In case you’ve been living under a rock, most states in the United States of America have executed a stay at home order in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Other then the obvious benefits of a reduced transmission rate of a global pandemic that we as a human race are JUST NOW starting to understand, there have actually been quite a few other benefits to everyone staying at home.
Here is your dose of somewhat good news in a time when it feels like it’s really difficult to come by.
- Pet adoption is through the roof – Right when it was announced that everyone would be ordered to stay at home, most animal shelters released communication urging families to consider taking on a pet because the staff at the shelters could no longer work there and many animals would have to be put down. Guess what? People listened, and they adopted ALL of the dogs and cats. Even right now, in researching for this blog post, it’s very difficult to get a pet because so many have waiting lists.
- Pollution is decreasing at global level – Not only are factories producing less harmful pollutants, but cars are not driving as much, and planes are not flying as much… and all of this decreased activity has led to a severe decrease in pollution and has really impacted the environment in a positive way. Los Angeles, frequently a city covered in smog has now had record-breaking visibility.
- Cellular internet service is freed up – Since most people are at home and using their WiFi, the internet service providers have been noticing a severe increase in bandwidth issues. Everyone is streaming all at the same time and using Zoom and causing slowdowns for entire neighborhoods. HOWEVER, wireless service is largely unused because people are not using their cellphones for internet service as much because they don’t have to. If you are experiencing large slowdowns from bandwidth issues in your home, try getting a WiFi Hotspot (I am using Skyroam, but mostly when I need to travel somewhere) and jump on that service internet. You’ll notice a difference.
- Charity organizations are finding a mainstream audience – While many charity organizations have been around for many years with the occasional donation here and there from avid philanthropists, the new attention to helping those in need at this time has created a dramatic shift to donating if you have the means. Celebrities have made a big effort to publicize those charities that are directly related to helping those affected by COVID. Giving is in vogue now, and as soon as something becomes cool, we all flock to it.
- We have found a largely common language – This one is a bit more intangible, but I think you’ll notice that the meme’s have recently gotten funnier, and everyone on Twitter is suddenly really funny, and the internet, in general, is having a blast… why is that? Most comedy is based on being relatable, and everyone right now is virtually living a similar life, so everything is relatable to a higher percentage of people. We are all experiencing a lot of the same things at the same time.
Even while things don’t seem like they are the best and the news is largely dire, there are SOME positive outcomes. There is always a silver lining, and it helps to focus on the positives when the world feels like it’s closing in on you.
It’ll be okay, just hang in there!
