Unintended, but will take it

Our world as we know it, has changed. The pandemic has infected a shocking 5 million worldwide and counting. Every morning seems like a dystopian movie to read about a shortage of PPE or people simply refusing to wear masks or shortage of hospital supplies or migrant workers/daily wagers run out of work and money. While Governments are “working” to alleviate the misery, it is hard to ignore how the pandemic is changing our lives, in some ways with positive side effects.

In India there have been some unintended gains with the Covid-19 lockdown: Fall in crime rate and fatalities on roads. The number of road fatalities have fallen drastically in the first five weeks.For example, Central Mumbai, home to some 12 million people, saw the number of deaths fall by about 21% in March compared with the same month of 2019, according to municipal data. Unfortunately as we were getting ready for a exit from the lockdown, the death of migrants going back to their home-towns has dampened the lockdown exit.

In New York City, no pedestrian deaths in traffic-related incidents in nearly two months. The Transportation commissioner attributed this to 51 days of life under a stay-at-home order issued as the coronavirus spread and remaining days was just a blessing. The streak is the longest since the city started recording such information.

The suicide rate in Japan fell by 20% in April compared with the same time last year, the biggest drop in five years, despite fears the coronavirus pandemic would cause increased stress. People spending more time at home with their families, fewer people commuting to work and delays to the start of the school year are seen as factors in the fall.

Global carbon emissions dropped 17% during lockdown and biggest fall since WWII. China where this pandemic took roots, has estimated 12,125 deaths (per a study) were prevented during China’s countrywide ban on traffic mobility between February 10 and March 14. In contrast this is higher than the 4,633 lives lost (as reported) to the pandemic as of May 4. Just normal breathable air saved lives. Covid19 has reminded us that fresh air has always been the best solution for saving lives. So it pays to keep our air clean by polluting less.

In a recent webinar on Telecom sector in India, a surprising reveal was the collaboration amongst the most competitive sector to ensure continuity of services to keep people at home (not to forget the request to caliberate online video channels to change from High Definition to SD, so everyone could access freely). Since consumers may have greater motivations and fewer perceived barriers to more actively seek technology-enabled solutions to assist in everyday tasks like shopping, this collaboration helped. Easy access to phones and seamless data encouraged some consumers to a totally new behaviour (such as shopping for groceries online for the first time), while for others this may mean increased online usage or the addition of new technology. Collaboration is key to survive during not just troubled times but all the time.

With all the malls, movie halls and restaurants closed and for some online was only for essential supplies, we have learned that less is more and have lived a simpler life for the last two months. Hopefully the simple life will remind us to be more conscious of what we buy and how it could go to the landfills.

For those families which were fortunate to be holed up together, it was realisation of priorities. Staying at home had families evaluating their commitments and priorities while home schooling has become the norm. Also helping bond with the kids in reducing the emotional gaps while bringing them closer. On the other side (we will have to live with this for a long time), the inequalities have been exacerbated and the privileged have to work to reduce the gaps as gratitude of surviving the pandemic. While we may never get back to the old normal, this pandemic is reminding us those values which built societies and differentiated us from animals.We went for sixty days with so much less and this gives us an opportunity to take responsibility for ourselves, instead of being passive consumers.

“Our lives are not our own. We are bound to others, past and present, and by each crime and every kindness, we birth our future.” David Mitchell, in the book Cloud Atlas.

Note:

The daily GDP of India is estimated to be approximately $8 Bn and a 21-day lockdown is poised to cost the Indian economy a whopping $167 Bn. Given the fact the lockdown has been extended further, the pandemic is expected to hit Indian economy with about $320 Bn in terms of daily GDP loss after 40 days of lockdown, DataLabs by Inc42 noted in its latest report.   

Global emissions will trend back to previous levels once the restrictions around the world are lifted.

Cyclone Amphan just approaching as I was finishing this post