The world will never be the same. If there’s a time to raise to the occasion, that time is now. But what to do? You’re smart. You’ll figure something out! And when you do, please reach out. Not necessarily in the comments below, but to your friends, particularly those whom you feel as a good partner.
If any idea is just outright BAD, please call it.
Obvious information (hygiene, supplies, social distance) intentionally left out. This is about thinking outside the box.
Space & resources running out
There are many people working from home so there’s A LOT of centrally-located real-estate is just waiting to be used.
Not to mention tourism is on pause, so countless hotels are empty. In Romania, one family is in talks to allow their hotel to be used for corona virus patients.
Donations for temporary using real estate could be compensated by the government with tax breaks.
Such locations could be used for:
- Warehouses
- Temporary hospitals
- Locally-driven crisis management hubs
There is, of course, the matter of WHO (pun not intended) will operate all this! Perhaps if we had more protection equipment, such as hazmat suits, a lot of volunteers would show up. But how to produce all this?
Ford and several other automobile makers in the USA, as well as many other companies that own factories across the globe have already started producing^ ventilators and other medical supplies.
Well… if capitalism is good at one thing, that’s ADAPTING. FAST.
Emergency Mobilization
During the past few weeks, it has become clear that it’s now or never. Nation-states, corporations and people should consider themselves in a greater emergency than being “at war”. This is not about killing each other. This is about saving each other. This is about showing each other that we deserve to live! We can rise to the occasion. And so we will!
Many people are now without a job
We can use our technology to our advantage to partially turn this around.
Governments pledged (lots of) money to save companies. Well, then perhaps some money could be redirected towards hiring some of the jobless (if they wish) to help in any of the following areas:
- Help lines
- Information
- Somebody to talk to for the elderly and those that are afraid (there are already services for this but they are already overloaded). People in the tourism industry may be particularly good at this.
- Tracking the spread of the virus
- Delivery of goods
- LEADERS for various ideas & initiatives. We need leaders today more than any time in history. Leaders in ANY CONCEIVABLE MEANING OF THE WORD.
Long term, people can develop new skills. Temporary jobs can be created:
- in manufacturing of protection equipment such as:
- Hazmat suits
- Masks
- in manufacturing healthcare equipment such as:
- Respirators
- Beds
Volunteer
First, I will volunteer myself. I’m going to put at least 30 minutes of my own time, every day, to help this crisis, in any way I feel fit #30minutes4covid . Today, it was writing this (which actually took 2 hours including research).
I’ve kept thinking about how to help and kept updating this article. I enrolled to participate in a Hackathon (since I’m a software engineer). I dropped my weekly couple of hours of entertainment to fully focus on doing something good during these troubled times: coding, writing, talking, whatever I can! I keep my ears open and my eyes peeled. Not only do I seek how to help, I look & listen for what life shows me.
If you want to do something similar, just post on social media and take it from there :). You’re smart. You’ll find ways to help.
Useful Online Tools
A collection of useful online tools to combat loneliness. They all depend on HOW you want to deal with your loneliness. Some tools may not be good for you.
https://meetup.com^ – shocking, this website is actually used for REAL LIFE meetups. But here’s the thing: the way it categorizes interests & provides suggestions is very well built. So, start with meetup and then work your way to…
Zoom, Skype, WhatsApp, Viber, FaceTime, the list goes on and on.
Keep an eye on what amazing people are coming up with during Hackathons around the world. Here’s the one I enrolled in. I’m eagerly waiting for the list of winners!
https://covid-global-hackathon.devpost.com/updates/12497-covid-19-global-hackathon-ending-beginning^
Don’t wait
Don’t wait for a vaccine. From Wikipedia^: “There are yet to be vaccines or antiviral drugs to prevent or treat human coronavirus infections.”
Don’t count on “herd immunity”. There may be 2nd and 3rd waves of infections before this fully develops. See:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-03-18/as-china-virus-cases-near-zero-experts-warn-of-second-wave
Don’t hate
In case you’re thinking I’ve drifted off the original topic of the post, think again. The corona outbreak does not only test our physical bodies, but also our minds. At times like this, it’s easy to fall prey to fear, mistrust and hate.
Don’t think we’ll tear each other apart for survival’s sake.
Let’s prove we’re different. Mankind has evolved.
Don’t preach
Not everybody has the willpower, energy or interest to help just yet, or maybe they’ll never have it. Don’t let this stop you. Don’t blame. Act according to your moral compass. You have it.