The first known use of Calvary, according to Merriam-Webster, was in 1738. It is the modern version of Golgotha, literally “skull,” and a place outside the walls of Jerusalem where Jesus Christ was crucified. With COVID-19 still rampant, it is humanity’s Calvary. While the arduous climb to the mountain of crucifixion took place within a few hours, the pandemic has gone on for more than a year.
The questions in many people’s minds today are: When will this Calvary end? When will there be an Easter-like recovery from this global malady?
As of 22 March 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) tracker dashboard reads as follows: Total number of cases worldwide – 123,869,171; Number of deaths – 2,727,742; Estimated COVID mean infection rate – 2.5
Total number of vaccine doses administered worldwide is more than 447 million, of which 28 percent is accounted for by the United States; 13 percent, European Union and United Kingdom; 17 percent by China; and 10 percent by India. These make up 68 percent or more than two-thirds of total inoculations.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesusas, WHO Director-General, noted in a recent briefing that a trend of increasing cases for the past few weeks is “worrying” when viewed in the light of “the impact of variants, opening up of societies, and inequitable vaccine rollout.”
The full impact of the pandemic is vividly described in a joint statement issued in October 2020 by the WHO, the International Labor Organization (ILO), Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD):
“The economic and social disruption caused by the pandemic is devastating: Tens of millions of people are at risk of falling into extreme poverty, while the number of undernourished people, currently estimated at nearly 690 million, could increase by up to 132 million by the end of the year. Nearly half of the world’s 3.3 billion global workforce are at risk of losing their livelihoods. Without the means to earn an income during lockdowns, many are unable to feed themselves and their families.”
Against a backdrop of “inequitable vaccine rollout” and the continuing uptrend in infections brought on by new variants mutating in different parts of the world, earlier optimism on a brighter global outlook toward the second half of 2021 are dimming. The politicization of the response to the pandemic and the vaccine rollout are twin swords of Damocles hanging over a world that has grown weary of quarantine and lockdown measures.
The proverbial silver lining is the perceptible emergence of a gentler, kinder world. Little acts of kindness and compassion illumine new pathways of human solidarity in communities and workplaces everywhere. Digital technology has greatly enhanced human connectivity across islands and continents. People have more time to reflect on their actions and this may have fostered heightened empathy and consideration for others. The biggest lesson is historical: As certain as Easter Sunday follows Good Friday, hope abides that this pandemic will eventually pass.