"Everything has positive and negative consequences" - Farrah Fawcett.
In the tough times of the pandemic, when there was pessimism all over. It was hardly expected that anybody could even think about something 'positive' or something 'positive to happen'. But, as it has been said by Fawcett, we must not forget that the pandemic also brought along with it some positive consequences as well. Here, it is an attempt to bring into the limelight the positive consequences that the pandemic brought along with it, at a time when negativity was strangling the entire international community and society in tight chains. It is also said that everything is just a matter of 'perspective'. Indeed, that is the truth. For if we see, throughout the pandemic waves, 'deaths' were heard all over. But, we must not forget that 'Death is also a new beginning'. Death is eternal and inevitable, yet it ends with a sigh of change. On this note, which also attempts to offer certain positivity, let's go ahead in elucidating the optimistic insights revolving around the pandemic.
The pandemic although created physical distancing in the social arena, yet contributed to the development of the basic unit of society, that is, Family. Due to the pandemic, everybody was locked inside their homes. Staying together for days and months together, definitely attracted intimacy, which was somewhere lost due to the engagements of everybody in this physical world. The pandemic helped in creating a healthy environment and atmosphere in the family. Relationships within the family were strongly rooted again. The time spent with family has increased and has helped in building courage and strength of the family members to challenge the pandemic, as it has been said, 'Unity in Strength'. The common dining of the family has also been appreciated, as the 'Family which eats together, stays together'. A symposium created within the family has generated a commendable interactive space. Hence, the pandemic contributed to the advancement in the improvement of family relationships and channelized a new zeal, enthusiasm, and energy to it. The pandemic has accelerated 'digital transformations', and most importantly, 'technology' has kept the 'social ties' alive in times of physical distancing.
Education of students though received a setback in the pandemic, but technology helped us to find a solution. Since offline education wasn't conducive, hence, 'technology' helped the authorities and institutions to adopt a system of 'Online Learning' to keep the momentum of education maintained. As education is the basic need for everybody, hence, hefty capital was invested in the digital and technological sectors, giving an impetus to these areas. This all was done because of the basic and ultimate need, that education should continue parallelly irrespective of the miserable circumstances offered by the pandemic. It ensures ' equitable access ' of education overcoming the geographical obstructs. The differently-abled students were also benefitted due to the access to digital education. This did not imply that the conventional classroom model or the brick-mortar model of education was dumped, rather it created as an opportunity in disguise in the form of e-learning. The pandemic has brought the world to choose new possibilities on 'crossroads'.
The spread of the pandemic also raised issues of 'health awareness & health insurance' which have been conventionally ignored. People now started focussing on immunity development, mental health, health-related policies and programmes, proper diet chart, etc. All these changes contributed to the overall development of the body in the challenging times of the pandemic where most importantly, everybody's life was at stake. The government also took steps to come into collaboration with some 'private health sectors' to manage the pandemic with all the efficiency and skill required. Many new hospitals were opened, though primarily with the objective of increasing the number of beds, simultaneously it has advantaged the people, who can now access 'quick and better' health facilities just around their local space.
Hygiene measures were also given paramount importance. The pandemic along with its spread kindled the flame of 'health awareness', which had been missing in people for so long. The pandemic also gave an impetus to the growth and development of the pharmacy industry all over the world. The government was also taken aback by the pandemic, hence, it was also on the lookout to deal with the crisis in the short term but with long-lasting solutions. The importance of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) was also realized, when according to its organisational structure, the Chairman of the Organisation ( The Prime Minister of India ) imposed a nationwide lockdown to stop the community's spread of the virus.
After having glimpsed at the positive aspects of the pandemic in education, health, and family, we shall also look at the other positive dimensions of the pandemic as well. Another important area which was realised especially in India, 'The Importance of Rural Abodes'. Everybody, almost the whole of the city, if not exaggerating, stepped down from their urban lands to rural abodes, as the positivity rate of the infection was greater in towns than rural lands. Hence, due to the impacts of urbanisation and migration, the importance of rural land which was overlooked, was realised in complete tones, as the 'rural lands were there to embrace their emigrants in tough times'. People also got the time to focus on their hobbies and interests. The pandemic served as an opportunity to showcase the skills and glamour inherent in everybody, which they failed to do with a lot in their platters. Since outdoor sports were not feasible in the times of the pandemic, hence, the significance of 'indoor sports' (badminton, chess, and ludo, etc.) was increased. We must not forget that games whether they are played (indoor/ outdoor) contributes to the physical and mental health of the well-being.
The pandemic also helped the ' E-Commerce ' and associated platforms to develop. As it is, the national economy had received a major jolt due to the pandemic, the global trade and commerce couldn't be restricted as that would have accounted for the 'Financial Crash'. Almost, every country of the world is reluctant to the 'E-Commerce' platforms, hence the idea of global trade and commerce digitally is going to be a 'collective effort' bringing the nations together. To enable this, nations will play a positive and responsible role in managing the tenets of e-commerce.
The global commerce on digital standards has evolved into a novel work culture with digitalised operations and software gadgets. Digital global commerce will synergise the skill and knowledge of various stakeholders, thus, contributing to it's development of a cashless economy and online shopping. It was also seen that rates of crimes and accidents through different modes of transport was also reduced as the world was masked in their homes due to the pandemic.
In the course of Vaccination Drive for the pandemic, India turned out to be an 'exporter' of vaccines for various world countries, like, America, Iran, Nepal, Italy, etc. This helped India to consolidate and strengthen it's relations in different corners of the world, which has been termed as 'Vaccine Diplomacy'. The term has been defined as, the act or activities performed by India by exporting vaccines, that is in relation to other states. This has also been termed as 'Vaccine Maitri programme'. India, again by this programme has upholded the sanctity of it's glorious past and most importantly, Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam', and has worked out for the greater and the larger cause of humanity. Indeed, India has worked for the entire world as one family. The country has developed research institutions and assisted the existing institutions with funds so that the vaccine for the disease was found out promptly.
The Covid-19 pandemic has led to the 'De-Toxification' of the Environment. Due to the world being locked down, pollution was reduced. Dumping of domestic or industrial wastes was also curtailed, hence rivers and canals were cleansed such as the Ganga river in India. The absence of vehicles on the roads has definitely reduced the emissions of greenhouse gases, which contributed to global warming. Large industries were also shut down leading to less discharge of chemicals and pollutants. Air pollution, water pollution along with noise pollution was also reduced. The flora and fauna were also preserved in the times of pandemic as there was least human interference in these times. Increased oxygen content in the atmosphere led to the purification of the atmosphere. The pandemic gave an opportunity to the environment as well to rejuvenate.
Hence, it is up to us and our perspective to visualise the things. There is something good or bad in everything. It's just that we shouldn't be blind to that 'good' and always focus on 'bad'. We must always think of possibilities, as they will assist us in solving our hurdles. Negativities only throw us in a 'hell of problems'. On a concluding note, I would not fail to mention, that the adverse circumstances of the pandemic has made the 'generations suffering or having suffered it' much stronger than the previous generations of generations to come. It is probable that the pandemic may darken our lives with all negativity, but in that negativity, finding a 'piece of hope' is always going to be a responsibility on our shoulders. We must accept it as a 'passing time' which has come and which will pass also. We must prepare ourselves for a shining future ahead.
'Everything has positive and negative consequences' - Farrah Fawcett.