It is reported that in a normal year, around 55 million people die in the world. It is now reported that in the year 2020 around 1.8 million people have died in the world due to COVID 19 alone.

Amongst the people who died due to COVID 19, a very significant percentage of the people were elderly citizens, many of whom could have been suffering from age-related diseases or what is known as morbidity conditions. In other words, it is possible that amongst the people who lost their lives due to COVID in 2020, more than 50 percent of them could have died even otherwise due to frail physical conditions.

These figures are indicated not to belittle the harm done to the world health by COVID 19,  but only to point out the way that it would influence the thought process of the people in 2021, with a significant impact in the psychic conditions of men and women in all age groups all over the world.

In normal times, when some near and dear ones die, people feel sad and depressed for some time and then resume their normal activities, though in most cases, the thoughts of the dear and near ones would stay in the mind for the rest of their lives. But, generally, it does not impact the lifestyle of the surviving people in most cases.  But, the deaths due to COVID 19 are likely to provoke different kinds of thoughts amongst people in the year 2021.

During 2020,  everyone was afraid of whether they could also be victims of COVID 19.  When some unknown person dies due to COVID-19 at a distant place and the news is read in the media, people shivered whether they too could be near such a tragedy anytime soon.

In 2021, the next thought that would come is the realization of gaining uppermost in the mind of people that  death is inevitable and is a law of nature, that would make one wonder where one would go after death and where they came from into the world. The conscience of birth and death is likely to occur too frequently in the thought process of people after the year 2020, as people have experienced the death warnings almost every day due to the COVID-19 crisis.

Whether one would admit it or not, in the year 2021, people would start searching for answers about the  origin  and end of life, more than ever before in the recent history of mankind. Inevitably, people would  seek an explanation from the religious scriptures and  the so-called philosophers and claimed spiritual teachers.

Does anyone really know and does any religion convincingly explain the concept of death and birth? Such lack of clarity would create a sense of discomfort and restlessness amongst the cross-section of people.

It appears that most of the religious and spiritual teachers explain the events of birth and death, with the explanation that nothing could be created without a creator and therefore, there should be God, overseeing birth, death, and world activities.  Consequently, people hear stories about miracles, life after death, etc. without really knowing what it is all about.

All religious, spiritual teachers and philosophers simply say that one should not question this concept of God and the religion advises people to simply accept the concept and further conveniently say that the human mind is incapable of thinking beyond this. Thus, come the  advocacies towards meditation, prayer, devotion, etc. 

In 2021, it is likely that the thought process on 'future after human life would receive much attention,' which would be the ultimate contribution of COVID-19.

It is more than likely that with the development of vaccines, researchers would come out with medical treatment to safeguard the health of the people.  The fear of COVID 19 will go away slowly and steadily in 2021 due to the efforts of medical researchers.

COVID-19 will gradually become a distant memory, but the fear of death that is created in every individual would take a long time to recede.

While everyone looks forward to 2021 with the hope of a better year, certainly better times will eventually emerge. With the onset of 2021,  a more mature mindset towards life and its purpose and uncertainties amongst individuals may also happen.

(The writer is a Trustee, NGO Nandini Voice for the Deprived, Chennai. Views expressed are personal. He can be contacted at nsvenkatchennai@gmail.com)