The current global pandemic is something that has affected each and every corner of our lives so far. I divided the constraints into economy, society, and individuals because I believe that’s where most constraints exist in this current situation. Individually, people need to process and reflect on how COVID-19 is and will continue to change their lives and how they will respond to it or how they will be effected. The economy has taken a record-breaking hit during this time which puts constraints on millions of workers, business owners, stakeholders, etc, and in turn, putting constraints on families and resources. At the societal level, similar to individual, society as a whole needs to be realistic about what’s going on, adapt to the changes, and find opportunities to get through this as a whole. This constraint map stressed me out because it showed me how intertwined everything is and how aspects of life affect different things, etc.
When specifically looking at how people are responding and adapting their lifestyles, there are people who take this seriously and people who don’t and some who are just trying to maintain a normal life under quarantine. Many people are social distancing, only going out of the house if it is essential, and are consumed by the news and the hysteria surrounding COVID-19, but others have taken this as an opportunity to go on vacation, party, or believe that social distancing is unnecessary. In my experience, me and my family have been social distancing and doing a lot of puzzle, board games, and cooking and I know a lot of people doing that as well. I haven’t left the house in 4 days.
Some positive things I’ve seen in response to this pandemic is the coming together of people to help each other out. For example, a facebook group was created between neighbors titled “I Need This” and was a platform for people to give and exchange things between each other to help support one another during this time. Another example is many grocery stores/ drug stores have sectioned out a time for senior citizens only to protect their health and young people offering to run errands for people at risk. These examples have personally sparked some hope in all of this.
A historical example of another pandemic is the 2014 Ebola outbreak in Africa. After this virus took the lives of thousands of people in West Africa, the world responded to aid those in need. This example doesn’t necessarily parallel because the Ebola virus was mostly contained in Africa and there were few cases reported outside of the continent. It does parallel because it did spark paranoia in people, it was over-sensationalized in the media during the time, and people came to the aid of others affected by EVD.
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