In the over three decades of my lifetime, there are a few notable moments I would say carry the memory of a lifetime. There are events I will live to tell my children and possibly their children. Sadly, perhaps the most notable memory of my lifetime so far must be the current COVID-19, the novel corona virus. First diagnosed in China in December 2019, the disease epidemic quickly spread eventually declared a global pandemic on 11th March 2020, in the short time creating a wave of fear, terror, destruction of human social life and causing so much death in a short space.
Pandemic may be defined as occurring over a wide geographic area and affecting an exceptionally high proportion of the population and the World Health Organisation (WHO) more specifically defines a pandemic as “a worldwide spread of a new disease". The fact that it is a new virus health experts and virology researchers are still learning about the virus in the meantime people have continued to be infected and dying in numbers.
The information given by health experts and the WHO so far is that COVID-19 is a pneumonia of unknown cause first detected in Wuhan china and first reported to the WHO country office in China on 31st December 2019. While research is still ongoing, data being analysed, advice being provided, countries being helped to prepare, and supplies increased the WHO has also provided basic guidelines to assist curtail the rampant spread of the disease. Below are some of the guidelines given in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Pandemic may be defined as occurring over a wide geographic area and affecting an exceptionally high proportion of the population and the World Health Organisation (WHO) more specifically defines a pandemic as “a worldwide spread of a new disease". The fact that it is a new virus health experts and virology researchers are still learning about the virus in the meantime people have continued to be infected and dying in numbers.
The information given by health experts and the WHO so far is that COVID-19 is a pneumonia of unknown cause first detected in Wuhan china and first reported to the WHO country office in China on 31st December 2019. While research is still ongoing, data being analysed, advice being provided, countries being helped to prepare, and supplies increased the WHO has also provided basic guidelines to assist curtail the rampant spread of the disease. Below are some of the guidelines given in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
- Stay home: COVID-19 does not move from one place to another, its infected people moving it from one place to the next. If all stay home for at least 14 days spread is lessened.
- Clean hands often: Use soap and water to wash hands, or an alcohol-based hand rub.
- Physical distancing: Maintain a safe distance from other people, minimum 1-meter distance.
- Don't touch face: Do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth.
- Cover when sneezing: Cover your nose, mouth, with bent elbow or tissue when coughing or sneezing.
- Sick? Call ahead: If you have a fever, a cough, and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention. Call in advance.
- Follow official health guidelines: Follow the directions of your local health authority.
As at 30th April, there were more than 3.25 million confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide, more than 231,000 deaths with a total of 1.01 million recovered. In Zambia, 106 confirmed cases, 55 recovered and 3 deaths. Its worth noting that COVID-19 deaths have almost all been linked to other underlying factors which compromised immunity before contracting the virus. Most people who fall sick with COVID-19 will experience mild to moderate symptoms and recover without special treatment.
The high number of deaths especially experienced in Europe and America, most of who have been the aged with underlying medical conditions poignantly reminding me of one of the basics of evolution - natural selection aka survival of the fittest. Natural selection along with mutation, migration and genetic drift forms the grand theory of evolution as espoused by Charles Darwin. Natural selection idea also asserts that the environment cannot support unlimited population growth, therefore nature will take its course one way or the other through any of the basic mechanism.
Although I don’t want to take my discussion down that road, it makes no harm to get to this speed hump and give that thought trend some contemplation. It may just make logical sense. The last known serious pandemic was the Spanish flu, caused by the H1N1 virus strain which affected an estimated 500million people and 50 million deaths between 1918 and 1920. A century later we are here. Its not my intention to digress, my focus is on how life will change post COVID-19.
The high number of deaths especially experienced in Europe and America, most of who have been the aged with underlying medical conditions poignantly reminding me of one of the basics of evolution - natural selection aka survival of the fittest. Natural selection along with mutation, migration and genetic drift forms the grand theory of evolution as espoused by Charles Darwin. Natural selection idea also asserts that the environment cannot support unlimited population growth, therefore nature will take its course one way or the other through any of the basic mechanism.
Although I don’t want to take my discussion down that road, it makes no harm to get to this speed hump and give that thought trend some contemplation. It may just make logical sense. The last known serious pandemic was the Spanish flu, caused by the H1N1 virus strain which affected an estimated 500million people and 50 million deaths between 1918 and 1920. A century later we are here. Its not my intention to digress, my focus is on how life will change post COVID-19.
Post Covid-19
The world as we have known it has changed and been changed forever. COVID-19 is primarily transmitted communally when others come into close contact with infected people either symptomatic or asymptomatic through respiratory droplets, by direct contact, or by contact with contaminated objects and surfaces. As a result of this, the world has learned to live by physical distancing.
We can no longer shake hands, hug or maybe cuddle at will. Humanity will now have to live with the fear that the next person we meet or socialize with, maybe the workmate we share a common desk with, could be infected with a deadly virus. It may not be a deadly virus but could be the common flu. At least the spread of the common flu will now reduce. People will be more careful with physical contacts. It may no longer be the case that when one person in the house gets flu then a merry-go-round will infect the entire household.
The fact that physical distancing has become a way of life also means that the way we do work has greatly been changed. People can now work from home and be as productive meaning now employers may need to think again. Some roles may no longer be required from the office full time. Other roles may be done away with completely. Some businesses will inevitably have to scale down as a result of reduced business and consequently revenue. Scaling down operations may also mean cutting down on staff costs. It’s not all businesses but a lot will go down this route in order to steer ship to safety called survival.
The lessons are very big. A natural phenomenon may hit the world and render everyone unemployed in the blink of an eye. We can no longer depend on one income stream. The need for ‘side hustles’ and passive income is now more significant. Employers can no longer make their staff sign contracts that prohibit an employee to have other gainful economic activities be it a second job or anything if there isn’t any conflict of interest. This is what the world will have to be.
The aviation industry has already been badly affected throughout the globe. Tourism sector worldwide is almost on its knees. No one is travelling so hotels are empty, tour operators have no business and bars and nightclubs are closed. The economic recession that is projected to follow is said to be three to four times more than what was experienced post 2008 credit crunch.
In all this melancholy, like most crises, opportunities will also arise. There will be different ways of doing things. Naturally humans are gregarious beings, but something here will have to give. The growth of the use of the internet will increase massively in order to fill the gap of the reduced physical social gatherings. The internet will finally become what it has been threatening to be the last few years – the biggest marketplace.
Church services online will become more common than ever before. Virtual parties in multiple places will become a big thing. Sports audiences in stadiums will be altered massively. Large group gatherings will be filled by paranoid audiences each person afraid that the next person may be contagious, a carrier of an unknown virus.
The truth is that COVID-19 has changed how we live, so the sooner we adapt the better we will be prepared for life after COVID-19. COVID-19 is a game changer no doubt. The world as we know it may never be the same. COVID-19 is here to change the game.
The game changer!
We can no longer shake hands, hug or maybe cuddle at will. Humanity will now have to live with the fear that the next person we meet or socialize with, maybe the workmate we share a common desk with, could be infected with a deadly virus. It may not be a deadly virus but could be the common flu. At least the spread of the common flu will now reduce. People will be more careful with physical contacts. It may no longer be the case that when one person in the house gets flu then a merry-go-round will infect the entire household.
The fact that physical distancing has become a way of life also means that the way we do work has greatly been changed. People can now work from home and be as productive meaning now employers may need to think again. Some roles may no longer be required from the office full time. Other roles may be done away with completely. Some businesses will inevitably have to scale down as a result of reduced business and consequently revenue. Scaling down operations may also mean cutting down on staff costs. It’s not all businesses but a lot will go down this route in order to steer ship to safety called survival.
The lessons are very big. A natural phenomenon may hit the world and render everyone unemployed in the blink of an eye. We can no longer depend on one income stream. The need for ‘side hustles’ and passive income is now more significant. Employers can no longer make their staff sign contracts that prohibit an employee to have other gainful economic activities be it a second job or anything if there isn’t any conflict of interest. This is what the world will have to be.
The aviation industry has already been badly affected throughout the globe. Tourism sector worldwide is almost on its knees. No one is travelling so hotels are empty, tour operators have no business and bars and nightclubs are closed. The economic recession that is projected to follow is said to be three to four times more than what was experienced post 2008 credit crunch.
In all this melancholy, like most crises, opportunities will also arise. There will be different ways of doing things. Naturally humans are gregarious beings, but something here will have to give. The growth of the use of the internet will increase massively in order to fill the gap of the reduced physical social gatherings. The internet will finally become what it has been threatening to be the last few years – the biggest marketplace.
Church services online will become more common than ever before. Virtual parties in multiple places will become a big thing. Sports audiences in stadiums will be altered massively. Large group gatherings will be filled by paranoid audiences each person afraid that the next person may be contagious, a carrier of an unknown virus.
The truth is that COVID-19 has changed how we live, so the sooner we adapt the better we will be prepared for life after COVID-19. COVID-19 is a game changer no doubt. The world as we know it may never be the same. COVID-19 is here to change the game.
The game changer!
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