In the midst of a pandemic, it’s all too easy to get lost in the overwhelming negativity everywhere—from the news, from the statistics, from scared peers. It is a very frightening time, and a lot of bad things are happening. I’m not denying that or saying we should put our heads in the sand. But in amongst all these drastic changes to our lives, I see a multitude of opportunities for positive change in our society. I want to not just highlight these, but encourage everyone to help keep them/bring them about in the coming months.
My title for this post was originally going to be “Silver Linings” (as was the title of this blog) but during my livestreamed church service yesterday morning our pastor said something that really resonated with me: “Crisis and opportunity go together”. I’ve been putting this particular post together since before I posted anything else on the blog, because I keep coming across things to add to it. I expect to keep adding to it!
Community Spirit
I’ve heard many people say that this crisis has brought people together; introduced neighbours to each other; infused people with the desire to help other people. I was born in 1990, and so I don’t remember a time when life was like this everywhere, but I know many people who have seen a gradual decline of a sense of community over the decades. And now it’s coming back, being compared to the time of the Second World War. “We’re all in it together.”
Well, we’re all in life together as well, whether or not there is a pandemic, and I think it’s important not to lose this wonderful thing as the crisis ends and people’s lives go back to normal. I think many people will have discovered for the first time how rewarding it is to help others and have a closer relationship with their neighbours.
Greater Accessibility
This is something I’ve already addressed in a previous post—that the population generally is having to adapt to not being able to leave their homes, and that has opened so many doors that I believe should remain open, and we need to make sure that they remain so. So much can be done online nowadays—and while it’s not a full substitution for in-person experience, it is the closest many people can get, and those opportunities should not disappear once they’re not in as much demand.
If organisations, institutions and companies can reach people who can’t leave their homes, then they should continue to do so wherever possible. Events should still be livestreamed; education and cultural centres should still be available virtually; online social gatherings should still take place.
Health, Social and Welfare Reform
Health
In the UK we are blessed with a National Health Service. Although it is a blessing that so many countries do not have, it is flawed and inconsistent and has been under threat in recent years. Now is the time when we as a country are waking up to the realisation of how much of a blessing it really is, and I think will be the turning point away from under-funding and the threat of privatisation.
With regards to other countries around the world, especially ones where the population has to pay extortionate amounts for healthcare and medicines, I genuinely hope this will also be a turning point for reform in their own healthcare systems.
Welfare
Many more people are now relying on benefits to live on, or need them and are having trouble getting them. Again, I’ve discussed this before. The system has been broken for a long time, and an issue which has been under discussion and the subject of campaigning for years.
Perhaps now with the much greater demand, there will be an increase in the pressure for those with the power to address and fix its fundamental flaws, and make a U-turn on its policy of filtering out as many applicants as possible.
Homelessness
Councils all over the country are housing, or have housed (I haven’t found confirmation of completion yet) the homeless as part of preventing the spread of Covid-19. If it can be done, why should it be only temporary?
I realise that a lot of places they’re being housed are places like hotels, which would normally have guests, and so can only realistically be temporary. But we’re not going to get back to normal overnight, and the time it takes to lift the lockdown should be used to find alternative housing.
In the Metro article I linked to in a previous post, I want to highlight a quote from Crisis chief executive Jon Sparkes:
“We also need to see a package of support so that, when the outbreak subsides, the outcome is not that people return to the streets. The Government has committed to ending rough sleeping by 2025 – this proves it can be done in 2020 if we make it the priority it deserves to be.”
Change in Environmental Attitudes
Air Travel
I love travelling as much as anyone, and I long to see the world—but it’s not leisure travel I’m talking about here. The other day Prince William made the point in an interview (I can’t remember the context) that he thinks businesses which would normally have their workers flying on a regular basis are finding that many things (not everything) can be done using technology instead, therefore reducing the reliance on air travel—and therefore, reducing carbon emissions.
Food Waste
Although there was reported a spike in food waste by panic buyers a few weeks ago, I have since heard reports of a drop in food waste as, with the difficulties getting food products and the health risks of going out in public, people are learning ways to manage their cooking and waste less.
Since there are personal financial benefits from doing so in addition to the environmental benefits, I can’t imagine that many who have learned to reduce their food waste will want to return to former habits once the pandemic is over. I also wonder if many people who have taken up gardening/started growing food for themselves will continue doing so.
Awareness of Mental Health
So many people who have never before had—or considered themselves having, is probably the case for many—mental health difficulties are suffering from widespread anxiety, and it’s becoming talked about more and, I think, more widely viewed as a mental health issue. I will be posting more on this at a later date.
Appreciation of Key Workers
It’s being said over and over again, that occupations that have previously been looked down on by society in general, such as cleaners, refuse collectors and many, many others, are finally getting the recognition they deserve.
I would like to take a moment, while on the subject, to mention that the NHS is not JUST made up of doctors and nurses; and medical scientists go far beyond research. Read my post on appreciation for biomedical scientists.