Lessons the Pandemic Has Taught Us

Every calamity brings in its wake some great experiences and worthwhile lessons for the mankind. A lot has changed during the past one year, thanks to the lessons we learned from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Coronavirus showed us how terrible it really is to waste our lives, embroiled in endless battles for wealth and status and power; how terrible it really is not to recognize the value in the people around us – not just our family and friends, not just colleagues and fellow citizens, but also complete strangers; how terrible it is not to give our lives meaning – every hour of every day – by honoring the sacredness of life and according all living things the respect, sensitivity and care that they deserve.

The virus has taught us how quickly we are capable of adapting to changes. Within months of the pandemic, many people adjusted to living their lives differently -- how they worked, how they educated, how they interacted with others, how they spent their time, and how they lived their lives.

We experimented and learned that online meeting formats can work. We now routinely videoconference with anywhere from a few people to more than 600, and the meetings are effective and efficient.

We learned that remote teaching is not so bad, that we can deliver a lecture or give a demo using a remote platform remarkably well.

The pandemic has taught us that we can bring scientists together from all sectors in new and creative collaborative arrangements and get things done a lot faster than people might have thought possible before this came about. It gave us a great opportunity to be able to bring the full power of science to bear on a crisis that we have not really seen anything like for 100 years.

We have learned that in response to a pandemic, we need a science- and public health-based response that needs to be communicated very clearly at the national level.

We have learned a very tragic lesson - about the relationship between individual rights and freedoms versus the ability of an individual to harm or kill another person because of reckless action and misbehavior.

We saw how unprepared we are for a global pandemic at local, national and global levels. And how vitally important clear, timely, and transparent communication is when fighting a pandemic.

We learned how cleanliness and hygiene are vital in our life. Public health and sanitation started to get increased attention everywhere. Those who once took their health and their access to medications for granted now realise how lucky they have been thus far. We have started to think : “OK, it’s time to make health a priority.

All said, the tragic fact remains. The world lost about 22 lakhs lives and India about 1.5 lakhs so far as an aftermath of the pandemic.

Still, shall we not say a BIG THANKS to the pandemic for all the lessons it has taught us?