After pandemic

‘’ Finally the pandemic is over’’, I overheard her saying.

 Hi, I am COVID-19 pandemic, two-faced, angry to humans and kind to biodiversity. I visited to heal damage in the Earth caused by human imbalances. William Shakespeare had said, ‘’ Past is prologue’’, meaning looking back can help shape ahead, that is what I represent, a  narrow window of opportunity to reset sustainable society. They say, I broke the system, I didn’t,  rather I exposed the loopholes of the broken system. I showed humans about the solidarity they are capable of, how fragile humanity is and how health is important above materialism. I enlightened them that their government and society is more reactionary than proactive and their greater divides of ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’.

 My impotent viruses keep on sharing what the world looks like after I am gone. 

‘’States have become more powerful to create significant intervention affecting democracy. People are seen in many  protests involving radical change. Era of ‘neoliberalism’ is staggering. People are shifted to mainstream basic incomes and basic needs.  As historical experiments, the crisis tends to reinforce pre existing trends, deglobalization being one.  Expression would be European Union imposing visas and borders now. You played a role in geopolitics and everybody is drawn as  nationalist. Slums, overcrowding, unsettled politics is creating grievances and resentments. Positive hopes of gender equality is observed as female leaders making upto 7% of world head of states had performed particularly well in navigating the crisis.

 After exposing fault lines like inequalities and vulnerability about how a slightly difficult situation can slide many to poverty, the ‘economic shock’ is seeking a quick rebound to financial stability.  Unprecedented level of uncertainties, financing new projects and getting people committed is becoming difficult and affecting plans of involvement. Globally, the fourth industrial revolution and pandemic are mutually affecting the way people live, work and relate to each other as digital streamers and online deliveries hiring are expanding rapidly. New wave of industrial revolution came with mass disruptions and new inequalities. Though intensity may vary but you affect the economy everywhere. Developing countries are hit hard by downturns as they are dependent on investments from abroad and money sent home by migrant workers abroad. Unemployment levels have reached a spike as the entertainment and tourism sector follow downplay. Countries dependent on oil exchange and the tourism industry  are suffering a massive downturn.  Business and travelling ways are changed following less physical contacts. Money is hugely invested  on labs and medicines. Partnerships and cross-collaboration from pharmaceuticals to tech, to combat new pandemics is common. Potential erosion of political and economic sovereignty of already enfeebled developing countries are affected.

 Sister organizations of the United Nations like International Monetary Fund(IMF) and International Labour Organization(ILO) are playing an important role in reversing the crisis.Criminal activities are exploding. Debt relief or range of debt freezing measures as part of COVID-19 response are considered. Advances in technology especially on broadband and communication is helping get rid of economic fallout significantly creating opportunities. 

 COVID-19, Ecosystem is being taken care of by enabling green infrastructure in industrial policy. Nature is under threat of poaching, illegal mining, deforestation as jobless people returned to their native places. Many people are reluctant to keep pets away in fear of transmission of diseases, which makes me sad. However, many  people are making efforts to conserve biodiversity on awareness that species threatened by exploitation and habitat are likely to be sources of infectious diseases and its loss may deplete the available herbs and medicines that can be used for cure of future diseases.

 People are showing their gratitude to frontline workers. Lack of good urban and rural development strategy is still a challenge. There is sharp rise in racial discrimination, assurance of hygiene, local agricultural strategy to ensure food security, resource scarcity, loopholes created trade of wildlife in medicine and research, increase in plastic pollution due to rely on online deliveries, masks, gloves and Personal Protection Equipment(PPE). Potential spikes of suicides and post psychological trauma like agoraphobia, panic, authoritarianism, have been exacerbated by social isolation, guidelines, fear, unemployment, bankruptcies and financial crises.

Global health systems, global health supply chains, sharing information with global health authorities, medical equipment supplies are supported to core health functions to combat your second wave and other health risks. Public health laws and regulations are strengthened to intervene in a pandemic better way in future. Holistic wellness and spirituality are practiced as they promote better immunity,’’ virus said. 

I inspired humans to be ‘human beings’ and not just ‘human looking creatures’. I am  seeing positive hope about humanity, unity, peace and sustainability  to get the world they left behind and learn from mistakes. If they do so, I promise I wouldn’t pay a visit to your beautiful planet.