With COVID-19 impacting nearly every corner of the globe, we are beginning to see a test of humanity. One notable point is how human behavior to the pandemic is quite similar everywhere regardless of race, region, or country. There has been panic among people at different levels. News boards have been filled with headlines of people taking drastic measures even before COVID-19 became a visibly dire situation.
Supermarkets in Australia are largely selling out of toilet paper due to novel coronavirus fears. An Australian newspaper even printed out eight extra pages in a recent edition to serve as emergency toilet paper.
The panic has been for different yet very genuine reasons. Many jobs do not allow remote working, and with many orders of social distancing, more people are without work. Many companies are taking care of their full-time employees, but part-time workers and temporary workers are often not as lucky during these times. Though there have been announcements from some bigger organizations to continue to take care of their workforce, there are still cases of many individuals being laid off from small businesses or being given reduced hours. Many small businesses are closing due to the lack of customer traffic. This means reduced income and leads to high stress from bills, groceries, and other necessary expenses which could lead to less compliance with social distancing. While the government works to relieve these issues, it is still one of the major causes of panic.
Among a few other reasons for restlessness, xenophobia is increasing, which leads to the endangerment of Asian minorities. Those who experience mental health problems may be more in danger during this time due to being isolated at home, as could people who are facing domestic or child abuse. These correlate to negative health outcomes, so ignoring these social issues will lead to greater strain on the healthcare system in the future.
5 Tips for Staying Resilient in Times of Adversity
These are the times when people and communities need to come forward and stand strong against adversity. As humans, we are gifted with a few basic attributes that give us the strength to go beyond our fears and act for the sake of our fellow humans. The simple act of resilience could take us far.
Stop hoarding essentials: The minimum we could do is to consider the needs of others in hard times. Consciously taking what is required and leaving rest for the others in need could help reduce the panic. Going a step further, if some people have available resources, sharing them with the needy at hard times could ease the problem for others.
Not targeting other human beings because of their race: The adverse time asks us to open our minds. In this adversity we are facing a virus threat that has originated from a specific country, but it does not by any means place people from that ethnicity as the target of blame. These are times of trust and respect for all human beings regardless of race, color, or country.
Following directions given by authorities: It is important to take the instructions given by authorities seriously in order to maintain order. In the case of healthcare disasters like COVID-19, there have been clear instructions from local authorities to observe social distancing. Following such instructions would just not keep each individual safe but also lower the burden on the healthcare system by lowering the increase of the virus’s spread.
Staying vigilant and reporting suspicious activities around you: In vulnerable situations like these, there may be opportunities for bad characters to take advantage of the circumstances. As good citizens, staying vigilant around your neighborhood can create a safe environment for everyone. Communities coming together to form protocols on looking after each other could also help vulnerable populations among us.
Contributing back to society: Our society is educated, and many of us are tech-savvy. Things are changing as we are moving forward. By 2025, Millennials will comprise three-quarters of the global workforce We are part of a highly talented group of people. We have the capability and thus the responsibility to bring bigger transformation. As Millennials, we belong to an era that has promoted and contributed to some of the biggest technological advancements in the century, and we should remind ourselves that we have the capability to continue doing so moving forward.
There would be adversity always in our lives in different forms. It will be our perception towards how we handle it makes us who we are. Coming forward to contribute our time and skills to create a positive difference in times like this could help beat the adversity as it never existed.
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