COVID-19: Easter Could Offer A Different Kind of Resurrection the World Needs

As transmission of the coronavirus (COVID-19) picks up the pace, and governments grapple with how to manage it, Easter could be the chance for more than chocolate and hot cross buns.

I was brought up Catholic, and even though I don’t practice the faith any more, I do have faith that Easter offers a crucial opportunity for governments in still-Christian-dominated societies to do a ‘mini-China’ and get a better hold of COVID-19.

Why?

I’ll give you the Australian perspective. Easter is one of the few times in the year when many aspects of our population to collide and offer people — Christian or not — the chance to stop for a few moments and take a collective breath.

Many businesses, particularly small businesses such as cafes, close for a full 4–5 days. Yes, this makes us coffee addicts grumpy (me included) a little edgy as we miss out on our long blacks, triple-shot skim fraps or whatever your coffee drink of poison is BUT it also gives those amazing baristas and hospo workers the chance to take a well-deserved break from the relentlessness of US.

In the same way, most office-based workers get at least two days off as public holidays, some get three, with chunks of the community also take extra days around this little holiday gift to give themselves a run of days and a chance to recharge.

Most schools, including universities, give their students between one and three weeks off over Easter. Sure, this puts pressure on parents to manage this, but it is part of the natural children/work juggle parents constantly face while they have school-aged kids, so manageable as much as it ever can be.

What these three simple and very normal aspects of life that Easter presents is a perfect storm to help western democratic governments, with populations who at the best of times, let alone the worse, struggle with being told what to do. This ‘natural’ time where populations can hunker down in their home fortresses, self-isolate if they are unwell and practice social exclusion while not feeling it is a social burden must not be missed.

Sure, it won’t work in countries where non-Christian populations make up the majority, which unfortunately does include some densely populated regions such as Indonesia. These places might need to become more draconian AKA the China model and enforce lockdowns or social exclusion for a period long enough to literally clear the air and contain the spread of COVID-19, although it should be noted that some of these nations populaces, notably where Islam is the dominant faith, do exhibit broader cultural qualities of obedience and discipline when called upon by their governments.

Anyone in any position of government should right now be thinking about pushing the case for extending out the Easter break into a solid 10–14 days, which fits most modelling around the incubation and transmission times for COVID-19.

The break in transmission Easter might offer around COVID-19 might prove to be a true resurrection. Not of the virus, nor of Christ, if that’s your belief, but rather a chance for everyone to stop…reset…self exclude without feeling they are being ordered to. We live in interesting times, challenging times, trying times but also times of great opportunity to build resilience, rebuild community and reinforce the things that are most important to us.

In the meantime, below is a simple infographic on how to take care of yourself during this time.