Covid 19 is a global tragedy which has killed nearly 900,000 around the world with the number likely to increase significantly. Covid 19 is the global news story all over the world and it is impossible to get away from this story.
ADB reckon the global cost of Covid 19 will be 8.8 trillion USD.
What other news is happening in 2020 and have we got the Covid 19 crisis in perspective?
According to the UN around 500,000 people will die this year due to interpersonal violence. Between 1984 - 1994 an average of 378,000 people died each year due to war.
WHO - Each year around 1.4 Million people die on the roads.
UNICEF - Around 3.1 Million die from under nutrition each year.
WHO - TB still kills around 1.5 million people each year.
WHO - In 2017 a child under 15 dies every 5 seconds, without urgent action another 56 million children under 5 will die between now and 2030.
According to the World Bank Covid 19 will cause the largest per capita income contraction since 1870. This will lead to the first increase in global poverty since 1998 and bring another 49 million people into extreme poverty.
What do we know so far about Covid 19?
Social distancing and good hygiene has reduced the spread of Covid 19.
Certain medicines and protective clothing/equipment has reduced death rates and provided far greater protection to health workers.
Covid 19 will cause significant global mental health issues and greater global plastic waste, pollution and environmental damage.
Global Media
Global news has almost entirely focused on Covid 19 creating greater mental health issues and not providing a balanced opinion of the other issues Covid 19 is causing.
The lack of focus on other issues caused by Covid will mean more people will likely die and have health issues than will die from Covid 19.
Covid 19 will have a significantly worse impact on the poorest people and poorest countries.
Global Politics/Leadership
Sweden has perhaps shown us how Covid 19 can be handled by not over reacting and treating their citizens as adults and being honest with them about mistakes.
Sweden has remained open without any lockdown but has used common sense to minimize transmission.
Although Sweden has remained open the economy will suffer due to the global economic slowdown. Many other countries which have controlled the spread of Covid 19 will suffer as much as those that have not due to the economic disruption. This is because of a lack of leadership and common sense in the majority of countries and no global leadership.
Covid 19 has shown us the world is not prepared for a crisis like this and the reality is another crisis like this will almost certainly be around the corner.
Is it now time for a ‘global body’ which when events like a pandemic are declared take control of the situation around the world and replace the authority of individual countries, which have demonstrated an inability to work together for the benefit of all?
In 1971 John Lennon released ‘Imagine’ and hoped for a world where there would be no countries, no religion and nothing to kill or die for. He envisaged a world where we might one day ‘live as one’.
No matter the situation, it's important to always stay prepared to ensure you and your loved ones are always better off.
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"There are 3 types of people in the world."
Those that make things happen, those that watch things happen and those that are wandering what just happened.
Which one are you?
