Abstract
Once in a century, in the era of global warming and globalization, there are international warnings about the outbreak of the virus Covid-19. People from the East to the West, and from the North to the South, are facing increasing threats from potential isolation, infection and even death. We are uncertain about when it will end and where outbreaks might occur, or who is afflicted. Human interactions are tempered by uncertainty and even fear that a colleague or ourselves could unknowingly be contagious. Our lives are changing. We have been reminded that acts of nature bring such widespread pandemonium to everyday life. All of this brings home the stark reality that we live in one interconnected world and as one humanity. The virus does not recognize different governments, money, ideologies, national boundaries, ethnicity, class or identity. Our response must be as one Global Village, and social work can help lead this.
We do not know what will happen in the future, but we see that thousands of people have been infected and died. Some have already lost their loved ones. The lives of billions of people are also affected and distorted. The physical health, social activities, economic productivity, and political stability are threatened by this small and invisible virus. The four free flows under globalization – (1) flow of human capital, (2) flow of financial capital, (3) flow of goods and (4) flow of information – are now partially distorted, blocked or even broken. The uncertainties are reflected in the chaos in the hospital wards, the close-down of shops and schools, restrictions on import of visitors and export of necessary goods, panic in supermarkets and landslide fluctuation of financial indexes.
During this difficult time, as social workers, we – human professionals with international core values and local practice – should bear in mind the following for helping the needy people in every part of the world.
First, we should make every effort to back up the medical professionals in taking care of patients and their family members. Social work has a vital and well-established role in supporting medical and public health services. We will have a role to support those grieving and those who are recovering.
Second, we need to protect and connect the vulnerable people in the grassroots community. Social work’s commitment to social justice and community means it has a role in identifying those who are isolated or without a voice. Social work has a role to assist in social isolation and distancing strategies, which offer a chance to contain the pandemic. We can be role models and supporters of these strategies.
Third, we are the ones to provide care and concern in terms of material assistance, emotional support and social networks to those who have suffered and are isolated. Those from high-income countries must turn our attention to low- and middle-income countries to help them deal with the crisis or be better prepared for when it occurs.
Fourth, we have to strengthen the civic society by encouraging and organizing volunteers to share and to help out. Social isolation and distancing will likely mean people feel more vulnerable and disconnected. Social work can mobilize the community to support it in innovative ways such as utilizing technology and social media.
Fifth, we should fight against the injustice and discrimination occurring towards innocent people during the pandemic. Social work has a commitment to stop discrimination; we can help people act as one to call out racism and discrimination. Disasters often can lead to increases in gender-based violence such as domestic violence. Social work has a critical role in empowering and facilitating safety for women and children.
Sixth, we strive to protect the natural environment and change the bad habits that may induce further spread of the virus. Increasingly social work has brought attention to how changes in climate and the natural environment impact the people and the community. We need to work with activists and scientists to recognize how we can change the way we add to the likelihood of disasters.
Seventh, we insist on the core values of international exchange, mutual trust and mutual help. We are not alone in this battle to stop Covid-19; we can learn from one another, and we can share expertise and experience. Working across borders will be necessary in the coming months as we respond and recover. The development of a vaccine should be done with attention to world humanity, not for profits or considerations of who should get it first.
Eighth, we need to see the future with hope. The crisis will eventually pass, and out of this ruin and trauma, hope will rise. Communities are likely to have times of hopelessness and helplessness. Social workers have a role in supporting communities to reclaim hope and feel capable in the wake of Covid-19.
Ninth, we must reflect, analyse and learn from this crisis. We need to understand what worked and what did not. This is a time to recognize ways of working and responding that can help to develop our profession as well as improve future interventions for our community. Successful policy and practice emerging from this crisis will help build our resilience. Social work can play a key role in facilitating these discussions. This will allow us to be better prepared for the future.
Tenth, we must find the time to be creative and tender, to connect and laugh. In all the seriousness of this crisis, we must use our creativity and innovation to engage with communities. We must show our heart, we may cry or feel angry, and doing so will help us keep grounded with where we belong. Humour can be a way of coping that reframes the irony of situation and gives us back some control of how we see a problem.
In this global village, it is too small for us to fight, but large enough for us to love and share . . .
Let us stay with our faith. Be safe all the time. Love is always in our hearts. Dreams are still in our mind . . .