As COVID-19 Wreaks Havoc, Some Acts That Will Restore Your Faith in Humanity

Even in such perilous times when each day seems to be worse than the day before and with no end in sight, the world has no shortage of good samaritans. These are the people who put their health; their immediate well-being; their very lives on the line for the greater good.

It there’s one good that’s come of the coronavirus pandemic, it’s that we get to see the humanity that is so elusive in the present day and age — people stepping out of their conceit and their hubris to contribute to their community and their fellow man.

These are just a few examples of people proving that you don’t need to be a billionaire or a celebrity with millions of followers to make a difference in the world — that when you need it the most, sometimes the most reliable people are not the millionaires sitting atop their holier-than-thou pedestals patting themselves on their backs while singing “Imagine“; but normal people who won’t let such trivial things as money and popularity — or lack thereof — keep them from making people smile.

Coronavirus Relief Fund

Sometimes it is truly just as straightforward as raising money. But considering these are not billionaires or even millionaires who could donate tens of thousands and still not leave a dent in their bank accounts, there is something to be said about global efforts from regular people to raise funding to combat COVID-19.

Take the Coronavirus Relief Fund started on globalgiving.org, for example. It stands as the epitome of global unity and solidarity in the face of grave odds.

To date, the relief fund has raised $2,222,118 that will go into delivering medical supplies to the medical personnel at the frontlines, to fund relief efforts for people most at-risk like refugees and homeless, and feeding impoverished children.

The benefit is one of many to have sprung up and is not necessarily funded by the rich and the opulent, but altruistic civilians.

You can donate to the Coronavirus Relief Fund here: https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/coronavirus-relief-fund/

Schools And Restaurants Providing Free Food To Children

As damning as it is to think of the country that boasts on being the greatest nation in the world, that some children come from such impoverished families that they need to rely on the free meal they get provided at school as their only outlet, school closure means that many such children go hungry.

Some districts in the USA have taken the initiative to continue preparing cafeteria lunch and delivering it to children despite being shut down, so no child in their community goes hungry.

Restaurants, cafés, and fast-food chains have also gone above and beyond to provide free food to families that need it the most. Restaurants such as Café Gelato in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Nové Italian Restaurant in Albany, New York; White Duck Taco Shop in Asheville, North Carolina; are only a few of the many to have put smiles on the faces of families and food in their bellies.

Homemade Medical Supplies

Besides the many horrors that the coronavirus pandemic has brought forth, the outbreak has also painted a somber picture of the inadequacy of global healthcare systems in the face of a worldwide cataclysm.

A logistical nightmare, horror stories emanating from Italy about medical personnel having to choose whether a person is worth saving due to the lack of healthcare supplies chills to the bone. The hoarding of supplies due to paranoia has exacerbated the problem to a catastrophic degree.

“When the going gets tough, the tough get going” — as they say. People all over the world — be it scientists, engineers, or innovators — have used the resources at their disposal to ease the strain on the healthcare system.

Whether it be students 3D-printing parts of respirators, or manufacturers ramping up production of medical supplies, or DIY videos on how to concoct homemade sanitizers, masks, and other medical supplies, these people show that science, innovation, and technology are our best assets at combating the outbreak.

Random Acts Of Kindness

For as much flack as humans get — and rightly so — for being selfish, hateful, and narcissistic, COVID-19 has proved that we have an inherent ability to do good and be good — shame we had to have a global catastrophe for people’s altruism to come out –, but it is heart-warming, nonetheless.

These past couple of weeks, we have seen random acts of kindness all over the world that makes it impossible for us not to feel good.

Take the heart-warming tale from British Columbia, Canada, for example. When Anastasija and Josh Davis’ wedding plans were in doubt due to the lockdown, they decided to get married in their living room and ride around the town in their limo.

What they didn’t know was that the best man had called in their friends to throw the newly-married couple a celebration, unlike anything they had ever seen. As they drove across the town, neighbors and friends lined the streets and threw up signs, balloons, streamers, and music to help make the couple’s wedding an unforgettable affair.

In another instance, WestJet airlines threw an impromptu “mini-graduation” for four students flying home when their graduation ceremony was canceled.

Italy, which is one of the countries most affected by the pandemic, demonstrated that their spirits were still unbroken when quarantined neighbors orchestrated a well-timed round of applause for the health workers who risk their lives at the frontlines. Similar cases have popped up in Israel, Spain, China, and other parts of the globe where people go out of their way to show that they know who the real heroes are.

In addition, actor John Krasinski is also making people smile and see good in these bad days via his new YouTube channel Some Good News.

Your Role In Flattening The Curve

It may sound trivial and more than a little preposterous, but if you have followed the government-mandated guidelines on social distancing, you have been instrumental in flattening the curve of the contagion.

The novel coronavirus is a highly-transmissible pathogen, and by self-isolating, you are doing your fair share at not only protecting yourself and your family from contracting the disease but also severing your role in transmitting the pathogen to your community.

By adhering to the social-distancing guidelines, you are curbing the spread of the disease and stop it overwhelming the healthcare system.

• COVID-19