Couple of years back life has been hectic and chaotic as human beings have been caught up in the rat race. People hardly have time to stand and gaze at the myriad beauties of nature. Busy life and strict schedule have encroached upon the charm of waking up early in the morning to watch the sunrise. Treadmills kept at the corner of the furnished flats have demotivated the masses from going for a morning walk and inhale the fresh air. Life has indeed changed over the last decade. Human beings have lost emotional connectivity as they have become each other’s opponent in this competitive world. Modern lifestyle has been radically different from the age-old times when people lead a healthy life and had access to unadulterated food. Modernisation and industrialisation have brought about overwhelming changes in the human lifestyle. Nature of jobs has changed, leading to poorer quality of living. Over the years natural resources have been depleting and dangerous diseases like cancers have been on the rise. Air and water pollution have become major causes of concern. But no one has imagined that the unhealthy lifestyle of human beings can unleash hell on earth in the form of a global pandemic. Nobody has foreseen that Covid-19 will pose a question on people’s reckless lifestyle. It has forced everyone to change their ways and habits solely to survive. Covid-19 has been a tough teacher who will not stop until human beings amend their ways and strive for a healthier lifestyle.
Whenever anyone talks about pandemic, Spanish Flu of 1918 comes to one’s mind. It is one of those times in the human history when a deadly disease like influenza killed millions around the world. With the advent of Covid-19 in 2019, the world has again come face to face with an undefeatable disease. Coronavirus has spread like wildfire across the nations. The world has been caught up in the maze of death and bereavement since the last two years. People are relentlessly suffering as they sit idly at home with minimal or no income. Days spent in home isolation and quarantine has given people time and opportunity to think about ways of preventing a global disaster like another pandemic or epidemic in future. People have tried their best to modify their lifestyle and adopt new ways to cope with the altered situation.
Hand Washing and Use of Sanitizer
Hand washing programme in schools of India has started way back with teachers instructing students to wash their hands before eating lunch or tiffin. WASH programme of UNICEF (1988) has also tried its best to ensure health and hygiene of students by implementing regular hand washing habit in schools. It has also aided in constructing separate toilets for girls and boys in schools across the world.
Unfortunately, despite steps taken by the authorities, almost no one has bothered to practice hand washing as a sanitary habit. Finally, after the outbreak of Covid-19, people have realised the need of frequent hand washing to prevent communicable diseases including Diarrhea. Doctors have recommended everyone to make use of sanitizers in public places as people need to touch various surfaces like door locks, tables and chairs which may have already been contaminated by the virus or other germs.
Wearing Mask
Earlier only patients who have been suffering from communicable diseases like Tuberculosis or the ones who have had some immunocompromised health conditions like HIV or Cancer used masks in public places to avoid falling in the grasp of another fatal disease. However, post Covid-19, wearing masks by common people has been made compulsory by the governments of the affected countries. 3-ply disposable surgical face mask and N95 mask are the only ones available in the market that are capable of protecting people from Coronavirus. Disposable mask, gloves and surgical cap have become daily wear of the people worldwide. Currently, they are almost like a dress code that people need to abide by to guard themselves from diseases. Coronavirus may bid farewell in near future but people will probably keep wearing masks in public places for personal safety. They have finally understood that masks and face shields are essential for survival in the present scenario.
Coronavirus has indeed changed human habits for the better. People have finally learnt to cover their mouths with handkerchiefs while sneezing or coughing. This is indeed a turning point in the history of health and hygiene.
Changing Sleeping Habit to Reduce Stress
Apart from changing regular human habits, Covid-19 has also led to significant lifestyle modifications. Until a few years back people have been working till late night in office computers to earn a living. People have been sleep deprived and burdened with a huge workload. They have been under tremendous work stress all the time.
Now, the pandemic has taught the people the necessity of healthy living. A healthy human body needs at least eight hours of sleep for proper functioning. Natural immunity of the human body is essential to fight all kinds of ailments. So, at present the people are bent on making lifestyle changes like altering sleeping habits and going for morning walk on the garden attached to the house. These little variations in daily life are capable of reducing stress and keeping human beings in good shape.
Diet and Yoga
People need to make dietary changes to remain fit and fine. Balanced diet with sufficient intake of Vitamin C and Zinc supplements can be the best immunity booster for a human body. Slowly, people are discarding junk foods in favour of healthy fruits like lemon and orange which are great source of Vitamin.
Light exercise like stretching of hands and feet can contribute to keeping a body healthy. Pranayama or breathing exercise should be done on a regular basis to ensure proper functioning of the lungs. It can go a long way in preventing Covid as this peculiar virus especially attacks lungs and causes lung fibrosis. Once people incorporate yoga as a part of their modified lifestyle they are most likely to continue this good habit even after Coronavirus is erased from the face of this earth.
Just as a river changes its course human beings need to mend and amend their ways to survive the test of time. It’s believed that the little insignificant cockroaches have lived on while the huge dinosaurs have become extinct. The dinosaurs’ inability to adapt is pinpointed as the reason behind its disappearance. Adaptability is the key to survival. Therefore, post Covid-19, human beings need to change their lifestyle and get accustomed to the new way of life. Only by accommodating themselves in this new and altered scenario will human beings be able to survive.
However, the battle against Coronavirus is yet not over. People need to stay headstrong and keep fighting against the disease with tremendous willpower. Suffering has united the people of the world. Human connectivity is vital in tough times like this. Staying by the side of a fellow friend or helping the next door neighbour is the need of the hour. Perhaps, this sense of human empathy and compassionate attitude will stay with the human beings as a part of their changed lifestyle and modified mindset while they jointly embark on their journey towards a new dawn.
By Lagnajita, West Bengal
