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The Dawn of the Coronavirus
Author: Aditya Joshi Editor: Ayaan Parikh We did not think 2020 could get any worse, Kobe Bryant had died, wars were raging and everyone seemed to be on edge waiting for an economic collapse. Enter Covid-19, a Coronavirus which spread to humans first starting in Wuhan, China in December of 2019. It spreads from person to person through touch or physical interaction and can cause cough, fever, shortness of breath, and even death. The virus has impacted the whole world at a large scale by killing hundreds of thousands of people, causing immense fear, putting millions out of work, and wrecking the economy to shambles. The impact of the Coronavirus has hit every single city across the states, even Wichita, Kansas. KSN reported on the 14th of June that the COVID-19 cases rose in Sedgwick County up to 745 positive cases and 25 deaths. There is no shortage of economic impact in the area either, hundreds of businesses have been forced to close and lay off workers. People are putting off buying houses, cars, and making large financial decisions while others are forced to stay inside the “comfort” of their homes for almost three months now. Some people have been hit harder than others, specifically those who have been immuno-compromised and the elderly demographic who are strongly advised not to step outside even to buy groceries and daily living needs to avoid contamination. Although there is no shortage of suffering, there is also no shortage of people with large hearts willing to help those in need of help. Brandi Washington is one of those kind-hearted people willing to organize a troop to help people all around Butler County. She is the Director of County Relations at CV Disaster Relief an organization consisting of many influential members in our community. They prioritize helping those in need, which she argues, is largely elderly people. She recalls that the organization began when an elderly woman had two hours left on a life sustaining device powered by distilled water, and the “community came together and got it for her”. The quick and efficient mobilization of communities led by kind-hearted people is something to not only admire but to learn from. The same mobilization has been seen after the death of George Floyd, and allows elected officials to fully get an idea of what their constituents actually want. Let us learn from Washington’s effort and success, and be willing to advocate for change when it is most needed. |
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