Imtiaz Rafi Butt
COVID-19 has taken the world by shock. To the amazement of researchers, scientists and experts alike, no one saw this coming. In just a few months, more than 195 countries are now paralyzed. Without any discrimination, the Coronavirus has devastated economies of the rich and the poor. Starting from China, it spread to all parts of the globe like a wildfire in a forest. The governments of the world are unable to estimate the losses occurring from Coronavirus, both in terms of fatality rate and economic downfall. Humanity is in peril and there is no end in sight. Countries like the US, UK Italy, France, Spain, among others, are passing through their worst times, probably worse than the times of the World War-II, while other countries from the developing world are at their initial stage of the corona outbreak. It is a devastating, horrific and a harrowing sight. As of April, close to three million people have been infected and around two hundred thousand have died. The WHO predicts that there is still a long way to go before circumstances start getting better. In the times of such unprecedented crisis, it is critical to think clearly and decisively. Chaotic efforts will only create more chaos; it is through reasonable planning based on facts that a disaster can be averted. Keeping the future in mind, how Corona will change the world and what must be done to create a better future for generations to come; this will be the key question to answer.
From a governance perspective, we are observing the decline of individual rights. Corona virus has made it vividly clear that States and governments are more important than the individuals. Collective efforts to save lives and to rescue the livelihoods and economies can only occur through States. Businesses and Corporations have a say in the process of dealing with a pandemic but it will not happen without having a direction, being given by a strong Government. The governments of the world are now expanding their area of influence. Individual privacy and freedom have disappeared in the oblivion for now. People are being forced to stay at their homes or being kept in quarantine centres whether they choose to or not. Airports, schools, businesses and offices have been shut down under the decree of governments. As time goes by, we will observe governments of the world will become stronger and stronger and the individuals and businesses getting weaker. If one is to choose between freedom and privacy versus health and life, the choice will always be obvious.
The second most important feature of life in and after Coronavirus will undoubtedly be digital technology. It is strikingly clear that digital technology is helping the whole world deal with Coronavirus. Our computers, smart phones and laptops are vital assets in these times. These devices connected to the internet are our windows to the globe. They are assisting us staying in contact with our family and loved ones, communicating with our offices, ordering food and critical services, entertainment and just about every other area of life. The “stay at home” strategy has been made possible; thanks to IT and digital technology. Even schools are being operated through video conferences. Medical research and details are being shared globally to coordinate efforts against the virus outbreak. Governments are even planning digital surveillance technology to track corona patients through digital technology and to treat them accordingly. Hotels, airlines, tourism, industries and related businesses have come to a halt yet digital services and online businesses are observing a boom never seen before. It is certain that digital technology and IT will become a permanent part of our lives and help us deal with Coronavirus and the world after it.
The third most decisive feature of life after Corona will be the focus on healthcare systems. Coronavirus has exposed the level of investment in medical care and research around the globe. Ironically, humanity has been investing in military technology and money making businesses, never expecting that the greatest threat was to come from nature and lack of medical care. Even the superpower, the United States, has utterly failed to tackle the virus outbreak. Who could have imagined that there will be a shortage of life saving drugs and ventilators in the richest city of the world, ie New York. Rich countries like the UK, Italy and France have had to use ice cream vans to transport dead bodies of persons who died because of Corona. In the world to come, these nations and others will begin to invest heavily in medical equipment. Primary healthcare and its ability to deal with massive numbers of patients will be the top priority for the first time. There will be a boost to hygiene, medical research and implementation of procedures to be adopted by every human being to avoid infections and spread of viruses. Medicine and Science will be the number one focus of the world. Even today, the UN, WHO and scientifically advanced nations are racing towards the development of a vaccine. Human trials have begun and results are eagerly awaited more than anything else. There will be a deep impact on world after Corona on religion and culture. Rituals, being a crucial part of religion, will have to bow down to the reality of nature and diseases. As of now, mosques, churches, temples have been restricted and shut down. Even Hajj pilgrimage has been affected. Vatican is almost empty. In times to come, religion and culture will need regulation from medical research and governments. It is the only way to defeat this virus, through unity and patience.
China was the first country to get infections of Coronavirus. It all started from a wet market in Wuhan. At the time, when number of deaths reached around 4600 in China and the rest of the world ignored the possibility of a spread, China dealt with corona with an iron hand. An authoritarian Government was the best possible scenario to effectively deal with an outbreak. As the infection was discovered, it took the Chinese Government around three months to declare the country, free from fresh infections. China is now out of the curve of infection. This gives China an extra edge and it is unmistakable that China will benefit from this pandemic. Chinese companies have resurged. As stock markets of the US and Europe crashed, Chinese companies were more than eager to purchase stocks and bonds that were exclusive to Western counterparts only. In the future, China will be the dominating force. Rightiy called, the “Workshop of the World”, it is now being referred to the “Bank of the World” and the country that is going to control world trade.
China, South Korea and Singapore are now the three nations that have almost fully recovered from corona virus, but only one of them is a superpower. Pakistan is also in a promising state to benefit from the iron brotherhood between China and Pakistan. Lastly, the economic losses from the Corona pandemic will be immense. There will be a global recession and there will be massive job losses, bankruptcies and food shortages. In times like these, there is a dire need for global solidarity instead of nationalist isolation being propagated by leaders like Donald Trump, Modi and Boris Johnson. The unity among nations of the world will be instrumental in dealing with this crisis, a global revolution is inevitable and only a matter of time. It can only be hoped that it does not come too late.
—The writer is Chairman, Jinnah Rafi Foundation, based in Lahore.
