Love In The Time Of Corona

At the time of writing, many countries have at least partially closed their borders in an attempt to slow the spread of the Coronavirus, which has claimed the lives of over 20,000 people. In these difficult times, many people are uncertain and anxious. Unfortunately, some look to take advantage of this turmoil by exploiting the vulnerable and perpetrating various malicious acts. But despite the circumstances, is there hope for a more prosperous future? Can we find love in these times?

According to The Guardian, since the outbreak began, nearly a million British Pounds has been lost to fraudsters and scammers. These criminals prey on the elderly and vulnerable in a number of ways ranging from burglary and robbery to far more creative vices, like offering hoaxical, expensive “Corona Decontamination Services.” Many also take advantage of the scarcity of sanitizers and toilet paper by selling to the highest bidder and often not even providing the goods bought. It is cases like these that led Joel Lewis from Age U.K. to remark about the rising anxiety among elderly people who now have to worry about being vigilant to protect themselves not only from Coronavirus but from fraudsters as well.

This anxiety hasn’t only affected the elderly: it has also significantly impacted the homeless as well. According to the YaleGlobal Online nearly 20% of the world’s population may lack access to adequate housing. This depressing statistic begs the question: how do we expect one in every five people to practice social distancing or self-isolate if they have nowhere to even lay their heads? The situation gets worse in some countries, like Kenya, where, should you be found positive for Coronavirus, you would need to pay to be accommodated in quarantine. 

Clearly, there’s a lot to be dismayed about. But, there’s also a lot to be hopeful for. In the midst of these examples of the low points of humanity rises some truly heart-warming examples and stories that show that this can be, rather than a time of anxiety, a time of love.

Many brave workers risk their lives daily by still working in pharmacies, clinics, grocery, and convenience stores, attending to the general public whose members often scorn them and regard their occupation as having little importance. Among the healthy, many have also volunteered to risk their lives by helping vulnerable groups, such as the elderly, through these difficult times. These people volunteer their time to help others with tasks ranging from retrieving medicines to performing menial activities on behalf of those who can’t take care of themselves. In the U.K. alone, more than half a million people have already volunteered their time. Elsewhere, nations are following California’s lead in repurposing vacant hotels and hostels into makeshift homes for the homeless to protect them. While authorities are looking into cases of fraud and other criminal activities in an attempt to protect the elderly from harm.

As each day brings its own news on this pandemic, we have to reflect that we have the power to decide whether we will make this problem worse or better. We can decide whether to help or attack, to love or to be malicious. Hopefully, we can decide to let love spread and take care of ourselves and those around us so that, after the world overcomes this vile pandemic, we can look back at the time we were condemned to a quarantined solitude and appreciate the love that thousands of unnamed heroes showed us.

Zoe Mebude-Steves
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