Pandemics are large outbreaks of an infectious disease, often causing large amounts of mortality and morbidity across a wide geographic area (Madhav, Gallican, Mulembakani, Rubin & Wolfe, 2017). Pandemics often cause economic, social and political disruptions (Madhav et al., 2017). “Pandemics have occurred throughout history and appear to be increasing in frequency, particularly because of the increasing emergence of viral disease from animals” (Madhav et al., 2017). Most diseases have originated through “zoonotic” transmissions, meaning the diseases is directly transmitted from animals to humans through the means of air, bites or saliva (Murphy 1998; Woolhouse and Gowtage-Sequeria 2005 as cited in Madhav et al., 2017). Some of the diseases that have originated through zoonotic transmission are Ebola, Zika, Hendra, Lyme, SARS, Swine Flu, MERS, Bird Flu and now COVID-19.
Humans are constantly clearing forests, removing habitats, selling and hunting wildlife bringing animals closer to humans and increasing risks of diseases transmission. “Along with habitat loss, shifting climate zones are causing wildlife to migrate to new places, where they interact with other species they haven’t previously encountered. This increases the risk of new diseases emerging.” (Armstrong, Capon & McFarlane, 2020).
The more we take care of and protect our nature, the better manage we have over our own human health! Nature is a critical part of our life and survival, we need nature for oxygen, food and regulating our weather. If we continue to abuse our nature and push it aside, nothing will ever change and we will see more tragedies occur.
Climate change is another environmental factor that is making us vulnerable. The World Health Organization (2020) completed a report on climate change and noted that climate change has major consequences on infectious disease transmission. “There is much evidence of associations between climatic conditions and infectious diseases” (WHO, 2020). COVID-19 crisis, climate and biodiversity are all believed to be connected.
As I scroll through Facebook, looking at the many different opinions and theories… I think to myself, is this a war? A war between humans and the environment? Instead of protecting ourselves from bombs we are protecting ourselves from the air and the people around us…
(Johnson, A. 2017)
Image retrieved from: https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/04/1061082
