Now, let us talk about how the Coronavirus has impacted us.
If the virus remains for a longer time, analysts fear that the global economy may slip into a recession. Recessions set in when the economy shows two consecutive quarters of contraction. Recession due to the pandemic in countries will bring down the global economic growth to clock in below 2.5%
When the Chinese suppliers were shut down, the Indian pharmaceutical, automobile and mobile phone industries immediately wobbled. India is dependent on China for the supply of components for the products that the Indian sectors produce. The Indian gem and jewelry makers lost about $7.75 billion last year due to the partial closure of the Chinese and Hong Kong markets.
It is estimated that more than 150 million people across the globe would be pushed into extreme poverty because of the pandemic.
A huge sector that has been impacted is the education sector. Parents are demanding that private schools should not hike their fees. On the other hand, schools say that they do not possess the money to pay the salaries of the staff and teachers. As of 28th June 2020, there had been nationwide closures of schools and colleges in over 114 countries worldwide, which has affected more than 1 billion students.
In India, more than 32 crore students have been affected by this. Some schools have stopped teaching entirely while others resorted to online classes. Online classes are a great solution in the short run but they also create a digital divide. They are accessible only for people like us, who have the availability of the internet and suitable appliances but what about the people that do not have internet available to them? How many people are there in India that do not have internet? There are only 2 states that at least have 40 percent of rural households with internet facilities. Only 23% of Indian households have access to the internet for e-education.
Constant online classes for 5-6 days, prolonged exposure to the screens with headphones on is not ideal. It is stressful and leads to an increase in anxiety and depression. In some extreme cases, students have shown declining tendencies.
There has been an evident increase in air purity, the water has become cleaner, the pollution levels have fallen. Due to the lockdown, the number of cars plying on the roads has drastically fallen, factories have been shut down and hence, in the cities all over the world, the concentration of nitrogen dioxide in the air is nominal.
Even the PM 2.5 (particulate matter 2.5) levels have also reduced. PM 2.5 is the cause of the death of 4 million people every year.
Due to the stoppage of the industrial waste, a positive impact has been seen on the water quality of the river Yamuna. There has also been a 40-50% improvement in the water quality of the river Ganga.
To sum up, the economy has fallen, the education sectors have failed. Students are not in their best mental space at the present moment. The only thing we can do to protect ourselves at home is physical exercise and take care of ourselves and our loved ones. There are certain positive impacts of the coronavirus as well but one cannot focus on them amongst the widespread chaos and misery that surround us.
Remember, we all are in this together.