Currently, we are living in a pandemic, a global health crisis that some call the greatest challenge we have ever faced since World War II. But when looking at our history, catastrophes and crisis can also be recognized as important milestones. As humans its more than obvious for us that this is a very dull moment. But as life keeps going, we must also focus on what we’ve learned throughout this period. Ultimately the question is, what are the positive changes that COVID-19 brought to our lives?
Hand Washing.
First of all, let us talk about our hygiene. If you’re a person that recognizes COVID-19 as a threat, it’s most likely that you have changes in the way you practice hygiene. The main instruction given by health experts during this pandemic is “wash your hands frequently”. Personally, I have never been washing my hands as much as I do right now, and I am 100% sure that after this pandemic I will keep washing my hands more frequently. This became a habit that grew on me during these times. Handwashing with soap removes germs from hands and helps prevent infectious diseases. I believe that this new habit of frequently washing our hands will be an essential aspect for us in the future, minimizing the risk of infectious diseases.
Digitalization
Digital transformation is now the main response to keep our lives going during this pandemic that requires isolation. It is ironic how COVID-19 is the main drive behind digital transformation in our businesses and governments, instead of CEO’s and government officials. We are now using Digital tools for work, school, shopping and even socializing more than ever. Technology is a phenomenon that has made and is still making our lives better, safer, convenient, and affordable for a long time already. The positive part is that this pandemic pressure is creating an immense enhancement in technology. Not only are we developing creative ways to deal with the pandemic, but also things that will ultimately enhance our life quality in the long run.
Pollution.
Humanity has been damaging the environment at a very high scale for at least 2 decades now. We are so dependent on driving cars, traveling by plane, producing oil, using plastic and so many more things that damage our environment. But the pandemic has demanded many lockdowns around the world. And this has a huge effect on the scale in which we carry out these activities. Since many activities have been put on hold, we are finally giving the environment a “chance to breath”. An example of this happened in India. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a nationwide lockdown is imposed in India initially for three weeks from the 24th of March to the 14th of April 2020 and extended up to 3rd of May 2020. Due to the forced restrictions, pollution levels in cities across the country drastically slowed down just within a few days which magnetized discussions regarding lockdown to be the effectual alternative measures to be implemented for controlling air pollution (Mahato, Pal, & Ghosh, 2020).
To sum everything up, COVID-19 did bring some positive changes in our lives. Such as making us more conscious of the way we practice hygiene, demanding us to being more innovative with technology, and reminding us that we can still save our environment. This is a positive view on this pandemic, of course COVID-19 is something that made and is still making us very sad. But as life goes on, we must learn and adapt.
References
Mahato, S., Pal, S., & Ghosh, K. G. (2020). Effect of lockdown amid COVID-19 pandemic on air quality of the megacity Delhi, India. Science of The Total Environment.
