How did Corona Virus lockdown the whole 2020 with Covid-19?

As promised, here I'm with my recap of a corona laden 2020. Who would have thought that this year will have us staying stuck at home with our doctors and nurses stretched to breaking point? In high school, my Math teacher said "humans are liable to adaptation" while explaining to us the probability of him going to hell and adapting to the fire. There is some if not total truth in his assertion not because there is an actual hell with fire but rather, due to the several hurdles mankind has been able to pull through. Covid-19 has challenged and put our mettle to the test because our modern systems all failed to see it coming. With Bill Gates suggesting we may be, are yet to see the worst of the novel coronavirus, there is indeed a call for further concern after all, who are we to question one of the richest men who happens to have been medically correct for the last decade? Just wear your mask and go about your day like me haha!

I read an opinion piece on Bloomberg News about human vulnerability to infectious diseases such as Covid-19. It attempted to link viral infections to the biodiversity of the Tropics. I found this quite interesting because fresh meat markets where one can go to buy stuff like bats and rats for food don't exist in the Temperate West (correct me if I'm wrong). Previous viral outbreaks seem to follow a defined pathway into humans. The transmission always ends up being from what we consume. The probability that corona is not the last we have seen is definitely above zero and with a rise in infectious diseases in most of the tropical countries, the world seems to be bracing for the unforeseeable. 

 

Generally, no one is to blame for the virus entering into the human food chain (at least for me). I find it disgusting that fingers can be pointed at A or B for the viral outbreak. However, these were just humans doing what humans do best (surviving). Who does not eat? no one is at fault for eating. Our quest as leaders in the animal kingdom to survive by looking for and eating food should never be an issue. After all, no one blames you for taking a piss. It's natural and something natural need not be an issue. I had a Chinese classmate tell me how insecure he was to go outside because of the stereotypes. Insane! he was made to feel uncomfortable for what I deem very unnecessary. Ask yourself how many people have died from food-related problems? processed sugar etc. Don't give me that consumption in moderation crap, because a majority of our diseases are food-related. This is perhaps inbuilt in us to follow a quest for food and eventually have it kill us for lacking in some immune-boosting vitamins or for having it in the first place. 

 

Thus, it is but normal that at one point or the other, our food chain will be invaded by these alien (maybe not so alien) viruses that completely bring to light the weaknesses in our social, economic, and political constructs. We have seen this before be it the so-called "Spanish flu", "Middle East Respiratory Syndrome" etc. whoever came up with those names, Trump certainly made sure his name wasn't left out with his "China-virus" chant. When pandemics like this hit, systematic chaos takes the place of order. Failure in responsibilities quickly turn into wars of words and blame games became the order of the day. The best thing about fighting a common enemy is that common ground is established for previous enemies. We have seen the world divert its resources into finding a Covid-19 vaccine and one can't help but agree to the saying "the enemy of my enemy is my friend". Coronavirus found only enemies when it entered Kingdom Animalia.

 

I had plans for the year disrupted by this pandemic and I'm sure you did too. But what are our plans compared to losing our lives or the lives of those that have traveled into the world beyond in a different form of matter? Lockdowns have become a popular/trending search term on google and receiving celebrity status among words with its celebrity companion corona.....whatever. Conspiracy theories about Covid-19 have not helped and unfortunately, many people have bought into it and likewise the vaccine. We, humans, are an intriguing species indeed, we claim science yet doubt the science (irony or paradox?). My thoughts about this can go on and on but I have to end here to keep it short as usual. And also wait for the right time to take my shot of that vaccine.

However, biodiversity is enormous in the tropics and serving as a food source for many who remain a risk for future transmission of infectious diseases (Bloomberg news et al., 2020) with these areas facing continuous land-use changes, potential habitats of these animals are significantly being altered. Thus interactions with humans increase in probability so thus viral infections. We must find a balance in sustainability.

Stay positive