COVID-19: Time for decovidment
As the coronavirus continues to spread, one may wonder whether it is really time for deconfinement.
Growing exponentially daily, the total of infected cases has reached the staggering total of 5,101,526 cases worldwide (*), including 329,903 deaths (6.46%) and 2,033,762 recovered (39.86%).
Yet, recent records and statistics show that the number of infected cases is stabilizing and even slightly decreasing in some countries. Demonstrating that, maybe, the so-controversial “confinement” may have helped a little after all.
Leaders and Governments of the East and the West
In the orient, some countries have been, or were until recently, under confinement since January and managed to, somewhat, better control and handle the situation compared to those in the occident.
These eastern countries government’s early decisions and actions (e.g. wearing a mask mandatory, closing the frontiers, mass testing, screening and monitoring people, isolate the infected, quarantine the potentially infected, etc…) were keys to curb the virus and limit its propagation and, thus, played a decisive part in the protection and safety of their citizens.
Which was not necessarily the case in the western world, where, despite having been officially briefed and warned on January 20th, by the World Health Organization (WHO), (like the rest of the world), some leaders and their governments minimized (or even ignored) the gravity of the situation and delayed taking any decisions or actions, until about a month and a half later, around mid-March.
As such, by thinking money and economy first, rather than people, and by acting much too late, they unnecessarily put their citizens at risk and, thus, had no other choice but to enforce belated drastic measures and rules like the “confinement” to protect them (among other things), and we all know where that led to.
Confinement and deconfinement
Yet, not all countries went under confinement. As the question of doing it was and is still quite debatable. As we have witnessed it, over the last few months, doing it may, in fact, lead to serious consequences and repercussions on social, financial, economic, and even political matters.
Therefore, not seeing any advantages or benefits, not even health-wise, some leaders and their governments strictly refused to do so, keeping instead their economy afloat by not doing it. Others did not do it either, as they did not (and still don’t) believe the pandemic exists or could affect them.
Meanwhile, others are still debating whether they should do it or not. And the rest are either watching the results of the countries that did it first to decide whether they will do it, or, have simply not reached the point where it is necessary, and therefore don’t and may not have to so.
However, most governments that have opted for the confinement in the first place are now facing a dramatic situation where prolonging it any longer would unavoidably result in an unprecedented social, economic and financial collapse, followed by a period of recession that will surely last a long while.
Therefore, after a few months of being confined, during which movements were restricted and people restrained from most usual outdoor and social activities, the time of “deconfinement” (gradual reopening and recovery) has now come for several countries of the western world.
Yet, this “deconfinement”, or, more accurately, this “recovery time” will certainly only remain partial for now and will only be done gradually, as the threat of a second wave of infection is still looming and many constraints still weigh on the population of most countries around the world.
Covidment: confusion, fears, doubts and anxiety
The deconfinement will probably be a much slower process than expected and may not be as easy to handle, or cope with, for some people, who might need more time than others.
Clearly, and despite a large part of the previously confined population being ecstatic at the idea to be able to, once again, go out and enjoy their retrieved freedom, the confinement situation has greatly affected most people both physically and psychologically overall and to various degrees.
This condition combining both the physical repercussions and, more particularly, the emotional state of mind (confusion, fears, doubts and anxiety) resulting from the confinement, (no matter its duration, but rather how intensely and dramatically it has been lived), could easily, logically and purposedly be resumed into one word "covidment".
As a result, (or “consequence”, should I say), of these last few months of confinement and the drastic rules of social distancing and other restrictions that came with it, some people are still unready and unable to face the deconfinement.
Some are so dramatically affected, that they are even unwilling to get out of their home, fearing of automatically getting infected. Incapable of stepping out without the physical and psychological support of family members or friends.
More particularly, elderly, sick and handicap people who are more at risk and to whom stepping outside the house alone could result in more serious psychological issues and might even exacerbate their fear and anxiety (more especially if they are living alone with no family, close relatives or friends living nearby).
Decovidment: learning to live again without the confusion, fears, doubts and anxiety
Although more difficult for some people than others, the deconfinement will at least, and to a certain extent, free some of them a little from the "covidment" they have been the victims for the past few months.
Decovidment: (noun) the action to free someone or being freed from "covidment" or from the state of being covided, both physically and psychologically, but more particularly emotionally, after a few months of confinement. Learn how to live again without the confusion, fears, doubts and anxiety after a traumatic event.
A traumatic event might appear to be a strong word for some of you, but remember that not everyone has lived the confinement the same way. If you have the chance to live in a house with a garden or in a spacious apartment with a terrace or large balcony and a nice view, in the suburb, or the countryside, or by the beach or the mountain, then the confinement may have not been so bad for you, after all, and may not have left any sequels.
But think about all the people who experienced the confinement without having the same or similar living conditions, inhabiting small apartments, with no balcony, no terrace, no garden, no rooftop, or anything else to take a break, break the daily routine, breathe a little, get out a little instead of being confined in between 4 walls for months at the time.
Think about how affected you will be if you had been one of them. You will have begged for the deconfinement to come and you will also have needed time for decovidment too.
Yet, and unfortunately, and even if it was easily anticipable, the deconfinement and decovidment might be (will be) disrupted by a particular group of stupid people, which already existed before, but, unsurprisingly, saw a massive surge of members over the last few months.
A new wave of Imbeciles
You see, despite producing confusion, fears, doubts and anxiety, resulting into what I refer to as "covidment", one may have noticed that the overall pandemic situation and the confinement have also generated a new level of stupidity and revealed many imbeciles out there.
Imbeciles conditioned by the politics and lobotomized by the media and social media, believing, and swallowing everything the government and the media fed them with, and without distinction between the real and the fake news.
Imbeciles not abiding by the recommendations nor the rules, protecting their right of freedom of doing whatever they want, while endangering others by doing so.
Imbeciles that are against everything without even trying to understand that certain things might be good for them if they were to listen or do their own research.
And other imbeciles such as those affiliated directly or indirectly to white supremacists, strong advocates of nationalism, new conservative evangelists, overzealous right wings, and anyone else preaching xenophobia, homophobia, ethnocentrism, racism, antisemitism, etc….
Basically, a new wave of imbeciles ready to jeopardize the whole recovery and even the deconfinement process, due to their unfounded impressions and beliefs, as well as their selfishness and reckless, egoistic attitudes and behaviours, potentially putting others at risks.
In fact, deconfinement or not, such imbeciles don’t ease anything at all, and more particularly in the context of this pandemic situation, as they succeeded to scare some people even more than they already were, with their actions, protests and other street demonstrations.
Really not a smart thing to do as it, unnecessarily, affects, the mental equilibrium, health, sanity, and security of others.
Consequently, and understandably, and more especially due to such imbeciles roaming the streets, fears of a second outbreak remain high and the future seems uncertain.
The “After” life
From what we can observe in the countries that have recently started the deconfinement, one thing is sure: what is now customarily described as the "After” life, (not as in “life-after-death”, but rather “life-after-deconfinement” in this context), should and probably will no longer quite resemble the life we had and knew prior to confinement.
On one hand, many already imagine the emergence of an eco-friendly environmental movement leading to a less materialistic and more supportive society, more inclined to nationalism, local short-circuit production, distribution and consumption, and consequently less inclined to the sort of globalization and global markets that have developed and evolved over the last 25-30 years.
On the other hand, people are fearing the worst is yet to come and society will never be as it was before.
Resembling more an Orwellian dystopian world, with big brother watching and tracking our every move and action, while establishing technical data profile sheets on every single one of us to better control and impose strict rules to the population, under the totalitarian ruling of a global government, acting as puppets of the elites, megacorps, lobbyists and other deciders (like those who participate to the Bilderberg meetings for example).
As for the rest of the people in between, some may adopt either a more pragmatic and down to earth approach, saying that might be better to go with the flow and try to anticipate on the short term first and implement effective changes as the situation unfold, which is surely the camp I'm in as no one really has a clue how things will turn.
While most of the others will probably boast a very forgetful attitude. Shortly after the deconfinement, they will be thinking that there is no point to extrapolate on the subject or anticipate on the future anyway, as, despite all good intentions, human nature will rapidly come back, and these people will surely crave to return to the exact same life they were living "before" the confinement, (and before the coronavirus situation altogether), not willing in any way, shape or form to change a thing for the better, nor thinking of living any differently than they did before, as it will mean taking away from them their so-called "Freedom".
What is “Freedom” anymore?
We can already see that trend (of going back to the life of "before" the confinement), in the US (and a few other countries), with the insurgence and other acts of protest and resistance from a large part of the population against the confinement and other imposed rules and restrictions threatening their so-called “Freedom”.
Or what they think “Freedom” is, as freedom is only a concept, an illusion, and none of us is really “Free” anymore and has not been for a while now.
More especially when considering the influence and impact of advance technologies we have been using, as well as all the resulting changes (intentional or not, for the better or not) that have been made to the world, over the past 15-20 years.
A world where everything is now controlled by ever learning powerful algorithms and artificial intelligence, slowly taking over and redirecting our every life and to which we willingly and deliberately feed our personal data and other info on a daily basis.
While Big Brother is a reality in countries like China and a few others in the eastern world, people of the western world who claim to live in a supposedly "Free" country where the constitution gives them "Freedom of speech, expression and opinions", must open their eyes and come to the realization that their so-called "Freedom" does not exist anymore.
In a totalitarian regime, the government in place impose to the people the tracking of their every move, action and whereabouts, as well as data and other info, and give no choice to the people to disagree with it or even condemn it, as the government dictate what they can or cannot do and limit their privacy.
In the supposedly "Free" world, as said above, people are willingly and deliberately feeding personal data (pictures, texts, opinions, remarks, etc...) and other info on a daily basis to Social Media and Apps, to which some governments have full access to and can take and use just about anything and everything on you and, that, without even having to ask for your permission or even inform you about it prior to use it (potentially or eventually even against you).
In short, like in countries under a dictatorship or totalitarian regime, Big Brother is also watching you in your supposedly "Free" world, where you think you have so much "Freedom". Yet, in fact, "Freedom" is a myth and "Privacy" is a thing from the past.
Big Brother
Thus, better forget about the capital "F" and reconsider your options. Options that are getting very small, next to nil actually (or zero if you prefer). Like in the dystopian Orwellian world of the book "1984", Big Brother is everywhere and is watching you.
Cameras are everywhere in the streets and all public places and institutions, using sophisticated facial recognition and heat sensor filters, as well as body gestures and motion recognition. Nearly impossible to avoid the All-seeing eye nowadays.
Most APP on your smartphone can look into your files, pictures, texts and other downloaded or saved documents, as well as controlling and using remotely the back and front cameras and the microphone without asking for your authorisation, as you already gave your consent to the APP to do so when you downloaded the app in the first place.
Now, the next time you look at your smartphone, think that at any time and anywhere, no matter where you are, someone, somewhere, somehow, might be listening to what you are saying, reading what you are writing, looking at what you are looking on the screen, or even browse the history of what you have been searching for and even see what you see via the cameras.
Understand that, no matter what you may still believe, you have no freedom and no privacy, and it has been a while since you did not have both... roughly since the mid-1980s, and more precisely since the early 2000s with the apparition of the smartphones, more particularly since the launch of the iPhone back in 2007, which revolutionized the market and started the race to constantly produce generations of smarter smartphones with stronger hardware capabilities and extensive mobile operating systems ever since.
In fact, even living on a deserted island with no electricity, no network, no cable, no smartphone, no computer, no TV, etc.. would not give you freedom or privacy anymore.. and you probably would not last long anyway, as you long forgot your primary instincts and never learned how to survive in the wild, too dependent on technologies to be able to do anything by and for yourself anymore. Sad reality.
However, not everything is lost, not just yet... We may still have enough time to turn things around and make substantial changes to make this world a better place today.... as tomorrow will be too late.
The opportunity of the wakening
Personally, I truly believe that this pandemic situation has awoken the consciousness of a lot of people, who are now seeing and realizing what has been happening for decades and are now, more than ever, aware and ready to make progressive and effective changes for the better, (or so they say).
Everyone always seems to be ready to do whatever it takes to save the people and the earth, but no one is really doing anything for it at their own level.
Why? Because this world is run by money, power and greed, and people think more about profit than saving the people or even the only inhabitable planet in our solar system they ever lived on.
And the unconcerned and detached attitudes display by most leaders of the richest countries of this world and the ways they totally mishandled the situation during this ongoing pandemic situation show that finance and economy come way before people.
And the rest of the people who cannot think money first because they don't have any, have other worries than saving the planet, they think about saving themselves first, too often struggling to make ends meet and sustain their family.
And this pandemic situation is making everything worst with millions of people across the globe that are now in dire straits, unemployed (and may never retrieve a job), with a large number of them having no money, no resources, no place to live for some, no personal or medical insurance or assistance, no hope and no future...
Consequently, it is definitely time to do something about it, and I believe this wakening could be a great opportunity (and should be taken as such) to look at our mistakes of the past 60-70 years, reflect on them for 1 minute (not 2, otherwise it will be too late) and finally take drastic, yet necessary, decisions and actions to make these progressive and effective changes, to save the people and all the other beings and livings on our little blue planet before it is too late (if not too late already).
The changes that never happened yet...
You might wonder what kind of changes I'm talking about? So, here are some examples of changes that have been described and recommended by scientists and specialists alike for the past 30-40 years, but never really occurred or happened ever since.
And don't get me wrong, (and I'm not saying anything new here), but it's just that it would be good to concretise all the changes that were described, discussed, decided and agreed upon at the following world conferences, summits and other international meetings, including, but not limited to, the following ones:
World Climate Conference (1979, 1990 and 2009)
Kyoto Protocol (1992)
Millennium Summit (2000)
Agreement of Paris (2016)
Let's name and take a few examples of these changes that were (and I insist on that, as it is important) described, discussed, decided and agreed upon, and therefore were supposed to occur within the following years after these conferences, summit and meetings, but were delayed or postponed for some and never even happened yet for most.
For example, let's take the 8 "Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)" that resulted from the Millenium Summit in 2000 and were supposed to be, at least, reached or even achieved by 2015 (5 years ago) (**)
To eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
To achieve universal primary education
To promote gender equality and empower women
To reduce child mortality
To improve maternal health
To combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases
To ensure environmental sustainability
To develop a global partnership for development
None of these 8 Millenium Development Goals was even reached, needless to say, achieved... (sigh)
And, it is the same for most of the other decisions and resolutions made and agreed upon during the cited above conferences, summits and meetings as well as all the non-cited ones. None of them was even reached nor achieved.
Amongst these decisions and resolutions were, but not limited to, the followings:
Reduce gas emissions
Reduce plastics and synthetic armful products
Reduce chemicals and other non-environment friendly products
Reduce overproduction, overdistribution and overconsumption
Replace fossil fuels by cleaner, more natural and sustainable fuels/combustibles
Replace fossil energies by cleaner, more natural, sustainable and renewable energies
Develop more environmentally friendly methods of cultures and treatments;
Develop a space program to provide more livable places to fit the needs of an ever-growing population
Etc, etc…
The list of all of these changes that were supposed to happen but never did, over the last 40 years, is long and exponential, unfortunately. Lots of promises, no result. Lots of decisions and resolutions, no action.
Not surprising if we end up crashing into the wall we have built for the last century. Same old story. Same old human nature at work. Would humans ever change? Is it really the intention of humans to make the world a better place?
Probably not. And, I kind of already lost my faith in humans, more especially when I see them acting and reacting the way they do (and did over the last 40 years). And this pandemic has revealed so many more of the bad "traits" of human nature and mankind in general.
"The efforts of the minority are made in vain if the majority does not make any!"
- Domelgabor 2020
Because, as we say in French “Chassez le naturel, et il revient au galop”, which can be translated by “You can't hide your true nature because it always comes back to the surface.", meaning that "whatever people may do to change, it never last long as people always go back to their original/natural true self”.
So, better not put our hopes too high and preferably keep our expectations low, and, eventually, maybe, be surprised by an unexpectedly positive and constructive outcome at the end, rather than expecting humans to radically change overnight and become better immediately, as it won’t happen. And, “History” has told us so, countless times already.
The inescapable sequels
However, whatever humans will do or become, and/or whatever the outcome of the current situation will be, it is undeniable, that this coronavirus pandemic, turn into “global health and financial crisis”, will leave some inescapable sequels and traces that will not only be just memories but open wounds and unhealable scares for many people and many years to come.
Why? Mostly due to the ways some governments (especially those of the western world) completely mishandled the whole situation from the beginning and the ways media's coverages, as well as leader's speeches, misled and misinformed the people. Resulting in utter confusion, hanger and distrust as to what to do and how to act or react, and no real direction to follow.
The combination of all these factors exacerbated the fears, doubts, anxiety and affected the mental equilibrium of the most fragile among us, who will need time to recover from this psychological trauma, which could have been easily prevented or avoided if the governments and media had shown more concerned and acted differently to curb the virus and limit its propagation. But they didn't.
The Government mishandling and the media misleading coverage
It is an obvious and an undeniable fact (and a sad reality) that some government’s handling of the whole situation and the coverage by the media, (so far, and more specifically in the western world), has been done in such a dramatic and convoluted way (and so different than any previous epidemic and pandemics), that it created, at best, confusion, hanger and distrust for both leaders and their governments, as well as for all media and social media.
In fact, the whole situation generated by “SARS-CoV-2” (better known as “COVID-19”, the disease it infects people with) was so badly handled, from the beginning, by some unconcerned governments of some western countries, and the media coverage was so intense, inaccurate and misleading in so many ways, that these are the only 2 main reasons behind the catastrophic situation we are in today.
You might criticize, or even judge this point of view, but it is just a logical affirmation based on facts compared to the government’s handling and media coverage of all the other previous deadly diseases and viruses that appeared over the last 100 years and that we have learned to live with ever since.
You'll understand what I'm trying to say if you take the time to research info and data on how governments and media handled and covered previous epidemic and pandemics, like the Marburg virus, Ebola virus, Rabies, HIV (AIDS), Smallpox, Hantavirus, Influenza, Dengue, Rotavirus, SARS-CoV and now SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19).
They tried to handle the situation and contained the threat while informing and warning the people with facts and verified information, yet without trying to panic and misled the whole global population. Words were carefully chosen based on facts and recommendations were given to protect and reassure people, not to scare them more that they were.
True, advanced technologies and social media did not necessarily exist when some of these deadly viruses and diseases appeared, and therefore, the coverage of some of them may have appeared much less relevant and impacting on the population (both physically and psychologically) at that time than nowadays.
Moreover, social media, where everyone becomes an expert of the problem overnight and add his or her grain of salt to the stories (and often make it worst), did not have the power of influence and psychological impact they have today. Thus, the amount of fake, misleading, manipulated and/or specifically staged/designed news, we see nowadays, too often fabricated to chock the public opinion and scare the people, did not exist as much back then.
Also, back then, we were not as constantly connected as we are today. Getting the information was not as fast either, hence some people were not even aware of the situation and could not panic, as they had not heard of anything.
Not like nowadays, where everyone is connected 24/7, computing and recording in his/her brain, millions of details, info and data per day, no longer able to cope with the speed and the amount, as well as, to verify the legitimacy and genuineness of the information they receive and are constantly bombarded with.
What to believe nowadays is difficult to know. What's real? What's fake? How to recognize if it is one or the other?
Back then, it seems that there was a consensus from the governments and the media to deliver the same or similar information, so everyone was on the same page and it eased the process of getting the info across.
Nowadays, governments and media deliver different messages and info, and social media contribute to nothing but adding more unfounded and misleading info and data as well as confusion and misinformation. Almost like if there was no trustable source of information anymore as everything is so manipulated, fabricated and oriented depending on both politics and lobbyist's, as well as media and megacorp interests.
All the media had to do was to inform the people based on facts. And, all the governments had to do was to consider the gravity of the situation from the beginning, meaning when they were officially informed by the WHO (World Health Organization) back on January 20th, and take decisions and implement prevention and precaution measures to anticipate and prevent the virus propagation and protect their citizens. But they did not, and we all know where that led to.
Consequently, besides this global health crisis, looms already on the horizon (for many countries) the foreseeable subsequent economic and financial crisis, which will also leave indelible marks for years, maybe decades to come.
Deconfinement: Observations, evolution and eventual up-coming developments
Yet, in fact, the outcome of this pandemic will depend on how the whole situation will develop over time, within the next 3-6 months to come, as a result of the current ongoing gradual deconfinement now occurring in most countries around the world.
Each country has its own way to deconfine and it might be too complex and convoluted to scrutinize all the details of this deconfinement, to come to a conclusion on how things will end up within the next few months.
So, to simplify it, or somewhat resume it, let's say that we can observe or identify 3 "ways" the situation might develop/evolve after the deconfinement, and move forward with what I call the "decovidment", the phase during which humans will gradually go back to a seemingly "normal" life.
These 3 "ways", or "developments" if you prefer, might occur either all together, in parallel or totally separately. Only time will tell.
First development: Teleworking due to social distancing
The first of these could be the development of teleworking (working at/from home).
Historically, it gradually developed over the last 10-15 years and was evidently destined to take over regular office jobs and become an unavoidable part of the future anyway.
Offering much more flexibility and available time, teleworking roughly represents about 30% of workers in most developed countries nowadays.
Teleworking was logically bound to happen as computers, smartphones and other smart/advanced technologies and APPs are now fully integrated into every aspect of our everyday work and life in general. As everything is connected, it now allows us to remotely have immediate access to nearly everything and more easily work from home, or anywhere else (café, bench, beach, etc...), without having to necessarily go to an office.
The confinement of the recent months, due to the coronavirus situation, and, more specifically, due to the imposed social distancing restrictions, has accelerated the process of acceptation and integration of teleworking in our daily routine, which, and therefore, should now become, even more rapidly, established in the daily reality of companies and businesses.
Some are happy about it, others are worried. Yet, teleworking offers numerous advantages and benefits, its major strengths being the flexibility (schedule, time and place) and the savings of all kinds it generates: less time spent in transport, less space occupancy for businesses, and therefore cheaper rents, minimizing costs, producing higher profits, greater ease in reconciling professional and family life, etc...
But, it also has some drawbacks: possible dehumanization of work relations, possible lack of team cohesion, lack of interaction and possible misunderstanding, inconsistent schedule, harmonization of eventual works and missions at the office more difficult to establish, etc...
However, it is certain that many business leaders/owners (of the western world) will take stock of the last eight to ten weeks since the start of the confinement/containment before making decisions on whether adopting teleworking as a viable solution for their businesses/companies to continue to thrive and survive depending on how the pandemic situation will evolve.
On the social front, the growing risk of a two-speed society is not to be ruled out. On one hand, works and jobs that are compatible with teleworking; on the other, those who will always require an on-site presence of staff, particularly in manual areas.
Second development: Quality of life and environment
The second foreseeable development, or evolution (if you prefer), is the rising desire and needs in the care given to our quality of life and the preservation of the environment. The coronavirus situation and the confinement would have had at least several positive aspects:
First, the people’s realization that globalization is a problem in many ways.
Evidently, with the import-export of necessary merchandises all around the world drastically reduced or even stopped in some countries due to the pandemic situation (confinement and social distance), (resulting in empty shelves in supermarkets for several weeks at the time due to delayed cargo ships and containers), people realized that it is maybe time to come back to local or not-so-distant production and consumption of locally grown/produced rather than imported products.
Secondly, the awaking of global consciousness
As human activities slowed down nearly to a halt for a few months, in some countries, the pollution diminished, the air and water quality drastically improved and mother nature rapidly took over, while more than half of the world population was in confinement.
Earth was finally breathing again, finding contentment in that long-overdue and needed pause without any of the polluting and destructive human annoyances and activities.
Therefore, even if only for a short while, the confinement has also managed to awaken the people consciousness on the need to improve their quality of life and better preserve the environment by boasting a more nationalistic and minimalistic attitude at so many levels.
Which is great overall, and to a certain extent, and will surely benefit the national businesses and economy of each country respectively, as well as considerably reduce, over time, the current impact of globalization.
However, there is a dark side to this very positive note, as this situation has also allowed for some extremes to be reached, by enhancing an already existing, rising sentiment of nationalism, unfortunately, and unmistakably coming with strong expressions and nuances of racism, xenophobia and white supremacists attitudes.
Some elected officials and intellectuals now argue for a society more environmentally conscious, more environmentally friendly. Evidently, it would be a very good thing to go back to more environment-friendly attitudes, behaviours, methods, cultures, and activities, as it will benefit both the earth (nature) and all its inhabitants (including us, humans).
Yet, it is really quite sad that governments and people, in general, had to wait to be on confinement, as a consequence of the coronavirus pandemic situation, to finally realize, understand and witness the impact human activities have had on the environment for the past 150 years or so.
More especially, while knowing that it has been more than 40 years, that scientists and specialists have been trying to warn us about the consequences and high potential risks for the future caused by these same human activities. More specifically, if we continue to over-produce and over-consume like we have been doing it since after WWII.
The confinement truly revealed this impact caused to the environment, as in only a few weeks, the air, the water, the ground as well as all the livings and beings populating them, seems to be revived. Mother nature was shining, vibrating, like experiencing a rebirth, with mammals and birds reconquering areas and spaces usually occupied by human. Some even wandering around streets, boulevards and avenues of the big cities like they own the place. Clearly happy and enjoying the calm and quiet of a world without humans.
Witnessing the wonders of mother nature taking over, humans suddenly realized that they are neither alone nor the centre of interest of this planet. In fact, it seems that humans are to this earth, what COVID-19 is to humans, a virus, vile parasites at the top of the food chain, voluntarily destroying their own habitat.
So, improving the quality of life by returning to more environment-friendly methods and process and products can only make sense and will help preserve the environment as well as the fauna and flora inhabiting it.
Aparté: They knew and they did not do anything to prevent or counter it
Therefore, maybe, it would be good for us, humans, to remember what history has taught us?
First, it is important to study and learn from our mistakes from the past, rather than redoing them again and again. This pandemic is not the first one, but the 4th or the 5th one, in the last 100 years. Could we not have anticipated it would come again? Could we not have put in place some prevention and caution measures earlier to curb the virus and limit its propagation? And thus be better prepared to face it?
Since the turn of this Century and Millenium, some people tried repeatedly to aware and warn us about the high probability of eventual new up-and-coming pandemics… But no government listened to them or did anything about it... It was business as usual and as long as it continues to generate profits for the shareholders, who cares? Bad attitude and bad example that led us to the current situation, look where we are now? Look at the numbers?
This chaotic and distressing situation is both saddening and unbelievable at the same time. It seems unthinkable that we have let the situation escalate and reach such a catastrophic level.
More especially when knowing that, apparently,
The first cases were identified and signalled back in November 2019.
Rumours and videos were gradually coming out of China during the whole month of December 2019, during which some governments of the western world were informed and made aware of the situation too.
The WHO was commenting, giving recommendations and following up the development of the situation with videos of official meetings and conferences and written reports posted on their website on a daily basis from as early as January 7th
The WHO officially warn the whole world of the gravity of the situation, the propagation now extending to other countries outside China and the potential rapid development of the epidemic into a pandemic
So, all governments were aware and knew about it and had the responsibility to protect their citizens by implementing prevention and precautionary measures early enough to at least anticipate and be prepared if the situation worsens. Yet, most western governments did nothing to prevent or counter it, until they were faced with the premice of the irremediable situation they put us in and that we are living presently. Deplorable.
On the scientist's camp: technologies vs health vs quality of life vs environment
Also, regarding the origin of the coronavirus, some scientists and conspiracy theorists accuse (or see an obvious correlation with) the use of technologies (i.e. 5G) that have changed the electromagnetic fields around the planet, and thus may have possibly triggered climate changes and generated global warming, as well as weakened our immune system and open the door to deadlier diseases and viruses.
Yet, it is a known fact that coronaviruses have existed for a long time now, and they were not necessarily born from the use of new technologies, nor from the climate changes or global warming resulting from the last 250 years of exponentially polluting and destructive human activities.
In fact, epidemics and pandemics, even, more deadly than COVID-19, (so far), hit the world long before the beginning of the industrial era around 1760!
Yet, to somehow take the defence of the scientists, or at least be in their camp, I must admit that I agree, to a certain extent, the waves emitted by all the screens (smartphones, computers, TV, etc...) as well as the ones emitted by the antennas and relays used for the newly installed 5G network, surrounding us everywhere we go, must have somewhat of an impact on our health, one way or another, and consequently on our immune system.
The best way to prove it is to do the experience with insects, like ants, for example, locked in a box with a smartphone switched on with the glowing light on. Leave them for a while, then go check in which kind of state they are. Result: the ants are either dead or totally disoriented to the point of lacking memories, due to radio waves and frequencies, ultrasonic frequencies and/or other factors like wireless technology, which somehow act a bit as a microwave on them.
So, imagine what it could do to humans on a larger scale and on the long run with constant exposition due to the proximity of the technologies we use daily, nearly 24/7. I'll let you reflect on that.
However, another proof of the willingness to embrace greener and more environment-friendly future, following the confinement, is the rising trend of people going out and doing more sport. It is quite unbelievable the number of people who started exercising due to the confinement and the drastic restrictions, like social distancing, that came with it.
In fact, the mentality of a lot of people has changed within these last few months of confinement. For example, it is now more obvious that the fashion of so-called "soft" and "individual" mobility (i.e. bike, scooter ...) is more relevant than ever. The temptation to leave the city to return to the countryside is also now more evident.
Concretely, the confinement forced the people to see life differently and many of them enjoyed it, and want to make these changes last or even adopt them for good. Is the phenomenon sustainable? Time will tell.
The third development is an observation that relates to changes in daily life and consumption
Our daily habits, in general, have been disrupted by the confinement /containment. No more live shows or sports events, less store shopping, more ordering online, no more opened restaurants, cafes, etc.. and no outings with family or friends...
In most countries where the confinement occurred, the shutdown was brutal and damaging at many levels, even if only temporary. But the people have learned how to live, cultivate themselves as well as prepare and consume food differently.
For example, over the last few months, home cooking shows and videos have surged and seen the sudden rise of their followers. Reading has taken on new levels. The sense of family has been tinged with a new dimension, with more involvement from the parents in the education and teaching of their children too...
Social friendliness has taken a toll, unfortunately, due to the confinement at home and social distancing too. However, although regrettable, certain other values, which had been lost in the whirlwind of modern life before, have experienced a renaissance, or a new youth (if you prefer), and it is a tendency not to be overlooked.
Let's wait a few months to take stock and evaluate the real extent of the sequels and consequences of the confinement, and the pandemic situation overall. There is no saying that a new society with new habits was born with Covid-19, yet it has changed some people mindset and perspective and way of living too. Not to forget, that this virus situation has spread fear all over the world and thus affected (and still is affecting) the life of billions of people.
We must still hope that this situation will come to an end soon and that we will not have to once again adapt to live with this new virus, like we had to adapt to live with previous ones that are also very much active currently too.
Conclusion
Whatever is your point of view on the subject, we can all agree on one thing: the world as we knew it has changed socially, politically, economically, and financially, and surely will never be the same again, despite human nature craving to return to the life of "before" COVID-19.
Hopefully, this pandemic and the coronavirus situation will come to an end, rather sooner than later, and we might live a life similar to the one we had before while implementing rapid and effective changes for the better.
Yet, as per the specialists and doctors, a vaccine may not be available for at least 2 years or even longer, and therefore we might have to drastically change our habits and our ways of living.
Wearing a mask, washing hands as often as possible and/or use hand sanitizers, applying social distancing at all time, and all other rules, constraints and restrictions that we have experienced before, during and/or after the confinement (for those who have been on confinement, and since the beginning of this pandemic in general for everyone else), might become the new norms.
And, in the end, we might have no other choice but to learn to live with the virus...
Thank you, stay safe and take good care of yourself
Domelgabor
©Domelgabor 2020
Sources:
(*) As of May 21, 2020, 08:26 GMT based on https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/
(**) Millenium Development Goals https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millennium_Development_Goals