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Humankind Will Overcome this Virus and Learn From the Experience
The news, social media and the radio stations are all
reporting the horror of Covid19 virus. This has caused an increase in fear and
panic worldwide. Some people are locked in their homes with friends and
families and others are alone with no one to turn to. This isolation can be
very frightening for many. We are social beings and we need to have others
around us even if we are not communicating with each other. Their presence
makes us feel that we are not alone. Before COVID19, when someone was alone, he/she
was advised to go for a walk, go to the mall, go to the park, watch a movie or
just go out for a meal where you can see others. Today these options are no
longer available for people. Isolation is not the only thing that people are
dealing with. There are many issues/problems that individuals are encountering
as they stay at home. There are the fear and worry about what is happening in
our world and no one seems to have the answer.
This uncertainty has created anxiety for many people.
There is a feeling of loss, helplessness, and hopelessness as we try to make
sense of a senseless situation. This sense of hopelessness increase mental
health issues as people are isolated and quarantined at home. After a month or
two isolated dealing with fear, the joys of staying home suddenly disappear and
home becomes like a prison for many. Our society will be heading to a pandemic
of mental illness from the aftermath of Covid19. Communities must be prepared
to handle the demand and reach out to “at-risk” individuals to help them cope
with this situation.
Covid19 is a traumatic event and individuals will suffer
symptoms like the victims of wars and similar disasters. There is also the
burden of grief for individuals who have lost loved ones. They are not able to
sit by the bedsides of dying loved ones or say goodbye. Also, some are unable
to attend funerals or be with close relatives to help them mourn. At the end of
this pandemic, our world, lives, finances, and norms will drastically change.
The effect of these changes may have some positive and negative consequences.
Whatever happens we know that we must cope with the
situation, and everything will work out in the end. Humankind has survived some
terrible things from the July 5, 1201 Earthquake in Egypt and Syria, the Black Plague
between 1347 -1530, the Indian Famine in 1767, the Irish Potato Famine of
1845-1848, the drought in China between 1867-1879, the Flu Pandemic in
1918-1919, the Yangtze, Yellow and Huai River floods from 1928-1931 in China,
The Great Depression in the 1930’s, Chinese Famine 1959-1961, African drought
1981-1984, North Korea famine and floods between 1995-1998, earthquakes,
volcanoes, hurricanes, cyclones, tornadoes, wars, and the list goes on. We will
survive this virus and Covid19 will be in the history books.
In most cases disasters have brought humankind
together as they struggle to find a solution for a common cause. They become
resourceful and creative to survive. This is a time in history where the world
has the technology and resources to fight through this virus. The sad reality
is that some people will die, but billions of people will survive. Scientists
and doctors have an idea what we can do to flatten the curve, and there is no
cure or solution to the current situation. This is a global pandemic and every
nation is working to find a solution. Everyone has a vital part to play in the safety,
reduction, and spread of this virus.
As we are isolated at home let this be a learning experience
for us. Share memories together, read, play, pray, learn and research new things,
meditate, clean and declutter the house, and cook delicious and healthy meals.
Let this be a time of laughter and closeness and not a time of fear. Wasting
time should not be an option because it will lead to fear, anxiety and depression.
