Covid-19 has left almost everyone at home. And although we know that there is a lot of bad news around this pandemic, we also want to present you the ‘positive’ side that the coronavirus has brought us.
An increasingly confined planet, which counts its dead and assists terrified the collapse of the economy. The coronavirus pandemic has brought us countless bad news, but looking closely it is also possible to see positive points.
Because between improving hygiene, reducing pollution and strengthening social ties, some rays of light break the darkness. Here the ‘positive’ side that the coronavirus has brought us:
1. More hygiene in the hands
Since the beginning of the epidemic, health professionals have endlessly repeated the same message: wash your hands.
A message taken up by politicians, celebrities and social networks.
The goal is to teach us the correct technique to soap each part of the hands. And hydroalcoholic gels sell like hotcakes.
Hygiene seems to be working in countries like Japan, where the number of flu cases has plummeted. Although the season is not over, at the beginning of March the country had registered 7.21 million cases, far fewer than in previous years (in 2017-2018 it broke the record of 21.04 million).
“WE BELIEVE THAT ONE OF THE REASONS IS THAT PEOPLE ARE MORE ATTENTIVE TO WASHING THEIR HANDS WELL, DUE TO THE SPREAD OF THE NEW CORONAVIRUS,” EXPLAINED DAISHA INOUE OF THE JAPANESE MINISTRY OF HEALTH.
2. CO2 emissions decreased
From an economic point of view, the collapse of demand, travel bans and the closing of factories is a nightmare. For the environment, it is a blessing.
In February alone, Chinese C02 emissions fell 25%, or 200 million tons, compared to the same period in 2019, according to the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA). This decrease is equivalent to the annual CO2 emissions of Argentina, Egypt or Vietnam.
The Chinese slowdown also brought coal consumption in China’s power plants down 36%, with a drop almost equivalent to oil consumption in refineries.
As for air transport, the almost total paralysis of the sector contributes to reducing its significant CO2 emissions.
There are more positive effects that the coronavirus has brought us: in Venice, the water has become clear by ending the incessant rush of boats full of tourists.
It will be a brief respite because, according to experts, once the crisis is over, economies will try to make up for the delay at the beginning of the year.
3. Prohibition of sale and consumption of animals
The origin of COVID-19 is unknown with certainty, but the first clues focused on a market in Wuhan (central China) where wild animals were sold for consumption. Among them, bats or pangolins, an endangered species, are cited as a possible vector of the virus.
Therefore, China decided in February to ban totally and immediately the sale and consumption of wild animals, a decision welcomed by environmental organizations.
This measure was taken in the early 2000s, during the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) epidemic, but it did not last. This time, the ban is permanent.
“I THINK THE GOVERNMENT HAS REALIZED THAT THE PRICE PAID BY SOCIETY AND THE ECONOMY IS MUCH HIGHER THAN THIS TRADE CAN PROVIDE,” ESTIMATES JEFF HE, DIRECTOR FOR CHINA OF THE INTERNATIONAL FUND FOR THE PROTECTION OF ANIMALS ( IFAW).
The possible link between the virus and the pangolin also seems to have calmed lovers of wild meat in other parts of the world. The sale of game meat has fallen in Gabon.
4. Away but together
The distance between family and friends is one of the consequences of the confinements that must be dealt with.
But for some, these measures reinforce the feeling of belonging and try harder to get in touch with relatives and friends.
In Colombia, Andrea Uribe, 43, has organized, for example, gymnastics classes and family talent contests using video messaging applications.
What do you think?