Introduction
The ongoing coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) can be studied as one of the most dangerous diseases in the recent times. This condition has led to unprecedented problems that have shaken all aspects of human life. Before the onset of this disease, many economies were performing optimally and capable of meeting the demands of the targeted citizens. Unfortunately, the condition forced governments to implement lockdown measures to reduce its spread. The imposed initiatives have affected human life and the global economy negatively by creating money problems, triggering unprecedented job cuts, and compelling companies to downsize.
Background
COVID-19 is a pulmonary infection that has claimed thousands of life in different parts of the world. Experts have agreed that the disease was reported for the first time towards the end of 2019 in Wuhan, China. The forces of globalization and international transport are believed to have led to the spread of COVID-19 across the globe. By March 2020, this condition had already been recorded in most of the countries in different continents (Sikder et al. 328). The mysterious nature and complexity of COVID-19 forced governments to institute a wide range of measures that would minimize human contact and travel.
Some of the implemented strategies included washing hands with soaps, carrying and using hand sanitizers, and keeping social distance. Communities and regions would rely on the power of lockdown measures to achieve better results within a short period. Nonetheless, many people continued to contract the virus with some of them losing their lives (Lebleu). Within the last twelve months, international health organizations, pharmaceutical companies, and world health organization (WHO) have been working hard to get an effective vaccine and support the anticipated economic recovery.
Human Life: Before and During Covid-19
Economic growth depends on the inputs the government provides and the measures different people put in place. Before COVID-19, many countries were performing optimally and engaging in international trade (“Coronavirus World Map”). Most of the people were able to get better jobs and earn competitive salaries. Most of the companies and industries were able to achieve their goals due to the processes of globalization. International trade was also undisturbed for many decades. Such forces were making it possible for some of the emerging economies to compete with giant ones (Sikder et al. 329). For example, China and Brazil were capable of producing additional goods and meeting the increasing demand in the global market.
These scenarios reveal that many people were leading better lives in most of the successful countries. For instance, unemployment rates had reduced significantly in both the developing and the developed world. The changing social and cultural dynamics were allowing people to travel across the globe and search for new job opportunities. Such trends were capable of transforming the experiences and lives of many citizens (Lebleu). Most of the implemented fiscal policies and economic stimulus packages had the potential to improve performance.
Unfortunately, the emergence of this pulmonary disease led to sweeping social, economic, and cultural changes across the globe. First, the imposed transportation measures and curfews worsened the situation for many people. Those who had travelled to other countries were unable to go back to their regions (Lebleu). Some were compelled to stay at home for over two months. Such developments affected the gains that had been recorded within the past two decades. Second, the lockdown measures meant that most of the people were unable to work or open their businesses. Such individuals could not earn any form of income, thereby being forced to exhaust their savings.
Third, most of governments were keen to introduce additional measures that could reduce the spread of COVID-19. For instance, individuals who were found to have the disease after testing were quarantined or hospitalized. The idea of contact tracing was also considered to identify people who could be having the condition. Consequently, millions of people across the globe were forced to isolate or engage in self-quarantine (see Fig. 1). Those who had travelled to countries with reported cases had to quarantine themselves. Such measures were capable of supporting the fight against the COVID-19 (Petersen et al. 234). However, the consequences were felt across the globe since many people lost their jobs or were unable to earn a living.
Fourth, the instituted measures proved to be more catastrophic and damaging to small businesses enterprises. Over the decades, such investments had been promoted due to their capabilities in addressing poverty and empowering more people to transform their lives. The lockdown measures compelled most of these entities to close for good. This trend meant that their owners would be unable to earn a living or pursue their social and economic goals (Kebede et al. e0233744). Those who lacked adequate savings were affected the most by these measures. Similarly, companies operating in different sectors had to downsize and reduce the number of workers to minimize infections.
While the outlined measures were critical to deal with this disease, many experts acknowledged that they were harmful to the lives and experiences of many individuals. Such initiatives led to numerous challenges associated with job losses and poor economic performance. The decision to close schools and other social functions indefinitely affected many people negatively (Petersen et al. 234). Some of the individuals who contracted the virus were forced to use their savings for medication purposes. These issues explain why life has changed significantly in different parts of the world. Without proper mechanisms and strategies to mitigate the disease, chances are high that more individuals will continue to experience similar challenges and be unable to achieve their maximum potential.
Post Covid-19
Currently, the impacts of COVID-19 are being experienced in both the developed and developing countries. However, Europe and America were some of the continents that suffered due to this disease. Some experts indicated that certain parameters were capable of describing such trends, including population size, age, and travel history (*). Fortunately, most of the nations in the African and Asian continents were not affected the most by this condition. Nonetheless, the implemented strategies were observed to trigger numerous challenges that would change the world forever.
Post COVID-19 is a hypothetical period or era that is expected after human beings succeeded in treating and getting rid of this disease. In such a scenario, scholars believe that most of the countries will continue to feel the impacts of this condition in different ways (Petersen et al. 236). For instance, those who lost their jobs in the developing world might be hit the hardest since businesses and industries might take long to recover. The predicted reliance on modern technologies means that individuals born from the 1980s would be able to use such innovations to complete their jobs (“Coronavirus World Map”). Older people will encounter additional challenges since they have been relying on traditional methods of production.
Governments in the underdeveloped world will be unable to provide adequate stimulus packages and financial resources to support emerging businesses. Such regions lack proper mechanisms and contingency plans to deal with the shocks of this pandemic. This reality means that most of the affected firms will be unable to hire more people and provide high-quality support to the targeted clients (“Coronavirus World Map”). The race to get a vaccine is an initiative that is expected to consume financial resources. More countries will also be compelled to incur huge expenses to acquire immunizations for their citizens. These priority areas would indicate that the recovery process might take longer that many people would expect.
Those who have lost their loved ones and jobs will find it hard to restore their life experiences. Governments might be unable to implement proper mechanisms and initiatives that can help more people to transform their situations (Petersen et al. 235). This knowledge should encourage policymakers and experts to consider some of the best ways to address the predicted challenges. Companies, institutions, and government agencies should also transform their models in such a way that they help mitigate the predicted predicaments in the anticipated post-COVID-19 world.
Conclusion
The ongoing COVID-19 has led to numerous challenges that have transformed human life in different ways. Most of the affected people have lost their jobs, thereby being unable to provide for their children and relatives. The instituted measures have worsened the condition for small-small businesses and workers. The move to find a vaccine for this disease means that governments will exhaust most of their resources, thereby making the process of recovery unpredictable. The developing world is expected to encounter numerous challenges due to the absence of proper contingency plans to deal with pandemics.
Works Cited
“Art and Lockdown: Your Drawings in the Time of Coronavirus.” Voices of Youth, 2020, Web.
“Coronavirus World Map: Tracking the Global Outbreak.” The New York Times, 2020, Web.
Kebede, Yohannes, et al. “Knowledge, Perceptions and Preventive Practices towards COVID-19 Early in the Outbreak among Jimma University Medical Center Visitors, Southwest Ethiopia. PLoS ONE, vol. 15, no. 5, 2020, p. e0233744.
Lebleu, Rita. “After Surviving 2 Hurricanes, COVID-19, A Family is Blessed.” The Washington Times, 2020, Web.
Petersen, Eskild, et al. “COVID-19-We Urgently Need to Start Developing an Exit Strategy.” International Journal of Infectious Diseases, vol. 96, no. 1, 2020, pp. 233-239.
Sikder, Mukut, et al. “The Consequential Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Global Emerging Economy.” American Journal of Economics, vol. 10, no. 6, 2020, pp. 325-331.