You are probably well aware of the millions of tragic deaths caused by Covid-19. You might also be aware of the tedious disruptions to everyday life. Things like schooling, job losses and the subsequent financial burden imposed by such things have brought untold misery worldwide. International travel has also been severely impacted by the virus.
Travelling has become dramatically affected by changing rules. Many have lost holidays or had to rebook them, and nations such as the UK and France continue with tit for tat border control against each other. But other things in everyday life have also been greatly affected.
Because of Covid, there are severe delays in document processing. Also, people are suffering as they wait for operations that could save their lives – including cancer patients. And the multiple delays in reopening after lockdown has caused more delays in employment.
Official Documentation
One of the most significant effects of the virus is limiting the number of people who can safely attend work, i.e., going to the office. As a result, world governments offered employers incentives such as paying a portion of wages for encouraging staff to stay at home during the lockdown, and it was mandated for many industries.
But government services themselves have been greatly impacted by limited staffing numbers, which has caused severe delays in the processing of official documentation. Important documents such as a spouse Visa in the UK, DVLA issued driving licenses and reissues of passports are all severely backlogged. As a result, governments are encouraging people to use online application services.
Routine Surgery and Medical Procedures
A tragic effect of Covid is the impact on health services. The many cases that hospitals and clinics need to cope with means that routine services are being delayed. This is understandable since beds are required for Covid patients. Still, severely ill people are suffering and dying as a result. Cancer patients have been severely affected. For each month treatment is delayed, the risk of death increases by up to 13%.
Other treatments such as elective surgery and routine operations mean that over 10 million people are backlogged for medical treatment in the UK alone. As a result, procedures such as joint replacements, for example, are delayed. This is causing misery and pain to many of those on medical lists, such as those with severe arthritis.
Employment Uncertainty
Of course, one of the most apparent effects of Covid is that of employment. Millions of people worldwide have lost their primary source of income. In the UK alone, 1.7 million hospitality workers are left unemployed. In addition, the uncertainty of reopening and the strict measures imposed on catering services by the UK government has crippled the industry.
Fortunately, UK restrictions have recently been lifted, but the lockdown effects have been felt far and wide. Thousands of pubs and restaurants were not able to weather the storm and have been left permanently shuttered. However, many doctors have warned that the UK has responded too early and that a new wave will hit. This will undoubtedly affect life after lockdown and could be devastating to the country and its industries whether a new lockdown comes or not.
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