COVID-19: From First Cases in China to Global Pandemic - Essay Sample

Introduction

The coronavirus COVID-19 is suspected of having first begun in China in November when five cases were reported. Still, the government of China did not take precaution, on the grounds of 9 has been declared a national pandemic since it has affected the world at large. The cases have been escalating from the first few cases that were first reported in China. The virus is a killer disease, severely affecting older adults and those with weak immunities. As of at the moment, no cure has been found, and the condition is being managed in the hospitals.

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The countries that have been most affected include the United States and Italy, recording the highest patient over a hundred thousand. The deaths that have been reported so far are over ten thousand within one month. The pandemic is currently still happening and is projected to get worse for the better part of the year 2020. Scientists are working on vaccines and cure, but it is not very clear how long this would take, therefore, leaving the entire world in uncertainty. It is not clear also when the average life is going to resume, and everything goes back to normal. At the moment, the virus is being managed, with cases getting worse.

The virus first broke out in Wuhan, China, on January 21st, 2020, when china declared the threats (Chillaney, 2020). This followed the sick cases and a festival which had been held, projecting that many people would be affected. When the outbreak came in, thousands of people were affected in Wuhan and Hubei, and these traveled, therefore, affecting other people across the globe. It has caused severe consequences globally national flights have been halted in the majority of the countries. Travelling thus ended to spread the disease. Most states have also instituted lockdowns to stop spreading the disease. Therefore, businesses have been closed, and very few people are working from home.

Schools and other institutions accept health care facilities. The overwhelming thing is that the hospitals are full of patients, and the medical personnel are not enough. In New York, for example, the government called upon nurses and doctors from other states across the United States of America to go to New York and help out with the cases. People are staying indoors and very limited and minimal movement I allowed outside. Analysis suggests that the disease may have leaked from one of the coronaviruses being studied in the Wuhan Institute of virology. The institute host about 1500 infection, forming the largest virus bank in Asia (Chillaney, 2020).

There have been several theories formulated by individuals and research groups as to the real cause of the virus breakout. One method suggested that this must have been an engineered bioweapon on china against the rest of the world. However, there is no supportive evidence to credit these claims. The disease has dramatically affected society as it has brought everything to a halt. More tremendous effects are projected to occur after the pandemic as far as the international economy is concerned, bilateral relationships, international trade, and international relations. The shutting down of every sector would bring the economy down, and there is a risk that another recession may occur.

The disease is also affecting the minority groups and the poor so severely since the lockdown does not give individual opportunity to look for a living. The little help that the government is giving may not be enough. The virus has also instituted online activities like working online, and students studying online. This may have a significant blow on third world countries that may not have adequate access to strong internets or may not have the facilities to facilitate online activities. The pandemic would shake the geopolitics of the world and even affect the position in china.

Previously dependent supply chains may be affected, which would also likely affect bilateral relationships. Focusing away from the impact on the economy and relations, the virus has caused the deaths of thousands of people. This has an adverse effect in the societies which have lost their loved ones to the pandemic and may endure for long.

The theory of social control provides a mechanism by social order, and cohesion is maintained in society. It is characterized by restraining, shame, coercion, and persuasion to make people behave in a particular way (Wallace, 2017). It involves the rules and regulations that are given to monitor activities and regulate them. Members of society execute the laws to anyone who will be considered deviant to the states. The goals are to ensure conformity and safety of other people, especially where threats and undesirable conducts are detected that may prove problematic.

For the case of COVID-19, the virus has been declared a national pandemic. It has caused governments to institute legislation aimed at reducing the effects. This includes restraining movement both at local and international levels. The countries have also initiated a lockdown to stop the spread of the virus. This includes quarantining people in there to prevent the spread of the virus. The most visible restrain is how the country controlled flights from china, which is the hotbed of the disease. Individuals who deviate from the lockdown rules are arrested.

Social construction theory explains items that are conventionally accepted by societies as standard for all. For example, the currency is recognized as a standard for exchange in the business world. Therefore, all countries in the world must have a form of money, and there is a method so changing the currency based on the performance of the country's currency. The COVID-19 has affected the healthcare system in which all countries deserve a just and healthy society. This explains the reason why there is a movement of health personnel from various parts of the world to help out in severely affected places. For example, doctors from china had to go to Italy and help out with the situation as the health personnel in Italy could not handle the situation.

Social stratification studies how society is fragmented by various factors, ranging from social status, race, gender, and sex, among other factors. The wealthy there is no cure. Therefore everyone who is people is given a higher level in society while the poor occupy the lower levels. The COVID-19 pandemic has proven not to favor anyone, because it has no cure, and therefore, the only individual's immunity is what will save them. It is one of the things that equalize everyone, both the developed and the third world countries, due to the lack of cure. Both the rich and the poor are subject to death in the case an individual does not recover.

References

Chillaney, B. (2020). COVID-19 pandemic reshapes global societies and economies. The Washington Times. Retrieved from https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/mar/26/covid-19-pandemic-reshapes-global-societies-and-ec/

Wallace, W. L. (Ed.). (2017). Sociological theory: An introduction. AldineTransaction.