COVID 19 WORSENING THINGS AROUND HERE
By now, we all have a clear concept of what the COVID-19 is, a virus that came into our lives without a warning and has changed our routines. After its initial outbreak in Wuhan, China, that began in December 2019, the virus has spread to over 212 countries, and it has become the spotlight for every newspaper, tv show, magazine, social media post, each day we are connected, waiting for the statistics to be released, most healthcare systems have been trying to prevent collapse while governments, attempt to create strategy plans in order to cope correctly with the sanitary emergency.
Even though, from time to time, there is minimal improvement, the ‘Coronavirus’ death toll keeps increasing significatively as each day passes. This virus is the number one concern at every country’s headquarters and every citizen's mind. But there are certain things that are being left out, what happens with the issues we were already dealing with?
The #Stayathome, has been trending on every social media platform. The invitation is to practice social distancing while enjoying time with your loved ones. Leaders say this is the time for us to reunite with the people at home and be productive while working or learning online but, actually 61% of all workers are informally employed and many of them lack from a safe and stable income, while their line of work prevents them from staying home, as many also live from the day and have no choice, but to risk their chances of getting the virus in order to maintain an economical “stability”.
On the other hand, according to world poverty clock organization, almost 700 million people around the world are currently living in extreme poverty. These facts all together are a clear show that these people can not see this time “at home” as a gift, but rather they see it as a threat to their lives!
Before the coronavirus pandemic started, our world was already facing a huge and cruel threat, which forced more than 820 million people to go to bed hungry. In addition, approximately 110 million people were living in acute food insecurity which has worsened since the start of the outbreak.
Dominique Burgeon, Director of Emergency and Resilience Division of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) claims that “As the number of infections in vulnerable countries grows – among populations who are already malnourished, weak and vulnerable to disease – a ‘crisis within a crisis’ could emerge,”
This pandemic is driving rates of child hunger to disturbing new heights, due to the fact that many children around the world depend on the food given at their local schools, Hunger in children can inflict long-lasting psychological damage and limit educational attainment, research has found. It can also make children more susceptible to physical illness. They may be more likely to develop chronic conditions like asthma, iron-deficiency anemia, and to have low bone density.
Currently, many organizations around the world are raising funds in order to help, if you have the possibility to donate or contribute a meal, you should do it. There are many movements, churches and foundations closer than you think that are working with our local authorities and independently.
