long essay on covid 19 in english

How to Write About Coronavirus in a College Essay

Students can share how they navigated life during the coronavirus pandemic in a full-length essay or an optional supplement.

Writing About COVID-19 in College Essays

Serious disabled woman concentrating on her work she sitting at her workplace and working on computer at office

Getty Images

Experts say students should be honest and not limit themselves to merely their experiences with the pandemic.

The global impact of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, means colleges and prospective students alike are in for an admissions cycle like no other. Both face unprecedented challenges and questions as they grapple with their respective futures amid the ongoing fallout of the pandemic.

Colleges must examine applicants without the aid of standardized test scores for many – a factor that prompted many schools to go test-optional for now . Even grades, a significant component of a college application, may be hard to interpret with some high schools adopting pass-fail classes last spring due to the pandemic. Major college admissions factors are suddenly skewed.

"I can't help but think other (admissions) factors are going to matter more," says Ethan Sawyer, founder of the College Essay Guy, a website that offers free and paid essay-writing resources.

College essays and letters of recommendation , Sawyer says, are likely to carry more weight than ever in this admissions cycle. And many essays will likely focus on how the pandemic shaped students' lives throughout an often tumultuous 2020.

But before writing a college essay focused on the coronavirus, students should explore whether it's the best topic for them.

Writing About COVID-19 for a College Application

Much of daily life has been colored by the coronavirus. Virtual learning is the norm at many colleges and high schools, many extracurriculars have vanished and social lives have stalled for students complying with measures to stop the spread of COVID-19.

"For some young people, the pandemic took away what they envisioned as their senior year," says Robert Alexander, dean of admissions, financial aid and enrollment management at the University of Rochester in New York. "Maybe that's a spot on a varsity athletic team or the lead role in the fall play. And it's OK for them to mourn what should have been and what they feel like they lost, but more important is how are they making the most of the opportunities they do have?"

That question, Alexander says, is what colleges want answered if students choose to address COVID-19 in their college essay.

But the question of whether a student should write about the coronavirus is tricky. The answer depends largely on the student.

"In general, I don't think students should write about COVID-19 in their main personal statement for their application," Robin Miller, master college admissions counselor at IvyWise, a college counseling company, wrote in an email.

"Certainly, there may be exceptions to this based on a student's individual experience, but since the personal essay is the main place in the application where the student can really allow their voice to be heard and share insight into who they are as an individual, there are likely many other topics they can choose to write about that are more distinctive and unique than COVID-19," Miller says.

Opinions among admissions experts vary on whether to write about the likely popular topic of the pandemic.

"If your essay communicates something positive, unique, and compelling about you in an interesting and eloquent way, go for it," Carolyn Pippen, principal college admissions counselor at IvyWise, wrote in an email. She adds that students shouldn't be dissuaded from writing about a topic merely because it's common, noting that "topics are bound to repeat, no matter how hard we try to avoid it."

Above all, she urges honesty.

"If your experience within the context of the pandemic has been truly unique, then write about that experience, and the standing out will take care of itself," Pippen says. "If your experience has been generally the same as most other students in your context, then trying to find a unique angle can easily cross the line into exploiting a tragedy, or at least appearing as though you have."

But focusing entirely on the pandemic can limit a student to a single story and narrow who they are in an application, Sawyer says. "There are so many wonderful possibilities for what you can say about yourself outside of your experience within the pandemic."

He notes that passions, strengths, career interests and personal identity are among the multitude of essay topic options available to applicants and encourages them to probe their values to help determine the topic that matters most to them – and write about it.

That doesn't mean the pandemic experience has to be ignored if applicants feel the need to write about it.

Writing About Coronavirus in Main and Supplemental Essays

Students can choose to write a full-length college essay on the coronavirus or summarize their experience in a shorter form.

To help students explain how the pandemic affected them, The Common App has added an optional section to address this topic. Applicants have 250 words to describe their pandemic experience and the personal and academic impact of COVID-19.

"That's not a trick question, and there's no right or wrong answer," Alexander says. Colleges want to know, he adds, how students navigated the pandemic, how they prioritized their time, what responsibilities they took on and what they learned along the way.

If students can distill all of the above information into 250 words, there's likely no need to write about it in a full-length college essay, experts say. And applicants whose lives were not heavily altered by the pandemic may even choose to skip the optional COVID-19 question.

"This space is best used to discuss hardship and/or significant challenges that the student and/or the student's family experienced as a result of COVID-19 and how they have responded to those difficulties," Miller notes. Using the section to acknowledge a lack of impact, she adds, "could be perceived as trite and lacking insight, despite the good intentions of the applicant."

To guard against this lack of awareness, Sawyer encourages students to tap someone they trust to review their writing , whether it's the 250-word Common App response or the full-length essay.

Experts tend to agree that the short-form approach to this as an essay topic works better, but there are exceptions. And if a student does have a coronavirus story that he or she feels must be told, Alexander encourages the writer to be authentic in the essay.

"My advice for an essay about COVID-19 is the same as my advice about an essay for any topic – and that is, don't write what you think we want to read or hear," Alexander says. "Write what really changed you and that story that now is yours and yours alone to tell."

Sawyer urges students to ask themselves, "What's the sentence that only I can write?" He also encourages students to remember that the pandemic is only a chapter of their lives and not the whole book.

Miller, who cautions against writing a full-length essay on the coronavirus, says that if students choose to do so they should have a conversation with their high school counselor about whether that's the right move. And if students choose to proceed with COVID-19 as a topic, she says they need to be clear, detailed and insightful about what they learned and how they adapted along the way.

"Approaching the essay in this manner will provide important balance while demonstrating personal growth and vulnerability," Miller says.

Pippen encourages students to remember that they are in an unprecedented time for college admissions.

"It is important to keep in mind with all of these (admission) factors that no colleges have ever had to consider them this way in the selection process, if at all," Pippen says. "They have had very little time to calibrate their evaluations of different application components within their offices, let alone across institutions. This means that colleges will all be handling the admissions process a little bit differently, and their approaches may even evolve over the course of the admissions cycle."

Searching for a college? Get our complete rankings of Best Colleges.

10 Ways to Discover College Essay Ideas

Tags: students , colleges , college admissions , college applications , college search , Coronavirus

2025 Best Colleges

Search for your perfect fit with the U.S. News rankings of colleges and universities.

College Admissions: Get a Step Ahead!

Sign up to receive the latest updates from U.S. News & World Report and our trusted partners and sponsors. By clicking submit, you are agreeing to our Terms and Conditions & Privacy Policy .

Ask an Alum: Making the Most Out of College

How to Make a College List

Cole Claybourn Nov. 6, 2024

Weighing LSAT Test Prep Options

Gabriel Kuris Nov. 4, 2024

Data Privacy Tips for College Students

Cole Claybourn Nov. 4, 2024

Preparing for Your First Job Post-Grad

Sarah Wood Oct. 31, 2024

5 Ways to Decrease Medical School Costs

Anayat Durrani Oct. 31, 2024

Graduate School with Student Loan Debt

A.R. Cabral Oct. 31, 2024

Colleges With Dog Mascots

Helen Lewis Oct. 31, 2024

15 Scholarships to Help Pay for College

Cole Claybourn and Alison Murtagh Oct. 29, 2024

Questions for Med School Social Events

Rachel Rizal Oct. 29, 2024

CBSE Class 10th
CBSE Class 12th
UP Board 10th
UP Board 12th
Bihar Board 10th
Bihar Board 12th

Top Schools

Top Schools in India
Top Schools in Delhi
Top Schools in Mumbai
Top Schools in Chennai
Top Schools in Hyderabad
Top Schools in Kolkata
Top Schools in Pune
Top Schools in Bangalore

Products & Resources

JEE Main Knockout April
Free Sample Papers
Free Ebooks
RD Sharma Solutions
Navodaya Vidyalaya Admission 2024-25

NCERT Study Material

NCERT Notes
NCERT Books
NCERT Syllabus
NCERT Solutions
NCERT Solutions for Class 12
NCERT Solutions for Class 11
NCERT solutions for Class 10
JEE Main Exam
JEE Advanced Exam
BITSAT Exam
View All Engineering Exams
Colleges Accepting B.Tech Applications
Top Engineering Colleges in India
Engineering Colleges in India
Engineering Colleges in Tamil Nadu
Engineering Colleges Accepting JEE Main
Top IITs in India
Top NITs in India
Top IIITs in India
JEE Main College Predictor
JEE Main Rank Predictor
MHT CET College Predictor
AP EAMCET College Predictor
GATE College Predictor
KCET College Predictor
JEE Advanced College Predictor
View All College Predictors
JEE Advanced Cutoff
JEE Main Cutoff
GATE Registration 2025
JEE Main Syllabus 2025
Download E-Books and Sample Papers
Compare Colleges
B.Tech College Applications
JEE Main Question Papers
View All Management Exams

Colleges & Courses

Top MBA Colleges in India
MBA College Admissions
MBA Colleges in India
Top IIMs Colleges in India
Top Online MBA Colleges in India
MBA Colleges Accepting XAT Score
BBA Colleges in India
XAT College Predictor 2025
SNAP College Predictor
NMAT College Predictor
MAT College Predictor 2024
CMAT College Predictor 2025
CAT Percentile Predictor 2024
CAT 2024 College Predictor
Top MBA Entrance Exams 2024
SNAP Registration
GD Topics for MBA
CAT 2024 Admit Card
Download Helpful Ebooks
List of Popular Branches
QnA - Get answers to your doubts
IIM Fees Structure
AIIMS Nursing
Top Medical Colleges in India
Top Medical Colleges in India accepting NEET Score
Medical Colleges accepting NEET
List of Medical Colleges in India
List of AIIMS Colleges In India
Medical Colleges in Maharashtra
Medical Colleges in India Accepting NEET PG
NEET College Predictor
NEET PG College Predictor
NEET MDS College Predictor
NEET Rank Predictor
DNB PDCET College Predictor
NEET Syllabus 2025
NEET Study Material 2024
NEET Cut off
NEET Exam Date 2025
Download Helpful E-books
Colleges Accepting Admissions
Top Law Colleges in India
Law College Accepting CLAT Score
List of Law Colleges in India
Top Law Colleges in Delhi
Top NLUs Colleges in India
Top Law Colleges in Chandigarh
Top Law Collages in Lucknow

Predictors & E-Books

CLAT College Predictor
MHCET Law ( 5 Year L.L.B) College Predictor
AILET College Predictor
Sample Papers
Compare Law Collages
Careers360 Youtube Channel
CLAT Syllabus 2025
Free CLAT Practice Test
NID DAT Exam
Pearl Academy Exam
UID DAT 2025

Predictors & Articles

NIFT College Predictor
UCEED College Predictor
NID DAT College Predictor
NID DAT 2025
NID DAT Syllabus 2025
Design Colleges in India
Top NIFT Colleges in India
Fashion Design Colleges in India
Top Interior Design Colleges in India
Top Graphic Designing Colleges in India
Fashion Design Colleges in Delhi
Fashion Design Colleges in Mumbai
Top Interior Design Colleges in Bangalore
NIFT Cutoff
NIFT Fees Structure
NIFT Syllabus 2025
Free Design E-books
List of Branches
Careers360 Youtube channel
IPU CET BJMC 2024
JMI Mass Communication Entrance Exam 2024
IIMC Entrance Exam 2024
MICAT Exam 2025
Media & Journalism colleges in Delhi
Media & Journalism colleges in Bangalore
Media & Journalism colleges in Mumbai
List of Media & Journalism Colleges in India
CA Intermediate
CA Foundation
CS Executive
CS Professional
Difference between CA and CS
Difference between CA and CMA
CA Full form
CMA Full form
CS Full form
CA Salary In India

Top Courses & Careers

Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com)
Master of Commerce (M.Com)
Company Secretary
Cost Accountant
Charted Accountant
Credit Manager
Financial Advisor
Top Commerce Colleges in India
Top Government Commerce Colleges in India
Top Private Commerce Colleges in India
Top M.Com Colleges in Mumbai
Top B.Com Colleges in India
IT Colleges in Tamil Nadu
IT Colleges in Uttar Pradesh
MCA Colleges in India
BCA Colleges in India

Diploma Colleges

Top Diploma Colleges in Maharashtra
UPSC IAS 2024
SSC CGL 2024
IBPS RRB 2024
Previous Year Sample Papers
Free Competition E-books
Sarkari Result
QnA- Get your doubts answered
UPSC Previous Year Sample Papers
CTET Previous Year Sample Papers
SBI Clerk Previous Year Sample Papers
NDA Previous Year Sample Papers

Upcoming Events

NDA 2 Admit card 2024
SSC CGL Admit card 2024
CDS 2 Admit card 2024
UGC NET Admit card 2024
HP TET Result 2024
SSC CHSL Result 2024
UPTET Notification 2024
SBI PO Notification 2024

Other Exams

SSC CHSL 2024
UP PCS 2024
UGC NET 2024
RRB NTPC 2024
IBPS PO 2024
IBPS Clerk 2024
IBPS SO 2024
Top University in USA
Top University in Canada
Top University in Ireland
Top Universities in UK
Top Universities in Australia
Best MBA Colleges in Abroad
Business Management Studies Colleges

Top Countries

Study in USA
Study in UK
Study in Canada
Study in Australia
Study in Ireland
Study in Germany
Study in China
Study in Europe

Student Visas

Student Visa Canada
Student Visa UK
Student Visa USA
Student Visa Australia
Student Visa Germany
Student Visa New Zealand
Student Visa Ireland
CUET PG 2025
UP B.Ed JEE 2024
TS EDCET Exam
IIT JAM 2025
AP PGCET Exam
Universities in India
Top Universities in India 2024
Top Colleges in India
Top Universities in Uttar Pradesh 2024
Top Universities in Bihar
Top Universities in Madhya Pradesh 2024
Top Universities in Tamil Nadu 2024
Central Universities in India
CUET DU Cut off 2024
IGNOU Date Sheet 2024
CUET DU CSAS Portal 2024
CUET 2025 Syllabus
CUET PG Syllabus 2025
CUET Participating Universities 2025
CUET Previous Year Question Paper
IGNOU Result 2024
E-Books and Sample Papers
CUET College Predictor 2025
CUET Exam Date 2025
CUET Appliaction Form 2024
CUET PG Exam Date 2025
IGNOU Exam Form 2024
CUET Syllabus
CUET Counselling 2025

Engineering Preparation

Knockout JEE Main 2024
Test Series JEE Main 2024
JEE Main 2024 Rank Booster

Medical Preparation

Knockout NEET 2024
Test Series NEET 2024
Rank Booster NEET 2024

Online Courses

JEE Main One Month Course
NEET One Month Course
IBSAT Free Mock Tests
IIT JEE Foundation Course
Knockout BITSAT 2024
Career Guidance Tool

Top Streams

IT & Software Certification Courses
Engineering and Architecture Certification Courses
Programming And Development Certification Courses
Business and Management Certification Courses
Marketing Certification Courses
Health and Fitness Certification Courses
Design Certification Courses

Specializations

Digital Marketing Certification Courses
Cyber Security Certification Courses
Artificial Intelligence Certification Courses
Business Analytics Certification Courses
Data Science Certification Courses
Cloud Computing Certification Courses
Machine Learning Certification Courses
View All Certification Courses
UG Degree Courses
PG Degree Courses
Short Term Courses
Free Courses
Online Degrees and Diplomas
Compare Courses

Top Providers

Coursera Courses
Udemy Courses
Edx Courses
Swayam Courses
upGrad Courses
Simplilearn Courses
Great Learning Courses

Covid 19 Essay in English

Essay on Covid -19: In a very short amount of time, coronavirus has spread globally. It has had an enormous impact on people's lives, economy, and societies all around the world, affecting every country. Governments have had to take severe measures to try and contain the pandemic. The virus has altered our way of life in many ways, including its effects on our health and our economy. Here are a few sample essays on ‘CoronaVirus’.

10 Lines on Covid 19

100 words essay on covid 19, 200 words essay on covid 19, 500 words essay on covid 19.

COVID-19 was first identified in Wuhan, China in December 2019.
It is a novel coronavirus that spreads through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks.
The common symptoms of COVID 19 include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and loss of taste or smell.
Various vaccines such as Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca were developed to reduce the spread of coronavirus.
It caused millions of deaths worldwide and also led to economic disruptions. It affected many industries and global supply chains.
Due to coronavirus, the government implemented lockdowns and restricted travelling.
Many affected citizens were quarantined to prevent the virus from spreading.
Schools and colleges were closed. However, online classes were started but due to bad network it affected many students.
Hospitals were flooded with patients suffering from virus.
The virus led to a general feeling of anxiety and uncertainty, as people became more aware and fearful of contracting the disease.

COVID-19 or Corona Virus is a novel coronavirus that was first identified in 2019. It is similar to other coronaviruses, such as SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, but it is more contagious and has caused more severe respiratory illness in people who have been infected. The novel coronavirus became a global pandemic in a very short period of time. It has affected lives, economies and societies across the world, leaving no country untouched. The virus has caused governments to take drastic measures to try and contain it. From health implications to economic and social ramifications, COVID-19 impacted every part of our lives. It has been more than 2 years since the pandemic hit and the world is still recovering from its effects.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the world has been impacted in a number of ways. For one, the global economy has taken a hit as businesses have been forced to close their doors. This has led to widespread job losses and an increase in poverty levels around the world. Additionally, countries have had to impose strict travel restrictions in an attempt to contain the virus, which has resulted in a decrease in tourism and international trade. Furthermore, the pandemic has put immense pressure on healthcare systems globally, as hospitals have been overwhelmed with patients suffering from the virus. Lastly, the outbreak has led to a general feeling of anxiety and uncertainty, as people are fearful of contracting the disease.

My Experience of COVID-19

I still remember how abruptly colleges and schools shut down in March 2020. I was a college student at that time and I was under the impression that everything would go back to normal in a few weeks. I could not have been more wrong. The situation only got worse every week and the government had to impose a lockdown. There were so many restrictions in place. For example, we had to wear face masks whenever we left the house, and we could only go out for essential errands. Restaurants and shops were only allowed to operate at take-out capacity, and many businesses were shut down.

In the current scenario, coronavirus is dominating all aspects of our lives. The coronavirus pandemic has wreaked havoc upon people’s lives, altering the way we live and work in a very short amount of time. It has revolutionised how we think about health care, education, and even social interaction. This virus has had long-term implications on our society, including its impact on mental health, economic stability, and global politics. But we as individuals can help to mitigate these effects by taking personal responsibility to protect themselves and those around them from infection.

Effects of CoronaVirus on Education

The outbreak of coronavirus has had a significant impact on education systems around the world. In China, where the virus originated, all schools and universities were closed for several weeks in an effort to contain the spread of the disease. Many other countries have followed suit, either closing schools altogether or suspending classes for a period of time.

This has resulted in a major disruption to the education of millions of students. Some have been able to continue their studies online, but many have not had access to the internet or have not been able to afford the costs associated with it. This has led to a widening of the digital divide between those who can afford to continue their education online and those who cannot.

The closure of schools has also had a negative impact on the mental health of many students. With no face-to-face contact with friends and teachers, some students have felt isolated and anxious. This has been compounded by the worry and uncertainty surrounding the virus itself.

The situation with coronavirus has improved and schools have been reopened but students are still catching up with the gap of 2 years that the pandemic created. In the meantime, governments and educational institutions are working together to find ways to support students and ensure that they are able to continue their education despite these difficult circumstances.

Effects of CoronaVirus on Economy

The outbreak of the coronavirus has had a significant impact on the global economy. The virus, which originated in China, has spread to over two hundred countries, resulting in widespread panic and a decrease in global trade. As a result of the outbreak, many businesses have been forced to close their doors, leading to a rise in unemployment. In addition, the stock market has taken a severe hit.

Effects of CoronaVirus on Health

The effects that coronavirus has on one's health are still being studied and researched as the virus continues to spread throughout the world. However, some of the potential effects on health that have been observed thus far include respiratory problems, fever, and coughing. In severe cases, pneumonia, kidney failure, and death can occur. It is important for people who think they may have been exposed to the virus to seek medical attention immediately so that they can be treated properly and avoid any serious complications. There is no specific cure or treatment for coronavirus at this time, but there are ways to help ease symptoms and prevent the virus from spreading.

2-Minute Speech on COVID-19 for Students
Speech on Online Education
2-Minute Speech on Environment

Applications for Admissions are open.

VMC VIQ Scholarship Test

JEE Main Important Physics formulas

As per latest 2024 syllabus. Physics formulas, equations, & laws of class 11 & 12th chapters

JEE Main Important Chemistry formulas

As per latest 2024 syllabus. Chemistry formulas, equations, & laws of class 11 & 12th chapters

TOEFL ® Registrations 2024

Accepted by more than 11,000 universities in over 150 countries worldwide

Pearson | PTE

Register now for PTE & Unlock 20% OFF : Use promo code: 'C360SPL20'. Valid till 30th NOV'24! Trusted by 3,500+ universities globally

JEE Main high scoring chapters and topics

As per latest 2024 syllabus. Study 40% syllabus and score upto 100% marks in JEE

Download Careers360 App

All this at the convenience of your phone.

Regular Exam Updates

Best College Recommendations

College & Rank predictors

Detailed Books and Sample Papers

Question and Answers

Scan and download the app

Writing about COVID-19 in a college admission essay

by: Venkates Swaminathan | Updated: September 14, 2020

Print article

Writing about COVID-19 in your college admission essay

For students applying to college using the CommonApp, there are several different places where students and counselors can address the pandemic’s impact. The different sections have differing goals. You must understand how to use each section for its appropriate use.

The CommonApp COVID-19 question

First, the CommonApp this year has an additional question specifically about COVID-19 :

Community disruptions such as COVID-19 and natural disasters can have deep and long-lasting impacts. If you need it, this space is yours to describe those impacts. Colleges care about the effects on your health and well-being, safety, family circumstances, future plans, and education, including access to reliable technology and quiet study spaces. Please use this space to describe how these events have impacted you.

This question seeks to understand the adversity that students may have had to face due to the pandemic, the move to online education, or the shelter-in-place rules. You don’t have to answer this question if the impact on you wasn’t particularly severe. Some examples of things students should discuss include:

The student or a family member had COVID-19 or suffered other illnesses due to confinement during the pandemic.
The candidate had to deal with personal or family issues, such as abusive living situations or other safety concerns
The student suffered from a lack of internet access and other online learning challenges.
Students who dealt with problems registering for or taking standardized tests and AP exams.

Jeff Schiffman of the Tulane University admissions office has a blog about this section. He recommends students ask themselves several questions as they go about answering this section:

Are my experiences different from others’?
Are there noticeable changes on my transcript?
Am I aware of my privilege?
Am I specific? Am I explaining rather than complaining?
Is this information being included elsewhere on my application?

If you do answer this section, be brief and to-the-point.

Counselor recommendations and school profiles

Second, counselors will, in their counselor forms and school profiles on the CommonApp, address how the school handled the pandemic and how it might have affected students, specifically as it relates to:

Grading scales and policies
Graduation requirements
Instructional methods
Schedules and course offerings
Testing requirements
Your academic calendar
Other extenuating circumstances

Students don’t have to mention these matters in their application unless something unusual happened.

Writing about COVID-19 in your main essay

Write about your experiences during the pandemic in your main college essay if your experience is personal, relevant, and the most important thing to discuss in your college admission essay. That you had to stay home and study online isn’t sufficient, as millions of other students faced the same situation. But sometimes, it can be appropriate and helpful to write about something related to the pandemic in your essay. For example:

One student developed a website for a local comic book store. The store might not have survived without the ability for people to order comic books online. The student had a long-standing relationship with the store, and it was an institution that created a community for students who otherwise felt left out.
One student started a YouTube channel to help other students with academic subjects he was very familiar with and began tutoring others.
Some students used their extra time that was the result of the stay-at-home orders to take online courses pursuing topics they are genuinely interested in or developing new interests, like a foreign language or music.

Experiences like this can be good topics for the CommonApp essay as long as they reflect something genuinely important about the student. For many students whose lives have been shaped by this pandemic, it can be a critical part of their college application.

Want more? Read 6 ways to improve a college essay , What the &%$! should I write about in my college essay , and Just how important is a college admissions essay? .

Homes Nearby

Homes for rent and sale near schools

Why the worry about Critical Race Theory in schools?

How our schools are (and aren't) addressing race

The truth about homework in America

What should I write my college essay about?

What the #%@!& should I write about in my college essay?

Yes! Sign me up for updates relevant to my child's grade.

Please enter a valid email address

Thank you for signing up!

Server Issue: Please try again later. Sorry for the inconvenience

I Thought We’d Learned Nothing From the Pandemic. I Wasn’t Seeing the Full Picture

M y first home had a back door that opened to a concrete patio with a giant crack down the middle. When my sister and I played, I made sure to stay on the same side of the divide as her, just in case. The 1988 film The Land Before Time was one of the first movies I ever saw, and the image of the earth splintering into pieces planted its roots in my brain. I believed that, even in my own backyard, I could easily become the tiny Triceratops separated from her family, on the other side of the chasm, as everything crumbled into chaos.

Some 30 years later, I marvel at the eerie, unexpected ways that cartoonish nightmare came to life – not just for me and my family, but for all of us. The landscape was already covered in fissures well before COVID-19 made its way across the planet, but the pandemic applied pressure, and the cracks broke wide open, separating us from each other physically and ideologically. Under the weight of the crisis, we scattered and landed on such different patches of earth we could barely see each other’s faces, even when we squinted. We disagreed viciously with each other, about how to respond, but also about what was true.

Recently, someone asked me if we’ve learned anything from the pandemic, and my first thought was a flat no. Nothing. There was a time when I thought it would be the very thing to draw us together and catapult us – as a capital “S” Society – into a kinder future. It’s surreal to remember those early days when people rallied together, sewing masks for health care workers during critical shortages and gathering on balconies in cities from Dallas to New York City to clap and sing songs like “Yellow Submarine.” It felt like a giant lightning bolt shot across the sky, and for one breath, we all saw something that had been hidden in the dark – the inherent vulnerability in being human or maybe our inescapable connectedness .

More from TIME

Read More: The Family Time the Pandemic Stole

But it turns out, it was just a flash. The goodwill vanished as quickly as it appeared. A couple of years later, people feel lied to, abandoned, and all on their own. I’ve felt my own curiosity shrinking, my willingness to reach out waning , my ability to keep my hands open dwindling. I look out across the landscape and see selfishness and rage, burnt earth and so many dead bodies. Game over. We lost. And if we’ve already lost, why try?

Still, the question kept nagging me. I wondered, am I seeing the full picture? What happens when we focus not on the collective society but at one face, one story at a time? I’m not asking for a bow to minimize the suffering – a pretty flourish to put on top and make the whole thing “worth it.” Yuck. That’s not what we need. But I wondered about deep, quiet growth. The kind we feel in our bodies, relationships, homes, places of work, neighborhoods.

Like a walkie-talkie message sent to my allies on the ground, I posted a call on my Instagram. What do you see? What do you hear? What feels possible? Is there life out here? Sprouting up among the rubble? I heard human voices calling back – reports of life, personal and specific. I heard one story at a time – stories of grief and distrust, fury and disappointment. Also gratitude. Discovery. Determination.

Among the most prevalent were the stories of self-revelation. Almost as if machines were given the chance to live as humans, people described blossoming into fuller selves. They listened to their bodies’ cues, recognized their desires and comforts, tuned into their gut instincts, and honored the intuition they hadn’t realized belonged to them. Alex, a writer and fellow disabled parent, found the freedom to explore a fuller version of herself in the privacy the pandemic provided. “The way I dress, the way I love, and the way I carry myself have both shrunk and expanded,” she shared. “I don’t love myself very well with an audience.” Without the daily ritual of trying to pass as “normal” in public, Tamar, a queer mom in the Netherlands, realized she’s autistic. “I think the pandemic helped me to recognize the mask,” she wrote. “Not that unmasking is easy now. But at least I know it’s there.” In a time of widespread suffering that none of us could solve on our own, many tended to our internal wounds and misalignments, large and small, and found clarity.

Read More: A Tool for Staying Grounded in This Era of Constant Uncertainty

I wonder if this flourishing of self-awareness is at least partially responsible for the life alterations people pursued. The pandemic broke open our personal notions of work and pushed us to reevaluate things like time and money. Lucy, a disabled writer in the U.K., made the hard decision to leave her job as a journalist covering Westminster to write freelance about her beloved disability community. “This work feels important in a way nothing else has ever felt,” she wrote. “I don’t think I’d have realized this was what I should be doing without the pandemic.” And she wasn’t alone – many people changed jobs , moved, learned new skills and hobbies, became politically engaged.

Perhaps more than any other shifts, people described a significant reassessment of their relationships. They set boundaries, said no, had challenging conversations. They also reconnected, fell in love, and learned to trust. Jeanne, a quilter in Indiana, got to know relatives she wouldn’t have connected with if lockdowns hadn’t prompted weekly family Zooms. “We are all over the map as regards to our belief systems,” she emphasized, “but it is possible to love people you don’t see eye to eye with on every issue.” Anna, an anti-violence advocate in Maine, learned she could trust her new marriage: “Life was not a honeymoon. But we still chose to turn to each other with kindness and curiosity.” So many bonds forged and broken, strengthened and strained.

Instead of relying on default relationships or institutional structures, widespread recalibrations allowed for going off script and fortifying smaller communities. Mara from Idyllwild, Calif., described the tangible plan for care enacted in her town. “We started a mutual-aid group at the beginning of the pandemic,” she wrote, “and it grew so quickly before we knew it we were feeding 400 of the 4000 residents.” She didn’t pretend the conditions were ideal. In fact, she expressed immense frustration with our collective response to the pandemic. Even so, the local group rallied and continues to offer assistance to their community with help from donations and volunteers (many of whom were originally on the receiving end of support). “I’ve learned that people thrive when they feel their connection to others,” she wrote. Clare, a teacher from the U.K., voiced similar conviction as she described a giant scarf she’s woven out of ribbons, each representing a single person. The scarf is “a collection of stories, moments and wisdom we are sharing with each other,” she wrote. It now stretches well over 1,000 feet.

A few hours into reading the comments, I lay back on my bed, phone held against my chest. The room was quiet, but my internal world was lighting up with firefly flickers. What felt different? Surely part of it was receiving personal accounts of deep-rooted growth. And also, there was something to the mere act of asking and listening. Maybe it connected me to humans before battle cries. Maybe it was the chance to be in conversation with others who were also trying to understand – what is happening to us? Underneath it all, an undeniable thread remained; I saw people peering into the mess and narrating their findings onto the shared frequency. Every comment was like a flare into the sky. I’m here! And if the sky is full of flares, we aren’t alone.

I recognized my own pandemic discoveries – some minor, others massive. Like washing off thick eyeliner and mascara every night is more effort than it’s worth; I can transform the mundane into the magical with a bedsheet, a movie projector, and twinkle lights; my paralyzed body can mother an infant in ways I’d never seen modeled for me. I remembered disappointing, bewildering conversations within my own family of origin and our imperfect attempts to remain close while also seeing things so differently. I realized that every time I get the weekly invite to my virtual “Find the Mumsies” call, with a tiny group of moms living hundreds of miles apart, I’m being welcomed into a pocket of unexpected community. Even though we’ve never been in one room all together, I’ve felt an uncommon kind of solace in their now-familiar faces.

Hope is a slippery thing. I desperately want to hold onto it, but everywhere I look there are real, weighty reasons to despair. The pandemic marks a stretch on the timeline that tangles with a teetering democracy, a deteriorating planet , the loss of human rights that once felt unshakable . When the world is falling apart Land Before Time style, it can feel trite, sniffing out the beauty – useless, firing off flares to anyone looking for signs of life. But, while I’m under no delusions that if we just keep trudging forward we’ll find our own oasis of waterfalls and grassy meadows glistening in the sunshine beneath a heavenly chorus, I wonder if trivializing small acts of beauty, connection, and hope actually cuts us off from resources essential to our survival. The group of abandoned dinosaurs were keeping each other alive and making each other laugh well before they made it to their fantasy ending.

Read More: How Ice Cream Became My Own Personal Act of Resistance

After the monarch butterfly went on the endangered-species list, my friend and fellow writer Hannah Soyer sent me wildflower seeds to plant in my yard. A simple act of big hope – that I will actually plant them, that they will grow, that a monarch butterfly will receive nourishment from whatever blossoms are able to push their way through the dirt. There are so many ways that could fail. But maybe the outcome wasn’t exactly the point. Maybe hope is the dogged insistence – the stubborn defiance – to continue cultivating moments of beauty regardless. There is value in the planting apart from the harvest.

I can’t point out a single collective lesson from the pandemic. It’s hard to see any great “we.” Still, I see the faces in my moms’ group, making pancakes for their kids and popping on between strings of meetings while we try to figure out how to raise these small people in this chaotic world. I think of my friends on Instagram tending to the selves they discovered when no one was watching and the scarf of ribbons stretching the length of more than three football fields. I remember my family of three, holding hands on the way up the ramp to the library. These bits of growth and rings of support might not be loud or right on the surface, but that’s not the same thing as nothing. If we only cared about the bottom-line defeats or sweeping successes of the big picture, we’d never plant flowers at all.

More Must-Reads from TIME

How Donald Trump Won
The Best Inventions of 2024
Why Sleep Is the Key to Living Longer
How to Break 8 Toxic Communication Habits
Nicola Coughlan Bet on Herself—And Won
What It’s Like to Have Long COVID As a Kid
22 Essential Works of Indigenous Cinema
Meet TIME's Newest Class of Next Generation Leaders

Today's news
Reviews and deals
Climate change
2024 election
Newsletters
Fall allergies
Health news
Mental health
Sexual health
Family health
So mini ways
Unapologetically
Buying guides

Entertainment

How to Watch
My watchlist
Stock market
Biden economy
Personal finance
Stocks: most active
Stocks: gainers
Stocks: losers
Trending tickers
World indices
US Treasury bonds
Top mutual funds
Highest open interest
Highest implied volatility
Currency converter
Basic materials
Communication services
Consumer cyclical
Consumer defensive
Financial services
Industrials
Real estate
Mutual funds
Credit cards
Balance transfer cards
Cash back cards
Rewards cards
Travel cards
Online checking
High-yield savings
Money market
Home equity loan
Personal loans
Student loans
Options pit
Fantasy football
Pro Pick 'Em
College Pick 'Em
Fantasy baseball
Fantasy hockey
Fantasy basketball
Download the app
Daily fantasy
Scores and schedules
GameChannel
World Baseball Classic
Premier League
CONCACAF League
Champions League
Motorsports
Horse racing

New on Yahoo

Privacy Dashboard

How to Write About the Impact of the Coronavirus in a College Essay

Colleges must examine applicants without the aid of standardized test scores for many -- a factor that prompted many schools to go test-optional for now . Even grades, a significant component of a college application, may be hard to interpret with some high schools adopting pass-fail classes last spring due to the pandemic. Major college admissions factors are suddenly skewed.

"I can't help but think other (admissions) factors are going to matter more," says Ethan Sawyer, founder of the College Essay Guy, a website that offers free and paid essay-writing resources.

[ Read: How to Write a College Essay. ]

But before writing a college essay focused on the coronavirus, students should explore whether it's the best topic for them.

Writing About COVID-19 for a College Application

That question, Alexander says, is what colleges want answered if students choose to address COVID-19 in their college essay.

But the question of whether a student should write about the coronavirus is tricky. The answer depends largely on the student.

[ Read: What Colleges Look for: 6 Ways to Stand Out. ]

Opinions among admissions experts vary on whether to write about the likely popular topic of the pandemic.

Above all, she urges honesty.

That doesn't mean the pandemic experience has to be ignored if applicants feel the need to write about it.

Writing About Coronavirus in Main and Supplemental Essays

Students can choose to write a full-length college essay on the coronavirus or summarize their experience in a shorter form.

[ Read: The Common App: Everything You Need to Know. ]

To guard against this lack of awareness, Sawyer encourages students to tap someone they trust to review their writing , whether it's the 250-word Common App response or the full-length essay.

"My advice for an essay about COVID-19 is the same as my advice about an essay for any topic -- and that is, don't write what you think we want to read or hear," Alexander says. "Write what really changed you and that story that now is yours and yours alone to tell."

"Approaching the essay in this manner will provide important balance while demonstrating personal growth and vulnerability," Miller says.

Pippen encourages students to remember that they are in an unprecedented time for college admissions.

Searching for a college? Get our complete rankings of Best Colleges.

Georgia coach Kirby Smart rips safety Jake Pope for celebrating with Ole Miss fans after loss: ‘What an idiot’

Jake Pope was seen jumping around with fans on the field after Georgia fell to Ole Miss in Oxford on Saturday.

Former NFL coach Jack Del Rio resigns as Wisconsin senior adviser following arrest on OWI charge

The former NFL coach was working in college football for the first time as a senior adviser with Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell.

NASCAR championship race briefly stopped after pace car crashes into sand barrels

We are not making this up.

2024 MLB awards finalists headlined by Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge, Paul Skenes

There were few surprises among the finalists for MLB's end-of-season awards, led by Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge and Paul Skenes.

WWE Raw results, highlights (Nov. 11): Seth Rollins is a wanted man, Gunther backs down from Damian Priest

We're on the road to Survivor Series and Seth Rollins is finding himself pulled in multiple directions ahead of the big annual PLE.

Biden's worst gamble? Backing student debt forgiveness

Fifty-seven percent of 2024 voters were non-college grads. They can rightly ask, what did Joe Biden or Kamala Harris do for me?

Men's basketball AP poll: Kansas survives UNC to stay No. 1 as Houston, Baylor tumble

Auburn jumped to No. 5 after knocking off Houston following an incident on their team flight to Texas.

Here’s how often you should actually be washing your hair, according to experts

There are a lot of myths out there when it comes to washing your hair. It's time to set the record straight.

NASCAR: Denny Hamlin posts thank you to FedEx as longtime sponsor is reportedly 'not expected' back

FedEx has been a sponsor of Joe Gibbs Racing since 2005.

Week 11 waiver wire pickups + Panic Meter: Malik Nabers, Bears WRs, Justin Jefferson | Yahoo Fantasy Forecast

Week 10 is in the books and oh my there's a lot of panic on these fantasy streets. Dalton Del Don joins Matt Harmon for another edition of the 'People's Panic Meter' to answer all of your listener submissions. The duo examines the situations for Malik Nabers, Chicago Bears, Justin Jefferson and many more.

Jay Powell says Donald Trump couldn't fire him even if he tried

President-elect Donald Trump has sent mixed signals for years on whether he would fire or demote Jerome Powell. But Powell made it clear Thursday that he won’t be going anywhere even if Trump tried.

3 moves Biden could make as a lame-duck president

Biden might want to crimp Iranian and Russian oil revenue once he doesn't have to worry so much about gasoline prices at home.

DJT stock sinks by double digits to reverse gains after Trump election win

Trump Media & Technology Group stock reversed the gains it enjoyed on Wednesday as Donald Trump clinched victory over Kamala Harris in the presidential election.

Inflation and retail sales data greet a roaring stock market rally: What to know this week

A key inflation reading is set to greet investors amid a roaring post-election rally in markets.

Where do Lionel Messi and Inter Miami go from here?

Inter Miami heads into a pivotal 2025 season with a Club World Cup spot, potential roster upgrades hindered by MLS restrictions, and the ticking question of whether Messi will stay beyond his current contract.

'No muffin top': 16,000+ shoppers rave about these undies and a 5-pack is down to $15

The secret sauce? A stretchy, extra-wide waistband that devotees say smooths them out while staying put.

Amazon's snow boots are 'like wearing a blanket' — and they're down to $40

These toasty kicks are insulated with wool-like fleece and are water-resistant.

MLB GM Meetings: Latest buzz on Juan Soto, Roki Sasaki, Teoscar Hernández and more

The GM Meetings kicked off the hot stove season this week in San Antonio.

Hurricane Rafael tracker: Category 2 storm churns in the Gulf of Mexico

Rafael remains a "powerful compact hurricane" as it slowly churns in the central Gulf of Mexico, the National Hurricane Center says.

Now Available on Whatsapp:

+1 (888) 687-4420

Online 24/7

College Essay
Argumentative Essay
Expository Essay
Narrative Essay
Descriptive Essay
Scholarship Essay
Admission Essay
Reflective Essay
Nursing Essay
Economics Essay

Assignments

Term Papers
Research Papers
Case Studies
Dissertation
Presentation
Editing Help
Cheap Essay Writing
How to Order

Persuasive Essay Guide

Persuasive Essay About Covid19

How to Write a Persuasive Essay About Covid19 | Examples & Tips

14 min read

Steps to Write a Persuasive Essay About Covid-19

Here are the steps to help you write a persuasive essay on this topic, along with an example essay:

Step 1: Choose a Specific Thesis Statement

Your thesis statement should clearly state your position on a specific aspect of COVID-19. It should be debatable and clear. For example:

Step 2: Research and Gather Information

Collect reliable and up-to-date information from reputable sources to support your thesis statement. This may include statistics, expert opinions, and scientific studies. For instance:

COVID-19 vaccination effectiveness data
Information on vaccine mandates in different countries
Expert statements from health organizations like the WHO or CDC

Step 3: Outline Your Essay

Create a clear and organized outline to structure your essay. A persuasive essay typically follows this structure:

Introduction
Background Information
Body Paragraphs (with supporting evidence)
Counterarguments (addressing opposing views)

Step 4: Write the Introduction

In the introduction, grab your reader's attention and present your thesis statement. For example:

Step 5: Provide Background Information

Offer context and background information to help your readers understand the issue better. For instance:

Step 6: Develop Body Paragraphs

Each body paragraph should present a single point or piece of evidence that supports your thesis statement. Use clear topic sentences , evidence, and analysis. Here's an example:

Step 7: Address Counterarguments

Acknowledge opposing viewpoints and refute them with strong counterarguments. This demonstrates that you've considered different perspectives. For example:

Step 8: Write the Conclusion

Summarize your main points and restate your thesis statement in the conclusion. End with a strong call to action or thought-provoking statement. For instance:

Step 9: Revise and Proofread

Edit your essay for clarity, coherence, grammar, and spelling errors. Ensure that your argument flows logically.

Step 10: Cite Your Sources

Include proper citations and a bibliography page to give credit to your sources.

Remember to adjust your approach and arguments based on your target audience and the specific angle you want to take in your persuasive essay about COVID-19.

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That's our Job!

Examples of Persuasive Essay About COVID-19

When writing a persuasive essay about the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s important to consider how you want to present your argument. To help you get started, here are some example essays for you to read:

Here is another example explaining How COVID-19 has changed our lives essay:

Let’s look at another sample essay:

Check out some more PDF examples below:

Persuasive Essay About Covid-19 Pandemic

Sample Of Persuasive Essay About Covid-19

Persuasive Essay About Covid-19 In The Philippines - Example

If you're in search of a compelling persuasive essay on business, don't miss out on our “ persuasive essay about business ” blog!

Examples of Persuasive Essay About COVID-19 Vaccine

Covid19 vaccines are one of the ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19, but they have been a source of controversy. Different sides argue about the benefits or dangers of the new vaccines. Whatever your point of view is, writing a persuasive essay about it is a good way of organizing your thoughts and persuading others.

A persuasive essay about the COVID-19 vaccine could consider the benefits of getting vaccinated as well as the potential side effects.

Below are some examples of persuasive essays on getting vaccinated for Covid-19.

Covid19 Vaccine Persuasive Essay

Persuasive Essay on Covid Vaccines

Interested in thought-provoking discussions on abortion? Read our persuasive essay about abortion blog to eplore arguments!

Examples of Persuasive Essay About COVID-19 Integration

Covid19 has drastically changed the way people interact in schools, markets, and workplaces. In short, it has affected all aspects of life. However, people have started to learn to live with Covid19.

Writing a persuasive essay about it shouldn't be stressful. Read the sample essay below to get an idea for your own essay about Covid19 integration.

Persuasive Essay About Working From Home During Covid19

Searching for the topic of Online Education? Our persuasive essay about online education is a must-read.

Examples of Argumentative Essay About Covid 19

Covid-19 has been an ever-evolving issue, with new developments and discoveries being made on a daily basis.

Writing an argumentative essay about such an issue is both interesting and challenging. It allows you to evaluate different aspects of the pandemic, as well as consider potential solutions.

Here are some examples of argumentative essays on Covid19.

Argumentative Essay About Covid19 Sample

Argumentative Essay About Covid19 With Introduction Body and Conclusion

Looking for a persuasive take on the topic of smoking? You'll find it all related arguments in out Persuasive Essay About Smoking blog!

Examples of Persuasive Speeches About Covid-19

Do you need to prepare a speech about Covid19 and need examples? We have them for you!

Persuasive speeches about Covid-19 can provide the audience with valuable insights on how to best handle the pandemic. They can be used to advocate for specific changes in policies or simply raise awareness about the virus.

Check out some examples of persuasive speeches on Covid-19:

Persuasive Speech About Covid-19 Example

Persuasive Speech About Vaccine For Covid-19

You can also read persuasive essay examples on other topics to master your persuasive techniques!

Tips to Write a Persuasive Essay About Covid-19

Writing a persuasive essay about COVID-19 requires a thoughtful approach to present your arguments effectively.

Here are some tips to help you craft a compelling persuasive essay on this topic:

Choose a Specific Angle: Narrow your focus to a specific aspect of COVID-19, like vaccination or public health measures.
Provide Credible Sources: Support your arguments with reliable sources like scientific studies and government reports.
Use Persuasive Language: Employ ethos, pathos, and logos , and use vivid examples to make your points relatable.
Organize Your Essay: Create a solid persuasive essay outline and ensure a logical flow, with each paragraph focusing on a single point.
Emphasize Benefits: Highlight how your suggestions can improve public health, safety, or well-being.
Use Visuals: Incorporate graphs, charts, and statistics to reinforce your arguments.
Call to Action: End your essay conclusion with a strong call to action, encouraging readers to take a specific step.
Revise and Edit: Proofread for grammar, spelling, and clarity, ensuring smooth writing flow.
Seek Feedback: Have someone else review your essay for valuable insights and improvements.

Tough Essay Due? Hire Tough Writers!

Common Topics for a Persuasive Essay on COVID-19

Here are some persuasive essay topics on COVID-19:

The Importance of Vaccination Mandates for COVID-19 Control
Balancing Public Health and Personal Freedom During a Pandemic
The Economic Impact of Lockdowns vs. Public Health Benefits
The Role of Misinformation in Fueling Vaccine Hesitancy
Remote Learning vs. In-Person Education: What's Best for Students?
The Ethics of Vaccine Distribution: Prioritizing Vulnerable Populations
The Mental Health Crisis Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic
The Long-Term Effects of COVID-19 on Healthcare Systems
Global Cooperation vs. Vaccine Nationalism in Fighting the Pandemic
The Future of Telemedicine: Expanding Healthcare Access Post-COVID-19

In search of more inspiring topics for your next persuasive essay? Our persuasive essay topics blog has plenty of ideas!

To sum it up,

You’ve explored great sample essays and picked up some useful tips. You now have the tools you need to write a persuasive essay about Covid-19. So don’t let doubts hold you back—start writing!

If you’re feeling stuck or need a bit of extra help, don’t worry! MyPerfectWords.com offers a professional persuasive essay writing service that can assist you. Our experienced essay writers are ready to help you craft a well-structured, insightful paper on Covid-19.

Just place your “ do my essay for me ” request today, and let us take care of the rest!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good title for a covid-19 essay.

A good title for a COVID-19 essay should be clear, engaging, and reflective of the essay's content. Examples include:

"The Impact of COVID-19 on Global Health"
"How COVID-19 Has Transformed Our Daily Lives"
"COVID-19: Lessons Learned and Future Implications"

How do I write an informative essay about COVID-19?

To write an informative essay about COVID-19, follow these steps:

Choose a specific focus: Select a particular aspect of COVID-19, such as its transmission, symptoms, or vaccines.
Research thoroughly: Gather information from credible sources like scientific journals and official health organizations.
Organize your content: Structure your essay with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
Present facts clearly: Use clear, concise language to convey information accurately.
Include visuals: Use charts or graphs to illustrate data and make your essay more engaging.

How do I write an expository essay about COVID-19?

To write an expository essay about COVID-19, follow these steps:

Select a clear topic: Focus on a specific question or issue related to COVID-19.
Conduct thorough research: Use reliable sources to gather information.
Create an outline: Organize your essay with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
Explain the topic: Use facts and examples to explain the chosen aspect of COVID-19 in detail.
Maintain objectivity: Present information in a neutral and unbiased manner.
Edit and revise: Proofread your essay for clarity, coherence, and accuracy.

Write Essay Within 60 Seconds!

Caleb S. has been providing writing services for over five years and has a Masters degree from Oxford University. He is an expert in his craft and takes great pride in helping students achieve their academic goals. Caleb is a dedicated professional who always puts his clients first.

Struggling With Your Paper?

Get a custom paper written at

With a FREE Turnitin report, and a 100% money-back guarantee

LIMITED TIME ONLY!

Keep reading

OFFER EXPIRES SOON!

Fearless journalism needs your support now more than ever

Our mission could not be more clear and more necessary: We have a duty to explain what just happened, and why, and what it means for you. We need clear-eyed journalism that helps you understand what really matters. Reporting that brings clarity in increasingly chaotic times. Reporting that is driven by truth, not by what people in power want you to believe.

We rely on readers like you to fund our journalism. Will you support our work and become a Vox Member today?

Read these 12 moving essays about life during coronavirus

Artists, novelists, critics, and essayists are writing the first draft of history.

by Alissa Wilkinson

The world is grappling with an invisible, deadly enemy, trying to understand how to live with the threat posed by a virus . For some writers, the only way forward is to put pen to paper, trying to conceptualize and document what it feels like to continue living as countries are under lockdown and regular life seems to have ground to a halt.

So as the coronavirus pandemic has stretched around the world, it’s sparked a crop of diary entries and essays that describe how life has changed. Novelists, critics, artists, and journalists have put words to the feelings many are experiencing. The result is a first draft of how we’ll someday remember this time, filled with uncertainty and pain and fear as well as small moments of hope and humanity.

The Vox guide to navigating the coronavirus crisis

At the New York Review of Books, Ali Bhutto writes that in Karachi, Pakistan, the government-imposed curfew due to the virus is “eerily reminiscent of past military clampdowns”:

Beneath the quiet calm lies a sense that society has been unhinged and that the usual rules no longer apply. Small groups of pedestrians look on from the shadows, like an audience watching a spectacle slowly unfolding. People pause on street corners and in the shade of trees, under the watchful gaze of the paramilitary forces and the police.

His essay concludes with the sobering note that “in the minds of many, Covid-19 is just another life-threatening hazard in a city that stumbles from one crisis to another.”

Writing from Chattanooga, novelist Jamie Quatro documents the mixed ways her neighbors have been responding to the threat, and the frustration of conflicting direction, or no direction at all, from local, state, and federal leaders:

Whiplash, trying to keep up with who’s ordering what. We’re already experiencing enough chaos without this back-and-forth. Why didn’t the federal government issue a nationwide shelter-in-place at the get-go, the way other countries did? What happens when one state’s shelter-in-place ends, while others continue? Do states still under quarantine close their borders? We are still one nation, not fifty individual countries. Right?

A syllabus for the end of the world

Award-winning photojournalist Alessio Mamo, quarantined with his partner Marta in Sicily after she tested positive for the virus, accompanies his photographs in the Guardian of their confinement with a reflection on being confined :

The doctors asked me to take a second test, but again I tested negative. Perhaps I’m immune? The days dragged on in my apartment, in black and white, like my photos. Sometimes we tried to smile, imagining that I was asymptomatic, because I was the virus. Our smiles seemed to bring good news. My mother left hospital, but I won’t be able to see her for weeks. Marta started breathing well again, and so did I. I would have liked to photograph my country in the midst of this emergency, the battles that the doctors wage on the frontline, the hospitals pushed to their limits, Italy on its knees fighting an invisible enemy. That enemy, a day in March, knocked on my door instead.

In the New York Times Magazine, deputy editor Jessica Lustig writes with devastating clarity about her family’s life in Brooklyn while her husband battled the virus, weeks before most people began taking the threat seriously:

At the door of the clinic, we stand looking out at two older women chatting outside the doorway, oblivious. Do I wave them away? Call out that they should get far away, go home, wash their hands, stay inside? Instead we just stand there, awkwardly, until they move on. Only then do we step outside to begin the long three-block walk home. I point out the early magnolia, the forsythia. T says he is cold. The untrimmed hairs on his neck, under his beard, are white. The few people walking past us on the sidewalk don’t know that we are visitors from the future. A vision, a premonition, a walking visitation. This will be them: Either T, in the mask, or — if they’re lucky — me, tending to him.

Essayist Leslie Jamison writes in the New York Review of Books about being shut away alone in her New York City apartment with her 2-year-old daughter since she became sick:

The virus. Its sinewy, intimate name. What does it feel like in my body today? Shivering under blankets. A hot itch behind the eyes. Three sweatshirts in the middle of the day. My daughter trying to pull another blanket over my body with her tiny arms. An ache in the muscles that somehow makes it hard to lie still. This loss of taste has become a kind of sensory quarantine. It’s as if the quarantine keeps inching closer and closer to my insides. First I lost the touch of other bodies; then I lost the air; now I’ve lost the taste of bananas. Nothing about any of these losses is particularly unique. I’ve made a schedule so I won’t go insane with the toddler. Five days ago, I wrote Walk/Adventure! on it, next to a cut-out illustration of a tiger—as if we’d see tigers on our walks. It was good to keep possibility alive.

At Literary Hub, novelist Heidi Pitlor writes about the elastic nature of time during her family’s quarantine in Massachusetts:

During a shutdown, the things that mark our days—commuting to work, sending our kids to school, having a drink with friends—vanish and time takes on a flat, seamless quality. Without some self-imposed structure, it’s easy to feel a little untethered. A friend recently posted on Facebook: “For those who have lost track, today is Blursday the fortyteenth of Maprilay.” ... Giving shape to time is especially important now, when the future is so shapeless. We do not know whether the virus will continue to rage for weeks or months or, lord help us, on and off for years. We do not know when we will feel safe again. And so many of us, minus those who are gifted at compartmentalization or denial, remain largely captive to fear. We may stay this way if we do not create at least the illusion of movement in our lives, our long days spent with ourselves or partners or families.

What day is it today?

Novelist Lauren Groff writes at the New York Review of Books about trying to escape the prison of her fears while sequestered at home in Gainesville, Florida:

Some people have imaginations sparked only by what they can see; I blame this blinkered empiricism for the parks overwhelmed with people, the bars, until a few nights ago, thickly thronged. My imagination is the opposite. I fear everything invisible to me. From the enclosure of my house, I am afraid of the suffering that isn’t present before me, the people running out of money and food or drowning in the fluid in their lungs, the deaths of health-care workers now growing ill while performing their duties. I fear the federal government, which the right wing has so—intentionally—weakened that not only is it insufficient to help its people, it is actively standing in help’s way. I fear we won’t sufficiently punish the right. I fear leaving the house and spreading the disease. I fear what this time of fear is doing to my children, their imaginations, and their souls.

At ArtForum , Berlin-based critic and writer Kristian Vistrup Madsen reflects on martinis, melancholia, and Finnish artist Jaakko Pallasvuo’s 2018 graphic novel Retreat , in which three young people exile themselves in the woods:

In melancholia, the shape of what is ending, and its temporality, is sprawling and incomprehensible. The ambivalence makes it hard to bear. The world of Retreat is rendered in lush pink and purple watercolors, which dissolve into wild and messy abstractions. In apocalypse, the divisions established in genesis bleed back out. My own Corona-retreat is similarly soft, color-field like, each day a blurred succession of quarantinis, YouTube–yoga, and televized press conferences. As restrictions mount, so does abstraction. For now, I’m still rooting for love to save the world.

At the Paris Review , Matt Levin writes about reading Virginia Woolf’s novel The Waves during quarantine:

A retreat, a quarantine, a sickness—they simultaneously distort and clarify, curtail and expand. It is an ideal state in which to read literature with a reputation for difficulty and inaccessibility, those hermetic books shorn of the handholds of conventional plot or characterization or description. A novel like Virginia Woolf’s The Waves is perfect for the state of interiority induced by quarantine—a story of three men and three women, meeting after the death of a mutual friend, told entirely in the overlapping internal monologues of the six, interspersed only with sections of pure, achingly beautiful descriptions of the natural world, a day’s procession and recession of light and waves. The novel is, in my mind’s eye, a perfectly spherical object. It is translucent and shimmering and infinitely fragile, prone to shatter at the slightest disturbance. It is not a book that can be read in snatches on the subway—it demands total absorption. Though it revels in a stark emotional nakedness, the book remains aloof, remote in its own deep self-absorption.

Vox is starting a book club. Come read with us!

In an essay for the Financial Times, novelist Arundhati Roy writes with anger about Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s anemic response to the threat, but also offers a glimmer of hope for the future:

Historically, pandemics have forced humans to break with the past and imagine their world anew. This one is no different. It is a portal, a gateway between one world and the next. We can choose to walk through it, dragging the carcasses of our prejudice and hatred, our avarice, our data banks and dead ideas, our dead rivers and smoky skies behind us. Or we can walk through lightly, with little luggage, ready to imagine another world. And ready to fight for it.

From Boston, Nora Caplan-Bricker writes in The Point about the strange contraction of space under quarantine, in which a friend in Beirut is as close as the one around the corner in the same city:

It’s a nice illusion—nice to feel like we’re in it together, even if my real world has shrunk to one person, my husband, who sits with his laptop in the other room. It’s nice in the same way as reading those essays that reframe social distancing as solidarity. “We must begin to see the negative space as clearly as the positive, to know what we don’t do is also brilliant and full of love,” the poet Anne Boyer wrote on March 10th, the day that Massachusetts declared a state of emergency. If you squint, you could almost make sense of this quarantine as an effort to flatten, along with the curve, the distinctions we make between our bonds with others. Right now, I care for my neighbor in the same way I demonstrate love for my mother: in all instances, I stay away. And in moments this month, I have loved strangers with an intensity that is new to me. On March 14th, the Saturday night after the end of life as we knew it, I went out with my dog and found the street silent: no lines for restaurants, no children on bicycles, no couples strolling with little cups of ice cream. It had taken the combined will of thousands of people to deliver such a sudden and complete emptiness. I felt so grateful, and so bereft.

And on his own website, musician and artist David Byrne writes about rediscovering the value of working for collective good , saying that “what is happening now is an opportunity to learn how to change our behavior”:

In emergencies, citizens can suddenly cooperate and collaborate. Change can happen. We’re going to need to work together as the effects of climate change ramp up. In order for capitalism to survive in any form, we will have to be a little more socialist. Here is an opportunity for us to see things differently — to see that we really are all connected — and adjust our behavior accordingly. Are we willing to do this? Is this moment an opportunity to see how truly interdependent we all are? To live in a world that is different and better than the one we live in now? We might be too far down the road to test every asymptomatic person, but a change in our mindsets, in how we view our neighbors, could lay the groundwork for the collective action we’ll need to deal with other global crises. The time to see how connected we all are is now.

The portrait these writers paint of a world under quarantine is multifaceted. Our worlds have contracted to the confines of our homes, and yet in some ways we’re more connected than ever to one another. We feel fear and boredom, anger and gratitude, frustration and strange peace. Uncertainty drives us to find metaphors and images that will let us wrap our minds around what is happening.

Yet there’s no single “what” that is happening. Everyone is contending with the pandemic and its effects from different places and in different ways. Reading others’ experiences — even the most frightening ones — can help alleviate the loneliness and dread, a little, and remind us that what we’re going through is both unique and shared by all.

Recommendations

Today, Explained

Understand the world with a daily explainer plus the most compelling stories of the day.

This is the title for the native ad

More in Culture

The Delphi murders were a local tragedy. Then they became “true crime.”

The investigation into the murders of Liberty German and Abigail Williams sums up the messy state of true crime.

Why Conclave and Juror #2 are the movies we need right now

“Middlebrow” doesn’t mean bad.

Following Trump’s victory, some women consider swearing off men

4B, the protest movement that boycotts men, explained.

You can’t understand Trump’s win without understanding what young men are doing online.

The new Jeffrey Epstein tapes and his friendship with Trump, explained

Was Jeffrey Epstein really Donald Trump’s “closest friend”?

Why are foods banned in other places still on US grocery shelves?

Who decides what can and can’t be in food in the US?

What Life Was Like for Students in the Pandemic Year

In this video, Navajo student Miles Johnson shares how he experienced the stress and anxiety of schools shutting down last year. Miles’ teacher shared his experience and those of her other students in a recent piece for Education Week. In these short essays below, teacher Claire Marie Grogan’s 11th grade students at Oceanside High School on Long Island, N.Y., describe their pandemic experiences. Their writings have been slightly edited for clarity. Read Grogan’s essay .

“Hours Staring at Tiny Boxes on the Screen”

By Kimberly Polacco, 16

I stare at my blank computer screen, trying to find the motivation to turn it on, but my finger flinches every time it hovers near the button. I instead open my curtains. It is raining outside, but it does not matter, I will not be going out there for the rest of the day. The sound of pounding raindrops contributes to my headache enough to make me turn on my computer in hopes that it will give me something to drown out the noise. But as soon as I open it up, I feel the weight of the world crash upon my shoulders.

Each 42-minute period drags on by. I spend hours upon hours staring at tiny boxes on a screen, one of which my exhausted face occupies, and attempt to retain concepts that have been presented to me through this device. By the time I have the freedom of pressing the “leave” button on my last Google Meet of the day, my eyes are heavy and my legs feel like mush from having not left my bed since I woke up.

Tomorrow arrives, except this time here I am inside of a school building, interacting with my first period teacher face to face. We talk about our favorite movies and TV shows to stream as other kids pile into the classroom. With each passing period I accumulate more and more of these tiny meaningless conversations everywhere I go with both teachers and students. They may not seem like much, but to me they are everything because I know that the next time I am expected to report to school, I will be trapped in the bubble of my room counting down the hours until I can sit down in my freshly sanitized wooden desk again.

“My Only Parent Essentially on Her Death Bed”

By Nick Ingargiola, 16

My mom had COVID-19 for ten weeks. She got sick during the first month school buildings were shut. The difficulty of navigating an online classroom was already overwhelming, and when mixed with my only parent essentially on her death bed, it made it unbearable. Focusing on schoolwork was impossible, and watching my mother struggle to lift up her arm broke my heart.

My mom has been through her fair share of diseases from pancreatic cancer to seizures and even as far as a stroke that paralyzed her entire left side. It is safe to say she has been through a lot. The craziest part is you would never know it. She is the strongest and most positive person I’ve ever met. COVID hit her hard. Although I have watched her go through life and death multiple times, I have never seen her so physically and mentally drained.

I initially was overjoyed to complete my school year in the comfort of my own home, but once my mom got sick, I couldn’t handle it. No one knows what it’s like to pretend like everything is OK until they are forced to. I would wake up at 8 after staying up until 5 in the morning pondering the possibility of losing my mother. She was all I had. I was forced to turn my camera on and float in the fake reality of being fine although I wasn’t. The teachers tried to keep the class engaged by obligating the students to participate. This was dreadful. I didn’t want to talk. I had to hide the distress in my voice. If only the teachers understood what I was going through. I was hesitant because I didn’t want everyone to know that the virus that was infecting and killing millions was knocking on my front door.

After my online classes, I was required to finish an immense amount of homework while simultaneously hiding my sadness so that my mom wouldn’t worry about me. She was already going through a lot. There was no reason to add me to her list of worries. I wasn’t even able to give her a hug. All I could do was watch.

“The Way of Staying Sane”

By Lynda Feustel, 16

Entering year two of the pandemic is strange. It barely seems a day since last March, but it also seems like a lifetime. As an only child and introvert, shutting down my world was initially simple and relatively easy. My friends and I had been super busy with the school play, and while I was sad about it being canceled, I was struggling a lot during that show and desperately needed some time off.

As March turned to April, virtual school began, and being alone really set in. I missed my friends and us being together. The isolation felt real with just my parents and me, even as we spent time together. My friends and I began meeting on Facetime every night to watch TV and just be together in some way. We laughed at insane jokes we made and had homework and therapy sessions over Facetime and grew closer through digital and literal walls.

The summer passed with in-person events together, and the virus faded into the background for a little while. We went to the track and the beach and hung out in people’s backyards.

Then school came for us in a more nasty way than usual. In hybrid school we were separated. People had jobs, sports, activities, and quarantines. Teachers piled on work, and the virus grew more present again. The group text put out hundreds of messages a day while the Facetimes came to a grinding halt, and meeting in person as a group became more of a rarity. Being together on video and in person was the way of staying sane.

In a way I am in a similar place to last year, working and looking for some change as we enter the second year of this mess.

“In History Class, Reports of Heightening Cases”

By Vivian Rose, 16

I remember the moment my freshman year English teacher told me about the young writers’ conference at Bread Loaf during my sophomore year. At first, I didn’t want to apply, the deadline had passed, but for some strange reason, the directors of the program extended it another week. It felt like it was meant to be. It was in Vermont in the last week of May when the flowers have awakened and the sun is warm.

I submitted my work, and two weeks later I got an email of my acceptance. I screamed at the top of my lungs in the empty house; everyone was out, so I was left alone to celebrate my small victory. It was rare for them to admit sophomores. Usually they accept submissions only from juniors and seniors.

That was the first week of February 2020. All of a sudden, there was some talk about this strange virus coming from China. We thought nothing of it. Every night, I would fall asleep smiling, knowing that I would be able to go to the exact conference that Robert Frost attended for 42 years.

Then, as if overnight, it seemed the virus had swung its hand and had gripped parts of the country. Every newscast was about the disease. Every day in history, we would look at the reports of heightening cases and joke around that this could never become a threat as big as Dr. Fauci was proposing. Then, March 13th came around--it was the last day before the world seemed to shut down. Just like that, Bread Loaf would vanish from my grasp.

“One Day Every Day Won’t Be As Terrible”

By Nick Wollweber, 17

COVID created personal problems for everyone, some more serious than others, but everyone had a struggle.

As the COVID lock-down took hold, the main thing weighing on my mind was my oldest brother, Joe, who passed away in January 2019 unexpectedly in his sleep. Losing my brother was a complete gut punch and reality check for me at 14 and 15 years old. 2019 was a year of struggle, darkness, sadness, frustration. I didn’t want to learn after my brother had passed, but I had to in order to move forward and find my new normal.

Routine and always having things to do and places to go is what let me cope in the year after Joe died. Then COVID came and gave me the option to let up and let down my guard. I struggled with not wanting to take care of personal hygiene. That was the beginning of an underlying mental problem where I wouldn’t do things that were necessary for everyday life.

My “coping routine” that got me through every day and week the year before was gone. COVID wasn’t beneficial to me, but it did bring out the true nature of my mental struggles and put a name to it. Since COVID, I have been diagnosed with severe depression and anxiety. I began taking antidepressants and going to therapy a lot more.

COVID made me realize that I’m not happy with who I am and that I needed to change. I’m still not happy with who I am. I struggle every day, but I am working towards a goal that one day every day won’t be as terrible.

Coverage of social and emotional learning is supported in part by a grant from the NoVo Foundation, at www.novofoundation.org . Education Week retains sole editorial control over the content of this coverage. A version of this article appeared in the March 31, 2021 edition of Education Week as What Life Was Like for Students in the Pandemic Year

Sign Up for The Savvy Principal

Edweek top school jobs.

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump greets Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, at an election night watch party at the Palm Beach Convention Center on Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla.

Sign Up & Sign In

Log in using your username and password

Search More Search for this keyword Advanced search
Latest content
Current issue
BMJ Journals More You are viewing from: Google Indexer

http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1512-4471 Emily Long 1 ,
Susan Patterson 1 ,
Karen Maxwell 1 ,
Carolyn Blake 1 ,
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7342-4566 Raquel Bosó Pérez 1 ,
Ruth Lewis 1 ,
Mark McCann 1 ,
Julie Riddell 1 ,
Kathryn Skivington 1 ,
Rachel Wilson-Lowe 1 ,
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4409-6601 Kirstin R Mitchell 2
1 MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit , University of Glasgow , Glasgow , UK
2 MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, Institute of Health & Wellbeing , University of Glasgow , Glasgow , UK
Correspondence to Dr Emily Long, MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G3 7HR, UK; emily.long{at}glasgow.ac.uk

This essay examines key aspects of social relationships that were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. It focuses explicitly on relational mechanisms of health and brings together theory and emerging evidence on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic to make recommendations for future public health policy and recovery. We first provide an overview of the pandemic in the UK context, outlining the nature of the public health response. We then introduce four distinct domains of social relationships: social networks, social support, social interaction and intimacy, highlighting the mechanisms through which the pandemic and associated public health response drastically altered social interactions in each domain. Throughout the essay, the lens of health inequalities, and perspective of relationships as interconnecting elements in a broader system, is used to explore the varying impact of these disruptions. The essay concludes by providing recommendations for longer term recovery ensuring that the social relational cost of COVID-19 is adequately considered in efforts to rebuild.

inequalities

Data availability statement

Data sharing not applicable as no data sets generated and/or analysed for this study. Data sharing not applicable as no data sets generated or analysed for this essay.

This is an open access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Unported (CC BY 4.0) license, which permits others to copy, redistribute, remix, transform and build upon this work for any purpose, provided the original work is properly cited, a link to the licence is given, and indication of whether changes were made. See: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ .

https://doi.org/10.1136/jech-2021-216690

Statistics from Altmetric.com

Request permissions.

If you wish to reuse any or all of this article please use the link below which will take you to the Copyright Clearance Center’s RightsLink service. You will be able to get a quick price and instant permission to reuse the content in many different ways.

Introduction

Infectious disease pandemics, including SARS and COVID-19, demand intrapersonal behaviour change and present highly complex challenges for public health. 1 A pandemic of an airborne infection, spread easily through social contact, assails human relationships by drastically altering the ways through which humans interact. In this essay, we draw on theories of social relationships to examine specific ways in which relational mechanisms key to health and well-being were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Relational mechanisms refer to the processes between people that lead to change in health outcomes.

At the time of writing, the future surrounding COVID-19 was uncertain. Vaccine programmes were being rolled out in countries that could afford them, but new and more contagious variants of the virus were also being discovered. The recovery journey looked long, with continued disruption to social relationships. The social cost of COVID-19 was only just beginning to emerge, but the mental health impact was already considerable, 2 3 and the inequality of the health burden stark. 4 Knowledge of the epidemiology of COVID-19 accrued rapidly, but evidence of the most effective policy responses remained uncertain.

The initial response to COVID-19 in the UK was reactive and aimed at reducing mortality, with little time to consider the social implications, including for interpersonal and community relationships. The terminology of ‘social distancing’ quickly became entrenched both in public and policy discourse. This equation of physical distance with social distance was regrettable, since only physical proximity causes viral transmission, whereas many forms of social proximity (eg, conversations while walking outdoors) are minimal risk, and are crucial to maintaining relationships supportive of health and well-being.

The aim of this essay is to explore four key relational mechanisms that were impacted by the pandemic and associated restrictions: social networks, social support, social interaction and intimacy. We use relational theories and emerging research on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic response to make three key recommendations: one regarding public health responses; and two regarding social recovery. Our understanding of these mechanisms stems from a ‘systems’ perspective which casts social relationships as interdependent elements within a connected whole. 5

Social networks

Social networks characterise the individuals and social connections that compose a system (such as a workplace, community or society). Social relationships range from spouses and partners, to coworkers, friends and acquaintances. They vary across many dimensions, including, for example, frequency of contact and emotional closeness. Social networks can be understood both in terms of the individuals and relationships that compose the network, as well as the overall network structure (eg, how many of your friends know each other).

Social networks show a tendency towards homophily, or a phenomenon of associating with individuals who are similar to self. 6 This is particularly true for ‘core’ network ties (eg, close friends), while more distant, sometimes called ‘weak’ ties tend to show more diversity. During the height of COVID-19 restrictions, face-to-face interactions were often reduced to core network members, such as partners, family members or, potentially, live-in roommates; some ‘weak’ ties were lost, and interactions became more limited to those closest. Given that peripheral, weaker social ties provide a diversity of resources, opinions and support, 7 COVID-19 likely resulted in networks that were smaller and more homogenous.

Such changes were not inevitable nor necessarily enduring, since social networks are also adaptive and responsive to change, in that a disruption to usual ways of interacting can be replaced by new ways of engaging (eg, Zoom). Yet, important inequalities exist, wherein networks and individual relationships within networks are not equally able to adapt to such changes. For example, individuals with a large number of newly established relationships (eg, university students) may have struggled to transfer these relationships online, resulting in lost contacts and a heightened risk of social isolation. This is consistent with research suggesting that young adults were the most likely to report a worsening of relationships during COVID-19, whereas older adults were the least likely to report a change. 8

Lastly, social connections give rise to emergent properties of social systems, 9 where a community-level phenomenon develops that cannot be attributed to any one member or portion of the network. For example, local area-based networks emerged due to geographic restrictions (eg, stay-at-home orders), resulting in increases in neighbourly support and local volunteering. 10 In fact, research suggests that relationships with neighbours displayed the largest net gain in ratings of relationship quality compared with a range of relationship types (eg, partner, colleague, friend). 8 Much of this was built from spontaneous individual interactions within local communities, which together contributed to the ‘community spirit’ that many experienced. 11 COVID-19 restrictions thus impacted the personal social networks and the structure of the larger networks within the society.

Social support

Social support, referring to the psychological and material resources provided through social interaction, is a critical mechanism through which social relationships benefit health. In fact, social support has been shown to be one of the most important resilience factors in the aftermath of stressful events. 12 In the context of COVID-19, the usual ways in which individuals interact and obtain social support have been severely disrupted.

One such disruption has been to opportunities for spontaneous social interactions. For example, conversations with colleagues in a break room offer an opportunity for socialising beyond one’s core social network, and these peripheral conversations can provide a form of social support. 13 14 A chance conversation may lead to advice helpful to coping with situations or seeking formal help. Thus, the absence of these spontaneous interactions may mean the reduction of indirect support-seeking opportunities. While direct support-seeking behaviour is more effective at eliciting support, it also requires significantly more effort and may be perceived as forceful and burdensome. 15 The shift to homeworking and closure of community venues reduced the number of opportunities for these spontaneous interactions to occur, and has, second, focused them locally. Consequently, individuals whose core networks are located elsewhere, or who live in communities where spontaneous interaction is less likely, have less opportunity to benefit from spontaneous in-person supportive interactions.

However, alongside this disruption, new opportunities to interact and obtain social support have arisen. The surge in community social support during the initial lockdown mirrored that often seen in response to adverse events (eg, natural disasters 16 ). COVID-19 restrictions that confined individuals to their local area also compelled them to focus their in-person efforts locally. Commentators on the initial lockdown in the UK remarked on extraordinary acts of generosity between individuals who belonged to the same community but were unknown to each other. However, research on adverse events also tells us that such community support is not necessarily maintained in the longer term. 16

Meanwhile, online forms of social support are not bound by geography, thus enabling interactions and social support to be received from a wider network of people. Formal online social support spaces (eg, support groups) existed well before COVID-19, but have vastly increased since. While online interactions can increase perceived social support, it is unclear whether remote communication technologies provide an effective substitute from in-person interaction during periods of social distancing. 17 18 It makes intuitive sense that the usefulness of online social support will vary by the type of support offered, degree of social interaction and ‘online communication skills’ of those taking part. Youth workers, for instance, have struggled to keep vulnerable youth engaged in online youth clubs, 19 despite others finding a positive association between amount of digital technology used by individuals during lockdown and perceived social support. 20 Other research has found that more frequent face-to-face contact and phone/video contact both related to lower levels of depression during the time period of March to August 2020, but the negative effect of a lack of contact was greater for those with higher levels of usual sociability. 21 Relatedly, important inequalities in social support exist, such that individuals who occupy more socially disadvantaged positions in society (eg, low socioeconomic status, older people) tend to have less access to social support, 22 potentially exacerbated by COVID-19.

Social and interactional norms

Interactional norms are key relational mechanisms which build trust, belonging and identity within and across groups in a system. Individuals in groups and societies apply meaning by ‘approving, arranging and redefining’ symbols of interaction. 23 A handshake, for instance, is a powerful symbol of trust and equality. Depending on context, not shaking hands may symbolise a failure to extend friendship, or a failure to reach agreement. The norms governing these symbols represent shared values and identity; and mutual understanding of these symbols enables individuals to achieve orderly interactions, establish supportive relationship accountability and connect socially. 24 25

Physical distancing measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 radically altered these norms of interaction, particularly those used to convey trust, affinity, empathy and respect (eg, hugging, physical comforting). 26 As epidemic waves rose and fell, the work to negotiate these norms required intense cognitive effort; previously taken-for-granted interactions were re-examined, factoring in current restriction levels, own and (assumed) others’ vulnerability and tolerance of risk. This created awkwardness, and uncertainty, for example, around how to bring closure to an in-person interaction or convey warmth. The instability in scripted ways of interacting created particular strain for individuals who already struggled to encode and decode interactions with others (eg, those who are deaf or have autism spectrum disorder); difficulties often intensified by mask wearing. 27

Large social gatherings—for example, weddings, school assemblies, sporting events—also present key opportunities for affirming and assimilating interactional norms, building cohesion and shared identity and facilitating cooperation across social groups. 28 Online ‘equivalents’ do not easily support ‘social-bonding’ activities such as singing and dancing, and rarely enable chance/spontaneous one-on-one conversations with peripheral/weaker network ties (see the Social networks section) which can help strengthen bonds across a larger network. The loss of large gatherings to celebrate rites of passage (eg, bar mitzvah, weddings) has additional relational costs since these events are performed by and for communities to reinforce belonging, and to assist in transitioning to new phases of life. 29 The loss of interaction with diverse others via community and large group gatherings also reduces intergroup contact, which may then tend towards more prejudiced outgroup attitudes. While online interaction can go some way to mimicking these interaction norms, there are key differences. A sense of anonymity, and lack of in-person emotional cues, tends to support norms of polarisation and aggression in expressing differences of opinion online. And while online platforms have potential to provide intergroup contact, the tendency of much social media to form homogeneous ‘echo chambers’ can serve to further reduce intergroup contact. 30 31

Intimacy relates to the feeling of emotional connection and closeness with other human beings. Emotional connection, through romantic, friendship or familial relationships, fulfils a basic human need 32 and strongly benefits health, including reduced stress levels, improved mental health, lowered blood pressure and reduced risk of heart disease. 32 33 Intimacy can be fostered through familiarity, feeling understood and feeling accepted by close others. 34

Intimacy via companionship and closeness is fundamental to mental well-being. Positively, the COVID-19 pandemic has offered opportunities for individuals to (re)connect and (re)strengthen close relationships within their household via quality time together, following closure of many usual external social activities. Research suggests that the first full UK lockdown period led to a net gain in the quality of steady relationships at a population level, 35 but amplified existing inequalities in relationship quality. 35 36 For some in single-person households, the absence of a companion became more conspicuous, leading to feelings of loneliness and lower mental well-being. 37 38 Additional pandemic-related relational strain 39 40 resulted, for some, in the initiation or intensification of domestic abuse. 41 42

Physical touch is another key aspect of intimacy, a fundamental human need crucial in maintaining and developing intimacy within close relationships. 34 Restrictions on social interactions severely restricted the number and range of people with whom physical affection was possible. The reduction in opportunity to give and receive affectionate physical touch was not experienced equally. Many of those living alone found themselves completely without physical contact for extended periods. The deprivation of physical touch is evidenced to take a heavy emotional toll. 43 Even in future, once physical expressions of affection can resume, new levels of anxiety over germs may introduce hesitancy into previously fluent blending of physical and verbal intimate social connections. 44

The pandemic also led to shifts in practices and norms around sexual relationship building and maintenance, as individuals adapted and sought alternative ways of enacting sexual intimacy. This too is important, given that intimate sexual activity has known benefits for health. 45 46 Given that social restrictions hinged on reducing household mixing, possibilities for partnered sexual activity were primarily guided by living arrangements. While those in cohabiting relationships could potentially continue as before, those who were single or in non-cohabiting relationships generally had restricted opportunities to maintain their sexual relationships. Pornography consumption and digital partners were reported to increase since lockdown. 47 However, online interactions are qualitatively different from in-person interactions and do not provide the same opportunities for physical intimacy.

Recommendations and conclusions

In the sections above we have outlined the ways in which COVID-19 has impacted social relationships, showing how relational mechanisms key to health have been undermined. While some of the damage might well self-repair after the pandemic, there are opportunities inherent in deliberative efforts to build back in ways that facilitate greater resilience in social and community relationships. We conclude by making three recommendations: one regarding public health responses to the pandemic; and two regarding social recovery.

Recommendation 1: explicitly count the relational cost of public health policies to control the pandemic

Effective handling of a pandemic recognises that social, economic and health concerns are intricately interwoven. It is clear that future research and policy attention must focus on the social consequences. As described above, policies which restrict physical mixing across households carry heavy and unequal relational costs. These include for individuals (eg, loss of intimate touch), dyads (eg, loss of warmth, comfort), networks (eg, restricted access to support) and communities (eg, loss of cohesion and identity). Such costs—and their unequal impact—should not be ignored in short-term efforts to control an epidemic. Some public health responses—restrictions on international holiday travel and highly efficient test and trace systems—have relatively small relational costs and should be prioritised. At a national level, an earlier move to proportionate restrictions, and investment in effective test and trace systems, may help prevent escalation of spread to the point where a national lockdown or tight restrictions became an inevitability. Where policies with relational costs are unavoidable, close attention should be paid to the unequal relational impact for those whose personal circumstances differ from normative assumptions of two adult families. This includes consideration of whether expectations are fair (eg, for those who live alone), whether restrictions on social events are equitable across age group, religious/ethnic groupings and social class, and also to ensure that the language promoted by such policies (eg, households; families) is not exclusionary. 48 49 Forethought to unequal impacts on social relationships should thus be integral to the work of epidemic preparedness teams.

Recommendation 2: intelligently balance online and offline ways of relating

A key ingredient for well-being is ‘getting together’ in a physical sense. This is fundamental to a human need for intimate touch, physical comfort, reinforcing interactional norms and providing practical support. Emerging evidence suggests that online ways of relating cannot simply replace physical interactions. But online interaction has many benefits and for some it offers connections that did not exist previously. In particular, online platforms provide new forms of support for those unable to access offline services because of mobility issues (eg, older people) or because they are geographically isolated from their support community (eg, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) youth). Ultimately, multiple forms of online and offline social interactions are required to meet the needs of varying groups of people (eg, LGBTQ, older people). Future research and practice should aim to establish ways of using offline and online support in complementary and even synergistic ways, rather than veering between them as social restrictions expand and contract. Intelligent balancing of online and offline ways of relating also pertains to future policies on home and flexible working. A decision to switch to wholesale or obligatory homeworking should consider the risk to relational ‘group properties’ of the workplace community and their impact on employees’ well-being, focusing in particular on unequal impacts (eg, new vs established employees). Intelligent blending of online and in-person working is required to achieve flexibility while also nurturing supportive networks at work. Intelligent balance also implies strategies to build digital literacy and minimise digital exclusion, as well as coproducing solutions with intended beneficiaries.

Recommendation 3: build stronger and sustainable localised communities

In balancing offline and online ways of interacting, there is opportunity to capitalise on the potential for more localised, coherent communities due to scaled-down travel, homeworking and local focus that will ideally continue after restrictions end. There are potential economic benefits after the pandemic, such as increased trade as home workers use local resources (eg, coffee shops), but also relational benefits from stronger relationships around the orbit of the home and neighbourhood. Experience from previous crises shows that community volunteer efforts generated early on will wane over time in the absence of deliberate work to maintain them. Adequately funded partnerships between local government, third sector and community groups are required to sustain community assets that began as a direct response to the pandemic. Such partnerships could work to secure green spaces and indoor (non-commercial) meeting spaces that promote community interaction. Green spaces in particular provide a triple benefit in encouraging physical activity and mental health, as well as facilitating social bonding. 50 In building local communities, small community networks—that allow for diversity and break down ingroup/outgroup views—may be more helpful than the concept of ‘support bubbles’, which are exclusionary and less sustainable in the longer term. Rigorously designed intervention and evaluation—taking a systems approach—will be crucial in ensuring scale-up and sustainability.

The dramatic change to social interaction necessitated by efforts to control the spread of COVID-19 created stark challenges but also opportunities. Our essay highlights opportunities for learning, both to ensure the equity and humanity of physical restrictions, and to sustain the salutogenic effects of social relationships going forward. The starting point for capitalising on this learning is recognition of the disruption to relational mechanisms as a key part of the socioeconomic and health impact of the pandemic. In recovery planning, a general rule is that what is good for decreasing health inequalities (such as expanding social protection and public services and pursuing green inclusive growth strategies) 4 will also benefit relationships and safeguard relational mechanisms for future generations. Putting this into action will require political will.

Ethics statements

Patient consent for publication.

Not required.

Office for National Statistics (ONS)
Ford T , et al
Riordan R ,
Ford J , et al
Glonti K , et al
McPherson JM ,
Smith-Lovin L
Granovetter MS
Fancourt D et al
Stadtfeld C
Office for Civil Society
Cook J et al
Rodriguez-Llanes JM ,
Guha-Sapir D
Patulny R et al
Granovetter M
Winkeler M ,
Filipp S-H ,
Kaniasty K ,
de Terte I ,
Guilaran J , et al
Wright KB ,
Martin J et al
Gabbiadini A ,
Baldissarri C ,
Durante F , et al
Sommerlad A ,
Marston L ,
Huntley J , et al
Turner RJ ,
Bicchieri C
Brennan G et al
Watson-Jones RE ,
Amichai-Hamburger Y ,
McKenna KYA
Page-Gould E ,
Aron A , et al
Pietromonaco PR ,
Timmerman GM
Bradbury-Jones C ,
Mikocka-Walus A ,
Klas A , et al
Marshall L ,
Steptoe A ,
Stanley SM ,
Campbell AM
↵ (ONS), O.f.N.S., Domestic abuse during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, England and Wales . Available: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/articles/domesticabuseduringthecoronaviruscovid19pandemicenglandandwales/november2020
Rosenberg M ,
Hensel D , et al
Banerjee D ,
Bruner DW , et al
Bavel JJV ,
Baicker K ,
Boggio PS , et al
van Barneveld K ,
Quinlan M ,
Kriesler P , et al
Mitchell R ,
de Vries S , et al

Twitter @karenmaxSPHSU, @Mark_McCann, @Rwilsonlowe, @KMitchinGlasgow

Contributors EL and KM led on the manuscript conceptualisation, review and editing. SP, KM, CB, RBP, RL, MM, JR, KS and RW-L contributed to drafting and revising the article. All authors assisted in revising the final draft.

Funding The research reported in this publication was supported by the Medical Research Council (MC_UU_00022/1, MC_UU_00022/3) and the Chief Scientist Office (SPHSU11, SPHSU14). EL is also supported by MRC Skills Development Fellowship Award (MR/S015078/1). KS and MM are also supported by a Medical Research Council Strategic Award (MC_PC_13027).

Competing interests None declared.

Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

Read the full text or download the PDF:

Paragraph Writing
Paragraph Writing On Covid 19

Paragraph Writing on Covid 19 - Check Samples for Various Word Limits

The Covid-19 pandemic has been a deadly pandemic that has affected the whole world. It was a viral infection that affected almost everyone in some way or the other. However, the effects have been felt differently depending on various factors. As it is a virus, it will change with time, and different variants might keep coming. The virus has affected the lifestyle of human beings. The pandemic has affected the education system and the economy of the world as well. Many people have lost their lives, jobs, near and dear, etc.

Paragraph writing on covid-19 in 100 words, paragraph writing on covid-19 in 150 words, paragraph writing on covid-19 in 200 words, paragraph writing on covid-19 in 250 words, frequently asked questions on covid-19.

Check the samples provided below before you write a paragraph on Covid-19.

Coronavirus is an infectious disease and is commonly called Covid-19. It affects the human respiratory system causing difficulty in breathing. It is a contagious disease and has been spreading across the world like wildfire. The virus was first identified in 2019 in Wuhan, China. In March, WHO declared Covid-19 as a pandemic that has been affecting the world. The virus was spreading from an infected person through coughing, sneezing, etc. Therefore, the affected people were isolated from everyone. The affected people were even isolated from their own family members and their dear ones. Other symptoms noticed in Covid – 19 patients include weariness, sore throat, muscle soreness, and loss of taste and smell.

Coronavirus, often known as Covid-19, is an infectious disease. It affects the human respiratory system, making breathing difficult. It’s a contagious disease that has been spreading like wildfire over the world. The virus was initially discovered in Wuhan, China, in 2019. Covid-19 was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization in March. The virus was transferred by coughing, sneezing, and other means from an infected person. As a result, the people who were affected were isolated from the rest of society. The folks who were afflicted were even separated from their own family members and loved ones. Weariness, sore throat, muscle stiffness, and loss of taste and smell are among the other complaints reported by Covid-19 individuals. Almost every individual has been affected by the virus. A lot of people have lost their lives due to the severity of the infections. The dropping of oxygen levels and the unavailability of oxygen cylinders were the primary concerns during the pandemic.

The Covid-19 pandemic was caused due to a man-made virus called coronavirus. It is an infectious disease that has affected millions of people’s lives. The pandemic has affected the entire world differently. It was initially diagnosed in 2019 in Wuhan, China but later, in March 2020, WHO declared that it was a pandemic that was affecting the whole world like wildfire. Covid-19 is a contagious disease. Since it is a viral disease, the virus spreads rapidly in various forms. The main symptoms of this disease were loss of smell and taste, loss of energy, pale skin, sneezing, coughing, reduction of oxygen level, etc. Therefore, all the affected people were asked to isolate themselves from the unaffected ones. The affected people were isolated from their family members in a separate room. The government has taken significant steps to ensure the safety of the people. The frontline workers were like superheroes who worked selflessly for the safety of the people. A lot of doctors had to stay away from their families and their babies for the safety of their patients and their close ones. The government has taken significant steps, and various protocols were imposed for the safety of the people. The government imposed a lockdown and shut down throughout the country.

The coronavirus was responsible for the Covid-19 pandemic. It is an infectious disease that has affected millions of people’s lives. The pandemic has impacted people all across the world in diverse ways. It was first discovered in Wuhan, China, in 2019. However, the World Health Organization (WHO) proclaimed it a pandemic in March 2020, claiming that it has spread throughout the globe like wildfire. The pandemic has claimed the lives of millions of people. The virus had negative consequences for those who were infected, including the development of a variety of chronic disorders. The main symptoms of this disease were loss of smell and taste, fatigue, pale skin, sneezing, coughing, oxygen deficiency, etc. Because Covid-19 was an infectious disease, all those who were infected were instructed to segregate themselves from those who were not. The folks who were affected were separated from their families and locked in a room. The government has prioritised people’s safety. The frontline personnel were like superheroes, working tirelessly to ensure the public’s safety. For the sake of their patients’ and close relatives’ safety, many doctors had to stay away from their families and babies. The government had also taken significant steps and implemented different protocols for the protection of people.

What is meant by the Covid-19 pandemic?

The Covid-19 pandemic was a deadly pandemic that affected the lives of millions of people. A lot of people lost their lives, and some people lost their jobs and lost their entire families due to the pandemic. Many covid warriors, like doctors, nurses, frontline workers, etc., lost their lives due to the pandemic.

From where did the Covid-19 pandemic start?

The Covid-19 pandemic was initially found in Wuhan, China and later in the whole world.

What are the symptoms of Covid-19?

The symptoms of Covid-19 have been identified as sore throat, loss of smell and taste, cough, sneezing, reduction of oxygen level, etc.

Register with BYJU'S & Download Free PDFs

Light terque background with a small black silhouette of a person walking tightrope and balancing with a bar taken from the rope behind him.

CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE

COVID-19 has tested us. Will we be ready for the next pandemic?

An infectious disease expert with insider access gives his take on what we did well, what we need to fix, and how to prepare for future outbreaks.

In A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens’s 1859 novel set during the French Revolution, he wrote: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness.” Such has been the case with the COVID-19 pandemic .

On the one hand, science saved lives. Less than a year after the virus was identified, the United States had created and tested vaccines. Then it determined how to mass-produce, mass-distribute, and mass-administer them at no cost to the public—without a preexisting infrastructure in place for mass-vaccinating adults. COVID vaccines are estimated to have saved at least 3.2 million lives in the U.S. alone. These accomplishments offer hope for how quickly we can respond to the next pandemic.

On the other hand, public health officials had inadvertently leaned into a libertarian left hook. About 30 states have now passed laws limiting health authorities from imposing protective measures without permission from state legislators. “One day we’re going to have a really bad global crisis and a pandemic far worse than COVID, and we’ll look to the government to protect us, but it’ll have its hands behind its back and a blindfold on,” Lawrence Gostin, faculty director of Georgetown University’s O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law, told the Washington Post. “We’ll die with our rights on—we want liberty, but we don’t want protection.”

How exactly did we get here? In 2020 I was an attending physician in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia . Then I was asked by Francis Collins, a doctor and head of the National Institutes of Health , to be part of a group that advised pharmaceutical companies on how best to construct and test COVID vaccines. I have also been a voting member on the Food and Drug Administration ’s Vaccine Advisory Committee since 2017.

Because of my role on these bodies, I was often asked to appear on network news programs and morning shows to explain events that were unfolding in real time. I was frequently quoted in the media, and like many in my position, I felt an enormous responsibility to get things right. As the pandemic progressed, however, we found that we weren’t always right, because our decisions were often based on incomplete information. At times we would give conflicting recommendations, and as a result, many Americans lost faith in the institutions and the individuals responsible for protecting the public.

But perhaps our experiences with SARS-CoV-2 —which so far has killed some seven million people worldwide—can prepare us to cope better with the next pandemic. We should heed these lessons.

LIMITED TIME OFFER

Vaccinating the world is in everyone's self interest.

The United States has the technological capacity and resources to vaccinate the world, and it wouldn’t necessarily be an altruistic act. SARS-CoV-2 will continue to circulate and continue to create variants for decades to come. Indeed, at the end of 2023, nearly one-third of the people living on the planet had not received a single dose of a COVID vaccine. The degree to which any country is at risk for severe disease is the degree to which we’re all at risk. No one is safe until everyone is safe.

The scientific process truly is a process

Recommendations for the treatment and prevention of COVID have evolved as we’ve learned more about how the virus is transmitted and who is at greatest risk. At first people were told to wash hands constantly and clean surfaces and store-bought items. Eventually it became clear that while masking was important, washing and cleaning had a lesser impact. Scientists, clinicians, and public health officials should be more careful about informing the public that all recommendations are based on what we know at the time and that things might change. Otherwise the fluidity of scientific knowledge will remain disconcerting.

Grassroots campaigns can build real trust

Although countering misinformation at a national or statewide scale is virtually impossible, it is possible at a local level. During the pandemic, Ala Stanford showed us how. She and her Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium sat in people’s homes in North Philadelphia and provided residents with a consistent and trustworthy source of information. In a community resistant to vaccination, she and her colleagues reassured and educated more than 50,000 to vaccinate themselves and their children.

Separating partisan politics and science will save lives

For the first time in human history, deaths from a vaccine-preventable disease were divided along party lines. As of December 2022, 37 percent of Republicans but only 9 percent of Democrats were unvaccinated. And according to a study published in the journal Preventive Medicine Reports, counties in states governed by Republicans had higher rates of mortality from COVID. Because it’s about resources and values, public health will always to some extent be political. But it doesn’t have to be partisan—something all political parties should keep in mind.

Why does COVID-19 cause brain fog? Scientists may finally have an answer.

Is long COVID forever? A new study has clues.

It’s good to feel bad after your COVID shot

Stopping the spread of misinformation is crucial.

Good luck with this one. It’s like trying to clean up the flooding from Hurricane Katrina with a plastic cup. Early in the pandemic, key public health and government officials claimed that COVID was human-made—something that had never happened before in the history of the world. If you believe Carl Sagan’s statement that “extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence,” then this was an extraordinary claim backed by no direct evidence—only conspiracy and innuendo.

Always prioritize the most vulnerable

Everyone at every age is susceptible to COVID, but not everyone is equally susceptible to serious illness. Older adults suffered a death rate about a thousandfold greater than children; at times, as many as 40 percent of COVID deaths in the U.S. occurred in nursing homes. Similarly, studies of booster dosing showed that those most likely to benefit included people over 75, people with multiple health problems, those who were immunocompromised, and those who were pregnant. For as long as this virus circulates, the primary focus should be on protecting these four groups.

( Multiple COVID infections can lead to chronic health issues. Here’s what to know. )

The cure shouldn't be worse than the disease

At first, the only strategy for decreasing COVID was to limit human-to-human contact. We closed businesses and shuttered schools. No one paid a bigger price for this approach than children, who suffered severely from the lack of education and socialization. The effect of these deficits will no doubt be felt for years to come. Our interest in getting children back to school should have been just as intense as our interest in getting people back to work. Indeed, at the beginning of the pandemic, the American Academy of Pediatrics strongly advocated for a return to in-person classes for students, detailing steps and considerations. This, as it turned out, was probably the best advice.

Working together makes us stronger

Perhaps the brightest point of light during the pandemic was Operation Warp Speed. Only 11 months after SARS-CoV-2 was isolated, two vaccines had been tested in large clinical trials and found to be both effective and safe. Later the White House successfully partnered with pharmacies and hospitals to distribute and administer vaccines, as well as to provide test kits and antivirals. It was an amazing effort and bodes well for our ability to create and distribute vaccines against future pandemic viruses.

America has a long history of banding together. During the 1940s and 1950s, polio was a feared and devastating infection. Americans responded by sending their dimes to the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, otherwise known as the March of Dimes. The organization received millions of dollars, which led to a vaccine that over time eliminated the disease from most of the world. We saw polio for what it was: a shared tragedy.

On September 11, 2001, planes hijacked by Islamist terrorists crashed into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and a field in Pennsylvania, killing 2,977 people. Police and firefighters rushed into the collapsing buildings. We all hugged each other and cried, once again united by a shared national tragedy. To further unite us, President George W. Bush made it clear that this event had nothing to do with Muslim Americans. “The face of terror is not the true faith of Islam,” he said. Again we were all in this together.

Book cover saying: Tell me when it's over.

On January 20, 2020, the first case of SARS-CoV-2 was confirmed in the United States. Since then, more than a million Americans have lost their lives to this virus. Using a novel technology, we created safe and effective vaccines in record time. Nurses and doctors worked extra hours, even without proper personal protective equipment. It was all hands on deck. Again we responded to a national tragedy. We saw ourselves as part of a whole.

It’s in us. We can do this. When we see ourselves as part of something greater, we tap into the better angels of our nature.

COVID-19 can ruin your sleep in many different ways—here's why

COVID can trigger tinnitus. Could the vaccines do the same?

‘Microclots’ could help solve the long COVID puzzle

Is the COVID-19 pandemic over?

Could COVID-19 trigger depression?

Terms of Use
Privacy Policy
Your US State Privacy Rights
Children's Online Privacy Policy
Interest-Based Ads
About Nielsen Measurement
Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
Nat Geo Home
Attend a Live Event
Book a Trip
Inspire Your Kids
Shop Nat Geo
Visit the D.C. Museum
Learn About Our Impact
Support Our Mission
Advertise With Us
Customer Service
Renew Subscription
Manage Your Subscription
Work at Nat Geo
Sign Up for Our Newsletters
Contribute to Protect the Planet

Essay Series

Expert Speak
Commentaries
Young Voices
Issue Briefs
Special Reports
Occasional Papers
GP-ORF Series
Books and Monographs

Browse by Topics

Progammes & centres.

SUFIP Development Network
Centre for New Economic Diplomacy
Centre for Security, Strategy & Technology
Urban Studies
Neighbourhood Studies
Inclusive Growth and SDGs
Strategic Studies Programme
Energy and Climate Change
Economy and Growth
Middle East
Cape Town Conversation
Sagarmanthan: The Great Oceans Dialogue
Yerevan Dialogue
Raisina Dialogue
The Energy Transition Dialogues
CyFy Africa
Kigali Global Dialogue
BRICS Academic Forum
Colaba Conversation
Asian Forum on Global Governance
Dhaka Global Dialogue
Kalpana Chawla Annual Space Policy Dialogue
Tackling Insurgent Ideologies
Climate Action Champions Network
Event Reports
Code of Conduct
ORF Social Media Advisory
Committee Against Sexual Harassment
Declaration of Contributions
Founder Chairman
Work With Us
Write For Us
Intern With Us
ORF Faculty
Contributors
Global Advisory Board
WRITE FOR US

The Case for a G20 Development Bank to Resurrect the SDGs

Authors : Nilanjan Ghosh | Malancha Chakrabarty | Swati Prabhu

Issue Briefs Published on Nov 11, 2024 PDF Download

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the first truly global attempt to set universal development goals for all countries and transform the economic system. More than halfway through the timeline of achieving the SDGs, the COVID-19 pandemic and a series of subsequent crises have dealt a deathblow to the SDGs. A massive financing gap is the primary obstacle to the achievement of the global goals by 2030. This brief argues that the G20, with its mandate to facilitate international financial stability, along with promoting climate action and sustainable development, is the platform fit for accelerating the implementation of the SDGs. It recommends the creation of a G20 development bank to fund long-term sustainable development projects in developing countries.

Nilanjan Ghosh, Malancha Chakrabarty, and Swati Prabhu, “The Case for a G20 Development Bank to Resurrect the SDGs,” Issue Brief No. 751 , November 2024, Observer Research Foundation.

Introduction

The year 2015 was a landmark year in the history of international development, with the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)— [a] the first global attempt to set universal goals for all countries and transform the global economic system. The SDGs’ predecessor, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), were largely focused on the developing and the underdeveloped world. The SDGs were intended to realign the global development pathway with pressing issues in large parts of the developing world, such as environmental degradation, climate change, scarcity of resources, and extreme poverty. However, since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and a series of other crises, progress on SDG implementation has slowed across the globe, including in the wealthiest countries.

The global average SDG index began declining in 2019, at a rate of 0.01 points per year. [1] The pandemic reversed years of progress in poverty eradication, pushing nearly 93 million additional people into extreme poverty. [2] Currently, about one in 10 people worldwide suffer from hunger, and one in three people lack regular access to food. [3] The world is also experiencing the largest number of conflicts since 1946, with nearly a quarter of the world population living in conflict zones. [4]

While high-income countries were able to support their economies through large stimulus packages during the pandemic, developing countries, which lack access to international financial markets and face fiscal constraints, were unable to undertake similar relief measures. On average, high-income countries provided an economic stimulus of about 20 percent of their GDP, whereas economic stimulus in low- and middle-income countries was about 2 percent and 5 percent of GDP, respectively. [5] Moreover, the IMF’s Special Drawing Rights [b] (SDRs) were approved much later in the pandemic, and due to its link to country quotas, African countries and those most in need received only 3 percent of the US$650 billion in SDRs. [6] As a result, unemployment rates declined from 2020 levels in many high-income countries, [7] but most developing countries continued to experience high rates of unemployment; [8] in 2023, the unemployment rate was 4.5 percent in high-income countries and 5.7 percent in low-income countries. [9] In the same year, while the jobs gap [c] rate in high-income countries was 8.2 percent, it was as high as 20.5 percent in the low-income countries. [10]

By 2022, debt levels in low- and middle-income countries were at a 50-year high, and about 60 percent of emerging and developing countries became high-risk debtors. [11] Countries like Zambia, Sri Lanka, Suriname, and Lebanon have already defaulted, and several other countries are at risk of a default. [12] , [13] , [14] , [15] The pandemic also resulted in an increase in wealth inequality, with international poverty and billionaire wealth increasing rapidly post-pandemic. [16] Weaker recovery in developing countries is likely to further exacerbate inter-country inequality.

The developing world has suffered the worst socio-economic impacts of the pandemic and subsequent conflicts. However, even prosperous countries like Denmark, Sweden, and Finland, for example, are not on track to achieve the SDGs. [17] While the Nordic region often leads in global comparisons of SDG achievements, the region is lagging in the achievement of green SDGs, notably SDGs 12, [d] 13, [e] 14, [f] and 15. [g] The region’s overconsumption also makes global sustainability difficult. [18]

Indeed, current trends show that all countries of the world are unlikely to meet the SDGs unless substantial investments are made to reverse the current trends. In the context, this brief argues that finance is the main impediment to SDG implementation. It recommends that, as the pre-eminent global body, the G20 is the ideal platform for the revival of the SDGs. The G20 should create a new financial institution—a G20 development bank—that will fund the implementation of the SDGs, particularly in developing countries.

Finance: The Crucial Barrier to SDGs Implementation

SDG implementation was already slow even before the pandemic, i.e., between 2015 and 2019. [19] While there was broad-based agreement on the global goals, the means of implementation were never free from contention. This is especially true for finance; while developing countries asserted the importance of international assistance, developed countries highlighted the significance of expanding domestic sources of funding and a larger role for the private sector. [20]

SDG Financing Gap

As per estimates from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the SDG financing gap for developing economies currently stands at US$4 trillion. [21] Table 1 presents the estimated cost and required growth for achieving the SDGs in least developed countries (LDCs) for the 2021-2030 period.

Table 1: Cost and Required Growth for Achieving SDGs in LDCs (2021-2030)

Source: DI (2021 ), [22] as cited by D’Souza and Jain (2022 ) [23]

Lack of Domestic Resources in Developing Countries

For developing countries, the biggest impediment in the implementation of the SDGs lies in the conceptualisation of SDGs as non-legally binding goals, where the national governments are expected to bear the bulk of the expenses based on their own priorities. Most developing countries lack effective institutional mechanisms and are least capable of gathering the investments required to attain the SDGs. While the flexibility in goal-setting and attainment finds favour with most developing countries, allowing them the policy space to prioritise their own development agenda, it often leads to unbalanced attention to select SDGs, notably SDG 1 (No poverty) and SDG 8 (Economic growth), which is against the basic principles of sustainable development. [24] Additionally, as the ability of governments to raise more domestic resources is related to their ability to fuel economic growth, they tend to focus on prioritising growth over poverty alleviation and redistribution. In other words, to raise domestic resources for SDGs, governments will pursue the conventional growth paradigm, which subordinates environmental concerns for growth, thus defeating the purpose of the SDGs.

As mentioned above, developing countries are currently facing severe challenges related to debt. Between 2020 and 2025, external debt service in developing countries is projected to reach US$375 billion on average—a jump from the US$330 billion average between 2015 and 2019. Compared to 36 percent for all developing countries, 45 percent of the outstanding debt of low-income countries (LICs) will mature by 2024, exposing them to rollover risk. [25] Rising debt burdens, high borrowing costs, and low fiscal space make these countries unable to fund SDGs from domestic resources. According to the Finance for Sustainable Development Report 2023, nearly three quarters of the LDCs and 60 percent of the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) experienced a decline in their tax-to-GDP ratios in 2020. [26] Further, between 2019-2021, unlike in developed countries, tax-to-GDP ratios did not improve in 40 percent of African countries and 36 percent of SIDS and continue to remain at rates lower than pre-pandemic levels. [27]

ODA Is Not Enough

The prominent form of financing for the MDGs was Official Development Assistance (ODA). However, given the scale of finance required for the SDGs, ODA was regarded as just one of many main sources of finance. While the net ODA flows by Development Assistance Committee (DAC) member countries increased substantially in the aftermath of the pandemic—7-percent increase in real terms in 2000 compared to 2019—it was still much below the target of 0.7 percent of Gross National Income (GNI) at 0.32 percent. [28] Additionally, net bilateral flows to LICs witnessed a decline of 3.5 percent in 2020 compared to 2019. [29]

Limited Private-Sector Finance

Private sector investment, leveraged through international support from aid, has often been considered a major source of finance for the SDGs. However, calls for boosting the investment for SDGs in the private sector have not materialised in real terms. Only 4 percent of the US$410 trillion in global private assets is invested in developing economies (including China). [30] Moreover, financing by public development banks, amounting to US$240 billion, is able to mobilise an average of US$44 billion in private investment each year, which constitutes a meagre 1 percent of the climate and SDG investment needs of developing economies. [31]

A Case for Reforming the Financial Institutional Architecture

The failure of the Institutional Financial Architecture (IFA) is a notable concern in the global economic and financial milieu. The IFA is delineated by the collective structures, policies, institutions, and norms that govern the provision of flows of capital and financial services and the oversight of economic stability at the global level. The institutional failures in taking pre-emptive action, the large bureaucratic structures and processes that delay institutional responses to crises, and their ways of viewing development through a Global North lens have led to calls for reforms of the global financial architecture currently epitomised by the IMF, the World Bank, and other multilateral financial institutions.

One of the prevailing criticisms pertains to the failures of these institutions to meet the SDG financing gaps, which also entails climate action financing. [32] , [33] The other criticism is related to their structural rigidity and their redundancy in the current context. While these post-Second World War institutions were established with the goal of promoting economic stability and development by providing financial support to countries facing economic crises, this focus has since shifted. The distribution of voting power is skewed in favour of the Global North nations, with a clear underrepresentation of emerging economies of the Global South, raising questions about the diminishing legitimacy of these institutions in an increasingly multipolar world. [34] , [35] , [36] Joseph Stiglitz, in his work, has long highlighted that the rigidities of the bureaucratic and archaic policies in these organisations leave recipient countries worse off than before. [37]

The 2023 report released by the G20 Eminent Persons Group on Global Financial Governance (EPG) highlighted the failures of the current IFA and provided recommendations for reform. [38] The report emphasises the need for a greater role for the multilateral development banks (MDBs) in financing global public goods such as the SDGs and climate action and also calls for creating a more inclusive and representative global financial governance structure, improving the efficiency and effectiveness of these institutions, and redistributing voting powers to emerging economies like India, China, and Brazil.

A New Paradigm for Global Financial Governance

The present financial institutional system is inadequate, and the call for reforms has become widespread. Any new form of institutional architecture needs to prioritise the needs of the Global South, increase the financing of global public goods such as the SDGs and climate action, and create a more democratic and representative governance structure. The Global Financial Governance report is a step in the right direction, but the implementation will not be easy; it will require strong political will and cooperation from the global community to shake the status quo. Under such circumstances, an institutional platform like the G20 can provide a way out of the impasse that the global financial system has been pushed into.

The G20 is an inclusive and representative system that includes Global North and Global South nations. Successive G20 presidencies of the Global South (especially the double troika of Indonesia-India-Brazil and India-Brazil-South Africa) have highlighted the needs and aspirations of the emerging world. Therefore, while reforms in the existing institution can continue, the G20, with its core principles of inclusivity and addressing crucial global economic concerns like international financial stability, climate change, and sustainable development, is ideally positioned to set up a G20-level development financial institution to meet financing gaps in the global development agenda.

G20 and the SDGs

In 2010, the G20 expanded its agenda by including international development, and in 2015, adopted Agenda 2030, which was aimed at working towards the achievement of the SDGs. [39] While the G20 has served as a forum to manage the world economy, it has largely failed to act as the foremost forum for global development. The G20’s most impressive achievement till date has been its response to the 2008 financial crisis. [h] However, its response to the pandemic has often been criticised; [40] the G20’s efforts to provide debt relief through the Debt Service Suspension Initiative [i] (DSSI) and the Common Framework [j] for debt restructuring provided modest help to developing countries in debt distress after the pandemic. Experts like Dries Lesage have argued that, although the G20 reframed the 2010 Seoul Development Consensus to bring it in line with the SDGs agenda, it did not fully embrace the SDG framework, with the structure of priorities remaining the same as in the G20. [41] Further, he asserts, the G20 mostly invokes the SDGs in the context of developing countries rather than viewing the SDGs as a transformative global agenda. [42] The G20 has played a minimal role in overseeing the achievement of the SDGs within the G20 and the wider world.

The G20 published the G20’s Independent Review of the Multilateral Development Banks’ (MDBs’) Capital Adequacy Frameworks (CAF) in 2022 and launched a G20 Roadmap to accelerate action on MDB governance framework in 2023. [43]

While the 2022 summit in Bali, Indonesia, was dominated by divisions over Russia’s membership in the group and the economic and humanitarian fallout from the war in Ukraine, the focus shifted back to development issues during India’s presidency, with the G20 leaders adopting the G20 2023 Action Plan to promote collective actions to accelerate progress on SDGs through fostering collaboration among G20 work streams and enhancing international partnerships among developing countries, the United Nations, international financial institutions, and other organisations. [44]

Why is the G20 the Best Platform to Revive the SDGs?

As a forum of 19 sovereign countries and the European Union (EU), and now the African Union (AU), the G20 is currently the most influential forum for international cooperation. Not only does the forum comprise the largest economies of the world in terms of trade and GDP, the grouping’s legitimacy has grown immensely with the inclusion of the AU as a permanent member under India’s presidency. The G20 is therefore adequately represented by both the North and the South and is the most appropriate and legitimate institution to carry forward the 2030 Agenda. Currently, Global South countries (India, Brazil, and South Africa) have the agenda-setting role in the G20, and the momentum from India’s presidency can be used to focus on strengthening international cooperation to accelerate SDG implementation.

The G20 should create a development bank to expedite the achievement of the SDGs and address the main barrier to this achievement: finance. Though there may be apprehensions that the G7 will dictate the G20 mandates, this apprehension would be unfounded, as the Global South G20 presidencies have categorically voiced Global South concerns, as witnessed in the G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration. [45]

The Need for a G20 Development Bank

The idea of a separate G20 development bank to fund the SDGs was first proposed in 2023. [46] , [47] The Think20 India Communiqué also emphasised the need for a development financial institution under the G20 with the twin objectives of financing the SDG gap and refuelling the growth forces in the event of a crisis. [48] The main reasons behind the need for a G20 development bank are discussed in the following paragraphs.

The current financial order is not capable of implementing the SDGs.

The current global financial order is not designed to deliver on the sustainable development agenda. Born in the context of the Second World War, the current international financial structure, driven by the MDBs and led by the developed world, does not rightly represent the realities of developing countries. [49] The MDBs are failing to cater to the urgent sustainability challenges of the modern world and are being increasingly criticised for not delivering the results that they promised.

A new development bank to fund the SDGs is necessitated by the fact that efforts to reform the international financial architecture and MDBs is unlikely to yield adequate results. For instance, the World Bank’s main objective of poverty eradication and its country-focused operating model is not aligned with SDG financing, which requires a broader focus across countries and sectors. Several scholars have also expressed their dissatisfaction over current attempts to reform the MDBs. [k] , [50]

Developing countries have a weaker voice in international financial institutions.

One of the primary criticisms of the MDBs, World Bank, and the IMF are the power imbalances in their governing structures. Voting shares in the IMF are allocated on the basis of the size and openness of economies. As a result, poor developing countries and borrowing countries are structurally under-represented in the decision-making process. [51] In the World Bank, votes are determined by financial contributions and size. [52] Although voting powers in the World Bank were revised in 2010, [l] the G7 countries and China continue to have the greatest voting power. [53] As the largest shareholder of the World Bank (about 16 percent), the US has veto power over certain World Bank decisions, whereas countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, which are the main stakeholders of the Bank, together have less than 6 percent of the votes and exercise little influence over the Bank’s operations. [54] The so-called ‘gentlemen’s agreement’ [m] between the US and the European countries also ensures that the Bank and the IMF are always headed by a US and European national, respectively.

Several scholars have argued that, although the World Bank and the IMF are structured as financial institutions, their governance systems are not like actual financial institutions. Their shareholders, which are individual countries, are motivated by advancing their own geopolitical interests, [55] and the competing interests of powerful shareholders often lead to a neglect of the interests of smaller, developing countries.

The international financial system is unfair to developing countries.

The international financial structure has failed to act as a global safety net for the developing countries and is inherently unjust. At the 2023 Paris Summit for the New Global Financing Pact, [n] United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres called the international financial architecture “outmoded” and “dysfunctional” and accused it of exacerbating poverty and inequality. [56] Not only was the allocation of SDRs between high- and low-income countries inequitable, “the high-income countries were also able to print money to revive their economies in the aftermath of the pandemic, while developing countries struggled with very high borrowing costs (up to nearly eight times higher than the developed countries)” [57] and continue to pay more on debt service than on healthcare and education needs of their populations.

There is inadequate attention to environmental and climate concerns and poor record in climate finance.

International financial institutions typically prioritise the economic rate of return [o] at the expense of environmental and climate concerns. The Bretton Woods Institutions have lagged in measures to protect the environment and address climate change. Despite mixed evidence of the link between growth and poverty alleviation, [58] , [59] both the World Bank and the IMF have pushed for a growth-based approach to poverty alleviation at the expense of environmental degradation, thereby intensifying the climate crisis. Most attempts by the institutions to address climate change and environmental degradation have been limited to integrating these concerns into the growth-based model itself. [60] Therefore, the basic tenets of these institutions are not in line with Agenda 2030, which calls for systemic changes in the global economy rather than the pursuit of economic growth.

Additionally, the World Bank and other MFIs have not aligned its lending portfolio with the Paris Agreement. Although the World Bank contributes a significant share of project finance towards renewable energy development, its overall influence is not in line with low carbon development. It continues to fund fossil-fuel projects and thereby contributes to higher profit margins for oil, gas, and coal operations. [61] So far, the World Bank has not developed a framework to assess the climate impacts of its Development Policy Finance [p] (DPF). Additionally, climate concerns were found not to feature prominently in the emergency response funding channelled by the DPF in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. [62]

The record in climate adaptation finance is also disappointing. UNEP’s 2023 Adaptation Gap Report [63] reveals that the chasm between the demand for climate adaptation finance and the provision of actual funds is not only widening but has moved to a staggering 10-18-fold difference. Between 2020 and 2030, the amount needed to adapt against climate impacts in developing countries stands at a hefty US$215 billion annually, with the funding requirements to implement domestic adaptation blueprints reaching US$387 billion each year. [64] Despite the urgent call to action, public multilateral and bilateral adaptation finance coffers witnessed a 15-percent dip in 2021, dwindling to a mere US$21 billion. Consequently, the adaptation finance chasm has widened even more, ranging from US$194 to US$366 billion annually. [65] MFIs and DFIs have revealed a lopsided financing portfolio with significant funding biases in favour of mitigation projects. [66] This is because of perceptible returns on investment (RoI) associated with energy transition projects, as compared to adaptation projects where RoIs are imperceptible and often result in the creation of public goods. [67]

Efforts to reform the financial order have failed.

While the current MDBs were founded in response to the challenges faced by a post-war world 70 years ago, the urgency of today’s challenges calls for a more robust and effective multilateral response. Current global challenges cannot be treated in an incremental manner by modifying existing institutions. Bold and systemic changes are the need of the hour. It is clear that the SDGs can only be implemented through new, stable, and long-term sources of funding. Given the limitations of the current financial order and the gap in SDG financing, a creative approach to mobilising finance is the only way forward. Even as finance is the main impediment to SDG implementation, there is no shortage of funds globally. However, the funds do not flow to regions and sectors that need it the most.

A new development bank will promote North-South cooperation and accelerate the achievement of the SDGs.

As an innovative financing instrument, the G20 development bank will strategise and enhance collaborative efforts for supporting sustainable financing within the G20, specially for the Global South. The G20’s own financial institution should combine the best features of North-South and South-South cooperation models; [68] while the North is preferred for its norms and standards, the South is more capable of identifying the financial deficits faced by developing countries. [69]

Moreover, experience from the last two decades shows that there is a need to safeguard the SDGs in the face of global shocks. A new development finance institution (DFI) will be instrumental in reinforcing South-South cooperation and South-North partnerships, with Global North expertise helping design Global South financing mechanisms. A single organising body will also ensure that geopolitical conditions do not blind the process of forwarding aid to less developed countries. [70]

The G20 Development Bank: Objectives, Nature, and Structure

The primary objective of the recommended G20 development bank is furthering the implementation of the SDGs at an accelerated pace, particularly in developing countries. The establishment of a G20 development bank will be an important step in the 2023 Action Plan. Moreover, it will be a concrete step towards SDG implementation by the G20. The establishment of a G20 development bank to fund the sustainable development agenda will also address the finance gap in Agenda 2030. A G20 development bank can also ensure that the process of making sustainable development financing accessible to less developed nations is not hindered by geopolitical or other disruptions. Further, the G20 development bank would improve global liquidity and provide long-term funds for sustainable projects. Unlike regional development banks like the Asian Development Bank and the African Development Bank, the G20 development bank will not have a regional focus.

The priorities of the G20 development bank should be different from those of the existing MDBs, which exacerbate global inequalities. Unlike other MDBs, the G20 development bank should provide financing to developing countries on fair terms. Additionally, the G20 development bank should incorporate climate change and other environmental concerns such as biodiversity loss in its operations to better reflect the true benefits and costs of every project and maximise the social rate of return. [q] Focusing on long-term social rates of return will be particularly beneficial for climate-adaptation projects in developing countries, which are typically overlooked by traditional financial institutions due to their poor short-term returns.

All G20 members (including the EU and the AU) will be members of the G20 development bank. The shareholders will be represented by the bank’s board of governors, comprising the member countries’ finance ministers.

The institutional responsibilities of the bank will be as follows:

Mobilising resources for the implementation of the SDGs in developing countries
Harnessing private-sector resources for SDG implementation
Funding and conducting research on SDGs
Supporting adaptation projects in developing countries
Creating a pool of bankable projects in developing countries
Ensuring risk mitigation on long-term sustainable projects
Sharing best practices across countries

Structure

The G20 development bank secretariat will be composed of several divisions and offices, as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1: The Structure of the G20 Development Bank

Source: Authors’ own

Sectoral Focus Areas

The priority of the bank will be to fund sustainable development projects that accelerate inclusive growth and are aimed at improving the lives of people in developing countries. The purpose is also to support projects in both the public and private sectors through equity in investments, loans, and other appropriate tailored instruments. There is also a strong focus on collaboration between civil society, philanthropy, local communities, international organisations, and other relevant development partners. The areas of operation are as follows:

Energy efficiency and just transition
Connectivity
Climate adaptation in developing countries
Water and sanitation
Ecological protection
Debt-financing solutions

The adoption of the SDGs marked a historical moment, highlighting common goals for developed and developing nations. However, the means of implementation, particularly mobilising finance, have proven to be a massive challenge because the current global financial order is not designed to deliver on the ambitious sustainable development agenda. The COVID-19 pandemic and a series of subsequent shocks have made the SDGs even more difficult to achieve. MDBs are failing to cater to the urgent sustainability challenges of the modern world and are increasingly being criticised for not delivering the results that they promised. In this context, the G20 would be the ideal platform to reinvigorate the SDG agenda by addressing the widening SDG financing gap.

One could also argue that some of Global South financial institutions, such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the New Development Bank (NDB), could also be equipped to respond to the needs and aspirations of the Global South. This may raise questions about the need for a G20-level development bank. The need for a G20 development financial institution remains crucial for three reasons. First, the AIIB is a China-driven institution that is furthering their own expansionist agenda of the Belt and Road Initiative. Additionally, the AIIB has a skewed power structure and cannot be perceived as an equitable, inclusive, and democratic institution. Second, the NDB is yet to address the need for adaptation finance, and its global nature is still under question. Third, the G20 DFI emphasises the need for collaborative North-South engagement, drawing funds from the North and transferring it to the South. With the South bearing the brunt of the North’s growth ambitions, the imperative is an institution that ensures Global North-South transfer to meet the development needs and ambitions of the South. This mechanism of the G20 development bank is an attempt to be inclusive, equitable, and non-Western and ensure that the concerns of the South can be addressed by the North.

The creation of such a DFI is further necessitated by the fact that efforts to reform the international financial architecture and MDBs are unlikely to yield adequate results and mobilise requisite resources. A G20 development bank will be instrumental in funding sustainable development projects that accelerate inclusive growth to improve the lives of people in developing countries and supporting projects in both public and private sectors through equity in investments, loans, and other appropriate tailored instruments.

[a] A package of 17 aspirational goals including targets to completely eliminate hunger and poverty, tackling climate change, halting the loss of biodiversity and degradation of ecosystems, promoting access to healthcare and education, and reducing inequalities.

[b] The SDR is an international reserve asset. Its value is linked to a basket of currencies: the US dollar, the euro, the Japanese yen, the Chinese renminbi, and the British pound sterling.

[c] ‘Jobs gap’ is an indicator developed by the International Labour Organization that measures labour underutilisation beyond unemployment. To be considered unemployed, jobless persons have to be available to take up employment at a very short notice and have to be actively searching for a job. Many people in developing countries, particularly women, fail to meet the strict criteria but have an unmet need for a job. Therefore, this indicator is an important complement to unemployment rate.

[d] Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns, which is key to sustain the livelihoods of current and future generations.

[e] Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

[f] Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development.

[g] Protect, restore, and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, and halt biodiversity loss.

[h] In response to the financial crisis of 2008, the G20 leaders met at the heads of state level in Washington and emerged as the principal forum for international response to the financial crisis. The Washington Declaration called for strengthening of prudential and financial norms and a series of measures like stronger capital requirements and changes in international accounting standards.

[i] In 2020, the G20 announced the Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI) under which bilateral official creditors suspend debt service payments from the least developed countries upon request.

[j] The G20 Common Framework was announced in November 2020 to deal with the unsustainable debt of developing countries beyond the DSSI.

[k] For instance, Ghanem has argued that significant capital infusion is required for the World Bank to increase its financing of global public goods, which is unlikely to succeed because most governments are facing budgetary issues. See: Ghanem, “The World Needs a Green Bank”.

[l] In 2010, the voting power of developing and transition countries (DTC) at IBRD and IFC increased, bringing their voting share to 47.19% and 39.8%, respectively.

[m] Europe and United States have a ‘gentlemen’s agreement’ that the World Bank would be led by an American while the IMF would be led by a European.

[n] The Paris Summit for a New Global Financing Pact was held on 22 nd and 23 rd June 2023. Nearly 40 heads of states and leaders of international and regional organisations, presidents of development banks, civil society organisations, and private sector companies participated in the conference. The summit called for accelerated actions for SDGs and led to the declaration of the Paris Pact for People and Planet.

[o] The economic rate of return is a metric which shows the how a project’s economic benefits compare to its costs. The economic rate of return indicates efficiency of resource use when prices are adjusted to reflect relative economic scarcities.

[p] Development Policy Finance is a World Bank lending instrument which provides funds to a borrowing country via non-earmarked budget support. Unlike other instruments like Investment Project Financing and Program-for-Results, it is not earmarked for specific projects but supports policy reforms and direct budget support. It is issued by the IDA and the IBRD.

[q] Social return on investment (SROI) is a method for measuring values that are not traditionally reflected in financial statements, including social, economic, and environmental factors. They can identify how effectively a company uses its capital and other resources to create value for the community.

[1] Jeffrey D. Sachs et al., Sustainable Development Report 2022 – From Crisis to Sustainable Development: the SDGs as Roadmap to 2030 and Beyond, United Kingdom, Cambridge University Press, 2022, https://s3.amazonaws.com/sustainabledevelopment.report/2022/2022-sustainable-development-report.pdf

[2] UN-DESA, The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2022 , July 2022, New York, United Nations – Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2022, https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2022/The-Sustainable-Development-Goals-Report-2022.pdf

[3] “The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2022, July 2022”

[4] United Nations, “With Highest Number of Violent Conflicts Since Second World War, United Nations Must Rethink Efforts to Achieve, Sustain Peace, Speakers Tell Security Council,” January 26, 2023, https://press.un.org/en/2023/sc15184.doc.htm

[5] Brahima Sangafowa Coulibaly, “Rebooting Global Cooperation is Imperative to Successfully Navigate the Multitude of Shocks Facing the Global Economy,” Brookings, September 16, 2022, https://www.brookings.edu/essay/rebooting-global-cooperation-is-imperative-to-successfully-navigate-the-multitude-of-shocks-facing-the-global-economy/

[6] Coulibaly, “Rebooting Global Cooperation is Imperative to Successfully Navigate the Multitude of Shocks Facing the Global Economy”

[7] ILO, World Employment and Social Outlook: Trends 2024 , January 2024, Geneva, International Labour Organization, 2024, https://www.ilo.org/sites/default/files/wcmsp5/groups/public/%40dgreports/%40inst/documents/publication/wcms_908142.pdf

[8] “World Employment and Social Outlook: Trends 2024, January 2024”

[9] “World Employment and Social Outlook Trends: 2024, January 2024”

[10] “World Employment and Social Outlook Trends: 2024, January 2024”

[11] Jose Antonio Ocampo, “A Pandemic of Debt,” Project Syndicate , December 12, 2022, https://www.project-syndicate.org/magazine/debt-crisis-default-relief-world-bank-imf-by-jose-antonio-ocampo-2022-12

[12] Martin Kessler, “The Road to Zambia’s 2020 Default,” Finance for Development Lab, December 6, 2023, https://findevlab.org/the-road-to-zambias-2020-sovereign-debt-default/

[13] Indrajit Coomaraswamy and Ganeshan Wignaraja, “What Can We Learn from Sri Lanka’s Debt Default?,” London School of Economics, October 16, 2023, https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/southasia/2023/10/16/what-can-we-learn-from-sri-lankas-debt-default/

[14] “For the First Time, Lebanon Defaults on its Debts,” The Economist , March 12, 2020, https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2020/03/12/for-the-first-time-lebanon-defaults-on-its-debts

[15] Daniel Munevar, “Dam Debt: Understanding the Dynamics of Suriname’s Debt Crisis,” Eurodad, January 20, 2021, https://www.eurodad.org/dam_debt_suriname

[16] Francisco HG Ferriera, “Inequality in the Time of COVID-19,” Finance & Development and International Monetary Fund, June 2021, https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/2021/06/pdf/inequality-and-covid-19-ferreira.pdf

[17] Jeffrey D. Sachs et al., “Sustainable Development Report 2022 – From Crisis to Sustainable Development: the SDGs as Roadmap to 2030 and Beyond”.

[18] “Nordic Consumption Must Change if SDGs are to be Achieved,” Nordic Co-operation, February 2, 2023, https://www.norden.org/en/news/nordic-consumption-must-change-if-sdgs-are-be-achieved

[19] Sustainable Development Report, “Executive Summary of Key Findings and Recommendations,” https://dashboards.sdgindex.org/chapters/executive-summary

[20] Mark Elder et al., “An Optimistic Analysis of the Means of Implementation for Sustainable Development Goals: Thinking about Goals as Means,” Sustainability 8, no. 9 (2016): 962, https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/8/9/962

[21] United Nations, “Developing Countries Face $4 Trillion Investment Gap in SDGs,” July 5, 2023, https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/07/1138352

[22] UNCTAD, “ Reversing the Trends that Leave LDCs Behind, ” September 23, 2022.

[23] Renita D’Souza and Shruti Jain, “Bridging the SDGs Financing Gap in Least Developed Countries: A Roadmap for the G20,” Observer Research Foundation, October 2022.

[24] Oana Forestier and Rakhyun E Kim, “Cherry-Picking the Sustainable Development Goals: Goal Prioritization by National Governments and Implications for Global Governance,” Sustainable Development 28 , no. 5, September 2020: 1019-1518, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/sd.2082

[25] “Global Outlook on Financing for Sustainable Development Goals 2023,” OECD Ilibrary, November 10, 2022, https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/sites/fcbe6ce9-en/index.html?itemId=/content/publication/fcbe6ce9-en

[26] UN- DESA, Financing for Sustainable Development Report 2023: Inter-Agency Task Force on Financing for Development , April 2023, New York, United Nations- Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2023.

[27] “Financing for Sustainable Development Report 2023: Inter-Agency Task Force on Financing for Development, 2023”

[28] UN-DESA, Strengthen the Means of Implementation and Revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development , United Nations-Department of Economic and Social Affairs, https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2021/goal-17/

[29] “Strengthen the Means of Implementation and Revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development”

[30] Christopher Clubb, “A Blueprint for Closing the SDG Financing Gap: How to Raise $290 Billion in 12 Months to Tackle the World’s Biggest Problems,” Convergence , April 27, 2023, https://www.convergence.finance/news-and-events/news/5eAYctFCu0NeHdy3aaMsc4/view

[31] Clubb, “A Blueprint for Closing the SDG Financing Gap: How to Raise $290 Billion in 12 Months to Tackle the World’s Biggest Problems”

[32] United Nations, “Global Financial Architecture Has Failed Mission to Provide Developing Countries with Safety Net, Secretary-General Tells Summit, Calling for Urgent Reforms,” June 22, 2023, https://press.un.org/en/2023/sgsm21855.doc.htm

[33] Abel Gwaindepi and Amin Karimu, “Reform of the Global Financial Architecture in Response to Global Challenges. How to Restore Debt Sustainability and Achieve SDGs?,” European Parliament, June 2024, https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/IDAN/2024/754451/EXPO_IDA(2024)754451_EN.pdf .

[34] Rob Clark, “Quotas Operandi: Examining the Distribution of Voting Power at the IMF and World Bank,” The Sociological Quarterly 58, no. 4 (2017): 595–621, https://doi.org/10.1080/00380253.2017.1354735

[35] Trung A Dang and Randall W Stone, “Multinational Banks and IMF Conditionality,” International Studies Quarterly 65, no. 2 (2021): 375-386, https://doi.org/10.1093/isq/sqab010

[36] Tyler Pratt, “Angling for Influence: Institutional Proliferation in Development Banking,” International Studies Quarterly 65, no. 1 (2021): 95-108, https://doi.org/10.1093/isq/sqaa085 .

[37] Joseph Stiglitz, Globalisation and its Discontents (Penguin Publishers, 2002).

[38] Global Financial Governance, Report of the G20 Eminent Persons Group on Global Financial Governance (EPG) , G20 Eminent Persons Group on Global Financial Governance, 2023, https://www.globalfinancialgovernance.org/report-of-the-g20-epg-on-gfg/overview/

[39] G20 India, “G20-Background Brief,” https://www.g20.in/en/docs/2022/G20_Background_Brief.pdf .

[40] James McBride et al., “What Does the G20 Do?,” Council on Foreign Relations, https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/what-does-g20-do

[41] Dries Lesage, “The Multiple Roles of the G20 with Regard to the UN Sustainable Development Goals,” in The G20, Development and the UN Agenda 2030 , ed. Dries Lesage and Jan Wouters (London: Routledge, 2022)

[42] Lesage, The Multiple Roles of the G20 with Regard to the UN Sustainable Development Goals

[43] “G20 Roadmap for the Implementation of the Recommendations of the G20 Independent Review of Multilateral Development Banks,” Capital Adequacy Frameworks, July 2023, https://cdn.gihub.org/umbraco/media/5355/g20_roadmap_for_mdbcaf.pdf

[44] G20 Informative Centre, “G20 2023 Action Plan on Accelerating Progress on the SDGs,” June 12, 2023, http://www.g20.utoronto.ca/2023/230612-sdg-action-plan.html

[45] “G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration,” https://www.mea.gov.in/Images/CPV/G20-New-Delhi-Leaders-Declaration.pdf .

[46] Nilanjan Ghosh and Soumya Bhowmick, “Bridging the SDGs Financing Gap: A Ten-Point Agenda for the G20,” T20 India Policy Brief , 2023, https://t20ind.org/research/bridging-the-sdgs-financing-gap-a-ten-point-agenda-for-the-g20/#_edn7

[47] Swati Prabhu and Nilanjan Ghosh, “Increasing Cooperation for Sustainable Development: Imperatives for India’s G20 Presidency,” Observer Research Foundation, June 2023.

[48] “Think 20 India Communiqué,” Think20 India Communiqué | ThinkTwenty (T20) India 2023 - Official Engagement Group of G20 (t20ind.org)

[49] “Multilateral Development Banking for this Century’s Development Challenges: Five Recommendations to Shareholders of the Old and New Multilateral Development Banks,” Centre for Global Development , 2016, https://www.cgdev.org/publication/multilateral-development-banking-for-this-centurys-development-challenges

[50] Hafez Ghanem, “The World Needs a Green Bank,” Policy Center for the New South, February 2023.

[51] “What are the Main Criticisms of the World Bank and the IMF?,” Bretton Woods Project, June 4, 2019, https://www.brettonwoodsproject.org/2019/06/what-are-the-main-criticisms-of-the-world-bank-and-the-imf/ https://www.brettonwoodsproject.org/2019/06/what-are-the-main-criticisms-of-the-world-bank-and-the-imf/

[52] World Bank Group, “Voting Powers,” https://www.worldbank.org/en/about/leadership/votingpowers#:~:text=Allocation%20of%20Votes%20by%20Organization&text=Each%20member%20receives%20votes%20consisting,share%20votes%20for%20all%20members ).

[53] World Bank, “International Bank for Reconstruction and Development Subscriptions and Voting Power of Member Countries,” https://thedocs.worldbank.org/en/doc/795101541106471736-0330022021/original/IBRDCountryVotingTable.pdf

[54] Owen Barder, “Time, Gentlemen, Please,” Centre for Global Development, February 6, 2019, https://www.cgdev.org/blog/time-gentlemen-please#:~:text=Since%20the%20Second%20World%20War,be%20led%20by%20a%20European .

[55] Jennifer Nordquist and Dan Katz, “The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund Should Do Less to Achieve More,” Centre for Strategic and International Studies, January 22, 2024, https://www.csis.org/analysis/world-bank-and-international-monetary-fund-should-do-less-achieve-more#:~:text=Although%20the%20World%20Bank%20and,mechanism%20of%20the%20profit%20motive .

[56] Unted Nations, “Global Financial Architecture Has Failed Mission to Provide Developing Countries with Safety Net, Secretary-General Tells Summit, Calling for Urgent Reforms,” June 22, 2023, https://press.un.org/en/2023/sgsm21855.doc.htm

[57] United Nations, “Global Financial Architecture Has Failed Mission to Provide Developing Countries with Safety Net, Secretary-General Tells Summit, Calling for Urgent Reforms”

[58] Richard H. Adams, Economic Growth, Inequality, and Poverty: Findings from a New Data Set , Washington DC, World Bank Group, 2003, http://hdl.handle.net/10986/19109 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO .

[59] Beatriz Pérez de la Fuente, Economic Growth and Poverty Reduction in a Rapidly Changing World , European Commission, 2016, https://economy-finance.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2022-07/eb019_en.pdf .

[60] Bretton Woods Project, “What are the Main Criticisms of the World Bank and the IMF?”

[61] Heike Mainhardt, “World Bank Group Financial Flows Undermine the Paris Climate Agreement: The WBG Contributes to Higher Profit Margins for Oil, Gas, and Coal,” Urgewald, https://www.urgewald.org/sites/default/files/World_Bank_Fossil_Projects_WEB2.pdf

[62] Lauren Sidner and Elisha George, “NSIDER: The World Bank’s Policy Lending Can Better Support Climate Action,” World Resources Institute, October 7, 2020, https://www.wri.org/technical-perspectives/insider-world-banks-policy-lending-can-better-support-climate-action

[63] UNEP, Adaptation Gap Report 2023: Underfinanced. Underprepared. Inadequate investment and planning on climate adaptation leaves world exposed , Nairobi, United Nations Environment Programme, 2023, https://doi. org/10.59117/20.500.11822/43796.

[64] “Adaptation Gap Report 2023: Underfinanced. Underprepared. Inadequate Investment and Planning on Climate Adaptation Leaves World Exposed, 2023”

[65] “Adaptation Gap Report 2023: Underfinanced. Underprepared. Inadequate Investment and Planning on Climate Adaptation Leaves World Exposed, 2023”

[66] Nilanjan Ghosh, “Adaptation Finance for the Global South: Imperatives for a new EU-India Climate Partnership,” in International Cooperation on Climate Change: Insights from South and Southeast Asia and the EU, ed. Thomas Leeb, Michelle Wiesner, and Laura Lahner (Brussels: Hans Seidel Stiftung, 2024), https://europe.hss.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Projects_HSS/Europe/Dokumente/IIZ/International_cooperation_on_climate_change_HSS.pdf

[67] Ghosh, “Adaptation Finance for the Global South: Imperatives for a New EU-India Climate Partnership”.

[68] Prabhu and Ghosh, “Increasing Cooperation for Sustainable Development: Imperatives for India’s G20 Presidency”

[69] Prabhu and Ghosh, “Increasing Cooperation for Sustainable Development: Imperatives for India’s G20 Presidency”

[70] Ghosh and Bhowmick, “Bridging the SDGs Financing Gap: A Ten-Point Agenda for the G20”

Economics and Finance
Sustainable Development
conflict zones
debt crisis
economic stimulus
global hunger
Sustainable Development Goals
unemployment

The views expressed above belong to the author(s). ORF research and analyses now available on Telegram! Click here to access our curated content — blogs, longforms and interviews.

Nilanjan Ghosh

Dr Nilanjan Ghosh is a Director at the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) in India, where he leads the Centre for New Economic Diplomacy (CNED) and ...

Malancha Chakrabarty

Dr Malancha Chakrabarty is Senior Fellow and Deputy Director (Research) at the Observer Research Foundation where she coordinates the research centre Centre for New Economic ...

Swati Prabhu

Dr Swati Prabhu is Associate Fellow with the Centre for New Economic Diplomacy at the Observer Research Foundation. Her research explores the interlinkages between development ...

Related Search Terms

Publications.

Assessing the Submarine Training Capacity of the Chinese Navy

Nuclear security | maritime security | china military, nov 12, 2024.

South Korea’s declining demographics: A national security issue

International affairs, nov 11, 2024.

COMMENTS

How to Write About COVID-19 In Your College Essay & Application
How to Write About Coronavirus Using the Special COVID-19 (250-Word) Section on the Common App. Option 1: The Straightforward Way. Option 2: The Slightly More Creative Way. How to Write About Coronavirus Using the (650-Word) Additional Information Section.
How to Write About Coronavirus in a College Essay
Writing About Coronavirus in Main and Supplemental Essays. Students can choose to write a full-length college essay on the coronavirus or summarize their experience in a shorter form. To help ...
Essay On Covid-19: 100, 200 and 250 Words
Also Read: Essay on Abortion in English in 650 Words. Short Essay on Covid-19. Please find below a sample of a short essay on COVID-19 for school students: FAQs. How to write an essay on COVID-19? To write an essay on COVID-19, understand your word limit and make sure to cover all the stages and symptoms of this disease. You need to highlight ...
Covid 19 Essay in English
Essay on Covid 19 in English - Governments have had to take severe measures to try and contain the pandemic. ... Essay on Covid -19: ... It has revolutionised how we think about health care, education, and even social interaction. This virus has had long-term implications on our society, including its impact on mental health, economic stability ...
How to write an essay on coronavirus (COVID-19)
Start with a blank piece of paper. In the middle of the paper write the question or statement that you are trying to answer. From there, draw 5 or 6 lines out from the centre. At the end of each of these lines will be a point you want to address in your essay. From here, write down any additional ideas that you have.
Covid 19 Essays: Examples, Topics, & Outlines
View our collection of covid 19 essays. Find inspiration for topics, titles, outlines, & craft impactful covid 19 papers. Read our covid 19 papers today! Homework Help; Essay Examples; Writing Tools. ... Long-Term Health Effects of COVID-19: Exploring Physical, Mental, and Social Consequences The Role of Vaccines in Combating COVID-19: Ethical ...
Writing about COVID-19 in a college admission essay
The student or a family member had COVID-19 or suffered other illnesses due to confinement during the pandemic. The student suffered from a lack of internet access and other online learning challenges. Students who dealt with problems registering for or taking standardized tests and AP exams. Jeff Schiffman of the Tulane University admissions ...
Essay: COVID-19 and humanity's interconnectedness
Becoming a storyteller at WHYY, your local public media station, is easier than you might think. Text STORYTELLER to 267-494-9949 to learn more. WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today.
What We Learned About Ourselves During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Alex, a writer and fellow disabled parent, found the freedom to explore a fuller version of herself in the privacy the pandemic provided. "The way I dress, the way I love, and the way I carry ...
How to Write About the Impact of the Coronavirus in a College Essay
Writing About Coronavirus in Main and Supplemental Essays. Students can choose to write a full-length college essay on the coronavirus or summarize their experience in a shorter form. To help ...
Persuasive Essay About Covid19
Impact of COVID-19 Essay. Covid19, also known as Coronavirus, is an infectious disease that has had a major impact on the world. Since its emergence in late 2019, COVID-19 has infected more than seventy million people and caused over one million deaths worldwide. ... The Long-Term Effects of COVID-19 on Healthcare Systems; Global Cooperation vs ...
12 moving essays about life during coronavirus
Read these 12 moving essays about life during coronavirus. Artists, novelists, critics, and essayists are writing the first draft of history. A woman wearing a face mask in Miami. Alissa Wilkinson ...
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19)
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Most people infected with the virus will experience mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover without requiring special treatment. However, some will become seriously ill and require medical attention.
What Life Was Like for Students in the Pandemic Year
In these short essays below, teacher Claire Marie Grogan's 11th grade students at Oceanside High School on Long Island, N.Y., describe their pandemic experiences. ... My mom had COVID-19 for ten ...
COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on social relationships and health
This essay examines key aspects of social relationships that were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. It focuses explicitly on relational mechanisms of health and brings together theory and emerging evidence on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic to make recommendations for future public health policy and recovery. We first provide an overview of the pandemic in the UK context, outlining the ...
Paragraph Writing on Covid 19
Paragraph Writing on Covid-19 in 100 Words. Coronavirus is an infectious disease and is commonly called Covid-19. It affects the human respiratory system causing difficulty in breathing. It is a contagious disease and has been spreading across the world like wildfire. The virus was first identified in 2019 in Wuhan, China.
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19)
COVID-19 is the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. It usually spreads between people in close contact. COVID-19 vaccines provide strong protection against severe illness and death. Although a person can still get COVID-19 after vaccination, they are more likely to have mild or no symptoms. Anyone can get sick with COVID-19 and become ...
Coronavirus Essays: Examples, Topics, & Outlines
COVID-19 Coronavirus. Abstract. First appearing in China in late 2019, the novel Coronavirus COVID-19 has become the most significant global pandemic event in a century. As of October 28, 2020 the total number of cases worldwide was 44 million with 1.17 million deaths. The United States has had an extremely politicized response to the virus ...
COVID-19 has tested us. Will we be ready for the next pandemic?
COVID vaccines are estimated to have saved at least 3.2 million lives in the U.S. alone. These accomplishments offer hope for how quickly we can respond to the next pandemic. On the other hand ...
COVID-19 Coronavirus Essay
COVID-19 Coronavirus Essay. First appearing in China in late 2019, the novel Coronavirus COVID-19 has become the most significant global pandemic event in a century. As of October 28, 2020 the total number of cases worldwide was 44 million with 1.17 million deaths. The United States has had an extremely politicized response to the virus, and ...
The Case for a G20 Development Bank to Resurrect the SDGs
Introduction. The year 2015 was a landmark year in the history of international development, with the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)— [a] the first global attempt to set universal goals for all countries and transform the global economic system. The SDGs' predecessor, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), were largely focused on the developing and the ...

How to Write About Coronavirus in a College Essay

Writing About COVID-19 for a College Application

Writing About Coronavirus in Main and Supplemental Essays

10 Ways to Discover College Essay Ideas

College Admissions: Get a Step Ahead!

You May Also Like

How to Make a College List

Weighing LSAT Test Prep Options

Data Privacy Tips for College Students

Preparing for Your First Job Post-Grad

5 Ways to Decrease Medical School Costs

Graduate School with Student Loan Debt

Colleges With Dog Mascots

15 Scholarships to Help Pay for College

Questions for Med School Social Events

Top Schools

Products & Resources

NCERT Study Material

Colleges & Courses

Predictors & E-Books

Predictors & Articles

Top Courses & Careers

Quick Links

Diploma Colleges

Upcoming Events

Other Exams

Top Countries

Student Visas

Engineering Preparation

Medical Preparation

Online Courses

Top Streams

Specializations

Top Providers

Covid 19 Essay in English

10 Lines on Covid 19

My Experience of COVID-19

Effects of CoronaVirus on Education

Effects of CoronaVirus on Economy

Effects of CoronaVirus on Health

Applications for Admissions are open.

VMC VIQ Scholarship Test

JEE Main Important Physics formulas

JEE Main Important Chemistry formulas

TOEFL ® Registrations 2024

Pearson | PTE

JEE Main high scoring chapters and topics

Download Careers360 App

Scan and download the app

Writing about COVID-19 in a college admission essay

The CommonApp COVID-19 question

Counselor recommendations and school profiles

Writing about COVID-19 in your main essay

Homes Nearby

What should I write my college essay about?

I Thought We’d Learned Nothing From the Pandemic. I Wasn’t Seeing the Full Picture

More from TIME

More Must-Reads from TIME

Entertainment

New on Yahoo

Top Stories

How to Write About the Impact of the Coronavirus in a College Essay

Recommended Stories

Georgia coach Kirby Smart rips safety Jake Pope for celebrating with Ole Miss fans after loss: ‘What an idiot’

Former NFL coach Jack Del Rio resigns as Wisconsin senior adviser following arrest on OWI charge

NASCAR championship race briefly stopped after pace car crashes into sand barrels

2024 MLB awards finalists headlined by Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge, Paul Skenes

WWE Raw results, highlights (Nov. 11): Seth Rollins is a wanted man, Gunther backs down from Damian Priest

Biden's worst gamble? Backing student debt forgiveness

Men's basketball AP poll: Kansas survives UNC to stay No. 1 as Houston, Baylor tumble

Here’s how often you should actually be washing your hair, according to experts

NASCAR: Denny Hamlin posts thank you to FedEx as longtime sponsor is reportedly 'not expected' back

Week 11 waiver wire pickups + Panic Meter: Malik Nabers, Bears WRs, Justin Jefferson | Yahoo Fantasy Forecast

Jay Powell says Donald Trump couldn't fire him even if he tried

3 moves Biden could make as a lame-duck president

DJT stock sinks by double digits to reverse gains after Trump election win

Inflation and retail sales data greet a roaring stock market rally: What to know this week

Where do Lionel Messi and Inter Miami go from here?

'No muffin top': 16,000+ shoppers rave about these undies and a 5-pack is down to $15

Amazon's snow boots are 'like wearing a blanket' — and they're down to $40