This pandemic has been a truly trying time for the world. People are losing their jobs, businesses are closing, and investments are crumbling. Some have even suffered the loss of a loved one during this tragic crisis. Everyone has been thrown off their routine, and it has been very jarring for many. Even with states starting to reopen, there are new procedures people still need to follow for safety. Experts on the news and in articles have been saying for a while that things will never be the same as they were before Covid-19 struck.

With the abundance of tragedy attached to this pandemic, is there really a silver lining to be found?

What good is coming out of the pandemic?

It’s always important to try and dig up any positivity that you can in a situation. The coronavirus situation is no exception. People are starting to figure out the silver lining of their situations caused by Covid-19.

Quality Family Time

Many parents who need to spend the majority of their time at work have more time to spend with their children. Adults have been keeping in contact with their parents more closely.  This pandemic seems to have allowed people to take a step back and evaluate what’s important in their lives that they may have been missing out on. When the people you love are threatened, it puts things into perspective. Money and ambition are not the truly enriching parts of our lives; that’s our families.

Environmental

According to NASA, air pollution has dropped an incredible 30% in the Northeastern US since the quarantine began. Some of the biggest cities therein have seen air quality improvement similar to Italy and China during their own quarantines. March 2020 had the lowest atmospheric nitrogen dioxide levels of any March on record- so far that runs the last 15 years.

In India, air pollution is so widespread and potent that residents of cities there haven’t been able to see the sky clear in decades. But now, with the strict quarantine policies in place, the air quality has improved so dramatically that the sky is visible again.

New Skills

Quarantine has given people a lot of extra time to pursue interests they may not have had the time or energy for otherwise. People are posting on social media about their new hobbies and skills they’ve honed during the lockdown. A very popular hobby is baking- not just desserts, but mainly breads. People are discovering the joy of baking, and most are saying they’ll keep up with it.

Pets

If you have an animal friend that you need to leave at home during work hours, then you know that guilt you feel at leaving them all alone all day. This lockdown has given people the chance to give their pets a lot of attention and quality time together.

Animal shelters have also been reporting their numbers are at record lows. There has been an unprecedented influx of adoptions since the pandemic started. Because people are at home, they finally have some time to get that furry friend they’ve always wanted.

Things may look bleak right now with everything that’s going on in the world. But, as you read here, there are several silver linings to see as a result! Even when things appear impossibly negative, there’s always a way to extract a little positivity; you might just need to do a little digging to find it.