Page 11 - Resurrection Magazine

cover their face while coughing and taught people to stay at a safe distance from each other,
particularly those over friendly types who do not understand the concept of personal boundaries.
On the societal level, it was a wake up call for governments across the globe. They went into an
overdrive to create campaigns, advertisements, press meets and all sort of fiascos to make people
understand the need to maintain personal hygiene. They have sanitized public areas that haven’t
been sanitized for centuries, they invested heavily in the health sector instead of the defence sector
(with few exceptions like India) and most importantly the pandemic has successfully made them
feel accountable.

On a personal note, the most beautiful trend started by the pandemic was of wearing masks.
Masks have not only stopped the corona virus some spreading, but essentially all airborne viruses
that cause various illnesses. Wearing masks has become new norm like wearing a hat or wearing
a watch. And it is going to stay with us for some time which is going to drastically increase the
health index of various third world countries which are regularly affected by various viral fevers
and flus. Also don’t forget, wearing masks made people use actual words rather than various facial
expressions.

Other positive impacts of Covid-19 include increase in localism, lesser crime rates and flourishing
wildlife. Covid-19 kept people out of large shopping malls where social distancing is rather
impossible and also from online shopping websites. It made them buy things from local shops
and small vendors. It helped to boost the local economy and the small shop owners who were in
peril. There has been a significant amount of decrease in the crime rate because even criminals are
intelligent enough to stay home and take rest when there is a bigger fish in the play. Since humans
are locked down at home, it increased the playfield for wild animals and their numbers are also
slightly increasing because at the moment, their poachers are being poached.
Everything that is mentioned above can be countered very easily. Even though the environment is
healing, the Brazilian government is using the pandemic to destroy the Amazon rainforest. As more
people are spending more time in their houses, there is an increase in domestic violence all around
the world. Uncertainty and fear took a major toll on the mental health of the people, fake news and
fake narratives are ruling the social media platforms and online classes are causing psychological
impact on children. See, it’s very easy to destroy everything that is mentioned above. But that is not
the point. The point is, we might be in a shitstorm right now, but sooner or later, the good days will
come. And the only way you could get to see those good days is by holding on to a tiny thing called
hope. You are surrounded by negativity which stops hope from growing. So, remember to focus on
the positive and never let go of that hope inside you because like Andy said: “Hope is a good thing,
maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies”

RESURRECTION 11