In times of vulnerability, we seem to take on a more thoughtful approach to our way of living. We tend to become more reflective about what is really important; with family needs immediately taking precedence over everything else.

Many have rallied round their older family members and made arrangements to keep them safe and supported. On the other hand, the employees in some residential homes isolated themselves in the residences to create a safer environment, even if this meant depriving themselves of their own families. Remarkable acts of altruism become more and more common.

Children’s schooling was also a major concern. The increase in use of technology has been unprecedented, with classes being offered online, in order to make sure that our children retain a degree of learning routine and focus. We admire teachers for their dedication to their students through this new way of teaching. By far it is not easy to shift to this new way of preparing lessons, however, they are doing it with grace and professionalism. The physical distancing was not an insurmountable barrier to learning. Similarly, we have seen so many students uploading their work on social media and using their creativity and exhibiting innovative ways of presenting their work. These methods are worth noting for the future.

More time at home is also altering the way parents interact with their children. We acknowledge that categories of parents will be finding this change stressful and sometimes challenging. That being said, many parents should be applauded for handling, so tactfully, this situation. In fact, many used the new found time to engage more with their children, which pre-corona was an infrequent luxury. I am sure that many parents will look back at these difficult times and recall moments with their children that they shall treasure for the rest of their lives.

Moreover, many family members are also engaged in sensitive services such as the medical and para-medic personnel, law enforcement and the social work services. The sense of duty and loyalty towards those that they serve was nothing short of outstanding, despite the risk of contaminating their loved ones.

Nevertheless, they have served their patients, service users and the community with outstanding responsibility and maturity. These are the people who are working in our institutions, who not only rose to the occasion but are the pillars of stability and solidarity in these difficult times. Various helplines were quickly launched to assist those people in need; but in particular, to ensure that physical distancing is not social distancing and that despite the situation, we can still remain connected.

On the other hand, the risk of losing one’s job is another major stressor. Many individuals have shifted from planning their next holiday, to managing their purchasing power with skill that rivals that of a magician. The hours spent by employers and managers in board rooms devising ways to keep their businesses running and to retain their employees was unprecedented. The objective was not only to generate profit, but also how best to retain their workforce under the current conditions. The level of creativity and mix of measures taken have clearly shown that when humanity is allowed to reign, generating profit and showing solidarity can be good bedfellows.

Other acts of solidarity abound, ranging from catering establishments preparing and delivering food to the elderly and front liners; to even private donations being made to persons falling on hard times.

Against this background of solidarity, the government has also provided strong leadership by being truthful in its information, consistent in its messages, realistic in its assessment, measured in its decisions and timely in its directives.

The government has also allocated all the resources necessary to prevent, as much as possible, the spread of the virus but also to treat those afflicted. The closure of schools, people in quarantine, suspension of flights, partial lockdown of vulnerable groups, the lockdown of many businesses and the educational campaigns to help people protect themselves, were all difficult decisions that would cause disruption but which were made easier by the fact that we prioritized health above everything else.

Despite this, directives were only just one part of the equation. Concurrently, the government put money where its mouth is and apart from the resources that went into the medical infrastructure, an unprecedented package of assistance to companies to save jobs was announced. Here again, the priority went to those in the lower income bracket and the message was that this country is able to translate solidarity into concrete and meaningful positive actions.

Ours is a unique society that is embedded in solidarity, and solidarity is what frames our practices and drives our behavior, no matter what our station in life is. Solidarity is what brings us together and solidarity is what brings the curve down.