Covid-19 and its positive effects worldwide |28 January 2021
We all know that there has been no report of fatal car accidents since the beginning of the year. This is most likely due to the reduced flow of traffic as a result of the recent increase in the number of Covid-19 cases across the country. Hence, most people are working from home plus all education institutions are closed until further notice.
Although the pandemic has sparked large global crises that are predicted to largely impact the economies of many countries worldwide, the pandemic, in a way, has also had its fair share of positive effects, such as the example provided above.
Although mentioning that the virus has positive effects among the dozens of negative effects can be considered controversial, it is without doubt that the virus has in fact had its fair share of positive moments.
Australia alone has seen a drastic decrease in crimes such as robberies (down 42%), non-domestic assault (down 39%), sexual offences (down 32%), breaking and entering of dwellings (down 29%), stealing from motor vehicles (down 34%) and car theft (down 24%).
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) also stated that “reported robbery, theft and burglary declined significantly, falling by more than 50 per cent in most countries”.
Some other crimes did see an increase, such as fraud, drug offence and domestic violence. And other crimes such as homicide and shootings were not largely affected by lockdown in the US.
The pandemic has also had its effects on the environment. As industries, transportation and companies have closed down, it has brought a sudden drop of greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions.
Marshall Burke, an environmental economist at Stanford University, predicted in a blog post that two months’ worth of improved air quality in China alone might save the lives of 4000 children under the age of 5 and 73,000 adults over the age of 70.
Due to movement restriction and a significant slowdown of social and economic activities, air quality has improved in many cities with a reduction in water pollution in different parts of the world.
The pandemic itself has also brought rise a large increase in global cooperation. Nations and countries alike have united under the same goal of protecting the people and fighting against the spread of Covid-19.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organisation, stated that “For all our differences, we are one human race sharing the same planet and our security is interdependent – no country will be safe, until we’re all safe.
“I urge all leaders to choose the path of cooperation and act now to end this pandemic! It’s not just the smart choice, it's the right choice and it’s the only choice we have.”
In conclusion, the virus has largely shaken up the world. It threatens our businesses, jobs, economies and it is a very scary and difficult time period. However, we should keep our heads high and work towards slowing down the spread of the pandemic alongside our medical professionals.
Stay home. Stay safe.
Compiled by Joshua Marie