Life after COVID-19

Pic: www.hennepinhealthcare.org

        It is obvious that life after COVID 19 will never be the same as it before. The life after corona can take two paths- one, well disciplined, hygienic, austere and pro-nature life filled with contentment and good-will, another is more reckless, callous, irresponsible and chaotic life filled with greed and dogmas. The traits of each path can be seen in every aspects of life-economic, social, cultural and religious life, as the impact of COVID 19   is not only on the health of the people but on social, economic, cultural and religious aspects of life.

        The visible traits of the first path are positive and desirable. People will learn to live with CORONA as they do with malaria. In future, social distancing will be norms that will certainly new social conventions and behavioural patterns. Hugging and shaking hands will be abhorred. Wearing face mask, hand gloves will become part of dress code. Social gathering become limited affair and choosy. There will be always a sense of caution in people while attending parties and get together. Traveling   is done only when it is necessary. People start to resist from enjoying junk and fast food.  Yoga and workout become popular than ever. There will be realization though temporarily, leading luxurious life is not an ultimate goal. Austerity will have sway on common people at least for some time. People begin to save more for future to overcome COVID 19 like situations. There will be willingness among people and countries to share and care. Fear of getting disease grip people and people do not venture out to do exceptional things. This is what expected and a piece of wish list. But what will bound to happen? Let us look at the economic life of  people.

        The impact of COVID 19 pandemic on economic life of people will be quite strange. People spend less and which puts break on their consumerist culture, which is driving force of the present economic setup. As a result, there will be less production of goods and hence reduction in income of the people. In such situations people become panic and tend to save more and more. Then governments will pump in a lot of money into public that will encourage people spend a lot of money on luxuries and life will come to pre-COVID 19 days and normalcy will return and remain until next break of pandemic. This is what governments all over the world expect to happen. But in reality may also take another path.

          As soon as restrictions of lock down are removed people begin to find new found freedom. They rush out to enjoy all comforts of life which have been denied to them during lock down. So there will be an ‘explosion of pandemic’ which will force people to move to hospitals in herds and there social system will collapse again, people are forced to confinements and quarantined life will seem to be normal one.

The pandemic has forced labourers to take reverse migration. This has led to a peculiar situation; there will be shortage of labourers at work places and unemployment at villages and towns. The consequence of this may be, rise in disbelief in people towards administration, which in turn may lead to protests and riots creating fertile field for power mongers and unscrupulous politicians to gain power and create autocratic or dictatorial regimes. 

       The judicious society may find a different path. The sensible nations may try to become self-reliant and use their available resources on health and education. They may toe the path as directed by nature. There may be decrease in consumption of fossil fuels and society may insist on reducing use of per-capita energy. It will give an opportunity to earth to heal itself. But it is the most unlikely to happen.

        Religious Life-In a sensible society, people may become religious in the right sense of the world. The present institutionalized religions may become irrelevant. Mass prayers, sermons will become unpopular. People may try to seek peace not in rituals but in themselves. Tolerance and compassion will become foundation of religious life. But it is the most desired but  the least to happen.

        But, if the leadership fails to take sensible decision, the present fear filled atmosphere provides space for religious bigots to take hold on the situation to their advantage. They may exploit the fear in people of pandemic to drag them towards dogmatic religion.  They may (already in action, it seems) interpret the pandemic is the result of anger of god which is the result of some lapses in performance of religious rituals. They will prescribe strict religious rituals to pacify god. Sheepish people are too ready to follow them and contaminate already polluted religion with superstitions. The consequence of this is hatred towards people who follow a different belief system. Needless to say, violence will have field day in such a situation.

      Weather corona exists or not (if a cure for corona is invented then there will be hope of continuation of  life which existed “ before corona”) the life is going to change for certain. The path is depends on the threat perception of the people. Let us hope people will take a sensible path which is good for nature and themselves.

Writer: Ms. Radhika S Joshi

First year BA

KAPMI, Shivamogga