1 Unique and difficult year with Coronavirus: How has it changed the world?

On January 27^th 2020, Canada confirmed its first case of Coronavirus.

At the time, the risk of the spread of the novel Coronavirus, Covid-19, was not fully understood and some predicted that it would be rare to see the spread of the virus. Almost two months later, on March 11^th, the World Health Organization officially declared the outbreak of Covid-19 as a pandemic.  

Since then, a lot has changed. For us living in Canada, changes since the start of the Coronavirus pandemic have been vast. Shifting from working at the office to working at home, home schooling, not getting to see family and friends, wearing a mask whenever you leave the home, these are only some of the changes that have taken place.

For many of us, one of the biggest changes was no longer being able to visit mosque, something we may have felt was most difficult during the holy months of Ramadhan and Muharram. Unfortunately, many of us have lost loved ones as well. Meaning this year, while we still may not face the difficulty of separation from Mosque in Ramadhan, we may also face the difficulty of separation from our loved ones. 

So, while we have undoubtedly gone through a rollercoaster of changes here in Canada, how aware are we of the changes that have taken place around the world? For many of us, Coronavirus has meant separation from family and friends, staying in and working and studying from home. Thankfully with access to free healthcare, not many of us were faced with the difficult decision that comes along with not being able to afford medical treatment. Elsewhere, however, shattered health systems were put to the extreme test and effectively failed in being able to treat and support those who became ill.  

For millions around the globe, Coronavirus has meant not only medical emergencies but also increased financial burden and stress. In Iraq, where there are millions in need of humanitarian aid, some of the widows and vulnerable women we support were in dire need of financial support after being unable to work as housemaids or in restaurants due to quarantine restrictions. Men and women around the globe living in poverty who usually rely on daily wages to feed their families were left extremely vulnerable being unable to fulfil many of the jobs they used to do.  

In countries already facing extreme distress, it is not uncommon for significant portions of the population to live in areas where health workers are insufficient or completely absent. In Yemen, where 80% of the population was already in need of humanitarian aid, the risk of an outbreak was alarming.  

The Zahra(s) Trust Canada has worked its hardest over the past year to provide humanitarian assistance to those at risk due to Covid-19. Today, one year later, millions around the globe, both here in Canada and abroad, are still in need. So, we are launching a Qurbani for Covid campaign. Donating the greatest Sadaqah on behalf of you and your family will provide meat to those in great need around the globe. Donate today at zahrafoundation.ca/qurbani 

Reference:

https://www.cp24.com/news/man-who-flew-to-toronto-from-china-is-canada-s-first-coronavirus-case-1.4783476