You cannot starve someone and then complain when they steal your food. This country continues to promote inequities and its only response has been punishment/incarceration and blaming the individual for making poor choices.
When the awareness came that the pandemic was real, was going to sustain into the foreseeable future and was going to cause many people to die, I had the hope that it would unite us in a common, agreed upon response. After all, the pandemic would affect all of us.
Instead, our official response was that only a few of us were ill and that the pandemic would soon go away on its own, “like a miracle.” The persistent and growing pandemic had an effect on every aspect of our culture and society. Our health, social interactions, learning, businesses and jobs were affected. There were many consequences. I agree with Dr. El-Sayed that increased violence is a consequence of the pandemic. Others include an increase in mental health aberrations such as anxiety and depression and increased suicides. Drug use and abuse and drug overdoses occurred. Economic disparity and homelessness grew exponentially. Many other consequences known and yet to be identified resulted from the contagious virus.
Every crisis creates the opportunity and reasons for major change. Regrettably, those well off socioeconomically were better able to isolate and protect themselves from illness. Those in that demographic felt privileged, special. The areas that needed, demanded immediate action and long term attention and solutions are still largely unaddressed. Now that we can see the pandemic coming under control we still need the understanding of how and why it happened and what can be done prospectively and in real time when we have the next pandemic. Knowledge and leadership are at the top of my list and I still believe in the value of hope.
You cannot starve someone and then complain when they steal your food. This country continues to promote inequities and its only response has been punishment/incarceration and blaming the individual for making poor choices.
When the awareness came that the pandemic was real, was going to sustain into the foreseeable future and was going to cause many people to die, I had the hope that it would unite us in a common, agreed upon response. After all, the pandemic would affect all of us.
Instead, our official response was that only a few of us were ill and that the pandemic would soon go away on its own, “like a miracle.” The persistent and growing pandemic had an effect on every aspect of our culture and society. Our health, social interactions, learning, businesses and jobs were affected. There were many consequences. I agree with Dr. El-Sayed that increased violence is a consequence of the pandemic. Others include an increase in mental health aberrations such as anxiety and depression and increased suicides. Drug use and abuse and drug overdoses occurred. Economic disparity and homelessness grew exponentially. Many other consequences known and yet to be identified resulted from the contagious virus.
Every crisis creates the opportunity and reasons for major change. Regrettably, those well off socioeconomically were better able to isolate and protect themselves from illness. Those in that demographic felt privileged, special. The areas that needed, demanded immediate action and long term attention and solutions are still largely unaddressed. Now that we can see the pandemic coming under control we still need the understanding of how and why it happened and what can be done prospectively and in real time when we have the next pandemic. Knowledge and leadership are at the top of my list and I still believe in the value of hope.