The Covid-19 Symptoms

By Sarra Alwani, writer for Project Patriarchy

Wearing a mask, keeping hand sanitizer close by, a shortage of toilet paper and cleaning supplies. A pandemic has arrived and won't be leaving without a fight. It has become a societal norm to wear a mask 24/7, and when seen without one, an instinctive sense of judgment arises into the air. The Covid-19 pandemic has left an enormous impact on every aspect of the lives of the general public. This impact has its positives and negatives, but the footprints left by this pandemic will be one for the books.

Economic Level

The impact of Covid-19 upon the economic standard has been very devastating. Tens of millions of people are facing difficulties, ultimately leaving them in a state of extreme poverty. There has been a sudden shift for most, if not all, enterprises that may face an existential threat in the long run. That leaves economy workers in a very vulnerable state due to a lack of access to healthcare services and economic protection plans. The economy nationwide is proportionally dependent upon the sufficient income a person makes; without having a sturdy source of money supply, the economy is slowly breaking piece by piece.

Aside from business and enterprises, the pandemic has thrown a massive wave knocking down the whole food system entirely. Since the virus, border closures and trade restrictions have been taking place. That prevents farmers from gaining quick access to markets and puts a hold on the selling of their products. This pandemic has stripped many people of their jobs, source of income, access to fresh produce, and much more.

Mental Health

Throughout the pandemic, mental health has taken a huge toll, opening up a distinct path for fear and anxiety. Many people worldwide are suffering from an immense amount of stress, a direct effect of all the overwhelming situations caused by the virus. More specifically, many students, teachers, and families undergo a massive strain on their mental health due to the lack of activity experienced each day.

When looked into further, professionals have discovered that those who already have an existing anxiety or stress disorder face a stronger difficulty adjusting to the mends of the pandemic. With 93% of countries worldwide experiencing a pause in mental health services due to the virus, these issues have led to an increased demand for such services.

A survey conducted by “WHO’s Big Event for Mental Health,” a global online advocacy event, highlighted the sudden increase in the need for mental health services once the pandemic hit versus prior to the pandemic. “COVID-19 has interrupted essential mental health services around the world just when they’re needed most. World leaders must move fast and decisively to invest more in life-saving mental health programs during the pandemic and beyond”, said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization.

Education

As a result of the pandemic, many students face the risk of falling behind due to school closures and social distancing guidelines. As a practical solution, many reverted to virtual learning. Adjusting from an in-person learning system to a virtual learning system has been quite challenging for many students, even parents. International and U.S. data provide a benchmark of what can be considered usual educational progress over a given school year. Looking at the data, the number of studies learned by a student before the pandemic versus the studies acquired during it has profoundly decreased.

Many teachers have to undergo copious amounts of training to ensure the curriculum is adjusted properly to the flexibility at which a student can acquire it at home. That includes less use of physical textbooks and a higher dependency on the internet and social online learning.

Your Role

It is crucial to stay educated on topics such as the pandemic so that we are aware of what is happening and can better come up with solutions that can benefit our world and society. It is also crucial to fully grasp the knowledge you have gained from and spread it to those unaware of the difficult times we are currently facing. As they say, spread love and knowledge, not germs.

It is time to step out of your bubble and look at different viewpoints: see where you stand, use your rights. Your voice is what matters and what helps make this world a more wise and educated place.

Resources

Report • By Emma García and Elaine Weiss • September 10. (n.d.). COVID-19 and student performance, equity, and U.S. education policy: Lessons from pre-pandemic research to inform relief, recovery, and rebuilding. Retrieved January 02, 2021, from https://www.epi.org/publication/the-consequences-of-the-covid-19-pandemic-for-education -performance-and-equity-in-the-united-states-what-can-we-learn-from-pre-pandemic-resea rch-to-inform-relief-recovery-and-rebuilding/

Education and COVID-19. (2020, December 01). Retrieved January 02, 2021, from https://data.unicef.org/topic/education/covid-19/

COVID-19 disrupting mental health services in most countries, WHO survey. (n.d.). Retrieved January 02, 2021, from

https://www.who.int/news/item/05-10-2020-covid-19-disrupting-mental-health-services-in most-countries-who-survey

Mental Health and Coping During COVID-19. (n.d.). Retrieved January 02, 2021, from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/managing-stress-anxiety.ht ml

Lora Jones, D. (2020, June 29). Coronavirus: A visual guide to the economic impact. Retrieved January 02, 2021, from https://www.bbc.com/news/business-51706225

Impact of COVID-19 on people's livelihoods, their health and our food systems. (n.d.). Retrieved January 02, 2021, from

https://www.who.int/news/item/13-10-2020-impact-of-covid-19-on-people's-livelihoods-th eir-health-and-our-food-systems