Good Things From COVID-19

Note: I first drafted this article in late April, clearly not knowing how long things were going to last, and (in my case) that a second wave was coming to my home town/state Melbourne, Victoria, or that the rest of the world (especially Europe) was going to be hit with a devastating second wave. I have updated my data on deaths by age, but the rest of the article remains as it was originally written.

Ok, I know it's crazy to make such a statement, but hear me out. It's easy to get down and upset about the current situation, and by no means am I saying that we shouldn't feel that way. This a terrible pandemic that has caused incredible pain and suffering to hundreds of thousands of people.

However, through all the sadness and despair we also need to look at the positives that have come out of this. These positives are what will give us hope strength to continue with our lives. 

Here are just a few things that I believe are positives to come out of COVID-19:

1. Cleaner Air

Source: https://epha.org/coronavirus-threat-greater-for-polluted-cities/

The most obvious benefit is how lockdowns have affected air quality. There are numerous studies all over the world about how CO2 levels have fallen incredibly in such a short space of time. Cities that had skylines covered in smog are now visible, mountains are now able to be seen, and the planet is taking a breath. In fact, some are saying that this 'break' is showing people what life could be like permanently if we all drove electric cars, and this may, in turn, be the catalyst for a surge in demand. 

2. Cleaner Water

Source: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-03-19/venice-canals-run-clear-amid-coronavirus-lockdown/12071378

One of the first positive effects of lockdown was in Italy, where the canals of Venice fell silent from human traffic. As a result, the clarity of the canal's water has improved dramatically, with schools of fish able to be seen clearly like never before. How long will this last once restrictions are lifted? Who knows, but at least we have them for now.

3. Better Work-Life Balance

For those of us lucky enough to not lose our jobs as a result of coronavirus, this has been a time of really being able to look at the way we work, and how much time we actually waste. Personally, I am saving 45 minutes a day each way getting into my car, driving to a train station, waiting for a train, going into the CBD, and then walking to my office building. That free time can be used in many ways: sleeping in longer, exercising more, spending more time with the family, or just taking more "me" time.

This also is true for my kids. They normally take a bus for 40 minutes to get to school and back, and they no longer need to do that. That gives them a shorter school day, freeing them up to do other things both in the morning and afternoon. One routine they have picked up is playing sport at my parent's house every day after school rather than just come home

4. The Importance of Human Contact

As someone who is naturally introverted, the idea of not having to see anyone face to face or to touch other people sounded quite appealing. But even I can say at this point that human contact is an essential part of life. We can call our family and friends all we like, but in the end, it just is not the same as actual contact with those people. What will be interesting to see as time goes on is just how we will act when meeting up with family and friends. Will we have to remain "touch-free" until a proper vaccine has been found?

5. Population Control

This is my most controversial argument as being a "positive" to come out of COVID-19. I am not in any way saying that one life is less important than another, however, I am looking at this from a holistic long-term world-view.

It is no argument that the world is overpopulated and getting worse. It is also no argument that due to the baby boomer bubble, in combination with advances in medicine, there is an expectation of care required for this generation over the next 20 years that will be a severe drain on the world's economy and healthcare systems.

In the early days of COVID-19, it was thought that it was an 'old person's virus', and that only those over 70 were most susceptible to catching it and dying. I saw this as a way to help out the world in the longer term. Whilst I do not want my parents to die from this (they are both over 70), I am looking at the situation from a global economic position, and taking a longer-term view of the effects of the current situation. 

In Australia, for example, as of 1 November, 855 out of 911 deaths (93.9%) were aged over 70, and 891 (97.8%) were over 60. I don't have the demographics for global numbers. In the United States, according to the CDC (https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/covid19/index.htm), 79.0% of deaths were aged over 65, and 91.7% over 55.

As it turns out, we learned that COVID-19 affects all ages, but some more recent research is suggesting that obesity is a major factor in increasing the risk of both contracting and passing away from COVID-19. Here are a few quotes from the following article in the New York Times:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/16/health/coronavirus-obesity-higher-risk.html

"..those with obesity were twice as likely to be hospitalized and were at even higher risk of requiring critical care."

"..a French study reported that nearly half of 124 COVID-19 patients in Lille, France, had obesity, twice the rate of a comparison group of intensive care patients hospitalized for other reasons last year."

"At Ochsner Health…" "… 60 percent of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 had obesity…"

We are well aware of the health risks of obesity in everyday life, however, what is less talked about is the cost of obesity to the world's healthcare system. As the world gets fatter and fatter, people requiring medical assistance due to obesity-related illness is only going to grow. 

If COVID-19 is more lethal to those with pre-existing medical conditions, then it is possible that once the curve has been flattened, and that life begins to move back towards a new 'normal', then the world's healthcare systems may be able to run more efficiently with less demand being placed on them.

Where to from here?

Given how this pandemic has gone over the past four months, and specifically the rapid growth of the second wave throughout Europe and the US, it is harder than ever to see the positives. First and foremost governments need to acknowledge the issue and flatten their curves. Without this, there is very little ability to be hopeful for the future.

Regardless of government action, we must, as individuals, do the right things to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe. That includes simple things like washing hands, wearing masks, keeping physically distant, and not gathering in large crowds in small (especially enclosed) spaces.

I pray your 2021 is better than your 2020, and may we all stay healthy.

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