Lessons from The Corona Virus (COVID-19) pandemic

As we face up the Corona Virus (COVID-19) pandemic we should also take the lessons that come with it and this can only be more clearly emphasised by Albert Einstein quote; “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results”. For a very long time humanity has chosen to keep moving on the wrong path even though we know our journeys will end in tears.

Corona Virus or COVID-19 virus is a disease that threatens the basic fabric of existence of human beings. The virus is denying us the single most thing majority of human beings crave for- socialising. This is because the disease spreads through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes which are passed on through shaking of hands, landing in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs and from contaminated surfaces. To curb the spread authorities are asking us to limit social interactions which will allow the control of new infections as they treat the already infected ones.

The other measures include frequent washing of hands with soap and water or using alcohol based sanitizers to disinfect them and covering our mouths and nose when we cough or sneeze. One is forced to believe that these are not supposed to be new routines but in fact we should be washing or sanitizing our hands and covering our mouths when we cough or sneeze. Are we inherently wired to change our behaviours only when fearful or threatened with severe consequences and in this case death.

Human Beings love to be pushed to change (logical, psychological or sociological resistance), be it as individuals or as organisations, an under performing staff member is likely to improve performance when issued with a warning letter, an organisation is likely to focus on innovation when threatened by a new disruptive start up, Governments are likely to change when faced by a revolution or an economic crisis. With all this examples what seems to be the problem? Why do we seek motivation from the outside and not within for change, my take is we do not like taking responsibility, and will try to avoid it at all costs. Who wants extra hours in the office, which manager wants to be responsible for a failed product, which government wants to deny its peoples some rights even if it’s for their own good(importation of used clothes, old vehicles, banning of some songs, strict rules and regulation on clubbing,

partying, use of private vehicles in the CBD)

When faced with tough choices we seek justification from the outside to validate our actions and sadly with such structure of behaviour (reactionary) something is bound to give. I will not delve into the various theories about where the corona COVID-19 virus came from, be it man-made in a lab or from animals, the sure thing is that there was a trigger. If it is from a lab why are we constantly searching for more sophisticated ways to exterminate fellow man, If it is from animals what are we doing with the animals, not all animals are food unless in special circumstance (starving to death), why then do we continually seek to more harmful things.

Mother nature is sending us signals asking us to take responsibility of our actions. The pandemic should open our eyes, we should stop watching and start seeing. We are destroying the planet forgetting we are the neediest part of it. The virus does not care where man- made disasters and calamities. The question in your mind now is? What do I have to do with it? - The pandemic has clearly showed us that in one way or another we are all connected. My actions in my village in Kisasi, Shamakhkho affects someone in Wuhan Hubei- directly or indirectly and vice versa.

We have continually harmed the planet through our production and consumption, the items we buy (consume) fund businesses, factories and industries and the items factories produce affect how we live as individuals.

Factories consume a lot of energy producing products and services we love (food, clothing, entertainment, travel etc.) and are responsible for pollution, toxic gases are filling up the air, harmful agricultural inputs (herbicides and pesticides) end up in soils, water ways and in our plates. What is the outcome? Climate change, global warming, floods and drought, respiratory problem, obesity, diabetes.

Consumers on the other hand love convenience, microwave generation, instant coffee, everything on the go or delivered, what happens? Businesses will want you so they will try their best to please you- single use plastics, packaging for oversees shipping (extra transport for delivery, extra pollution (delivery vehicles), brightly coloured packaging (bells and whistles), immediately after consumption you dispose and on to the next one. Little or no consideration of where or how the waste is disposed after handing over.

We should take responsibility of our contribution –production- don’t produce for the sake of producing (packaging, products with little improvement, useless music) this pollutes the environment and minds, -consumption- stop the culture of over consumption, know where our waste goes- reduce, reuse, recycle. Sort our waste- plastic, glass and paper are all recyclable- segregate and forward for recycling. Organic waste can either be used as feed-stock and or fertilizer, find ways to make this possible and let us take responsibility. The Usitupe Taka Taka initiative we complete the loop between production and consumption by connecting all the stakeholders and managing end of life of products. We promote sorting of waste at source/ household level and feed this back into production. #Takatakainitiative

The Human Race is strong and whatever challenges we face, we will always be triumphant, the corona virus COVID-19 has hit hard and the effects will be with us for a long time but we must not lose hope. Avoid crowds and unnecessary interactions, wash your hands with soap and water or sanitize with alcohol based compound, cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze, avoid touching your face with unclean hands.

The world is going through a hard phase but we will not fail but learn and be stronger and more resilient.