Natrah Ismail

By Natrah Ismail The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting the lives of billions of people across the world. Globally, measures to stop its spread have been drastic: businesses have shuttered, strict travel restrictions have been imposed, social distancing measures have been taken, and public and private hygiene have been encouraged. People have been advised to stock up on supplies and start working from home, where possible.

One major thing Corona Virus brouhaha has done for many is to make them more circumspect about life and its essence. It has afforded many in their anguish the opportunity to take a second look at life. It never featured in the wildest imagination of many, of a time like this, when men big and small would be locked up in the cocoon of their homes for fear of an unseen enemy. It is something phantasmagorical. Before now many may have some sort of illusion about life’s essence.

Even before coronavirus started spreading around the world, dozens of developing counties were already close to a debt crisis. Lebanon and Argentina have already defaulted on their debts this year; Ecuador and Zambia are on the edge. Behind them, a large group of countries could be pushed into default by the coronavirus crisis, including Angola, Tunisia and Ghana. Even rich countries like Italy face such serious debt crisis that it threatens to rip the Eurozone apart.