I was teaching a healthcare policy course many years ago at Indiana University. The subject matter included the concepts of epidemics and pandemics. The undergraduates had a relatively easy time understanding epidemic; pandemic was a different matter. The textbook definition: “A pandemic is a global outbreak of disease; pandemics happen when a new virus emerges to infect people and can spread between people sustainably…” could be regurgitated quickly on an exam. There were historical examples to share; there was a consistent, underlying disbelief that in our modern world a virus with little to no pre-existing immunity with the capability of spreading worldwide could occur. When searching for relevance, the students likened a pandemic to a summertime movie or end of the world mini-series.
Today, we are faced with the reality of a pandemic. We are able to observe firsthand the development of a virus, the disbelief that “I” could be affected, the desire to shut borders down to keep the virus away from us, and the progression from epidemic to pandemic. We have had the great fortune to go one step further and be part of the debate if this is an epidemic or pandemic. How lucky.
As a community, a nation, a part of the global community we are faced with decision making impacting every aspect of our lives. We have been asked to define the value of life. Questioning when it is time to reopen businesses isn’t very different from questions about insuring the masses. There have been moments in time when you would ask what the value of a drug or surgical procedure is compared to feeding a family or facing bankruptcy. These debates occur most often in a political sphere or classroom setting. Not in our real lives.
Hard questions and tough decisions are not uncommon. Our tendency, when asked, is to look inside ourselves for the response. Most of us like to think our response would be ethical, moral, and one we would be proud of. If our response was more self-serving, we could always hide within the community at large. Much like the classroom discussion, theoretical debate is best left for the spiritual or esoteric marketplace.
The world we are living in today is forcing us to look within ourselves for answers. Can you be selfless and act in the interest of the community at large when you cannot buy food, pay for shelter, or make needed credit card payments? Is there room for the Golden Rule when deciding to shelter in place or see your friends? Can I worry about my neighbor’s health more than the livelihood of my children?
It is virtually impossible to hide our real selves during a crisis. This pandemic has forced us to remove our masks and be present in our decisions. It might be a small decision – wearing a facemask to protect others when getting gas at the pump. It could be a big decision – going out to a restaurant or picketing for personal liberty and pushing back against government intrusion.
Meat shortages are personal. Decision-making that is cognizant of our neighbor’s health is easier when made in a group. At this moment in time we are asked to consider our neighbors health equal to our own. You can’t resolve this problem with a donation.
We are quick to find everything that is bad with a pandemic. It’s easy! Looking deeper, there is something spiritually uplifting about a pandemic. Everything we do is made more difficult. Shopping, praying, celebrating, mourning – our daily tasks take more consideration and consequences truly result in life and death.
The 24-hr news cycle lends itself to communicating the most minute aspects of this pandemic. There will be a time when we are able to look back at this slice of time in a more evaluative manner. When the students are studying COVID-19 in healthcare courses in a decade, what role will you have played in the narrative.
Leave a Reply