Socioeconomic, Environmental, Health, and Psychological Aspects of COVID-19 Pandemic: Lessons Learnt and Future Directions

The world was already facing a looming socioeconomic crisis when the COVID-19 pandemic struck. Not only was there a recession in the worldwide economy, but the world's healthcare system was not even prepared for this pandemic. According to this chapter, the COVID-19 outbreak was an external shock that made us realize how interdependent our world is. There is no denying the interconnectedness of our lives and the veracity of the word cosmopolitanism. This demonstrates that the only effective defence against this disease is world leaders’ collective wisdom and coordinated efforts. Somehow, the harm could be mitigated by a prudent “balanced policy mix” involving fiscal and monetary measures. The economy needs significant resources from the governments. Central banks must act as ICUs. The concepts of “one health approach” and “global health security” must be widely disseminated and adopted. To safeguard humanity's delicate mental state, the global health problem also necessitates extensive psychological therapies. Although the pandemic came in an unbeknownst manner, the consequences did not follow a similar manner. As a result, it is critical to recognize the seriousness of the problem and begin adjusting certain beliefs to prevent civilizations from collapsing in the future post-coronavirus. We now know that it is dangerous to maintain complacency regarding the rules governing the environment, socioeconomic policies, and the healthcare system. Instead of picking out the weak, it is the time to show concern for them. To ensure that human life on Earth continues, each of us has a fair share of responsibility to maintain the planet's biodiversity.