As the world goes through a state of high alert due to the Coronavirus pandemic, countries are scrambling to put in place various quarantine measures to curtail the fast-spreading disease. Already, more than 2 lakh cases of infection have been reported worldwide, resulting in at least 8,000 deaths. In India too there is great concern as the number of Coronavirus cases has hit 147. While panic should be avoided as it complicates effective mitigation efforts, we as a society need to up our empathy quotient. For, the disease might be infecting a lot of people but the mortality rate is still relatively low – around 2.4% -- and skewed towards the elderly and those with pre-existing diseases. In other words, many people will recover from the disease – there have been 82,034 global recoveries so far – but there is the danger of these people passing on the infection to vulnerable groups for whom the virus could be fatal.
This is precisely why we need to be empathetic towards those who are at greater risk. The preventive measures that authorities worldwide are advising – like frequent hand-washing, self-reporting, social distancing, etc – need to be seriously followed not just for our sake but more so for the vulnerable groups. It is only by showing consideration and empathy that a new disease like COVID-19 can be slowed down until more durable solutions are available.
In fact, the pandemic is driving home the point that empathy is essential for the survival of the human race. We are all interconnected and cannot afford to be selfish. Pandemics neither recognise international boundaries nor social class. Money might afford some of us certain privileges. But that doesn’t mean these people can firewall themselves from the rest of humanity. Mother nature may be re-emphasising this important lesson.
The other lesson that the pandemic is driving home is humility. No matter how much we may think we have advanced, a tiny microscopic virus can take us completely by surprise and wreak havoc on the world. COVID-19 has already dealt a serious body-blow to the global economy which is projected to hit a recession this year. Thus, one small viral mutation is all that it takes to destroy our human hubris. Therefore, we need to be humble no matter what great heights we reach. False notions of power acquired selfishly or at the cost of others can be undone by something that isn’t even visible to the naked eye. And heaven knows that greed and selfishness have become epidemics in our overly materialistic societies.
Once again, the human race cannot survive without empathy and humility. Our real strength is each other. Genuine progress is only possible when we all do well. No one can grow or survive in isolation. And the COVID-19 crisis has strongly highlighted the fact that either we all win or nobody wins. Countries, societies and individuals will need to bear this in mind to not just overcome the Coronavirus but also all future challenges.
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