Once again the World is under attack but this time the threat is much bigger than ever. More than two hundred countries are affected by Covid -19 and millions of people are under lockdown due to the situation.
Natural disasters and pandemics are as old as human civilization. Many times in human history, such type of infectious diseases have affected civilization and changed the dimensions of the World.
With the passage of time, people shifted to the villages, started agriculture to deal with famine and hunger but this revolution also exposed them to large scale infectious diseases.
In past, the Black Death in Europe (1347-1351) killed millions of people. Similarly, the Spanish flu in 1918 also took lives of millions across the globe. Not long ago, in 1968 the Hong Kong flu also took hundreds of thousands lives. These mass level killings forced the communities to think and research about such pandemics and make their health system stronger for future preventions.
Scientists and medical experts all over the World are trying to find the way out to tackle this disease and prepare vaccine for Covid-19 but there is no positive news until now and it may take years for mass level production.
Social distancing is the one and the only way to keep one safe from this disease. The people are maintaining a specific distance everywhere to break the spread of Coronavirus.
Due to the lockdown, many governmental institutions are closed or employees are working on alternate shifts and days. The Corporate sector companies allowed their employees to work from home.
The educational institutions are closed and they have shifted their classes on digital platforms. Teachers are providing lectures online and the examination results will be based on assignments and projects. This experience can be beneficial to get rid of the traditional school system and a chance, especially for developing countries, to upgrade and equip their education system with modern methods of teaching.
One day this pandemic will vanish like the previous disasters. So, I ask a question; what will be the effects on community and how be our life after Covid-19?
In my opinion, there will be a great change in personal behaviors and the community as well. This Covid-19 will spread depression and psychological issues in community and economic recession on government level. The rift for power and diplomatic influence will also increase.
China was the first country which was affected by this Covid-19 and recovered from tragic situation and now helping the rest of World to tackle with this pandemic. China is leading the fight against Covid-19; it has provided aid to worst-affected countries like Italy and Iran. Millions of masks and medical equipment are going to be supplied by China all across the World.
The spread of Covid-19 is on peak in United States and hundreds of people have lost their lives so far. President Donald Trump is not happy with the performance of World Health Organization and showed serious concerns regarding spread of this virus. USA is struggling against Covid-19 and in a big hurry to bring the vaccine to sustain its superpower image.
This pandemic has already shaken the poor economies and Word Bank has warned that many Asian countries will be affected badly from this crises. Labourers and daily-wagers are out of work because manufacturing industries are closed due to the lockdown.
This unemployment and less buying capacity may result in elimination of small retail business as well. Import, export, International treaties shall be worst affected.
Being a student of development studies, I have learned that every disaster brings an opportunity for development as well. Global community is revisiting its health policies and investing more and more in health sector.
Underdeveloped countries like Pakistan is also getting benefit from the situation, rebuilding their health sector and going towards self-sustainability. The Ministry for Science and Technology Pakistan with the help of Pakistan Engineering Council is in process to develop its own Covid-19 testing kits and ventilators.
Covid-19 will be a game-changer in the society. Work from home will become corporate culture as it will increase the performance of employees and reduce the office expenses as well.
E-commerce will get boom; digital apps like zoom will get more popularity and business. People will adopt hygienic livelihood and get more concerned about cleanliness. Healthy lifestyle and proper diet will be adopted to increase the immunity against such pandemics.
Government will be forced by people to invest more in Health care units. Globalization will get a break for a while; procedures for migration from the affected countries will be stricter. To avoid from lockdown situations, the investments and manufacturing units in a single region will be avoided. Healthy lifestyle and proper diet will be adopted to increase the immunity against such pandemics.
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