Coronalization

I coined the term ‘Coronalization’ considering its multi-dimensional and global effects. The word ‘coronalization’ is a combination of ‘corona’ from coronavirus and “lization taken from globalization.

The fatal effects of the coronavirus started from the Wuhan province of China and has spread to more than 150 countries till now. Travelling is the main reason making it a globalized emergency. Coronavirus attacks are non-discriminatory, affecting politicians and celebrities across the globe.

The UK health minister and the Canadian first lady tested positive for the virus. An Iranian ambassador to Syria died of coronavirus, while a large number of members of the Iranian parliament are affected by the coronavirus.

The deadly effects of the coronavirus are not limited only to health but many other sectors too. President Trump announced a 30-day ban on travelling from Europe to the US. Qatar also banned entry of citizens from 14 countries most affected by the coronavirus. Many airlines have been suspended, incurring a huge loss for the safety of humanity.

The travel ban has badly affected the tourism industry and businesses all over the world. According to a report in Aljazeera, up to 90 percent of hotel and travel agency bookings have been cancelled in Rome and up to 80 percent in Sicily.

The global import export business is another sector which is severely impacted by the outbreak of the coronavirus. China is not only the second largest economy but also the biggest oil importer. The impacts of the virus have shaken the prices of oils, LNG and other products.

The demand and supply curve of some important preventive products of the coronavirus have been changing and shifting; these include masks, gloves, sanitizers and detecting apparatus. The demand of all these products has increased, thus increasing prices. Pakistan has announced to close all its borders, some of which are main routes of trade and transit trade. This can also produce certain problems like hoarding and shortage of food and other items which requires advance concrete strategy.

Similarly, the government of Pakistan has announced a ban on all public gatherings like cinemas, weddings and conferences. This will negatively impact the businesses of wedding halls, cinemas and similar places. All these steps though are the need of hour to prevent the spread of this virus.

The effects of the coronavirus have also changed the dimensions of official work and focus of governments. Governments all over the world are spending their resources to develop and implement strategies to overcome this deadly virus. Many international conferences and seminars have been postponed to contain the spread of this fatal virus. The outbreak has also affected the education sector. Prestigious institutions like Harvard and MIT have shut down for now. The government of Pakistan has also announced closure of all public and private education institutions for a limited time period.

The pandemic has impacted sports events also. World indoor championships in Nanjing from March 13-15 have been postponed to March 2021. The PSL matches in Pakistan are being played without spectators in the ground.

Moreover, the virus has also affected our religious obligations. Saudi Arabia has banned Umrah for all countries. Pakistan also banned the Raiwind tablighi gathering, and visitors to Kartarpur from as a precautionary measure.

So we can safely call the coronavirus a global challenge which requires collective efforts at the individual, local, national and international levels to beat this threat.

The writer is a graduate of Universityof Oxford.

Twitter: @zilehumma_1