Effect of COVID-19 on the Society

Read Time: 9 minutes

The entire world is in a state of health emergency as COVID-19 continues its rampage. The rising numbers of ‘affected’ and ‘victims’ have compelled the governments across the globe to take some precautionary steps and order everyone to follow certain guidelines.

These guidelines put emphasis on things like basic hygiene to social distancing and avoiding mass panic. Theoretically, it’s very easy to control the outbreak with just a few steps but reality presents a picture vastly different. The emergency situation not only has massive effect on the present society, creating new ripples but has uncovered some old problems too.

What are these ‘effects’ and how the changes have shook our societal foundation is the main focus of this write-up. We have compiled all our observations in 4 main points to summarize the major concerns. All these points are somehow inter-related with each other so in each you may find examples of others but that’s how society works- it’s a web of interrelationships. Now then, getting on with matter at hand, the major concerns are –

EFFECT ON MARKET

The news of lockdowns resulted in panic buying where people cleared months’ worth of stocks in just a few hours, while some shopping may be necessary to make sure you have enough supplies in case of emergency, buying a lot more than the estimated need is not right. What about someone else who couldn’t secure enough food just because the person before them didn’t give a second thought before buying all the available products?
But the hoarding wasn’t all for personal use. The resale value of something in scarcity can be several times higher than the original price. Yes, the people only out for profit can always think this ahead- buying food, medicines, hygiene products, and even masks well in advance only to resell them later at much higher rates. While the middlemen earned huge profits, the actual workers, farmers were still compensated with dirt-cheap prices.
The stock market also couldn’t escape the mass panic and the stocks of many companies have seen free fall, resulting in further economic unease for masses.

MORAL DEGRADATION

Our previous point ties up with this one too- hoarding products in time of emergency just to resell them at higher prices even when a lot of people can’t afford it, is in no way morally right. There is no scarcity of middle-men leaching of the poor farmers and production workers either- yes even when they need the amenities and resources more than most of the others.
But that is nowhere near the end. Apart from hoarding and reselling original items a lot of cases have come up where people mass-produced fake, low quality products like hand sanitizers and masks to con others. Not only this, but there are people who are hiding their travel history and medical conditions while going on with their lives- meeting people and travelling with others with no regard for someone else’s health and life.
The selfishness is really glaring when people make fun of the emergency guidelines saying ‘nothing happens’. Yes, nothing may happen to you but there are others with relatively weaker immune systems or from less privileged background than you- please consider their lives too, they are as human as you.
Also, a lot of Europeans and Americans still traveled even when the pandemic already reached their country- traveling in the middle of a global crises without a thought to spare to the thousands of innocent people who will come in contact with you- the potential virus bearer- shows just how morally sound humans are.

EFFECTS ON WORKFORCE

One of the guidelines is that of social distancing, so a lot of offices have told their workers to ‘Work from Home’. Even school teachers are taking classes via online means which is all well and good except people are not accommodating well with the change in work process.
Though work from home isn’t that rare and a good option, people are still having a hard time in adjusting to the new schedules and thus the overall productivity seems to have taken a hit. But that isn’t our main concern here. It’s the people being told to ‘go home’ but being denied paid leaves… no money, no basic amenities for them. That means even in the midst of global panic- they can’t ‘afford’ to stay back home.
Thousands of workers are being ‘laid off’ and with no means of income- where will they go? The big companies like Disney who told their workers to pack and leave within a few days with no financial help and in the middle of a travel ban- there are many. You are leaving people helpless while there is a worldwide emergency? That’s some ethical work process right there!

Apart from company workers, a huge loss is seen for the manual laborers and the people in the wholesale business especially for things like construction. Most of the laborers working on daily wages have lost their livelihood and small and independent business owners are facing huge losses too.

RE-SURFACING RACISM

And at last one of the major concerns we have is the resurfacing of extreme racism. A lot of ‘Chinese Food’ shop owners across the globe have lost business and their means of living because people won’t buy from them. The reason is because it’s the ‘Chinese’ who are the bearers of virus. Such backward thinking is not limited to any one country either.

And it’s not just the Chinese who bear the brunt of it too- most of the Asians including those from Korea, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, etc. are being looked at with disgust and treated less than human just because their ancestors belonged to a certain region of the world. In what way is this right or even humane?
People are pointing fingers left and right and their contempt seems to be more towards people who look different than the actual perpetrators who helped spread a region-specific virus just because they couldn’t stay at home and had to go travelling. Our country is, sadly, not without people blaming the “Chinese”. The reason I have put the word Chinese in double-quotes is because for most of them anyone who looks different is a Chinese and that includes Koreans and even our own people from North-East. Can you believe it?

Now you may ask why it is concerning. Because this is blatant Racism and outright blame-shifting. Not thinking people as people and not taking responsibility for your own actions is not at all good. Creating segregations like this will only further the mistrust, despair and panic and in the middle of a pandemic such a situation is nowhere near ideal, that is, if we really want a stable and healthy society.

WHAT WE CAN DO?

Though these points in themselves are really concerning, honestly this is just the beginning. Times ahead will only get tougher and very soon the collective effect will show in form of economic slowdown, inadequate resources and even greater mass hysteria.
We are not being pessimistic but realistic when we say that ‘better’ times are actually farther than we realize and nothing can change that. But we can for sure come together to at least lessen the overall damage.

The government and healthcare workers are doing their best to contain the situation but it will all be for naught if we, the common citizens, won’t take action. Yes, I am talking to you, the one reading this right now- you can do more than you realize to salvage the situation.
Realize your responsibility, being the citizen of this nation you have some rights but also some fundamental duties. Follow the guidelines provided by the government even if you think it’s ridiculous and you aren’t in imminent danger, you need to also think about others around you or less privileged than you.

Please observe proper hygiene and precautions- one may think that it’s not much but it can save your life or the life of someone else. If you fall sick, you will not only endanger the life of your loved ones but also of a stranger who might have needed that hospital bed more than you.
You are educated and aware, having all resources and access to information. Make use of that information- spread awareness, inform those who are ignorant and do not panic, do not hoard just because you can, give a thought to the one next to you.

Please do not take the situation lightly or make fun of it just to seem ‘cool’, there is nothing cool about a life-threatening situation. There are some people who are using this national emergency to further their own ends or political agendas, please stay away from such people- your and your family’s and the well-being of your fellow citizens is far more worth than some power play.

THE BOTTOM LINE

So even if you think that the government is not doing enough or if you have different political views, please keep them aside for a while and stand together with everyone to fight against the pandemic. The health workers are doing their best, the essential workers for a number of establishments like banks and media houses (newspapers, reporters, news channels etc.) are doing their best, the government workers in the small offices across the nation are doing their best and you can do your best too.
Think with a level head, survive and help others survive. You can break the chain, the only wall between a fully functional society and a crippled one is you. The ‘you’ who is educated and aware of your own responsibilities, who knows that together we stand and divided we fall- the ‘you’ who is healthy.