COVID-19 pandemic : A blessing in disguise ?

The COVID-19 pandemic is the global health crisis and the biggest challenge we have faced since the World War Two. It was first detected late last year in China, where Covid 19 has spread to hundreds of countries from various continents except Antarctica (Nadescha Zwerschke; 4/20/2020). Cases are increasing every day in Asia, Africa, America, as well as Europe. This makes countries try hard to slow the spread of the virus by tracking contacts, limiting travel, quarantine and canceling large gathering. The worst of Covid-19 is more than just a health crisis but has the potential to create a devastating social, economic and political crisis that will leave deep scars. However despite the many negative sides, people should be able to realize that Covid 19 also has a positive side.

To begin with, according to anthropologist and cognitive scientist Samuel Veissiere Ph.D, Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 virus, the world has flocking to defeat a common enemy. This global collaboration never happened before this outbreak, everyone and countries only thought of their own problems like political issues, climate change,etc. Everything changed 180 degrees when Covid-19 appeared. Covid 19 makes everyone and the country focus on the same thing. For example, China deployed medical personnel to help Italy (SCMP; 11/3/2020) , which is in the Covid-19 crisis. Even the two countries that have conflicts, namely Israel and Palestine unite to fight the Covid-19 Virus outbreak in the form of providing temporary shelter by Israel for 70 Palestinian workers (Shay Pauzne, an Official at israeli construction Association; 24/3/20).

Secondly, carbon dioxide emissions certainly will decrease as a result of the lockdown rules set by most countries. Some of the largest  carbon dioxide producers are trucks, automobiles and airplanes. Since the onset of several policies to prevent the spread of Corona virus over the last few months, such as factories closed, social movement restricted, and halted transportation have caused global greenhouse gas emissions drop significantly. A recent study by Global Carbon Project reported, carbon dioxide (CO2) gas has reduced drastically to 17 % worldwide. For instance, the NASA satellites have documented significant reductions in air pollution approximately 20-30% in China, and the same thing too in major cities all over the world.

Moreover, the entire lifestyle changed to practice better hygiene, before Covid 19, most people forgot to wash their hands as often as needed, perhaps because of a hectic lifestyle. But since the spread of the corona virus, many have echoed that the best way to prevent the corona virus is by diligently washing hands as stated by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Ministry of Health of Republic of Indonesia, “Washing hands frequently using soap and water will kill the Corona virus that sticks even before it infects the human body, because Corona virus shell is made of fat, and the shell is very fragile if exposed to detergent”. Thus, almost everyone has a lifestyle change from handshaking with namaste, covering mouth when coughing, cleaning hands after touching other objects. This habit will likely remain in people's lives after the pandemic ends, as a result physical well-being will be better maintained.

Therefore, stay healthy and don't panic to face Covid 19 pandemic which actually makes us stress. Honestly, there are few positive effects beside the many negative effects of Covid 19. Covid 19 pandemic is the most terrible way to improve the environmental health.