Effects of Covid-19 on the Everyday Life of Common People: By Iqra Jamal

Effects of Covid-19 on the Everyday Life of Common People: By Iqra Jamal

• Executive Summary:

The contagious Covid-19 has plagued Wuhan (China) in December of 2019. Gradually, it started spreading worldwide. Pakistan recorded its first case on the 26th of February 2020. A Bat-originated virus has affected each individual in one way or another. This plague has affected millions of people who are either sick or old and are being killed due to the spread of this infection. The common indications of this virus are fever, cold, cough, bone pain, and breathing difficulties.

To understand the impact of Covid-19 on humanity, let’s take an example. Suppose the world is like an ocean where people are residing in ships, yachts, boats, and rafts, etc. The ship here is representing the wealthy, boats the middle class, and rafts the poor. Coronavirus is like a hurricane in the ocean that has effected the rich generally but poor specifically. The virus became a cause of the financial crisis, food insecurity, unemployment, educational unavailability, and casualties. The various industries and sectors affected by the cause of this infection; include the pharmaceuticals industry, solar energy sector, tourism, Information, education, and electronics industry. This virus has affected the sources of supply and affects the global economy. There are restrictions and bans on traveling from one country to another country even from one city to another. Now a days, the impacts of Covid-19 and lockdown in everyday life are extensive and have far-reaching aftermaths.

• Financial Crises:

The major havoc that Covid-19 has provoked is financial constraint. Businesses from all over the world had shut down due to lockdown that deteriorated labours primarily. According to a report issued by IMF, the Global market output had fallen by 3.5 % in 2020. In most of the poor states, the vaccination process, testing capacity, and ventilation system are unaffordable. The daily wagers are left hungry, sick, and homeless. Lockdown has snatched the only way of making money from them. Those doing small businesses are also under pressure of overdue rents and instalments. The students are hardly paying their university fees and are unable to find jobs. In Pakistan particularly, the unemployment rate had reached to 15℅. The already staggering economies of developing nations are confronting massive fatalities and hygienic problems amongst the public.  Overall, the financial system encountered tremendous destruction that might take decades to renovate.

• Academic Malfunctioning:

The education sector had suffered incredibly. A report issued by UNESCO confirms that 1.5 billion students of nearly 165 countries have been affected by the lockdown. Online lecturing, assessments, and examination has worsened the quality of teaching.  Above 35 percent population in Pakistan is out of the reach of Internet services. The rural and slums poor population has no money to buy books.  How do they purchase digital accessories for online classes? Schools had remained almost closed for the previous 1.5 years. Education foundations are facing maintenance issues amidst the lockdown. Moreover, parents are stuck reimbursing the school fee with no income source. The Covid-19 had made education discriminatory for both the rich and poor class.

• HealthCare Disruption:

Now come towards health, the most crucial ingredient of life. World Health Organization (WHO) records a total of 3.84 million fatalities from contagious virus up to date. The front-line soldiers comprising doctors and paramedic staff are at the highest risk.  They lack protective equipment in many hospitals. Near 58 heath care workers comprising 42 doctors had expired due to the Covid-19 pandemic in Pakistan. Unstable immunity systems, inadequate hygiene practices, and lack of awareness are causing tremendous casualties. Along with deaths, the virus has detrimental effects on human health. Locking oneself at home consecutively for a couple of months is causing ailments like obesity, nausea, and high blood pressure. The high pressure of the outbreak on the existing medical system is delaying the treatment of patients with other diseases and health problems.

• Psychological Ill-being:

One of the surveys conducted by the World Health Organization found a high prevalence of near 4.2% of poor well-being among the Pakistani public population. The report investigated the regularity of anxiety, depression, phobias, cognitive alteration, avoidance and compulsive behaviour, and loss of social functioning in the population. The pandemic has altered mental health conditions by causing mental disorders like depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, eating disorders, and addictive behaviours.

• Concluding Remarks:

Countries like Pakistan already had vulnerable healthcare facilities and the virus had made it even more disastrous. We are lagging behind the race of producing our testing, quarantine, and vaccination facilities. It’s Allah’s blessings that the positivity rate is lower than the other countries. Keeping in mind the catastrophe of our neighbouring country, we should be united and organized to fight the virus. We must follow the sops by wearing masks, keeping social distancing, conducting tests when required, and vaccinating ourselves and our loved ones. Obeying the government’s law and orders should be our priority. Above all praying and trusting Allah is the need of this time. This trial shall too pass.