In my various blogs I have touched upon the scientific aspect of Sars Coronavirus pandemic, but in this I am venturing into a different dimension of its effect on humanity and social living. When I heard the depressing news of ever increasing covid mortality in the UK, during the past few days, and its impact on relatives and front-line staff I thought it is time I should analyse the deplorable situation and share it with others. Covid-19 has been ravaging communities all over the world since January 2020. It was depressing to hear when Sars Coronavirus exponentially spread in Wuhan and the death of Dr.Li Wenliang. We all witnessed how that sparked anger in the Chinese community and how the authoritarian government hushed it up. Since then World Health Organization (WHO) declared it a pandemic. Most countries went under the grip of the virus, which dictated the way of life in societies.
This disease affects predominantly older people, morbidity and mortality are high in the same age group. Elderly populations living in long-term facilities such as rehabilitation centres and nursing homes are more vulnerable to the infection. This is due to their relatively low immune status, concomitant diseases, and different service people visiting their accommodation. Those who live alone may face difficulties in obtaining food, medication and other essential supplies. Some are not good at internet usage, and need to depend on television for entertainment and phones for communication. The Infection Fatality Ratio (IFR) for the elderly is quite high compared to youngsters. The Centre for Disease Control (CDC) estimate that 2.8% to 9.3% of 70 year plus who contract the illness succumb to it.
The UK daily death rate as on 20th January 2021 has escalated to 1820 and on 26th January the total Covid-19 death sadly reached one hundred thousand which reveals the extend to which covid-19 has affected the community. The UK government is short of mortuary slots for dead bodies and the authorities are setting up ‘make shift’ mortuaries. Staff in intensive care units and other front line staff are grappling with a very difficult situation and losing morale. Mere clapping hands cannot salvage their physical and mental capabilities. Recently the daily Covid-19 hospital admission is increasing and the NHS staff have the difficult task of whom to resuscitate and whom to transfer to the intensive care unit as hospitals are getting full. This is otherwise called playing god! Naturally, the elderly and those with concomitant diseases will be in the category to be overlooked.
The immediate relative of the deceased need to register the death within five days unless the death has been referred to the coroner. The registrar will issue a ‘certificate of burial or cremation’ to the next of kin. Coroners, death registrars and funeral directors are very busy. Relatives of the deceased are having a dreadful time as they cannot be with dying patient at the last moment, unable to carry out religious ceremonies, pay homage and grieve with others. I heard a news that funeral directors are working round the clock, and they are busy with bookings till the end of February 2021.
In the current second wave, increasing number of middle aged people are admitted to hospital and land in intensive care unit. Their stay can be as long as two months, and if they recover they can have severe disability due to reduced lung or kidney function. Relatives or dependants of these patients will be having severe hardship during the hospital stay. This group of people are usually the bread winners of the family and this adds more agony to the relatives.
Children
are normally vectors harbouring the virus and passing it to teachers
and other children. In the lockdown, schools are closed, to protect the
staff and prevent further spreading. But parents will have a tough time
home schooling children. Parents cannot take them to parks, supermarkets
or to friends’ houses in the lockdown period.
Since Covid-19 started ravaging the community, the way of life of
people has changed significantly. For everything, there is a ‘new norm’,
which is evident when we see people socially distancing and wearing
face masks! People do not shake hands with each other, instead touch
elbows and wash hands with soap and water for twenty seconds. Social get
together, visiting friends and parties have become taboo. In most
countries with Covid-19, one needs to get a permit for funerals or
weddings.
Many
businesses in the high street have closed down, and those who are
allowed to trade in the lockdown, cannot survive because of reduced
passing business. Since gyms are closed, our ‘new norm’ green gym is
the pavement, where people walk or jog. The new norm is for
office workers working from home which they can do so from anywhere in the world. As such the
commercial property prices in the city centre have plummeted. Most shops
in the large shopping centres have temporarily closed. Most of the businesses have been
done through internet. One of the industries severely handicapped is the
airline industry. Train and bus schedules have been curtailed as fewer
people use public transport.
Many countries have reported increased domestic violence and intimate
partner violence. A lot of people lost jobs and are furloughed and a lot
of small businesses closed down. Lack of job and insecurity breed
tension and anxiety, which in turn increase violent behaviour. There are
reports of inappropriate and uncharacteristic conduct in shops and
public places. Episodes of mental health illness are increasing in an
alarming way. This is due to the devastating news of Covid-19, and the lack of physical contact like hugging and kissing. More and more
people consume alcohol. Isolation and financial set back in the
last ten months made a lot of people dependent on alcohol.
Covid-19 desolation for the past ten months have affected every walk of
life and every age group in most countries. The economy of all developed
countries shrank during the last year entirely due to the pandemic.
Poverty and deprivation have crept into everyday life and the unemployed
or underemployed are getting more and more restless. However, there is a
silver lining in the form of vaccinations. By the next
autumn, let us hope the world will be out of the clutches coronavirus.
Dr.C.J.George
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