top of page
Making Connections
In History
The number of people affected by this virus keeps growing around the world every day, a situation that was first an epidemic turned into a pandemic. However, this is not the first time the world has experienced a crisis like this. We are following in history's footsteps along the same line of the 1918-1920 Great Influenza Epidemic, also known as the Spanish Influenza (Barro, Ursua, & Weng, 2020). The Great Influenza had a very high death rate as well as being an airborne virus. At this moment in history there was a war going on, making social distancing difficult, resulting in taking the lives of many. Much like what is being experienced now, social distancing was a preventative strategy in history during the Great Influenza Epidemic (Jefferson et al., 2020). Not only was social distancing implemented during the Great Influenza Epidemic, washing hands and wearing a mask was also suggested, much like the coronavirus pandemic (Jefferson et al., 2020).
The Great Influenza Epidemic was the cause of economic implications (Barro et al., 2020). There is much talk through voice of the media and news that once the coronavirus pandemic is over there will be a recession all around the world. We have already seen decreases in the stock market and nominal interest rates which does economically impact a country and their GDP (Barro et al., 2020).
Highway 401, Wellington road cut off- Empty
(Ontario 511, 2020)
To Class Content
Since having to stay at home unless it is essential to leave, people have allowed nature to do what it does without a lot of human contact. Carson (1962) talks about how the people are the enemy, this connects well with the COVID-19 pandemic. As it is the people who have brought the virus about and continue to go about their regular life, possibly spreading the virus not letting it die out. We have started this and completely dependent on the diminishing of it. As the people separate from nature, hiding inside, the beautiful world can once again breathe cleaner air, as wild life start to take back where they once roamed and spring starts to bloom with nothing to stop it.
Many sit back and wonder what is deemed "essential" and why, but it is becoming very known that the farmers are keeping everyone fed and they continue to let their livestock graze as the greenhouse gas numbers drop. There are many speculations about how livestock (cows in particular) produce greenhouse gas emissions and being a huge result in climate change (Johnson & Johnson, 1995). However, with the COVID-19 pandemic it is becoming alarmingly clear that farmers are essential, and raising cattle might not actually be a concern for the environment, rather it is the people. With less cars driving to work and stores within a few months has already shown an improvement in the environment. In cities around the world wildlife has made an appearance on the empty streets such as goats in downtown Wales, pumas in Chile, wild deer in Japan and Sri Lanka and more (CBC News, 2020).
Lastly, with what is happening in the world right now can connect to post-apocalyptic land. it has been noted that since people have been isolating in their homes, nature is starting to take back its land. Venice has clearer canals and seabirds on them now with the stoppage of traffic, boats, and people (CBC News, 2020). Although this might not be an apocalypse, we are shown how easily the world can go back to the way it should be without humans on it. The streets and stores are empty, it leaves an almost haunting feeling, since that the world keeps turning at the stake of the human race.
The once packed downtown street of Glencoe is now empty in the middle of the day.
bottom of page