The Social Impact of Covid-19 in Light of Big Data

The global spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has generated enormous data sources that analysts can use to improve our understanding of big data management research. The use of Big Data analytics will aid researchers, health professionals, and decision-makers gain a better and deeper understanding of a variety of data and information, which can then be used to better predict and counter an outbreak.

In this piece, we will be using Big Data finding to shine a light on the social and economic impact of COVID-19 all over the world. As well as discussing future possibilities and what we can do to prevent a crisis of this magnitude.

Poverty, Lockdowns, & Economic Downfall

Most of us had never heard of “lockdowns,” “mask regulations,” or “social separation” before 2019. But, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect all facets of our lives, they have become part of our everyday vocabulary.

COVID-19 has yielded a global crisis unlike any other — a worldwide health disaster that is causing the most significant global recession since WWII, in addition to a vast human toll.” It predicted that the global economy and per capita incomes would contract this year, forcing millions of people into poverty.

The pandemic has brought attention to the importance of providing effective, accessible, and affordable health care. But, unfortunately, people in underdeveloped countries paid nearly half a trillion dollars out of pocket for health care even before the crisis. Every year, this expensive expenditure produces financial difficulty for over 900 million individuals and pushes about 90 million people into extreme poverty — a pattern that is very probably exacerbating the problem.

Early research suggests that the virus’s health and economic consequences are disproportionately felt by the poor. Homeless persons, for example, are particularly vulnerable to the virus because they may not be able to find a safe place to shelter.

People without access to running water and refugees, migrants, and displaced persons are also disproportionately affected by the epidemic and its aftermath — whether due to decreased mobility, fewer job possibilities, heightened xenophobia, or other factors.

Inequality, exclusion, discrimination, and global unemployment may worsen in the medium and long term if the governments do not appropriately handle the social crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The pandemic has disproportionately afflicted the poor and vulnerable over the past year, threatening to push millions more into poverty. COVID-19 will usher in the first reversal in the fight against extreme poverty in a generation, after decades of steady progress in lowering the number of people living on less than $1.90/day.

On Racial Injustices & COVID-19

Dr. Bushra Anjum is a Health I.T. Data specialist and Data Analytics program manager with a P.H.D. in Computer Science. When approached for a quote on the social impact of the pandemic in light of big data, this is what she had to say:

“Being a minority myself, both racial and religious, I have been particularly interested in data that can shed some light on the experience of the migrant Asian communities. Unfortunately, just like Islamophobia had been on the rise after 9/11, Sinophobia has accelerated in the face of COVID-19. The number of hate crimes against Asian minorities is growing.

Research suggests that a lack of knowledge about the virus, lack of motivation to learn about the science, and the usage of irresponsible statements, such as “Chinese plague,” and “China virus,” are the main contributing factors to it.

For example, a survey on attitudes toward minority groups during the COVID-19 pandemic found that 40% of participants were positively motivated to act in a discriminatory manner against “Asian-looking” individuals.[1]

In another study, 25.11 percent of overseas Chinese residents reported experiencing discrimination, such as being laid off without proper cause, rejected from rental housing, and abused in public spaces [2].

Only by understanding the true nature and extent of the problem can we hope to recover from it. “

[1] Anahí Viladrich, 2021: Sinophobic Stigma Going Viral: Addressing the Social Impact of COVID-19 in a Globalized World, American Journal of Public Health 111, 876_880, https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2021.306201

[2] He J, He L, Zhou W, Nie X, He M. Discrimination and Social Exclusion in the Outbreak of COVID-19. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2020 Apr 23;17(8):2933. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17082933.

A Brave, New, Healing World

The COVID-19 outbreak has affected people from many walks of life. However, it has a particularly negative impact on members of the most vulnerable social groups. It continues to harm populations such as those living in poverty, the elderly, people with disabilities, the youth, and racial minorities.

However, surprisingly there are a few upsides to this pandemic as well.

Reduced outdoor air pollution from less car travel and other fossil fuel combustion, as well as fewer injuries and deaths from traffic incidents, are two clear trends.

Satellite air quality measurements, such as daily observations from the TROPOMI sensor on the European Space Agency’s Sentinel 5P satellite, show that pollution levels are lower this year than in prior years in cities throughout the world.

Lockdowns also have an impact on how people spend their time. For example, parks have become the most popular non-residential locations due to dramatic drops in visits to other places, while usage varies significantly by country and city.

Harnessing The Power of Big Data

Big data advances have given us a near-real-time view of how social upheaval affects societies in many ways across the globe. Unfortunately, however, the promise of the data revolution has yet to be realized in many places. Too frequently, the enormous amount of data available today has little impact, whether due to a lack of technical competence, entrenched interests, or just the momentum of the status quo.

These revelations should serve as a wake-up call to what’s being overlooked. Advanced analytical techniques are directing us towards a new normal that can be more resilient, safer, and sustainable if we care to listen, from public health to inequality to urban planning.

How do we address the issues of social injustice that will not go away once the crisis is over and may even be aggravated as a result of it? Improving essential urban services by combining existing informal networks with strategic infrastructure investments is critical to serve vulnerable residents better and strengthen society’s overall resilience.

Recovering from a pandemic of this magnitude is possible, but we need to embrace the new normal. We can’t just return to our old ways; we need to be better prepared for the shocks and stressors that will inevitably occur again. We now have the information we need to chart a course forward. It is our obligation to make appropriate use of this new wealth of data.

Originally published in Faces of Resilience Issue by Ananke Magazine.