The Effects of The Worldwide Virus
The COVID-19 virus has changed everyone’s lives in many ways. Mentally, physically, socially. This outbreak has ruined many lives and has oddly helped others. Before the new normal of a deadly virus, I had the freedom to walk down the street and be in contact with another person. Now, there is a constant fear and uneasiness traveling with me. Many lives have been brutally taken by this fastly spreading microbe, deeply devastating loved ones. Will the germs eventually disappear? Will the humans who inhabit this earth take control and put a stop to this disease? In my eyes of watching the newscast and my ears listening to the gossip running around my family member's mouths, many aren’t taking action.
A single sneeze in the distance short of 6 feet could determine your future. Most are strong and healthy enough to survive the illness, while the disease deteriorates others. As of recent cases, scientists have found that the virus does not latch on to a certain age group; anyone could catch this new deadly flu. While the current statistics show that 94% of those who have been infected have survived, the whopping 697,189 deaths in counting make up the other 6%. My grandma was one of the lucky few to power through head on and survived. God proved it wasn’t her time to go. But the impact of this particular case that caused my family was immense. The constant anxiety of a phone call no one would want to answer and the fear of opening our doors to leave our house picked us slowly apart. But we prayed. My family never lost sight of the hope that the strong woman who holds our family together would live. Personally, I think the saying, “We are all in this together,” is bogus. If we were, cases would not be going up and people would not be dying because of selfish beings.
Emotionally and mentally, the corona virus has worsened and improved many people’s mental states. Some have realized to be grateful for the life they lived before quarantine, and others are suffering in this time of loneliness, self reflection, anger, and pain. Friends of mine are finding difficulty in the lack of social interaction and new life of fear. My anxiety has elevated remarkably that at times I cannot separate reality from exaggerated worry. Being trapped in your 13 year old mind as you watch the world in panic with memories from scarring events replaying in your head isn’t the most ideal state. Not being able to hug your best friend for 4 months is heartbreaking. No more swimming with your sister. No more walking down the halls to get lunch from the cafeteria. There is nothing “normal” about the COVID-19 outbreak.
The political wars and situations have contributed to the stress and anger. The racial battles being fought, the homophobic jokes being taken too far, and suicide numbers ascending, it seems as if the world is ending. Thousands of people are jobless and trying to support their struggling families. People being murdered on the street for the color of their skin. When will the world slow down and take a deep enough breath to realize we are equal? At the core, we all have insecurities, anxiety, passion, greed, hatred, and love. So why does the color and shape of the shell we came in determine our future?
Us humans, if we really tried, could stop the hate and quickly growing virus. The reason we are still here, stuck in our homes, is because we are not trying hard enough. Scientists can spend countless hours testing for vaccines, but until then, and even after, every single person walking this earth could do a little more to prevent a life being taken.
