Often, it can be difficult to find light in the darkness when all you read in the newspaper, watch on television, and scroll through on Twitter is negative. But, trust me, even in a global pandemic you can find a silver lining -- maybe even a few. Here are some positive takeaways from the last few months:
Disclaimer: This is not to diminish the COVID-19 outbreak and its devastating effects on the human race.
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Due to businesses shutting down offices across the United States, millions of people are working from home. According to Boston News Daily, remote employees have higher chances of accomplishing more in a workday than office-based employees. During this isolation period, many individuals have come forward expressing how much work they have successfully finished because of their spare time. However, working remotely can put one at a higher risk of falling into a rut, so create a balanced work-life schedule to maintain that productivity level.
COVID-19 has individuals staying home and practicing social-distancing (for the most part). The reduction of economic activity leads to the reduction of pollution, essentially saving lives. According to researcher Marshall Burke, more than 50,000 people in China would have died prematurely if not for the significant cutback in air pollution within the last 2 months. The exposure to this sort of pollution can cause stroke, heart disease, and respiratory illness that kills on average 4.2 million people every year, according to the World Health Organization. Around the world, the effects of people staying home in regards to the environment are being noticed and it speaks volumes.
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During these unprecedented times, a newfound respect is on the horizon for restaurant and grocery store workers. Although many businesses are closing for indefinite periods of time, food places and markets are surging due to the stay-at-home orders and hoarding of supplies like toilet paper. The decade-long debate over the raising of the minimum wage has come back into focus as people are struggling financially with a job more so than those unemployed at the moment. This raises the issue on how this will, in turn, affect one's physical health working at a drive-thru or cash register and coming into contact with numerous people throughout one's shift. Minimum wage workers are at a high risk of becoming exposed to COVID-19. The realization of this should not only create the utmost respect for these employees, but it should be the starting point of the living wage formation.
