COVID-19 Needs Compassion

There is no doubt that the fracture lines of society have been horribly exposed by COVID-19, with the elderly, those in the poorest health and living in deprived communities, hardest hit. A significant number of COVID-19 deaths have occurred in old age care homes, partly as a result of inadequate testing.

The fact that this was allowed to happen to our most vulnerable, elderly people exposes our values and highlights the urgency with which we need to tackle ageism.

While the virus has exposed our vulnerabilities as much as our prejudices, it is heartening to see the incredible degree of compassion shown by the world during the crisis, be it younger caregivers or the medical fraternity.

All this has accelerated a renewed look at our societal structures and value systems, and what a new social contract should look like, in a world consumed by capitalist self-preservation.