Covid-19 Impact

Reading time :- Overview - 13mins / Focused 18mins

Negative stain electron microscopy shows a SARS-CoV particle with club-shaped surface projections surrounding the periphery of the particle, a characteristic feature of coronaviruses.

Image source: C.D. Humphrey, CDC

WHAT IS CORONAVIRUS

The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The virus was first identified in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. The World Health Organization declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on 30 January 2020 and later declared a pandemic on 11 March 2020. As of 23 June 2021, more than 179 million cases have been confirmed, with more than 3.88 million confirmed deaths attributed to COVID-19, making it one of the deadliest health crisis in history.

Most people infected with the COVID-19 virus will experience mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover without requiring special treatment. Older people, and those with underlying medical problems like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, and cancer are more likely to develop serious illness. The COVID-19 virus spreads primarily through droplets of saliva or discharge from the nose when an infected person cough or sneezes.

CURRENT SITUATION

We are facing a global heath crisis that effected the whole world unlike in the history of mankind with the risk of the lives of the people. But this is more than a health issue because it has successfully affected the economic and social aspects of our day-to-day life such as a crisis. The corona virus is characterized as a pandemic by the World Health organization.

The COVID-19 outbreak affects all segments of the population and is particularly detrimental to members of those social groups in the most vulnerable situations, continues to affect populations, including people living in poverty situations, older persons, persons with disabilities, youth, and indigenous peoples. Early evidence indicates that the health and economic impacts of the virus are being borne disproportionately by poor people. For example, homeless people, because they may be unable to safely shelter in place, are highly exposed to the danger of the virus. People without access to running water, refugees, migrants, or displaced persons also stand to suffer disproportionately both from the pandemic and its aftermath – whether due to limited movement, fewer employment opportunities, increased xenophobia. We will discuss about this a bit later.

If not properly addressed through policy the social crisis created by the COVID-19 pandemic may also increase inequality, exclusion, discrimination and global unemployment in the medium and long term. Comprehensive, universal social protection systems, when in place, play a much durable role in protecting workers and in reducing the prevalence of poverty, since they act as automatic stabilizers. That is, they always provide basic income security, thereby enhancing people’s capacity to manage and overcome shocks.

EFFECT ON....

Older Persons

As the world grapples with an unparalleled health crisis, older persons have become one of its more vulnerable victims. The pandemic spreads among persons of all ages and conditions, yet available evidence indicates that older persons and those with underlying medical conditions are at a higher risk of serious illness and death from the Covid-19 disease. Often, chronic health conditions are more prevalent in old age, increasing risks for older adults.

Available data from China show that approximately 80 per cent of deaths in the country occurred among adults aged 60 years and over. Similarly, as of March 16, 80 per cent of deaths associated with Covid-19 in the United States were among adults aged 65 and over, with highest fatalities among those 85 years and older. Italy reported that as of mid-March, 7.2 per cent of Covid-19 patients had died, which may be attributed to the high rates of infection among older persons, with 38 per cent of Italy’s Covid19 cases affecting people aged 70 years and over. The World Health Organization has reported that over 95 per cent of fatalities due to Covid-19 in Europe have been 60 years or older. Several sources suggest that the death toll in the European region might be higher, especially as data from fatalities in nursing homes become available. This grim reality highlights the specific challenges and needs faced by older persons in this health crisis and the need to plan and implement a response that is informed, inclusive and targeted. Meanwhile, retired doctors and nurses, despite their higher risks as older persons, have been fighting on the front line to temporarily support the overwhelmed medical system, in response to calls by several governments.

Unfortunately, an alarming phenomenon has likewise surfaced in recent weeks: the pervasive effect of widespread age-based discrimination against older persons, with outcomes ranging from increased isolation to violations to their right to health and life on an equal basis with others. A successful response to Covid-19 must recognize and equally address such facts. Public discourses around Covid-19 that portray it as a disease of older people can lead to social stigma and exacerbate negative stereotypes about older persons. Social stigma in the context of a health outbreak can result in people being labelled, stereotyped, discriminated against, treated differently, and/or experience loss of status because of a perceived link with a disease, which can negatively affect those with the disease, as well as their caregivers, family and communities. Age-discrimination can have a direct and often disastrous impact on the ability of older persons to access services and goods. Policies on physical distance that overlook the needs and circumstances of many older persons, can result in increased social isolation and food insecurity, among others. Where medical decisions on who receives scarce resources discriminate against older persons, mortality among this group will be higher. Governments need to ensure that older persons are consulted and participate in policy decisions that affect their lives and must put in place supportive measures that guarantee their inclusion.

Persons with Disabilities

Even at the best of times, persons with disabilities face challenges in accessing health-care services, due to lack of availability, accessibility, affordability, as well as stigma and discrimination. The risks of infection from COVID-19 for persons with disabilities are compounded by other issues, which warrant specific action: disruption of services and support, pre-existing health conditions in some cases which leave them more at risk of developing serious illness or dying, being excluded from health information and mainstream health provision, living in a world where accessibility is often limited and where barriers to goods and services are a challenge, and being disproportionately more likely to live in institutional settings.

General individual self-care and other preventive measures against the COVID-19 outbreak can entail challenges for persons with disabilities. For instance, some persons with disabilities may have difficulties in implementing measures to keep the virus at bay, including personal hygiene and recommended frequent cleaning of surfaces and homes. Cleaning homes and washing hands frequently can be challenging, due to physical impairments, environmental barriers, or interrupted services. Others may not be able to practice social distancing or cannot isolate themselves as thoroughly as other people, because they require regular help and support from other people for every day self-care tasks.

To ensure that persons with disabilities can access to information on COVID-19, it must be made available in accessible formats. Healthcare buildings must also be physically accessible to persons with mobility, sensory and cognitive impairments. Moreover, persons with disabilities must not be prevented from accessing the health services they need in times of emergency due to any financial barriers.

Youth

Many governments have called on youth to embrace the effort to protect themselves and the overall population. Youth are also able to help those who are most vulnerable, and to aid in increasing public health social awareness campaigns among their communities. Thus, youth are critical to limiting the virus’s spread and its impact on public health, society, and the economy at large.

In terms of employment, youth are disproportionately unemployed, and those who are employed often work in the informal economy or gig economy, on precarious contracts or in the service sectors of the economy, that are likely to be severely affected by COVID-19.

More than one billion youth are now no longer physically in school after the closure of schools and universities across many jurisdictions. The disruption in education and learning could have medium and long-term consequences on the quality of education, though the efforts made by teachers, school administrations, local and national governments to cope with the unprecedented circumstances to the best of their ability should be recognized.

Many vulnerable youths such as migrants or homeless youth are in precarious situations. They are the ones who can easily be overlooked if governments do not pay specific attention, as they tend to be already in a situation without even their minimum requirements being met on health, education, employment and well-being.

EFFECTS ON LOW INCOME AND TRIBAL PEOPLE

Indigenous and Tribal People

Indigenous peoples are particularly vulnerable currently due to significantly higher rates of communicable and non-communicable diseases, lack of access to essential services, absence of culturally appropriate healthcare, and if any, under-equipped and under-staffed local medical facilities.

The first point of prevention is the dissemination of information in indigenous languages, thus ensuring that services and facilities are appropriate to the specific situation of indigenous peoples, and all are reached.

The large number of indigenous peoples who are outside of the social protection system further contributes to vulnerability, particularly if they are dependent on income from the broader economy – produce, tourism, handicrafts and employment in urban areas.

Indigenous peoples are also seeking their own solutions to this pandemic. They are acting and using traditional knowledge and practices as well as preventive measures.

Effect on Lower-Income Families

COVID 19 pandemic affected the health sector, and it resulted in long term or short time restrictions for cities or sometimes countries. In Sri Lanka high restrictions were made to make lower contact between people in order to slow down the growth rate of the virus. These measures, combined with rigorous case finding, contact tracing, as well as quarantine and isolation, ensured that the first wave was contained successfully. Only 3,380 cases and 13 deaths had been reported by September 30, 2020. However, the country had to contend with a second wave of infections and a rapid increase in cases during the last quarter of 2020. This time, however, the government resorted to targeted lockdowns instead of island-wide curfews, to minimize the impact on economic activity.

But due to the health crisis low-income families have suffered with many diseases because of they were not able to visit medical facilities.

However, the low-income families are the most affected by the restrictions and the health crisis as we can see. Low-income families have relied on their daily income, and they are most likely to be dropped by the job when the restrictions are on.

In Sri Lanka, 4.1% of the population lives below the national poverty line in 2016. In Sri Lanka, the proportion of employed population below $1.90 purchasing power parity a day in 2019 is 0.4%. (Source)