When the year 2020 began, no one expected a pandemic to hit so suddenly and so quickly. It has impacted not only the United States, but the entire world. However, the U.S. has suffered far more than many of the other countries combined. Throughout the year, COVID-19 has spread like a wildfire and cases are still increasing to this day. People have suffered financially, physically, and even mentally from the spread of this virus. The impact of this virus on society has caused many people the burdens of overwhelming stress and anxiety. Even though the year is almost over, it seems as if the spread of the COVID-19 virus will never stop.
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced people to deal with many unforeseen challenges and has taken a significant toll on society altogether. Many countries have “taken measures – some of them stringent – to slow down the spread of SAR-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19” (Cohut). While most countries have succeeded in slowing the spread of the virus, the U.S. has failed to do so.
The United States has especially fallen victim to a lot of criticism in the way they have dealt with the pandemic. People have been under so much stress already with the virus alone and the increasing criticism just makes it harder to ignore. People started to protest, claiming that the government’s call for lockdown was hurting them financially. Medical professionals have also spoken about the virus saying that “the protesters may well be putting other people’s lives and health in danger” (Cohut).
The virus has not only caused a worldwide uproar, but also caused tension and division among American citizens. People’s livelihoods have been abruptly interrupted by this awful pandemic and it has taken quite a toll on food systems. The virus isn’t the only matter concerning the heath of the people. The global pandemic “presents an unprecedented challenge to public health, food systems and the world of work” (“Impact of COVID-19…”). Not only is the virus affecting people’s mentality, but also their finances.
The fear of the spread of COVID-19 has caused severe panic and caused many businesses to shut down temporarily. Although many businesses have since reopened, unfortunately, another wave of cases hit and businesses are suffering yet again. People have been doing their best despite the circumstances but the pandemic has caused many hardships over the course of a very long and unforgiving year.
Works Cited
Cohut, Maria. “COVID-19 Global Impact: How the Coronavirus Is Affecting the World.” Edited by Paula Field , Medical News Today, MediLexicon International, 24 Apr. 2020, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/covid-19-global-impact-how-the- coronavirus-is-affecting-the-world.
“Impact of COVID-19 on People’s Livelihoods, Their Health and Our Food Systems.” World Health Organization, World Health Organization, 13 Oct. 2020, www.who.int/news/item/13-10-2020-impact-of-covid-19-on-people’s-livelihoods-their-health-and-our-food-systems.
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Meghan,
I think your post shows great insight into the fast-paced decline of millions of Americans in unprecedented times. Your comment, “The impact of this virus on society has caused many people the burdens of overwhelming stress and anxiety” interests me because you step away from the death toll of the virus and focus on the underlying impacts it has had. Mental health has not been deeply considered by the American government, yet officials should begin to take notice and account for the increasing number of anxiety, depression, and suicide cases that have have occurred as a result of Covid-19 precautions.
An article by Priya Chidambaram (https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/issue-brief/the-implications-of-covid-19-for-mental-health-and-substance-use/) stated that “More than one in three adults in the U.S. have reported symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder during the pandemic” in comparison to the 1 in 10 adults reported in January of 2019. The pandemic has caused an alarmingly fast increase in mental health problems, and such obstacles should be paid attention to before it is too late.
I greatly enjoyed reading your post and it was a very different viewpoint about the virus than I am used to. Thank you for taking the time to write, and I look forward to reading more about the subject.
First off I think your writing sounded very sophisticated and well thought out throughout the entire article. And secondly, I like the way you talked about how drastically the world has changed and struggled throughout the pandemic. All of the things you wrote on are very true considering that America as a country witnesses these issues each and every day. Your take was a very accurate idea from the negative standpoint of Corona, however it might be interesting to consider how the virus has actually impacted our society as well.
Meghan,
I think your post is very accurate and a good analysis of the year. COVID-19 has spread faster and wider than any of us expected, and has definitely brought some unforeseen problems. One of these problems that you touched on is mental health. Our main focus right now is our physical health and rightly so. However if we continue to solely focus on our physical health the struggles of mental illness will continue to be overlooked. I think while we do need to find a way to stop the spread of the virus we should also try to draw more attention to mental health and those struggling with it.
Dear Meghan :
I am stunned by your post, “America’s Breaking Point,” because it a serious problem in the U.S. The people who are rioting are only making things worse. Also people who are losing their jobs is a huge problem. People well being is also being affected due to Covid-19. One sentence you wrote that stands out for me is: “People have suffered financially, physically, and even mentally from the spread of this virus. ” I think this is worrying because there are people who can not seek help.
Thanks for your writing. I look forward to seeing what you write next, because you post was very informational. I really like how you brought up awareness on other was Covid-19 is affecting not only U.S citizens but others as well.
Victor Vasquez