerated the progress of human civilization and brought us together.
Citations
Hernandez , Sergio. “Tracking Covid-19 Cases in the US.” CNN, Cable News Network, 23 Nov. 2020, www.cnn.com/interactive/2020/health/coronavirus-us-maps-and-cases/.
Kummer, Frank. “7 Ways the Planet Has Gotten Better since the Coronavirus Shutdown.” Https://Www.inquirer.com, The Philadelphia Inquirer, 23 Apr. 2020, www.inquirer.com/science/climate/earth-day-coronavirus-philadelphia-wildlife-pollution-climate-change-20200422.html.
MoneyShow. “9 Pharmaceutical Companies Racing For A COVID-19 Vaccine.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 17 June 2020, www.forbes.com/sites/moneyshow/2020/06/16/9-pharmaceutical-companies-racing-for-a-covid-19-vaccine/?sh=447dc44476ad.
SWNS. “People Are Cherishing More Time with Their Families during Coronavirus Pandemic.” New York Post, New York Post, 9 July 2020, nypost.com/2020/07/09/american-families-cherishing-more-time-with-their-families-during-covid-19-pandemic/.
Photo Citation
Forouzani, Ashkan. Doctor Wearing A Mask. Ahvaz, Khuzestan Province, Iran, 17 Mar. 2020.
Kaharlytskyi, Maksym. Stop COVID-19. Maia, Португалия, 2 Apr. 2020.
