The positive effects of the coronavirus pandemic

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

According to the Iraqi author, a doctor by training, there is a so-called downside to the positive side of the pandemic, and so many people overlook it, concentrating on the negative. Yes, there is no doubt that the coronavirus has brought a lot of pain and suffering to people, hit the economies of countries … But there are also positive consequences, which are described in the article.

Ever since covid-19 hit the world at the end of 2019, newspaper headlines have focused on the health, economic, and political negative consequences of the pandemic. However, despite the difficulties that society has faced in the past year, there is a downside to everything that many overlook. Will the face of the world change after the pandemic? What awaits us?

In this article, we will look at the most important positive aspects of the current pandemic and outline what actions can be taken in the future to avoid a crisis for which we were not ready.

The positive impact of the pandemic

1 … From the early days of the pandemic, there has been a noticeable increase in public awareness of health-related issues. The coronavirus outbreak has made adjustments to people's behavior, forcing them to pay attention to adherence to preventive measures aimed at improving the level of physical, mental and emotional well-being.

According to the survey results, almost 80% of respondents decided to comply with preventive measures, and about half use all methods that can strengthen their immunity and maintain health. In the meantime, other surveys have shown that as a result of increased health awareness, 25% of the population is spending more time outdoors and eating a healthy diet.

2 … In the face of the pandemic, governments have begun to show increased interest in health problems. So, they were forced to increase the budget for spending in this area. In addition, the coronavirus pandemic has demonstrated the collapse of the idea of the superiority of Western health systems.

3 … Adhering to social distancing measures and wearing masks on a regular basis indicates public trust and acceptance of preventive procedures. Increased attention to personal hygiene has helped to reduce cases of coronavirus infection. At the same time, the indicators for seasonal diseases decreased, and hygiene ceased to be a personal matter of everyone, acquiring social significance.

4 … It should be noted that the environmental situation has improved, namely, cleaner air in large and especially industrial cities as a result of less load on the transport network and reduced working hours at factories. According to NASA, harmful air emissions have been reduced by 20-30% in most industrial cities. In addition, there has been a noticeable improvement in the quality of river water.

5 … In the context of a full or partial lockdown and the introduction of a curfew, time slowed down, disrupting the usual way of life. The majority got the opportunity to spend more time with their families, which allowed them to improve relations with loved ones, as well as to think well about their plans for the future.

6 … A decrease in the number of road traffic accidents at the global level due to a decrease in the number of vehicles and full or partial lockdown and a decrease in the crime rate from 10 to 42% depending on the type of crime and the specific country - all this also speaks of the positive effects of the pandemic. However, the same cannot be said for domestic violence - under quarantine, the number of cases of such crimes has increased significantly.

7 … Apparently, software companies have benefited from the spread of the coronavirus. They have focused on developing new online tools and programs that can make our lives easier during extended stays at home.

Among them, of course, the emergence of virtual classrooms and workspaces should be noted. The fear of contracting the coronavirus has opened the door to any application that can simplify workflow, manage workflow or digital training, as well as programs used in healthcare and remote medical consultations. The latter contributed to the further development of telemedicine.

8 … Covid-19 has become a threat to the entire educational system: schools and universities were closed. However, educational institutions soon found a way to overcome the difficulties that arose, and thanks to technology, the educational process was resumed.

Distance education has become the new standard for educational institutions, as a result of which the cost of education has decreased and it has become much more affordable. Parents now receive first-hand information on how their children are educated, and with the development of online education, it becomes more accessible to the entire society.

9 … The negative impact of the pandemic on the economy, especially after the closure of borders and the announcement of the lockdown, was obvious to everyone, but all this was accompanied by significant success in the development of a number of enterprises, especially in the field of online commerce (delivery services, for example).

The demand for food delivery has increased, and thanks to courier services, people have become accustomed to a new way of life. Video game companies and board game manufacturers have increased their sales. Educational companies have also benefited in the face of the pandemic. Finally, there has been an increase in the demand for cryptocurrencies such as bitcoins, as well as investments in the Forex market, which has established itself as a safe alternative in business.

10 … At the beginning of the spread of coronavirus around the world, due to the late announcement of the complete self-isolation regime, many people demonstrated extremely selfish behavior, continuing to lead their normal lives and enjoy all the benefits without thinking about the health of others. However, over time, as the situation deteriorated, solidarity and a sense of responsibility towards each other began to prevail.

We could observe this in Muslim countries, where assistance was actively provided to the most vulnerable social groups, especially people with chronic diseases, the elderly, people with disabilities and low income. Against the backdrop of the dire consequences of the pandemic, public solidarity has played a very large role.

Of course, we are united by the desire to end the pandemic with minimal losses, and therefore we made an attempt to make the most of it and use lockdown to find ways to improve various aspects of our lives.