Introduction
Everyone agrees today that the COVID-19 crisis has shocked the entire modern planetary population. Almost every individual now knows what Coronavirus is, as many people or their relatives have experienced it. The events of 2020-2022 have made people in different governments from various countries question concepts related to globalization, such as international trading, global travel system, liberal migration policy, and open borders. Others believed their countries could maintain a high level of health in their populations in times of crisis only through globalization and cooperation. Although the isolationist measures of some governments have been successful in preventing COVID-19, states that have helped each other have made more significant strides in minimizing the pandemic’s impact, and therefore, this strategy should be considered a primary and mainstream one. Constant collaboration of healthcare institutions from different countries can make medicines and services more accessible.
Self-centeredness is Outdated
The strict control of borders and a self-centered foreign policy are outdated methods of dealing with global health disasters such as an epidemic or a pandemic. Involuntary quarantines, self-isolation, and strong nationalism stopped Spanish Influenza a little more than a century ago (Martini et al. E64). However, vaccination technology had not yet been invented at that time (Martini et al. E64). Today, medicine can provide populations with a quick and practical cure for most diseases. Societies either produce medical products and services or purchase them from others. Globalized countries have greater access to a variety of means of solving their health problems than those controlled by nationalist governments. Moreover, such states also often have intensive scientific cooperation, accelerating the emergence of innovations like new vaccines. Behaving like an isolationist is unwise and harmful to a society experiencing critical healthcare problems.
Globalism, Humanism, and Health Awareness
Globalism, humanism, and health awareness are causally related philosophies. According to Roope et al., people in already globalized countries such as the United Kingdom are more aware of the psychobiological problems experienced by populations. Moreover, they are more willing to share their medical resources with them because of the wealth generated by international trade and the tourism industry (55). Globalism as an ideology makes other communities and societies more compassionate, generous, and humane. Therefore, globalization as a process is the promotion of health equity across the planet.
Counterargument
Some would say that various infectious and viral diseases are reaching larger populations, creating more deaths, and increasing treatment costs for healthcare systems because of the international channels created by the globalism philosophy. Sociological and medical scientists and researchers would disagree with this statement. Javed and Chattu concluded after the COVID-19 crisis analysis that “the lack of international cooperation will lead to increased global disparities and inequities as the countries that cannot procure vaccines will find their population more vulnerable to the pandemic’s repercussion” (300). Globalization serves as an online store for societies; it provides them with additional products and means to correct their societal imbalances, which they cannot get locally. It both exposes the populations of countries to certain health risks and gives them the resources to improve collective health quickly, effectively, and economically.
Conclusion
Globalization is a process beneficial to the collective health of the human race. World health balance can be achieved with an equal and reasonable distribution of medicines through a system of vast international trade and supply channels that all states support and contribute to. One can only hope governments will opt for further globalization over nationalism when the last effects of the Coronavirus crisis have passed.
Works Cited
Javed, Sumbal, and Vijay Kumar Chattu. “Strengthening the COVID-19 Pandemic Response, Global Leadership, and International Cooperation through Global Health Diplomacy.” Health Promotion Perspectives, vol. 10, no. 4, 2020, pp. 300-305.
Martini, Mariano, et al. “The Spanish Influenza Pandemic: a Lesson from History 100 Years after 1918.” Journal of Preventive Medicine and Hygiene, vol. 60, no. 1, 2019, pp. E64-E67.
Roope, Laurence S. J., et al. “Is There Broad-Based Support in High-Income Countries for COVID-19 Vaccine Donation? Evidence from Seven Countries.” Applied Health Economics and Health Policy, vol. 20, 2022, pp. 55-65. Web.