Switch on your tv, open a newspaper, or turn up your radio. Every form of media is currently covering the COVID-19 pandemic and how it is changing our world at each moment. COVID-19, or otherwise known as the coronavirus, is a virus whose symptoms appear as a fever, cough, and shortness of breath. In most cases, COVID-19 is only life-threatening in cases that involve elderly or those who have pre-existing illnesses. Given the virus' large effect on our world, however, there seems to be no shortage of abrasive information being thrown at us from all directions. From scientific facts to overspun rumors, the enormous amount of information about COVID-19 can be overwhelming. Many of us are uncertain, scared, and feel that our lives have stopped due to mandatory lockdowns or quarantines. Despite the constant cycling of negative, fear invoking, and overhweming news, the world continues to show its goodness. To uplift your spirits, here are a few amazing things that are happening right now:
1. Italians sing together
Italy has been one of the countries most affected by COVID-19 and the country is being torn apart by the virus's massive outbreak. The Italian government, in an attempt to gain control of the virus that has spread like wildfire among its citizens, issued a mandatory lockdown nationwide. This lockdown has restricted the movement of citizens except for necessities such as health services and or essential work, and forced all non-essential business to close. Amidst the tragedy, however, Italians have risen to create their own beam of light. Each day, Italian gather on their balconies to sing in unison with their neighborhood. Filling the streets with song through instruments and voices, this heartwarming act shows solidarity even the toughest times.
2. Human kindness through schools
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Along with a plethora of jobs and businesses, COVID-19 has also affected the lives of millions of students as schools have been forced to shut down across the world. From elementary school to college universities, students have been transitioning to taking classes online to reduce the spread of the virus. While this has come with much devastation to teachers, students, and faculty, it has also generated small and large acts of kindness:
This week in Kansas, a middle school teacher wrote 100 unique letters, one to each of her students, to remind them that although school had closed for the remainder of the year, she was still thinking of them and the memories that they made together.
Senior college students, whose last years' were cut short due to university closures, were left uncertain if their graduation ceremonies would occur. Therefore, many seniors rushed to create make-shift graduation days before they were sent home. The hashtag "Coronamencement" was used to share posts of students impromptu graduation ceremonies on social media.
As parents begin to assume the role of an educator in their children's lives through online classes, the hashtag "Better Together" has gone viral. This hashtag connectes parents, who are now helping their children in online school, to teachers for support. Parents have sought out tips with schoolwork and teaching strategies from teachers who are happy to help!
An online school day is often shorter than a normal one, leaving children much more free time. To provide children with more activities, an elementary art teacher in Tennessee has begun to stream art classes on Instagram and Facebook for children who are at home in quarantine. Starting as a way to engage children in creative activities, this online art class has also managed to distract children from feeling fear in this chaotic time.
3. The environment is improving!
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The spread of COVID-19 halted life as we know it, forcing factories to close, transportation by car and plane to slow, and people to remain in their homes. While this has been a major inconvenience to us, the environment is loving every minute of it. Ocean and air pollution has significantly reduced since the beginning of this pandemic. In Venice, for example, the lack of tourists and motorboats crowding the canals has left the water far cleaner. Satellite images from NASA and the European Space Agency have shown a decrease in nitrogen dioxide pollution in China following the first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, in Italy, scientists from Columbia University reported a 5% drop in CO2 emissions as traffic levels fall during quarantine.
Our daily lives are normally made busy with work, school, and errands. It is rare that we find time to take a walk around the block, perform an act of kindness to a stranger, or sing with our neighbors from our balconies. Most days, we wouldn't even have the time to think about doing any of these things. While the negative consequences from COVID-19 are plentiful, it is worth trying to redirect your focus to the things that make the world beautiful, from people to nature. These stories prove there is always good as long as you let yourself see it.
