History has taught us a lot about pandemics. We realize that to stop the spread of viral contamination’s or infections a few measures ought to be taken. Over a century ago the Spanish influenza devastated the world by infecting over 500 million people and claiming over 50,000,000 lives. The point in the preservation of history is that it teaches us how to prepare and handle future occurrences. It was always a matter of time before another pandemic hit the world, as seen by the ongoing development of COVID-19.
The C.D.C (Centers for Disease Control) recommends the washing of hands with soap, avoiding contact to the eyes, nose and mouth, the use of hand sanitizer. These simple steps should not be overlooked as they are critical in ensuring our health. Social-distancing might already be the word of the year three months into the year. Well if you recently came out after living under a rock or just woke up from a coma or better yet don’t comprehend the word, it means keeping your distance from other humans to prevent the spread of disease.
It is upon everyone to take the measures seriously and apply them to their daily routine. Studies show that individuals with respiratory problems are more likely to succumb to COVID-19. Therefore, whether you are at risk or not you could help prevent the spread of the virus by seeking help when sick or by staying home and limiting your interaction with others if you do not have anything essential coming up. This could and will save lives in the long run. I challenge you as a reader to pause and think about the lives that have been lost in this tragedy. Those people are not just numbers or data, they are fathers, mothers, children, grandparents, brothers and sisters to someone out there.
As a modern society, we are facing a new challenge. The world has come to an abrupt halt, maybe now more than ever we should be thankful for the invention of the internet. It is the only entity that is holding the fabric of society together. As we keep to ourselves, we should take this time to reflect on family and values. We should go after those new year resolutions we made but life just got in the way. Work out from home, read that book you’ve be meaning to get to, teach yourself a new skill as the internet provides a vast array of possibilities. Let this be our time of healing, not just to humanity but to the planet.
Thank you for taking time to read this article.