What we should learn from COVID-19 ?

As I try to understand more on COVID-19 there are many reasons why a small virus had such a large coverage & impact ? it’s the spread, severity, known unknowns and unknown unknowns.

Post World War -II, most of the problems in the world are limited to certain geographies, states or economies, further we have never seen a pandemic in modern times that had a global implications. The words ‘lock down’, ‘social distancing’,‘closing the borders’, ‘janata curfew’ .. Corona Virus made us border-less in a way to control the spread and made us act together.

This document covers

1. Severity
2. The known unknowns
3. Greater unknown unknowns

1. Severity

Severity that was projected in early February 2020 through China’s exposure, experience was extremely scary, most of the western societies too not had their logic right in understanding the virus impact and the preparedness, as it was projected as “Chinese specific issue”, any preparedness in their countries seen as “additional trade given to China” even to order masks, chemicals and other preventive equipment. It is such true integration China had with the rest of the world.

2. The known unknowns

The known unknowns are of virus genome structures and their possible behavior over the time, seasons, ethnicity, habits, cultures, age groups etc. will be known to understand more and how to prevent in future.

3. Greater unknown unknowns

Greater unknown unknowns are of what mother earth is teaching us ? Are we consuming what other species are supposed to consume ? Most of the Human history is about local trade, with few examples of global trade .. are we depend on countries, states, economies that made us vulnerable to a small virus that has a life span of few hours ? Does corona virus teaching us to look for local sourcing and depend where you really need to be ?

Does corona virus pandemic an event in the history to remind us “Glocalization” is the new mantra ? Does plural societies that we evolved into has a new meaning why we are what we are ? Plural societies with mixed cultures, behaviors, habits, livelihood may isolate the pandemics like COVID-19 not to spread .. isn’t it ? Is this the reason why India had few cases compared to the rest of the world ?

These are the unknowns we all should ponder & learn, why we are where we are ? Can we influence policy making bodies to have a meaningful ‘Glocalization‘ ? Can we the people understand the food habits and our consumption patterns ?