2020 and the Strike of COVID-19 Pandemic

How did COVID-19 change us? What are the implications? How are we coping up?

New year symbolizes new beginnings and new opportunities. Alongside with those new chances comes new challenges, and conflicts. New endeavors either makes us stronger or weaker and it is us who shapes our destiny. It is only just the first quarter of the year 2020 but it seems that it only brings us misfortune. It seems that the challenges we faced and are facing right now are unbearable.

How the year started

The year started with major calamities such as the wildfire in Australia, massive flood in Thailand, and the eruption of our very own Taal Volcano - to name a few. Conflicts such as those of Iran and United States, Philippines and China also heated up. And at this very moment, we are confronted with a life threatening health issue that concerns not just a single country but the entire world.

Many were struck when a virus that affects the respiratory system of an individual hit the news. The virus reportedly sprung in a province of China. Cases were listed and as those cases increased in number, the spread of the virus grew magnanimously. Thousands of people have died, many are still in critical condition, and some are still under monitoring and strict observation.

Restrictions

Travels were banned locally and internationally to prevent the spread of this contagious disease. As the philippines was tagged pandemic and raised to a state of calamity condition, community quarantines were enforced by the government suspending school, transportation, and work and preventing people to go outside of their houses to eliminate spread of the virus. Covid-19 is truly catastrophic and disastrous.

The Effect

While most of us are grumbling about home quarantines and the government's actions toward the issue, I took the time to contemplate on the effects it brought to our community. First, lets talk about the root cause of this contagion - the virus itself. I think that this virus says a lot about humans' actions specifically the abuses to nature. Humans took mostly everything from nature and exploited the same to their own advantage at our own peril. Mother nature seemed have backfired and took its toll on us. Secondly, the attitude and response of the people with regards to the situation gave me a realization that although the virus itself kills, it is us who are fueling up the damage. Many people started to hoard food and medical supplies such as face masks, alcohol, and hand sanitizers to gain advantage of the situation. Some sold the said supplies at a higher price which only worsened the scenario. Some families who are fortunate enough indulged in panic buying without thinking what will be left to those people who do not have the means of buying supplies in great quantities. Lastly, I would like to discuss that effects of this situation to nature. Since home quarantines are implemented, pollution in any form has been lessened. It is like this whole situation became a reset button for nature to heal itself.

What now?

In general, it made me realize that our actions always bear consequences and how much we are affected if nature is either endangered or abused. As of now, there is not much we can do but to obey to the health and government authorities for the betterment of this situation. Instead of spending the time ranting on social media, let us spend our days at home bonding and reuniting with our families and become productive citizens. Lets pray, value life, and give thanks since not all of us are lucky enough to spend our days at home safe and sound.