The spread of the coronavirus disease has led to global, crushing turning points, to an acceleration of the crisis of human lifestyle and social needs, relations, and production. It exposed the boundaries of a secure, social, geopolitical, technological, and industrial model. That moment radically turned the world upside down, and plunged it into chaos and instability, forcing it to reconsider the entrenched laws and principles. There are many guesses about its appearance, and there is still no single answer to this question. Certainly, COVID-19 is an urgent problem requiring adjusting existing common opinions, ideas, and knowledge, searching for guilt and salvation. The social side of the pandemic is different health indicators and cases of infection between different social groups depending on class, gender, race, and ethnicity. An urgent issue focusing on researchers’ attention is coronavirus’s experience, impact, and consequences on society.
What factors define a pandemic as a social risk, and how does it affect the mentality? Are there any special patterns in this, and what consequences can the virus lead to humanity? What are the theories and strategies for eliminating this issue? These are the key and important questions in this study. The purpose is a theoretical and practical understanding of the pandemic through the prism of sociological risk factors, its meaning, and nature using the tools of sociology. The study contains quantitative and qualitative research methods that help comprehensively study, explore, and analyze such problems in-depth and in detail. The paper obtains the field research, literary study, conceptual modeling, and textual analysis.
People suddenly find themselves in a new and incomprehensible situation. Modernization and globalization have also created the necessary conditions for the emergence of the COVID-19 crisis (Lupton and Willis 20-30). When the existing picture of the world becomes strange and unfamiliar – this becomes the starting point for the action (Little). Governments impose various restrictions on social life to “smooth the curve” (Ward 726-735). Functionalists note that to ensure survival, humanity must adapt to the environment (Little). This concept is a kind of discovery, rethinking the priorities and individual characteristics. (Lenzi 110-122). According to Foucault’s concept, the preservation and development of human life are a central, unifying value that underlies all sociology politics, and interests (Little). Indeed, the contemporary world is a time that generates new myths, rituals, and images (Alexander and Smith 264). It is filled with secrets and various superstitions about the virus.
Works Cited
Alexander, Jeffrey C., and Philip Smith. “COVID-19 and Symbolic Action: Global Pandemic as Code, Narrative, and Cultural Performance.” American Journal of Cultural Sociology, vol. 8, 2020, pp. 263-269.
Lenzi, Francesca Romana. “COVID-19: Rethinking Global Society.” Italian Sociological Review, vol. 11, no. 1, 2021, pp. 109-128.
Little, William. Introduction to Sociology – 2nd Canadian Edition. BCcampus, 2016. Web.
Lupton, Deborah and Karen Willis. The COVID-19 Crisis. Routledge, 2021.
Ward, Paul R. “A Sociology of the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Commentary and Research Agenda for Sociologists.” Journal of Sociology, vol. 56, no. 4, 2020, pp. 726-735.
COVID-19 pandemic posed a significant impact on the international students’ community in Canada due to the adverse effects of the abiding policies. The populace encountered challenges during the pandemic due to the immigration status. As a result, it is crucial to establish core practice values and policies that support welfare among the counterparts. This study focuses on the implication of Canadian government relief programs that marginalize international students. Apart from the exclusion by the executive administration, dynamic social movements, both domestic and international, establish inherent measures that improved the interdependent relationship. There are distinct challenges affecting the international student community in Canada under the spectrum of economic hurdles.
The study focuses on the exploration of the counterparts’ population and expenditure pattern in the country before and during the pandemic. Further, the research assesses the cost implications to cater for the adjustment and the effect of reduced enrolment among the international students. Primarily, it is the responsibility of relevant stakeholders to coordinate towards advancing the factors contributing to a healthy living quotient among international students in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The findings establish an optimal paradigm shift in the scaling of international students’ enrolment in Canadian colleges and universities. The restriction of movement and economic activities adeptly influenced the cost implications among the vulnerable population. The Canada government lost a significant number of laborers, full-time jobs, and gross domestic income percentage from the international student populace. Notably, COVID-19 aptly affected all scopes of the Canadian region under the gradient of attributable benefits from the international student’s community. It is the responsibility of the relevant stakeholders to implement policies that support preventive mechanism and the welfare of the group due to the profound contribution to the socio-cultural and economic foundations of the nation.
Introduction
The lethal implication of the COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected the living quotient among people in Canada due to the economic lockdown and restriction of movement and human contact. One of the significantly vulnerable populations in Canada during the pandemic entails international students. According to a report by El-Assal (2020, para.1), in the past few years, the international students’ populace in Canada tripled to at least 600,000. There is a profound benefit from the influx of the group since it contributes to optimal cultural practice exchange while boosting economic growth and development through intensified transactions. In 2018, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada [IRCC] (2019, para.4) indicate that international students contributed $21.6 billion to the country’s gross domestic product. The positive impact prompted the Canadian government to implement policies enhancing the increase in the international students as a socio-cultural and economic benefit to the residents. Nevertheless, the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic elevated the international students’ vulnerability due to their immigration status hence the importance of understanding the distinctive quotients affecting the counterparts’ living quotients.
Discussion
The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic to Individual’s Health Index
The spread of COVID-19 is mainly through physical touch, hence the emergence of social distancing and isolation. The disease has an incubation period of fourteen weeks. During this period, the patient can spread the virus through the physical touch of common surface areas, objects, and materials (World Health Organization, 2019, pg.2). In essence, the prevention techniques from COVID-19 encompass regular hygiene practice, namely, washing hands, keeping social distance, and staying at home. The illness posed a profound threat to international students in Canada due to the intensified social engagements during the learning process. The imminent risk further amplifies based on the profound incubation period of two weeks hence the chance to prominently spread across the population. The primary symptoms of the disease include pneumonia, dry cough, headaches, and fever.
Although there are records of recovered patients, it is a phenomenon that is limited to a few individuals with a robust immune system. However, the disease is perilous among the elderly, children, and individuals with compromised immune systems. In this case, it becomes necessary to implement quarantine measures to reduce the spread. Self-isolation is social distancing strategies that enhanced the reduced spread of the disease. A significant percentage of the students quarantined while others used the opportunity to undertake online classes (Li & Lalani, 2022, para.1). Despite the lack of a cure, treating symptoms and promoting prevention techniques fosters the effective reduction of its impact on the population and minimal implication to learning process among the international students through virtual platforms.
Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Social Movements
The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic fostered a dynamic impact on social movements while propelling Canadian societies’ existing inequalities. The prominent issues that affect the international student community include racial, unemployment, and social justice disparities. Subedi et al. (2020, para.2) establishes that the pandemic led to many deaths among the minority groups due to the lack of access to healthcare services. Quaife et al. (2020, para.1) argues that COVID-19 affected society and the dynamism of movements. However, both researchers establish that the pandemic is geared for institutional and societal change due to the significant disparity reflected through the spectrum of a recorded number of deaths and infections among the minority. COVID-19 rendered the economy’s lockdown, a phenomenon that highly affected the minority groups employed in the low-income sectors while illuminating the inequities across Canadian citizens.
There is a significant interdependent relationship between the social movements and the welfare of the international student community in Canada. According to research by Staff (2021, para.1), it was reported at least 90,000 infections, and 43 deaths from coronavirus were recorded in 2021. World Health Organization (WHO) (2020) depicts that the illness is not discriminated against based on the dynamic demographic features; therefore, it is the individual responsibility to uphold preventive measures. WHO (2020) further indicates that the highly vulnerable personnel encompass aging, indigenous populace, people with chronic illnesses, and low-income families. As immigrants, international students encountered apt challenges accessing necessities due to the lack of recognition as a vulnerable group globally, prompting foreign governments to implement policies to enhance the protection of the marginalized group.
The Canadian government addressed the health crisis by ensuring the shutting down of universities and public places to reduce instances of people overcrowding. The economic lockdown fostered the intensification of social and financial costs among the Canadian residents. Therefore, the administration focused on providing relief under the spectrum of social and financial mainframes among the vulnerable entities. However, the international students faced a profound survival threat since the government relief program excluded the populace as non-permanent residents. In a study, the researcher articulates a significant percentage of the international students from developing countries proficiently encountered hurdles regarding their life circumstances, future and family during the pandemic (Gomez et al., 2020, para1). As a result, the issue intensified based on the implication of COVID-19 pandemic measures in Canada. There was a high risk of the counterparts experiencing psychological, mental, and social distress due to the lack of effective protection mechanisms from the host country and the consequences of the pandemic.
Social movements significantly contribute to the balance of power and distribution of benefits within a region and community. Public actions address issues experienced across the global population, such as social and health justice. Krieger (2020, pg.1620) postulates that civic movements significantly contribute to health justice encompassing the ideology of easy accessibility of medical benefits among all Canadian citizens. According to the researcher, it is essential for the activists to advocate for healthcare measures from the government that foster the trickle-down effect of healthcare services among the minority racial communities such as African Americans (Krieger, 2020, pg.1621). Krieger (2020, pg.1623) stipulates that social movements contribute to justice, and it is an ethical practice to steer institutions in separating capitalism from the core framework. In this case, the COVID-19 implication intensified the vulnerability status among the international students due to the lack of recognition by the civil associations during the policy planning and implementation process.
Impact of COVID-19 on National and International Economy
COVID-19 is a global health crisis that significantly affects the business environment at an international level. In a research study by Cowling et al. (2020, pg.593), the researchers argue that one solution to curb the spread of the virus involves the closure of non-essential enterprise outlets. The advent of COVID-19 is an issue that encompasses the sociological compass of human beings, that is, interactions and engagements. Therefore, the researchers establish that the main challenge that small and medium corporate outlets face enshrine the solution to curbing the spread of COVID-19 (Engidaw, 2022, para.8). COVID-19 is primarily a health crisis that reconstructs the international trading practices; hence the highly negative impact on the small and medium venture.
The economic closure caused by the spread of COVID-19 negatively affected Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) outlets’ operations. One of the features of SMEs is limited financial resources. Engidaw (2022, para.7) stipulate that the emergence of the health crisis stimulated an economic crisis due to the shutdown of schools, restriction of movements, and social interactions. Additionally, SMEs in Canada face a profound challenge from the international lockdown under the mainframe of decrease in sales (Li et al., 2022, para.3). Cowling et al. (2020, pg.597) further establish that the provision of necessary liquidity for SME ventures relies on locally based operations. However, the movement’s restriction became a hindrance in achieving the common goal of boosting SME financial structure, hence increasing the risk of business shutdowns and loss of employment.
Over the decades, discrimination and marginalization of communities is an ideology significantly prevalent across nations. A profound percentage of international student population prefer studying in Canadian universities due to the surplus in the learning materials and employment opportunities hence the optimal socio-cultural and economic impact (Balu, 2021, para.1). However, the advent of COVID-19 fostered a paradigm shift based on the abounding effective policies that protect the population. Although the individuals share immigration status as learners, the initiative posed an optimal challenge among their counterparts. COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected different facets of the university institutions and the country’s economic pillars. The imposition of new policies on interaction and movement aptly influenced trading practices. Researchers establish that a significant percentage of international students seek jobs in SMEs to fund their daily expenses (Changes to Canada summer jobs program to help businesses and young Canadians affected by COVID-19, 2020, para.1). However, majority of small and medium corporations shut down due to the implication of the implemented COVID-19 measures. This study explores the impact of COVID-19 on the international students in Canada under the spectral view of health index, social movements, and the economy.
International Students in Canada and COVID-19
Different international students encountered dynamic challenges based on emotional and financial turmoil. The lack of Canadian government policy inclusivity strategy for the vulnerable populace sparked optimal debate globally concerning the practice of human rights indiscriminate of national identity. According to the international human rights laws, safeguarding public health risks applies to residents and non-residents as a formative strategy to enhance the global network and coordination in promoting higher living standards (United Nations, 2022, para.4). The neglection of the vulnerable group risks intensified tension among countries based on the necessity to enhance humanitarian efforts despite the social status or ethnic affiliations.
A country’s executive administration’s responsibility is to incorporate policies that promote equality despite ethnic affiliations. United Nations (2022, para.2) further demonstrates that the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights established that all people, regardless of origin, have the right to necessities, namely, housing, food, and education. The exclusion of the international students from the national emergency program discriminated against and marginalized their counterparts despite the harsh conditions posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The inefficiency of Canadian government involvement in enhancing international students’ welfare risks the reputation and safety measures for additional students choosing Canadian universities as the preferred study destination.
One of the core practices that significantly mitigate the adverse effects of COVID-19 among international students is the advancement of the social work response system. Civic work is a multifaceted phenomenon encompassing the intersection of distinctive values and practices among participants to boost living quotients. Therefore, the main goal encapsulates promoting equality among the stakeholders. According to the Social Work License Map (2022, para.1), implementing effective remedies for international students encompasses the program’s consideration of micro, mezzo, and macro levels. At the micro-level, the professionals assist the individuals to enhance their resilience from the distress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic measures. The mezzo phase involves engaging with the university management team to implement strategies to cater to the marginalized group’s needs during the pandemic. The macro category enshrines the inclusivity of executive government officials in the implementation of policies cushioning the international student’s welfare. The process advances the response system functionality and relative coordination among entities concerning the interdependent nature of the institutions.
Conclusion
The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic significantly influenced international students’ welfare in Canada due to the dynamic variables. On the one hand, during the pre-pandemic era, a profound percentage of the populace aptly enrolled for courses in Canadian universities due to the learning materials and employment opportunities. However, the economic lockdown as a preventive mechanism to spread COVID-19 fostered optimal distress among the counterparts. Further, the government relief program indicates that only Canadian residents receive the benefits. The initiative fostered a prominent controversy that elevated the vulnerability status among international students. It is recommended that social movements, executive administrations, and university officials coordinate towards incorporating measures boosting the living quotient among the personnel.
References
Balu, R. (2021). Job Opportunities in Canada for International Students. AECC Global SRI LANKA. Web.
Changes to Canada summer jobs program to help businesses and young Canadians affected by COVID-19. (2020). Prime Minister of Canada. Web.
Cowling, M., Brown, R., & Rocha, A. (2020). Did you save some cash for a rainy COVID-19 day? The crisis and SMEs. International Small Business Journal: Researching Entrepreneurship, 38(7), 593–604. Web.
El-Assal, K. (2020). International students: Canada now ranks 3rd globally in foreign student attraction. CIC News. Web.
Gomez, C., Kalata, N., Singh, I., & Loiero, J., (2020). International students feeling isolated and financially strapped as they wait out pandemic. CBS. Web.
Ethnography involves studying the behavior of people by either observing or interviewing the targeted group. At a pandemic time like the current COVID-19, it is challenging to conduct an ethnography study due to restrictions on social gatherings. I recently visited the Explore Zion National Park to observe how Americans are behaving pandemic rules. The study involved observing how different types of people related, starting from the children, youths, and adults. Regarding the previous years, it is expected that children will be playing in groups, youths will be walking as a team, and adults could gather in groups to socialize. However, this was not the case because people were staying at least one meter from each other to contain the spread of COVID-19. I saw people greeting each other by only waving from a distance with their facemasks covering their mouths and nose. The behavior of the people had changed in terms of socializing and gatherings.
Research Method
One of the best research methods for collecting qualitative data is observation. The methodology involves observing and analyzing the natural and real-world setting of the targeted audience. This was the best sit to complete the research because it is always busy hence providing a wide range for collecting data. A large number of people visits the park for their vacation and through this one can find a variety of behaviors among the people. The collection of data from the large sample size facilitates the credibility of the study as some segments may have a common character.
The primary collection of data through observation involves the application of ethical standards. Data collection and research ethics need to be put in place to ensure that the values of the targeted audience are not violated. Although direct interventions with people are not involved when collecting data through observation, ethical concerns should be taken into account to ensure that norms on the confidentiality of people are not violated. The basic rights of the residents must be respected and taken into account when collecting data. I considered ethical standards by maintaining the confidentiality of the targeted group at the park. No pictures were taken to expose the lifestyle of the audience involved in the study to the third party.
Three Key Situations
The transition in the behaviors of people due to the pandemic can be explained using three situations encountered while at the park. The first situation is the use of face masks, that is from the children to the adults. Everybody was wearing masks to contain the spread of COVID-19, as directed by the world health organization (Derksen et al., 2020). The use of facemasks is a behavioral change among people, and we have to do this until the virus is fully suppressed. The second situation that reveals the change of behavior among people is washing hands. The establishment of water points with sanitizers in different parts of the park is a clear indicator that people have changed their perspectives on hygiene. Personal hygiene is key in containing the virus as prescribed by the ministry of health. People in the park could voluntarily sanitize and wash their hands which is a new norm.
From the observation, one could tell that there was an aspect of social distancing in the park. People stayed at least one meter from each other to minimize the chances of contracting the virus. Therefore, no gatherings could be noted at the park, unlike in the past when people used to gather with friends and families to enjoy. The findings from the observation study validate the health belief model in containing the spread of the COVID-19. Measures such as sanitizing, social distancing and wearing of masks were practiced by everybody starting from men and women, wealthy and poor, and young and adults. The above three situations at the park tell me how the pandemic has changed the social behaviors of people in society (Derksen et al., 2020). Everyone is focusing on their lives only to prevent the infection of the virus.
Conclusion
With the help of ethnographic studies, one can easily study the behaviors of a given group of people through observations. Observation at the Explore Zion National Park reveals that there has been a great change in the behaviors of people since the outbreak of COVID-19. While at the park, people are seen wearing facemasks, sanitizing, washing hands, and keeping social distance. The social relationship among the people has changed as people cannot gather in groups and socialize. In comparison with my own experience, life has really changed due to COVID-19. I sanitize from time to time, wear facemasks and maintain social distance while in public. Before the pandemic, I could travel to different places and interact with different kinds of people. However, the current measure does not allow me to interact with people due to the spread of the disease. From the findings, COVID-19 containment strategies have affected the social behaviours in society. The future research question is, what is the impact of COVID-19 containment strategies on human behaviours?
In the article, is there any safe way to socialize during the coronavirus pandemic, Jamie Ducharme explains why social distancing is crucial to fighting the current healthcare crisis. To illustrate this point, the author states that “Limiting social contact, as hard as it is, really is an altruistic move” (Ducharme). At the start of the article, he notes the fact that it is in our nature to desire human contact, and we can hardly do anything to fulfill that wish in the current circumstances. Then, the author mentions that some people are actively searching for a way to meet with their loved ones without exposing themselves and others to a risk of infection.
The article seems to be aimed at explaining to these people that there is no easy way to circumvent the danger of the coronavirus. The author states that “there’s no demographic that’s truly safe from COVID-19”, as there are records of people from all age groups suffering and even dying from the virus (Ducharme). Ducharme explains that there are inherent risks in any social activity because it is common for people infected with the virus to exhibit no symptoms. The article finishes with a reminder that breaking social distancing guidelines is dangerous not only to the person who chooses to do so but to everyone they contact and the nation at large.
This article is important because it covers a vital and controversial social topic. It is likely to teach thousands of people about the dangers of unsanitary practices during the pandemic. It might also alert individuals who did not realize that they have a collective responsibility to minimize the load on the healthcare system. Finally, it informs people who believe staying at home to always be the right choice that being outside and maintaining a proper distance might be safer. All this information is indispensable in the current situation, and this article delivers it in a convenient and understandable format.
The outbreak of the infection, which has spread rapidly around the world, has affected people’s lives. Coronavirus is an acute viral disease characterized by predominant damage to the respiratory system and gastrointestinal tract. Meanwhile, coronavirus is a zoonotic infection that can be transmitted to humans from animals (Covid-19 Parental Resources, 2022). Governments of many countries are forced to introduce strict measures restricting physical communication of people, lockdowns, and quarantines. Thus, this has affected the ability to transport, study, work, and travel. Therefore, it is essential to establish how people’s lives have changed after the COVID-19 pandemic and compare it with other pandemics.
Information about COVID-19 and Its Impact on People’s Lives
It is essential to mention that COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. It was first detected in patients with severe respiratory disorders in December 2019 in Wuhan, China (Covid-19 Parental Resources, 2022). Moreover, COVID-19 mainly affects the respiratory system and, in severe cases, causes severe pneumonia and can lead to death. The virus is transmitted by droplets of secretions during coughing, sneezing, and talking. It threatens individuals in close or prolonged contact with an infected person. COVID-19 has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives in the United States (COVID-19 Parental Resources, 2022). At the same time, this virus has affected the lives of all humans in the world.
The coronavirus pandemic has changed people’s lives and forced them to adapt to new conditions, affecting jobs and incomes and even things like lifestyles, leisure, and communication. School closings due to COVID-19 have caused significant disruption to education services across Europe and the world (Osofsky 468). At the same time, educational institutions have begun to adapt to the pandemic and have introduced online learning. Thus, pupils and students were able to gain knowledge without leaving home, which was a necessary measure to stop the outbreak (Osofsky 468). However, online learning and online work had a negative impact on the emotional and psychological state of people who were isolated. Accordingly, people began to search for solutions to these problems and, therefore, began to actively use social networks and online conferences to communicate with family and friends using video.
The COVID-19 crisis has significantly impacted many sectors, such as tourism, health, and trade. The pandemic also severely disrupted the economic industry as its supply chain was severely affected. People worldwide have felt what it is like to break chains and have realized all the weaknesses of globalization. An excessive number of suppliers “spread around the world” made manufacturers dependent on lockdowns in each region (Osofsky 468). Thus, the regionalization of supply chains began, which continues to this day. Accordingly, most countries have established effective ways of supplying goods from neighboring countries or have created their production of critical goods (Pence 287). This is needed in order to reduce the deficit in case of a new wave of COVID-19 infection.
Furthermore, another significant restriction for people was the travel ban and additional quarantine measures. Accordingly, people wore masks to protect themselves from the virus and kept a distance in stores. Moreover, most restaurants and establishments that were previously popular closed their doors to visitors (Osofsky 468).
Thus, people changed their lifestyles and could devote more time to personal development. It is also worth noting that communication between states and sometimes even between cities was limited. This was required in order to stop the spread of the infection (Osofsky 468). Thus, people could not travel for some time, and after the decrease in COVID-19 cases, they adhered to certain rules in order to travel. For example, vaccination or a negative test is required in order to travel abroad (Osofsky 468). Accordingly, human life has changed fundamentally; it has become isolated.
Additionally, the COVID-19 outbreak has changed the attitude of people and governments towards healthcare. During the peak of the pandemic, people lacked medicines, hospital beds and ventilators. Consequently, due to the limited availability of these resources and the large number of individuals who could use them, some people were unable to receive the care they needed (Impact of COVID-19 on People’s Livelihoods, n.d.). After the COVID-19 cases reversed, people began to respect the work of doctors, and governments allocated significant funds to finance the medical sector.
Comparison with Previous Virus Outbreaks
It is important to emphasize that humanity, throughout its development, has not been confronted with the spread of infectious diseases on a one-time basis. For example, just over 100 years ago, shortly after the end of World War I, the so-called Spanish Flu resulted in at least 50 million deaths worldwide (Pence 15). Spanish Flu was produced by unsanitary conditions on the Western Front, especially in the trenches and trenches along the French border, poor nutrition, and overcrowding in military camps and refugee camps (Pence 15).
The war ended in November 1918; soldiers began returning home, bringing with them the deadly virus. The COVID-19 outbreak began in China, and scientists admit that the covid infected people. Many of those who died from COVID-19 developed some form of pneumonia because the human immune system was already weakened from fighting the virus (Pence 15). This is similar to what happened during the Spanish flu pandemic, although it should be emphasized that the mortality rate from COVID-19 is many times lower than from the Spanish Flu.
The number of deaths from COVID-19 is much higher than from the deadly hemorrhagic Ebola, which was first noticed in 1976. The last major outbreak of Ebola killed nearly 2,300 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo between August 2018 and June 2020 (Pence 36). About 15,300 people have died in four decades due to recurrent Ebola outbreaks, all of which have occurred in Africa. The Ebola virus causes a much higher mortality rate than COVID-19: about 50% of infected individuals die from it (Pence 36). Nevertheless, Ebola is less contagious than other viral diseases, primarily because airborne droplets do not transmit it but only through direct and close contact.
Conclusion
Hence, COVID-19 will have a quick but significant impact on people’s lives. People found themselves in isolation and were able to adapt to it, i.e. study and work remotely. Moreover, restrictions in transport did not allow citizens to travel, even now, there are quarantine rules and regulations that are mandatory. Moreover, the pandemic outbreak has demonstrated the importance of the healthcare sector and the professionalism of healthcare workers. Compared to other infectious diseases, COVID-19, Ebola was less contagious, although most people who were infected with it died. Also, Spanish Flu caused a much higher number of deaths than COVID-19 and arose due to unsanitary conditions.
Osofsky, Joy. et al. “Psychological and Social Impact of COVID-19.” Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, vol. 12, no. 5, 2020, p. 468.
Damon Young writes that the coronavirus pandemic has caused many people to be influenced by fake conspiracy theories. A situation arises when people refuse to communicate with their loved ones because the difference of opinion poisons communication. Young believes that there are many reasons why people suddenly begin to believe in such theories, including “skepticism of modern science,” “white-nationalist-adjacent libertarianism,” or a distorted understanding of citizenship (Young, 2022, para. 3). The author writes that even though there are many pleasant memories associated with such people, there comes the point when friendships come to an end (Young, 2022). His discussion is based on his unfortunately unsuccessful experience of convincing loved ones to stop believing fake news about the coronavirus vaccine. Many other columnists have addressed the topic in question, and therefore three other articles will be analyzed within the framework of this essay. This is all the more important because consulting multiple sources allows for a more complete picture of the problem. The following will present what the authors’ main ideas are and analyze how they relate to each other.
Responses: Segment One
The author recalls a conversation he had when he was trying to persuade his friend to get vaccinated. In response, Young heard a refusal, the reason for which was his friend’s distrust of the government. At the time of the argument, the columnist had nothing to say, but he regretted his silence after a while. Young could have said that it was not the government that created the vaccine but scientists who had spent decades becoming professionals in their field. Young tells a personal story, making readers engage the argument more intensely. Indeed, every person in 2022 is familiar with the experience of dealing with someone whom fake theories have influenced. Marianna Spring, in her article, advises staying calm because exposure to conspiracy theories also comes with an emotional component (2020). In addition, empathy is something that will be much more effective than mockery. A kind attitude toward a loved one will demonstrate a connection and give a sense of security, leading to an opening of space for dialogue. In the situation described by Young, Spring’s advice would have helped avoid the confrontation that had arisen between the two friends.
Responses: Segment Two
Young mentions that he tried to influence his loved ones in various ways, but that neither shaming nor logic nor humor helped. He writes that in addition to feeling defeated, he also simply feels sad about the loss of a loved one. This state of mind is becoming relevant to more and more people. Even for people who have worked as psychologists for 25 years and know all the intricacies of how people’s psyche works it is hard to communicate with people who succumb to conspiracy theories (Bagnarelli, 2020). Bagnarelli writes about this phenomenon in her article, mentioning that during the pandemic, many people showed “ugly sides of their personalities” (2020, para. 2). The author writes that the power of misinformation is so great that it can make people neglect their health. The latter means ignoring social distancing measures and taking dangerous medications. In her article, Bagnarelli offers advice to Young that sadness and anger will not help solve the problem. Young’s article says very little about the wisdom of acceptance and that people’s points of view can differ greatly, which is not always a bad thing.
Responses: Segment Three
The columnist asks whether he has the right to decide what his loved ones need to put something in their bodies. Indeed, people are not gods; they cannot make decisions for others. However, as the writer himself rightly points out, there are situations where some of the people’s beliefs must be sacrificed to achieve the public good. Especially since there are no significant risks involved, numerous studies have confirmed the safety of vaccines. Still, it is worth noting that his concerns about the loss of contact with his loved ones are rational and worth of attention. James Purtill further believes that such conspiracy theories have already become “a public health issue that affects social distancing and vaccine rollouts” (2020, para. 3). The author provides excerpts from interviews with those who have found it difficult to maintain contact with their loved ones because of their commitment to conspiracy theories. In an interview with Joseph Uscinski, a political scientist said that the main problem with coronavirus theories is that they affect human health (Purtill, 2020). This increase in the stakes of faith was also mentioned by Young in his article.
Conclusion
All of the articles analyzed in one way or another deal with the topic of people’s thinking Experience does have an impact on people, so too pessimistic predictions about people’s inability to change should not be made. An inadvertent magazine left on a friend’s shelf about proven immunization safety could result in that person sitting in line for a vaccine a week later. Before deciding to end a friendship, relationship, or communication, the pros and cons of disengagement must be evaluated. This decision should be made based on an analysis of how much good and bad a person believing in fake news brings to one’s life. Each author of the analyzed article mentions that this is a hard decision. Young writes of feeling ashamed and that he had a sense that he has lost the battle to find the rational. Bagnarelli tells that her twenty-five years of experience as a psychologist prevent her from simply disowning her loved ones because she disagrees with them. One could say that this is the message of the articles – a warning against hasty action.
The authors convincingly deliver the message that it is worth remembering that the existence of different points of view is normal and even necessary. However, if, as in the case of Young, communication brings only negativity, it is necessary to determine ways to manage this situation. Each of the articles analyzed does not consider ending communication with someone whom conspiracy theories have influenced as the only way to overcome a crisis in communication. That is why a multi-step approach of respect and acceptance is important. However, another circumstance the authors unanimously mention is the social context of the discussion. Refusal to vaccinate, if it becomes widespread, could result in deaths. These visible and terrifying consequences of conspiracy theories are what the authors believe can shift the paradigm. In such a case, soft approaches of acceptance and understanding may not be appropriate. What has to be considered is how alternative views can affect society as a whole. Because it is very likely that if people allow conspiracy theories to spread, the creation of a perfectly effective vaccine will simply no longer be an option.
References
Bagnarelli, B. (2020). Coronavirus conspiracy theorists have now revealed themselves: What can the rest of us do? NBC News. Web.
Purtill, J. (2020). ‘We can’t get her back’: When conspiracy theories ‘hijack’ friends and family. Australian Broadcasting. Web.
Spring, M. (2020). How should you talk to friends and relatives who believe conspiracy theories? BBC. Web.
Young, D. (2022). How it feels to watch a friend lose themselves to covid conspiracy theories. The Washington Post Magazine. Web.
The problem of understanding culture and its use by people was first considered in the concept of symbolic interactionism, which was formed in the 1920s and 1930s as a reaction to the behaviorists’ “stimulus-response” approach. In the concept of this theory, special attention is paid to communication, through which the essential characteristics of society and the individual, their unity, achieved in the process of interaction, are manifested. Through the process of socialization, people can more or less consciously interpret stimuli and expected responses. The use of symbols transforms the process of socialization, freeing it from the boundaries of space and time. Hence, symbolic interactionism asserts that people’s relationships with physical or objective reality are mediated by the symbolic environment – the consciousness, self, and society that they have internalized. In other words, the meanings that people give to signs and symbols determine them and the reality they experience. Moreover, in the process of socialization, common cultural values control how individuals interact with the environment.
The COVID-19 pandemic became an unprecedented situations – millions of people were forced to isolate themselves at home, and a new reality had to set in. The medical mask has become an unofficial symbol of the pandemic: for some, it was the mark of reason, of people who understand the situation and abide by the rules, keeping themselves and others safe. For others, however, the mask became the symbol of oppression, of governmental control, and even world-scale conspiracy against humanity. The communication has changed, too: state leaders employed various narratives, often interweaving them with cultural meaning, to reach their people and ensure the community’s commitment to fighting the disease. Celebrities joined in on encouraging their fans to stay at home, and many new concepts were introduced that would later turn into other symbols of the world crisis: lockdowns, self-isolation, vaccination, remote work, and others. It is a prime example of symbolic interactionism, as through these new symbols of rapidly changing reality, many people all around the world shared specific and similar experiences.
An interesting example of how symbols integrated into political narratives during global crisis were the communication strategies employed by different states. A large-scale outbreak of a pandemic caused by a new type of infectious agent can lead to mass panic, aggressive stigmatization, and exacerbation of value contradictions up to a medical information war. Indeed, the Western and the Eastern worlds approached these issues rather differently. New political cultures formed on the foundation of authorities responses that can now be dissected and studied more closely. Kenworthy et al. (2020) states that, in order to design more effective interventions for future public health crises, a deeper, more complex understanding of political culture during such crises. A good example here can be considered the American society which was hit with a pandemic at a time when division in political views and parties was exceptionally strong in the country. Mass media symbolic representation of public health phenomena such as masks and influencing organizations – WHO, for example – became a crucial part of the new discourses and arguments.
Any society can simultaneously experience waves of individual and collective panic, as well as outbreaks of causal interpretations of the disease. States attempt to counter it with a rush of competing control strategies that aim either to contain either the disease itself or subsequent epidemics of fear and social decay. Airhinenbuwa et al. (2020) emphasizes how culture and its specific symbols is central to the engaging and effective public communication about mitigating healthcare risks during a crisis. Differentiation of meaning of universal messages such as mask wearing or social distancing in various cultures prompts new thoughts on how to approach public communication (Airhinenbuwa et al., 2020). Within this approach, cultural narratives and symbols – for example, wearing hijab in Muslim countries – are transformed to adhere to prevention measures, enhancing the impact and effectivity of state’s dialogue with the public through symbolism.
An appropriate example of such narrative relevant to the pandemic is the use of facial masks with representation of cultural symbols on them. Perach and Limbu (2022) proposed that activation of cultural values such as mutual trust and collective resilience can be performed through exposure to face masks with cultural symbols. The authors (2022) state that the face masks, which became a symbol of COVID-19 pandemic due to their significance in disease prevention, imbued with cultural symbols, facilitate solidarity in people, positively influencing public outcomes. Using religion, cultural heritage, and historical allusions, states can communicate the importance of community in overcoming the crisis, and promote their goals through meaningful images.
Another interesting example of this concept is the UK’s state response to the pandemic crisis. Döring and Nerlich (2022) discussed how metaphors and symbolical representation used by the government influenced overall representation of COVID-19 pandemic in media and public opinion of the UK. The authors (2022) explain how the state-proclaimed “war” on pandemic shaped British public narrative on COVID-19, turning protective measures such as distancing, isolation, and face masks into “weapons” in social mind. This symbolic narrative transferred onto the process of developing vaccines, transforming it into a “race”: between states and between society and the virus itself (Döring & Nerlich, 2022). Morgan (2020) dissects another perspective on the UK government’s response to the pandemic: he shows how state’s constant attempts to attribute meaning and moral narrative to every decision lead to miscommunications between stakeholders. Splitting the crisis into separate phases to develop a secular passage of “social drama” ultimately resulted in deaths of the UK citizens due to mismanagement (Morgan, 2020). This demonstrates the concept of culture’s relative autonomy, outlining its impact on public behavior and political legitimacy of state’s decisions.
The pandemic changed the world not only in terms of healthcare and economy but also in the area of symbolic meanings and interpretations. Major issues such as that can help better visualize and understand concepts that might seem complex to understand at the first glance. By connecting the COVID-19 pandemic, the symbols it brought with it, and narratives different states used to justify their decisions or encourage people helps gain better insight into the symbolic interaction theory. Indeed, reality and human perception influence each other constantly; however, it is not easy to track changes that occur gradually over time. The theory provides a framework for understanding how people develop their interpretations and what roles do symbols play in forming individual responses and beliefs. Moreover, it explains the connection between stimulus and response, offering insight into how social and cultural environment impacts personal judgement and reactions. Even with universal, significant symbols such as medical mask, people can perceive different emotions and meanings based on their background and environment. Symbolic interaction theory provides a theoretical framework on how to recognize, connect, and employ these meanings to manipulate individual and community responses. Through it, a more effective communication strategy can be formed for tackling future public crises.
References
Airhihenbuwa, C. O., Iwelunmor, J., Munodawafa, D., Ford, C. L., Oni, T., Agyemang, C., Mota, C., Ikuomola, O. B., Simbayi, L., Fallah, M. P., Qian, Z., Makinwa, B., Niang, C., & Okosun, I. (2020). Culture matters in communicating the global response to COVID-19. Preventing Chronic Disease, 17. Web.
The COVID-19 pandemic was an unprecedented global issue that altered many spheres of human life. According to Chaturvedi et al. (2021), the onset of the pandemic posed severe implications for social norms, changing everyday interactions and redefining various aspects of community wellness. To begin with, people developed different perspectives of life in an attempt to unravel the origins of the virus, leading to cultural biases and prejudices. The quarantine period was particularly tough for individuals due to the social disruption that tore the social fabric of communities, introducing new and unwelcome lifestyles. Hoppner (2021) reveals that relationships were significantly affected, redefining closeness and social bonds. The old, disadvantaged individuals and immigrant communities suffered more than other community members, showing the deeply entrenched societal inequalities.
Education and work are two essential aspects of social connections that have bound people together over the years. The pandemic introduced the concept of isolation, calling on communities to develop new techniques of survival. The emergence of work-from-home routines lowered motivation that affected individual workers, impacting their contributions to society’s well-being (Robdell & the Fortune Staff, 2021). As students were forced to study online, school experiences were affected, lowering students’ morale and ultimately minimizing their social involvement. In addition, people were forced to alter their feeding systems to accommodate the new trends and resort to social media for connections with family and friends. People became more religious, minimizing social segregation on the basis of faith. Essentially, the physical, psychological, sociological, and spiritual dimensions experienced dramatic changes.
Cultural Biases
Figure 1: Cultural impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic
Cultural and ethnic differences have been a cause for concern in society. The pandemic widened the cultural differences due to prejudices and biases fuelled by misunderstandings about the causes of the virus. According to Dernegi (2020), at least 43% of the population believed that the virus resulted from Chinese eating habits, as shown in fig. 1 above. These stereotypes formed biases that led to the segregation of Chinese nationals in various settings. Ethnic divisions are connected to several social ills such as isolation and resource deprivation including restrictions in regard to community involvement, a factor that results in strained relationships.
Changed Social Norms
Every society is bound together by social values and norms that define the interrelationships among community members. For instance, close friends and relatives were always allowed to embrace each other as a sign of love and unity. This norm has been passed on from generation to generation, making it hard to accommodate immediate changes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. As shown in fig. 2 below, social interactions through physical greetings were prohibited, forcing people to develop new ways of greeting close associates (Hoppner, 2021). In essence, changing from the age-old norms to new social interactions was challenging and unwelcome.
Figure 2: Impact of the pandemic on social interactions
Twisted Views on Aging
Figure 3: Social impacts of the pandemic on the older population
The older population has been a significant part of society, offering advice and shaping social-cultural interactions. They have always been valued and regarded as essential members of the community. However, the pandemic negatively impacted the lives of senior citizens in an unprecedented way. For instance, quarantines and social separations left older adults with no one to care for them. As shown by Hoppner (2021), in fig. 3 above, most senior citizens had to undertake most tasks alone, leading to loneliness. Consequently, aging was viewed as a disadvantage, and many older adults who contracted the virus had no hope of recovering.
Work from Home and Social Disconnection
Figure 4: Work from home
The workplace has been viewed as a revenue-generation and relationship-building setting. Chaturvedi et al. (2021) argue that physical connection plays a vital role in enhancing mental health. Fig. 4 above shows how work from home operations disrupted social relationships at work, leaving many employees emotionally drained (Robdell & the Fortune Staff, 2021). Team-building activities at work were limited or abolished, and most employees lost their jobs, losing a vital part of their social circles. Although most employees could connect through social media, the lack of physical interactions made it hard for individuals to maintain their psychological, emotional, and sociological well-being.
Relationship with Nature
Figure 5: Relationships with nature
Naturally, human beings are social creatures with a need for socialization and connections. The pandemic disrupted the relationships among individuals forcing people to seek alternative means of recreation. As shown in fig. 5 above, people developed close connections with nature, viewing it as the best way to relieve their minds (Robdell & the Fortune Staff, 2021). Chaturvedi et al. (2021) comment that social isolation contributed to psychological challenges that could best be handled through nature walks. Although nature could not replace human connections, it relieved some of the mental burden afflicting members of society and renewed their hopes in life.
Strengthened Religious Beliefs
In Religion has been a crucial pillar in society, informing moral and ethical conduct. The pandemic presented members of society with immense challenges, forcing them to seek supernatural intervention. As shown in fig. 6 below, many people turned to their faiths, praying for victims of the pandemic (Reid, 2022). During this period, people forgot their religious differences and united against one common enemy, the pandemic. Online church services were highly attended, and many people developed closer connections to God in the hope of surviving the pandemic. Although minor cases of misconduct were reported, many people reformed, contributing to overall society’s well-being.
Figure 6: Impacts of the pandemic on religion
Altered School Experiences
In addition to academic knowledge, schools have been instrumental in shaping individuals to become responsible members of society. Some social activities at school, such as sports and drama, have always paved the way for students to improve their social skills and adhere to moral and ethical standards. The pandemic forced many schools to close as students started attending online classes. Fig. 7 below shows an empty classroom indicating lost school experiences (Robdell & the Fortune Staff, 2021). The sudden shift from physical classroom settings to online learning was challenging for many students, leading to online misconduct, distorting society’s moral fabric.
Figure 7: School experiences during the pandemic
Social Media Use
Pandemics force people to innovate, developing new solutions to present challenges. Staying connected to friends and family was challenged by the quarantine requirements and travel restrictions. Kumar et al. (2020) record that the pandemic increased social media use. As shown in fig. 8 below, online communication channels helped people stay connected to their acquaintances closing the gap caused by quarantine. Although the lack of physical interactions left a gap, people could see each other and virtually interact through social media platforms, minimizing loneliness during the pandemic. In addition, social media provided crucial information on the virus aiding in community survival.
Figure 8: Social media use during the pandemic
Changes in Feeding Systems
Before the pandemic, restaurants and food outlets provided opportunities for social connections wherein people gathered for meals while discussing social issues. At the onset of the pandemic, fears of transmission led to the closure of many food joints. At the same time, many food retail stores closed, forcing people to shop at online grocery stores for survival. Fig. 9 below shows how people used to shop before the pandemic shifted their focus to online stores (Robdell & the Fortune Staff, 2021). In essence, people changed their views of food, turning to cooking healthy meals rather than eating at food joints.
Figure 9: A shift in feeding systems during the pandemic
New Perspectives of Essential Services
Society has so far benefited from the services of warehouse attendants, delivery persons, and other individuals whose efforts are rarely acknowledged. As crucial community members, these service providers have often been ignored, offering cheap labor and working extra hours. However, the pandemic shed light on the essence of these service providers prompting increased recognition and gratitude towards them. As shown in fig. 10 below, delivery persons served a crucial role during the pandemic availing vital resources to communities (Robdell & the Fortune Staff, 2021). Notably, society has learned to appreciate essential service providers in ways not known before the pandemic.
Figure 10: Essential services during the pandemic
Conclusion
In conclusion, the pandemic affected all the spheres of human existence, prompting innovative ways of operation. Before the pandemic, physical interactions at school, work, and community formed a central part of social connections. The pandemic forced individuals to develop innovative ways of staying connected, resulting in increased use of social media and an appreciation for nature. People’s feeding habits and perspectives of essential services changed significantly. As people developed deeper religious connections, ethnic and cultural differences were reduced. Although these changes did not replace the need for physical connections, they provided alternative ways of interaction, keeping members of society together.
References
Chaturvedi, K., Vishwakarma, D. K., & Singh, N. (2021). COVID-19 and its impact on education, social life and mental health of students: A survey. Children and youth services review, 121, 105-866. Web.
Derneği, D. (2020). Psycho-social effects of covid-19 – situation analysis report of MHPSS needs of Syrian refugees in Turkey. Situation Analysis Report. dunyadoktorlari.org.tr
Höppner, S. (2021). How the coronavirus pandemic is affecting friendships. Deutsche Welle. Web.
Kumar, A., Khan, S. U., & Kalra, A. (2020). COVID-19 pandemic: a sentiment analysis: A short review of the emotional effects produced by social media posts during this global crisis. European heart journal, 41(39), 3782-3783. Web.
Reid, K. (2022). Prayers for people affected by the coronavirus. World Vision. Web.
Robdell, R., & the Fortune Staff. (2021). One year later: 15 ways life has changed since the onset of the COVID pandemic. Fortune. Web.
There are different types of truth, the integrity of which does not deny the truthfulness of other forms of truth. Through life experience, people understand the idea that truth can be both objective and subjective. However, in a more profound understanding, the truth can be divided into different types of knowledge, such as empirical truth and necessary truth (Solomon and Higgins 147). Science as a source of knowledge and truth can be influenced by biased opinions. This paper will examine how science prioritizes truth using the example of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In science, truth is primarily based on facts obtained through observations and experiments. However, even truth acquired through science may be affected by biases since science is sponsored by people and organizations with their own agendas. On the other hand, it is important to note that the scientific organizations’ progress is based on reputation. In other words, all significant findings must improve the population’s quality of life and stand the test of time. Thus, scientific organizations engaged in the deliberate distortion of the truth will not be able to function in the scientific system for a long time, which minimizes the chances for paid ‘truth’ and biased findings.
The recent COVID-19 pandemic emphasizes how politicians and media can misinterpret objective truth about a subject to manipulate public opinion. While it was known in the early stages of the pandemic that the virus originated from an animal market in Wuhan, China, the media connected the virus with Wuhan Virology Institute (Smith Rogers). The conspiracy theory was distributed further by politicians, aggravating the existing conflict between China and America.
Furthermore, the question of the coronavirus vaccine’s effectiveness has also caused many controversies. In a scientific sense, any vaccine presents a small dose of the virus that the body can handle to build immunity.
However, many people refused to be vaccinated under the pretext that they could not allow unknown ingredients to be injected into their bodies. Moreover, the government had to introduce control measures over the population’s vaccination, partially infringing the population’s right to free movement in public places. Thus, science truthfully positioned the vaccine as the best available alternative to promptly prevent the further spread of the pandemic through the development of populations’ immunity to the virus. Positioning the vaccine as an immunity-stimulating drug with natural ingredients could accelerate the population’s vaccination, but science remained true to the truth in this case.
In conclusion, exploring the impact of science in the COVID-19 pandemic defined two prominent findings. Firstly, science prioritizes truth in order to protect its reputation as a source of empirical knowledge, facts, and truth. Even in cases where misrepresentation of facts could help to cope with the pandemic in a shorter time, science adheres to the single truthful point of view. Therefore, even though science can be influenced by biases from sponsors, it prioritizes its reputation to maintain the public’s trust.
Works Cited
Smith Rogers, Lindsay. “Why Confirming The Origin of COVID-19 Matters.” Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. 2022. Web.
Solomon, Robert C., and Kathleen M. Higgins. The Big Questions: A Short Introduction to Philosophy. Cengage Learning, 2010.
The COVID-19 pandemic is the most acute topic at the moment, as it has had a massive impact not only on the health of the population but also on social, economic, and political aspects. The quarantine measures undertaken by the US government have met with both criticism and approval from the public. The greatest disapproval was caused by the Trump administration’s lack of attention to the problem, as well as the provision of inaccurate information. The article “COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States” describes the opposing opinions which have shaped public perception. Rhetorically, the author uses logos and ethos to build a coherent and credible paper. Claims and support are also effectively used to discuss events and ideas. Although the article is descriptive in nature, rhetoric techniques are applied to convey implicit claims which the reader can easily identify.
Text and Context
The text of the article is academic writing in which the author uses formal constructions and logical reasoning. The structure is presented in such a way as to support the main thesis of the work. First, an overview of the situation is provided, including a brief description of COVID-19, its symptoms, and spread patterns. The author then goes from general information to specific figures for the United States. The last paragraph of the introduction is devoted to describing not only the threat to public health from the pandemic but also the social, economic, and political difficulties associated with it. It is noteworthy that the author further lists the main ideas of the article using bullet points, which makes it more structured.
The background section includes information on the origin and history of the spread of COVID-19, as well as the government’s response to the US pandemic. The author also provides opinions in support and criticism of the decisions made by the administration. The next section provides information on restrictive measures and their social, economic, and political consequences. The last section focuses on the public image of the pandemic. In particular, it discusses the perception of President Donald Trump and the influence of his decisions on popularity among the population. Controversial information in the media, as well as politically motivated messages, are also considered in this part of the article.
The author seeks to provide the most comprehensive information regarding various aspects of the impact of COVID-19 and the subtle difficulties which the public and the US administration had to face. This article is intended for a wide audience of readers who are interested in a more profound analysis of political and social processes. Since the text was written in 2020 and covers all the main measures taken against the pandemic in the US, its goal is to holistically analyze opposing opinions about government actions. Additionally, it examines the influence of the strategy of the administration on the political processes of the country and their perception by the public.
Appeal
Since the article is of an academic nature, the main appeal tools used by the author are logos and ethos. First of all, the information presented appeals to reputable organizations such as the World Health Organization. Reinforcing data with such an authoritative source helps the author to establish the reliability of the described facts and processes. The position is also supported by evidence in the form of specific figures, which is an example of the logos. The author uses them to illustrate the rapidity of the disease spread, noting that “the United States had reported more than 16.5 million cases of COVID-19, contributing to more than 300,000 deaths” (“COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States”). The article also mentions specific months associated with various events to build a logical narrative. This technique helps the author to describe a clear chronology, as well as to shape the reader’s deeper understanding of the picture. The emphasis on rationale also allows for the construction of claims and support chains, which provide the clearest articulation of the position.
Claims and Support
First of all, the author underlines that the pandemic has an impact not only on public health but also on the political and social aspects of life. The claim is represented by the assertion that “the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic extend beyond the immediate threat to human health posed by the virus itself” (“COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States”). Further, the author provides support for this idea through a description of quarantine measures’ effects on business and public spheres, as well as the emerging political criticism. In subsequent sections, the author provides a more detailed description of each of the supporting positions. Thus, the claim about the multiple impact of COVID-19 on many areas of life is central to the article.
In the process of augmenting the main claim, minor claims are also stated, which also serve to justify the overall idea. For example, the author claims that some Americans supported the government’s measures, and some were against them. The article further provides several facts to support these assumptions. It includes specific figures, the opinion of the scientific community, and references to the reports of official structures. Thus, claim, and support chains serve to validate ideas and develop them. A more detailed proven statement seems to the reader the most understandable and credible.
It is noteworthy how the author develops the reasoning regarding the impact of the pandemic and the measures associated with it on the political perception of Trump and Biden. In this case, the reader can identify the implicit claim, as there is extensive criticism of the Trump administration’s strategy for solving the problem. The author emphasizes that the government did not attach due importance to COVID-19 and provided inaccurate information (“COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States”). These facts support the implicit claim that the pandemic and the measures taken caused widespread public discontent with the President. At the end of the article, it is noted that the Joe Biden administration took the opposite approach and paid increased attention to solving the problem. In this case, the direct idea is also not stated, but the reader can easily guess about the existing connection.
Conclusion
In this article, the author uses logical, rhetorical techniques to describe events and convey ideas. The choice of tools such as logos, ethos, claims, and support is determined by the purely academic nature of the work. The author identifies the central claim, which further in the article is supported by a number of minor ones. Appeals to authoritative sources and organizations, as well as specific figures and facts, also serve as evidence in favor of the assumptions made. It is noteworthy that the author also uses implicit claims in the last part of the article so as not to deviate from the descriptive nature of the work. However, due to the skillful use of rhetorical techniques and tools, the reader can easily identify the connection and draw a conclusion.
