How can we learn from Covid-19
World Health Day 2020, celebrated on 7 April, shines the light on the vital role played by nurses and midwives in providing health care around the world - and it’s timely with our health workers around the globe at the frontline battling to save thousands of lives in the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak.
Healthcare workers are the first to receive infected patients, providing necessary medical attention, comfort and reassurance. Their work is especially crucial in cities where hospitals are overwhelmed. We all need to make a conscious effort to flatten the curve, taking pressure off medical staff who are essentially `at war’ with Covid-19, staying home and respecting social distancing in order to stop the spread of the virus.
Covid-19 has exploded into everyones lives, throwing all of us into a new reality, none of us would have thought a couple of months ago we would be confined to our homes, as we battle a global pandemic. But this time in isolation, for all those not in essential services, gives us a chance to reflect on how this global challenge is changing our lives.
This crisis has reached into every aspect of everyone's life and has exposed our vulnerabilities, this virus has proven our health and wellbeing is what’s most important.
In an unprecedented time like this, when we feel vulnerable, it gives us the chance to reflect more deeply and be open to questioning what’s important & necessary in our lives. The health of our planet plays into this, for ourselves and future generations to continue to thrive, the planet and it’s ecosystems also need to thrive.
With airplanes grounded, non-essential factories and businesses shut down and people confined to their homes there has been a steep drop in emissions and other pollutants released into the environment - clearer skies have been reported in China, with marine life and clean water returning to Venice. These are the reasons for humanity to reflect on our behaviour and habits and how we can adversely affect not just our own health but also the well being of our environment.
Our every day, ordinary choices have an extraordinary impact on our planet. Living in isolation we are beginning to understand that beyond our basic needs; access to water, food, medical help, getting out in the clean fresh air and having our loved ones close...everything else is excess. Wanting ‘more and more,’ wanting ‘bigger and better’ is not sustainable. While we sit at home contemplating a world that may change dramatically due to Covid-19, we must dig deep to also change our past behaviours.
When we get back on our feet, we must ask ourselves: what does tomorrow look like? We need to take this opportunity to contemplate our future; to reset & implement a new way of thinking. We rely on the environment for food, medicine, general health and well being, we must protect it.