Impact of COVID-19 Still Felt Today
NEW YORK — The effects of COVID-19, even years after the pandemic was deemed over, are woven into our daily lives. We see it in things like work-from-home jobs, continued mask-wearing, and hand sanitizer dispensers that still dot public spaces. However, some ramifications run deeper. They are personal, like grief for those we’ve lost or enduring health issues; they reflect lives that feel disrupted. Recently, fear has resurfaced following a rare outbreak of hantavirus on a cruise ship, prompting concerns that perhaps we’re facing another crisis.
Fear, whether individual or societal, can signal a missing element in our lives. It’s clear that the pandemic caused significant damage to the relationships that many once believed to be stable—trust in science, government, and information itself has taken a hit.
“COVID undermined our trust in what most of us used to trust,” noted Elisa Jayne Bienenstock, a sociologist at Arizona State University. “When general trust declines, people start looking for others to explain how the world works and what actions to take.”
Changes Before and After
Before 2020, the emergence of various illnesses rarely sparked widespread alarm outside of affected areas, even when serious outbreaks occurred. Complacency contributed to this; back then, travel wasn’t as commonplace, a factor that played a role in the spread of COVID-19.
There have been hantavirus outbreaks in parts of South America for decades, such as one in Chile in 1997. Other illnesses, including cholera and SARS, have also caused epidemics, while the U.S. dealt with West Nile virus and Legionnaire’s disease.
In the wake of COVID-19, however, concerns about disease transmission quickly arose following reports of three deaths linked to hantavirus on a cruise ship. Officials confirmed nine cases—seven aboard the ship and two suspected—prompting a swift reaction.
Health experts have consistently pointed out that, while hantavirus can lead to severe illness, the general risk to the public remains low. Still, residents like Samantha Aguero, who witnessed passengers being taken to the Spanish island of Tenerife, expressed unease. “We feel a bit unsafe. There don’t seem to be comprehensive measures in place,” she said, reflecting on past pandemic experiences.
Trust Eroded in Key Institutions
Bienenstock highlights how trust in government, media, and science has diminished. But public distrust wasn’t solely a pandemic-related phenomenon; it predates COVID-19.
The suspicion towards science emerged not from genuine errors, but from a lack of understanding among the public, Bienenstock explained. “Many don’t see science as a process—it’s simply an answer to them. When facts weren’t always consistent, trust began to wane.”
“COVID revealed the scientific process and showed that answers can be elusive,” she said. “In crises, people often seek definitive solutions, and science doesn’t always offer that when uncertainties exist.”
Looking Ahead
But it’s not just about the immediate worries in people’s minds; there are far-reaching ramifications to consider.
“COVID heightened awareness of health threats, but this awareness wasn’t uniform and didn’t always align with actual risks,” remarked Michele Gelfand, a professor at Stanford. “As trust in institutions falters, people increasingly turn to rumors and emotions to navigate uncertainty, which can cause overreactions to minor risks and neglect of more serious ones.”
Karlynn Morgan, a retired nurse-anesthetist, noticed more people discussing health matters than ever before, despite many lacking a medical background. She expressed concern about the growing distrust in science, as evidenced by declining vaccination rates and the resurgence of diseases like measles.
“People seem less trusting now. In my day, getting vaccinated was a given,” she remarked.
If we’re to rebuild trust, Gelfand emphasized the need for leaders to engage actively. “They signal threats and shape whether people receive accurate information or distorted narratives serving political purposes. Clear, honest communication from leaders allows people to assess risks better. Conversely, manipulation erodes trust,” she noted.
“Strong, reliable institutions have historically been our unique strength as a society, enabling collective action under uncertainty. Losing that institutional foundation undermines our capacity for collaboration that has sustained humanity for ages.”
