COVID-19 Pandemic

In late 2019, a novel virus was reported in Wuhan, China. Epidemiology mapping showed that the concentration of early cases centered around Huanan Seafood Market. Still, there are two hypotheses – natural origin and laboratory leak. The broad agreement is that, like SARS and MERS, COVID-19 is naturally originated and was harbored by bats. On the other hand, some scientists and U.S. intelligence agencies have rasied the possibility that the virus could have leaked accidentally, or perhaps even intentionally. The WHO conducts its investigation under constraints, as China did not provide all the information requested, and concluded as zoonotic spillover, yet a lab-related incident could not be ruled out.

The WHO declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on 30 January 2020, followed by a declaration of a pandemic on 11 March. The virus spread across the world through respiratory droplets and airborne particles. Approximately 774 million cases were reported and 7.1 million death were confirmed, yet these figures are incomplete. Many countries lacked sufficient capacity to collect and analyze comprehensive data, and geopolitical tension further hindered communication and information-sharing.

By the first week of April 2020, more than half of the world's population was under some form of lockdown, whether fully restricted or partial. Closures affected economic activities, entertainment, and international borders. This led to Global GDP decline of approximately 3.4 percent in 2020, and prompted massive fiscal responses from G20 governments. The lockdowns and fiscal policies enacted during the pandemic fundamentally altered not only how people live, but also how they think.