Admitting that COVID-19 positively impacted anything at all seems like a vile and insensitive thing to do. The pandemic, which took the world by surprise, claimed many lives and caused havoc around the world. However, the story is incomplete without highlighting all the effects and consequences of the pandemic- both negative and not so negative. On that note,  following months of its onset in December 2019, COVID-19 crisis brought about several years of change in ways companies conduct businesses. According to a new study survey of some top executives in different companies, many companies confirmed they have sped up the digitization of their internal operations as well as customer and supply-chain interactions by three to four years. Additionally, the share of digital products in the portfolios of surveyed companies has also sped up by an unbelievable seven years. Nearly all participants of this survey confirmed that their companies have met new demands much more quickly than they ever thought possible before the onset of COVID-19.

It is important to note that most of these changes in structure, technology and responses in general are here to stay, and will not just end with COVID, given that participants agreed their companies have become more productive and are already investing to ensure permanence. In fact, when these participants were asked about the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on different measures, they agreed that funding for digital initiatives specifically has increased tremendously.

During the pandemic, consumers migrated drastically towards online platforms and companies responded accordingly. The survey results further confirm the rapid shift toward interacting with customers through digital channels due to COVID. They also show that rates of adoption are much more advanced compared to the rates when previous surveys were conducted. Participants were three times more likely to agree that most of their customer interactions are digital in nature, compared to before COVID-19.The impacts of COVID-19 have been very significant on the digital and technology sector. These impacts have resulted in various consequences, some of which  include: affecting supply of raw materials, disrupting electronics value chain and increasing inflationary risk on products for many companies. More so, COVID-19 has enabled the acceptance and acceleration of remote working, and shifted focus towards evaluating and de-risking the procurement of materials from suppliers to customers in technical businesses related to Hardware/software, IT services and Semiconductors.

Technological advancements and digitizations are established markers of development due to the progress and economic growth they facilitate. Covid-19, though a difficult challenge, sped up these markers especially because they were essential in fighting the pandemic. In May 2020, WHO and partners launched the COVID-19 Technology Access Pool (C-TAP) which  aimed to facilitate timely, equitable and affordable access to health products by encouraging and promoting supply. C-TAP provides a global one-stop shop for developers of COVID-19 therapeutics, diagnostics, vaccines and other health products. The platform enables sharing of intellectual property, knowledge, and data, with quality-assured manufacturers through public health-driven and transparent licenses. By sharing intellectual property and know-how through the pooling and these voluntary agreements, these developers can facilitate scale up production through multiple manufacturers.

The role and impact of technology in today’s world cannot be ignored or overstated. As a result, COVID-19 pandemic was significantly influenced by technology and in turn, the pandemic inspired some new technologies that helped control it. According to World Health Organization(WHO), COVID-19 pandemic undeniably spurred the development of over one hundred (100) health innovations and some of these innovations have been subsequently endorsed and adopted in Africa.

The aim of these innovations developed around the world was to target different areas of the COVID-19 response as well as use the insight and application of technology in the combat of the pandemic. The geographical distribution of the  technologies may be worthy to evaluate. A detailed study of these innovative technologies shows that about 12.8% were developed in Africa. Of these, 57.8% were related to Information and Communications Technology, 25% were based on 3D printing and 10.9% were robotics. ICT innovations were majorly WhatsApp, Chatbots, self-diagnostic tools, contact tracing apps and mobile health information tools. Associated African countries with their respective contributions include South Africa (13%), Kenya (10%), Nigeria (8%), Rwanda (6%) and Ghana (2%)

Needless to say, technology was, and remains very essential in various areas of COVID-19. Response areas and other areas where technology is constantly applied include, but not limited to:

• Control and Prevention
• Epidemiological Surveillance
• Contact Tracing 
• Community Engagement
• Treatment and Vaccine 
• Laboratory Systems
• Information Dissemination

In a speech by Dr Matshidiso Moeti- WHO Regional Director for Africa, he acknowledged that despite being one of the worst challenges of the 21st century, COVID-19 revealed the need to invest in innovation and an opportunity to foster innovation in health technologies. He also commended the zeal and commitment of the African continent regarding the fight to end COVID-19. Notable technological inventions include hand-washing equipment powered by solar energy and mobile applications that build on Africa’s rapidly growing connectivity. 

WHO recommends increased investment in ICT infrastructure, robotics, artificial intelligence, drones and mechatronics because investing in innovation yields huge dividends. Additionally, implementing the right policies is important to boost creativity, entrepreneurship and university-led research.

A conspiracy theory is a term used to describe a logic that attempts to explain events or situations especially when people doubt the randomness of the event or suspect deception by influential and powerful groups. These groups often consist of wealthy and popular individuals such as politicians since the theories are usually politically motivated. The term has a negative connotation, since conspiracy itself is a negative word, and implies that the theory is based on misinformation, prejudice or insufficient evidence. Conspiracy theories are nothing new, ranging from disease outbreaks to election fraud, theories that claim to proffer explanations and solutions to societal issues abound. They exist almost everywhere- social media, television, and even conversations with friends and loved ones. Conspiracy theories may stem from the fact that when people feel threatened and out of control, they naturally want to feel more in control and bring order to the randomness by resorting to questionable explanations.

As expected, COVID-19 is  surrounded by several theories attempting to explain both the source and agenda of the virus. Although some theories are harmless or even funny, those related to medical health interventions, can be potentially dangerous and life-threatening. Below are  some popular conspiracies that may have shaped the public’s understanding and response to COVID-19:

• COVID-19 was engineered in the laboratory:

 After World Health Organization confirmed that the outbreak had become a pandemic, conservative publications started linking the virus to China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology which studies coronaviruses. However, scientists agree that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, most likely occurred in nature and was not engineered. There is also no evidence that the virus accidentally escaped or evolved from other viruses found in the Wuhan Institute of Virology. This theory is malicious because it encouraged racist distrust of China and distracted Americans from actually addressing the pandemic.

• COVID-19 is a side effect of 5G technology: 

In the early stages of the pandemic, the theory claiming an association between 5G high speed wireless technology and COVID-19 symptoms spread like wildfire across Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Currently, there is no evidence that 5G radiation is dangerous to human health because the technology works on higher frequency wave lengths that don’t appear to penetrate human skin. Additionally, the outbreak has also occurred in locations where there is no 5G technology. This theory  seems to have been politically motivated and was dangerous because in early April 2020, protesters in the  United Kingdom set fire to 5G towers causing economic waste. 

• COVID-19 is the same as the Flu

In the first few months of the pandemic when research was lacking and much was unknown about the virus, both public officials and media outlets compared symptoms of COVID-19 to seasonal influenza. The intentions of these comparisons may have been good- to calm the  public and  increase understanding of the rapidly spreading illness, however; it created the basis for conspiracy theorists to perpetuate the idea that COVID-19 was a hoax and just the same as flu. Well, now we know better- COVID-19 is much more deadly than the flu and must be given all the seriousness it deserves.

• Masks are uncomfortable and do not  work:

The theory  that masks neither protect people from COVID-19 nor prevent its spread was borne out of public health miscommunication. To date, scientists and public health officials continue to educate the general public that masks- including cloth masks, are quite effective at preventing the transmission of COVID-19. This is because masks are made to filter the wearer’s potentially contagious respiratory droplets from entering  the air, and if there are droplets already in the air, it prevents the wearers  from inhaling  these droplets. Consequently, when two people who are interacting wear masks, they are potentially protecting one another effectively. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has since updated its guidance and guidelines on wearing masks.

• COVID-19 vaccines are harmful and alters ones genetic code 

There have been several theories about COVID-19 vaccines; some were heard even before pharmaceutical companies began working on any vaccine. Most of the antagonism against COVID-19 vaccine is based on existing anti-vaccine sentiments, which view vaccines as unnatural or potentially harmful. Other attacks on the vaccines originate from religious groups and figures. Currently, the FDA has approved vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer under emergency use authorization. These vaccines use messenger RNA, which tells the body how to develop antibodies to fight COVID-19. It is important to note that this does not fundamentally change a person’s DNA. Moreover, these vaccines have been very effective in relieving the symptoms of COVID-19.

Conspiracy theories affect us all and exist in both traditional and modern societies, irrespective of demographics, political differences and social class. They may result  in significant limitations in public and global  health, usually encouraging resistance to vaccination  as in the case of COVID-19. More so, some theories have led to negative behaviours that led to outbreaks of preventable diseases and problems. Other effects of conspiracy theories include lack of confidence in scientific evidence,  promotion of extremist group and poor economic growth.

 It is impossible to  ban conspiracy theories and theorists, however, we can take practical steps to sift, investigate and verify information before we accept or share them. Additionally, social networks like Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube have stepped up with more efforts to identify, label, and take down COVID-19 misinformation.

As a life threatening pandemic, Covid-19 remains one of the most talked about news in the world today with updates reported on a daily basis. In addition to all the noise about the vaccine, there’s more recently, a buzz about the newest strain of the virus that causes COVID-19. This strain is said to have  originated in the UK sometime in September, 2020, and has since spread to the U.S., Canada and some other countries. Researchers  are still gathering facts and insight on this new variant, in attempt to answer the following questions:

• How different is it from the other strain
• Is it more dangerous
• Does it need further precautions
• Does it infect children more easily than previous strain
• Will the current vaccine be effective against it

The questions go on and on, however, emergence of  new strains of the Covid-19 virus was not at all a surprise to scientists. In fact, it is expected given the nature and biology of viruses; In the human body, viruses attach to cells, penetrate them, and make copies of their RNA, which helps them spread. In this process, errors randomly occur, causing changes in the viral RNA. These changes are called mutations, and will result in a new strain of virus. Currently, the seven types of corona viruses that infect humans are divided into four sub-groupings, called alpha, beta, gamma, and delta:

• 229E (alpha)
• NL63 (alpha)
• OC43 (beta)
• HKU1 (beta
• MERS-CoV, a beta virus that causes Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS)
• SARS-CoV, a beta virus that causes severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)
• SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19

Since the inception of the pandemic, there have been multiple variants of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus that causes COVID-19. These variants or strains are different from the strain first seen in China. New strains of the SARS-CoV-2 virus are detected on a weekly basis, however, there isn’t enough research to confirm that these new strains are more virulent or contagious. The newest strain (B117) was detected in southeastern England in September 2020 and by December, it became the most common cause of infection, accounting for about 60% of new  cases. New strains were also seen in Denmark, The Netherlands, and other European countries. Additionally,  another variant was detected in Africa, specifically Nigeria and South Africa (1.351). In Brazil, a variant called P.1 which contains a set of mutations that may affect its ability to be recognized by antibodies, was identified. It is  worthy of note that most of the genetic changes in these viruses have no significance or functionality. However, the newest strain-, B117, appears to spread up to 70%  more easily than previous strains of COVID-19.

According to current research, there is no evidence that the newer strains infect children more easily neither is there reason to suggest that vaccines would not work against new strains. However, scientists and public health experts are intensifying research and studying these variants  to ensure that laboratory tests and vaccines remain effective. More so, CDC, in collaboration with other public health agencies, is closely monitoring the situation and working to detect emerging variants.

Positive Social Change refers to favourable changes in human interactions and relationships that transform cultural and social institutions. Positive social change  helps to improve human and social conditions and also promotes the advancement of the society. Changes occur at various levels, including individuals, families, communities, organizations, and governments, and are driven by ideas and actions with real-world implications and practical consequences. These changes are brought about in many different ways including education, promotion, evolution, revolution, technology, environmental factors and changes in population dynamics. Social change is a necessity which affects all aspects of life such as health, economy and the quality of life in general.

BlessWorld Foundation, as a non-profit organization, works tirelessly to affect the world positively through health. As a matter of fact, the importance of health promotion in our pandemic-stricken world cannot be overemphasized. Additionally, there can rarely be any positivity, growth or prosperity without good health. Consequently, BlessWorld foundation contributes, and plans to continue contributing to positive social change in a number of ways.

Firstly, BlessWorld Foundation already provides a hub of accurate and up-to-date information and different types of health and health related articles through its monthly blog. By providing information and news, BlessWorld aims to equip and empower individuals and communities with the knowledge needed to stay healthy, navigate health issues and improve their lives. Topics of these articles are  research-based and carefully chosen to ensure relevance as well as reflect current health issues and trends. The blog, https://www.blessworldfoundation.com/category/blog/ is available on our website and accessible to everyone. In addition to this, BlessWorld plans to produce short newsletters and pamphlets that address health misconceptions and promote healthy lifestyles. With reference to COVID-19, pamphlets showing recent news and updates about the virus as well as how to stay protected will be produced.

Secondly, engaging and forming partnerships with grassroots, communities and other organizations is a significant step towards positive social change. A tree cannot make a forest, therefore, building an engaged community remains the best way to penetrate and connect with real people. BlessWorld plans to achieve this by providing training and workshop sessions that teach people about health and its determinants. These sessions may also feature edutainment programs offered by our partner, KingsPrimeTV. More so, short surveys to understand the challenges and needs of these communities will be carried out during trainings in order to provide effective solutions. Furthermore, community engagement provides a platform for people who are interested and passionate about service to volunteer and help out. Volunteers are always  important in Charities due to limited availability of funds and resources.

Finally, the place and position of raising funds in non-profit organizations is second to none. For any charity organization to achieve its aims and create global positive social change, there must be funds. Money is essential to most services; staff stipends, printing costs, fee for researchers, trainers and workshop teachers are all places money goes into. BlessWorld foundation will actively participate in fundraising through mutually beneficial ways by presenting some form of gifts to donors in exchange for their donations. More so, fund raising is beneficial to people and communities as many find fulfillment in the opportunity to give back.

The happiest and most celebrated time of the year is here again!!! Season’s greetings to everyone who is lucky to be alive at this time of the year despite the menace done by corona virus. It has been a long scary year and as cases, hospitalizations, and deaths continue to increase across many parts of the world,  the safest way to celebrate the holidays is to remain at home with immediate family and friends. As much as we would love to go out, travel and reconnect with family and friends, it would be very risky to gather in larger groups because we may be exposed to the COVID-19 virus. In order words, gatherings with family and friends who do not live with us increases chances of contacting or spreading COVID-19.

This pandemic has been both stressful  and isolating for many people; the Yuletide season would’ve been a great time and opportunity to socialize with loved ones and make up all the time lost. Unfortunately, this is not the case… on the contrary, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) encourages us to modify the holiday plans to reduce the spread of COVID-19 so as to keep our friends, families, and communities healthy and safe. On that note, US CDC recommends virtual celebrations to help  reduce and delay the spread of COVID-19.

Celebrating virtually or only  with members of  the household who have not been exposed to COVID-19 poses the least possible risk for spreading the virus. Members of a household include anyone who currently lives and shares common spaces in the same housing unit. This may include family, friends and roommates. In this context therefore, everyone who is returning and doesn’t currently share the housing unit, is considered part of different households, even if they are family.  Physical gatherings that bring people from different households together can pose significant risks. Organizers and attendees of larger events are urged to consider the risk of virus spread based on size of the event which can be determined by the number of attendees. Adequate steps should then be taken mitigate and reduce these risks of infection. The risk of contracting and spreading COVID-19 in any gathering depends on certain factors which include:

Community Incidence:  High cases of COVID-19 in the community increases the probability of infected people being in the gathering  which then increases the risk of infection and spread among attendees. It is important to consider the number of COVID-19 cases in the community when deciding whether to host or attend a gathering. The information on the number of cases  can be found on local health  websites or CDC’s COVID Data Tracker. 

Rate of Exposure: Places with high traffic such as airports, schools, churches, bus stations, train stations, public transport, gas stations, and rest stops are all places travelers can be exposed to the virus in the air and on surfaces. Proper precautions and  safety protocols must be taken in these places.

Location and Duration: Indoor gatherings, especially those with poor ventilation and smaller enclosed spaces, pose more risk than outdoor gatherings which allow room for social distancing and aeration. Additionally, the longer the gathering, the longer the exposure (if any) and the higher the chances of contacting COVID-19.

Setting: The setting of a gathering involves the  number and proximity of people at gatherings . Events with more people pose more risk compared to those with fewer people. CDC does not have a limit or recommended number of attendees for gatherings; however, the size of a gathering should be determined based on the ability of attendees from different households to stay six feet apart, wear masks, wash hands and comply with health and safety rules and regulations.

Behaviours of attendees: The attitude and behaviours of attendees before and during the gathering influences the risk of infection. Individuals who do not consistently adhere to social distancing, mask wearing, hand washing and other prevention behaviours pose more risk than those who consistently practice these safety measures. More so, gatherings with more of these safety measures in place pose less risk than gatherings where fewer or no preventive measures are being implemented.

It is important to note that People infected with or exposed to COVID-19 and People at increased risk for severe illness should not attend in-person holiday gatherings so as not to put loved ones at risk.

BlessWorld Foundation International remains committed to helping communities during the holidays… Stay Safe and Happy Holidays!

Marked by rising number of cases, the COVID-19 pandemic has entered a second wave and is far from over. This heart wrenching news can instantly dim any flickering light of hope remaining in the world. With several unfulfilled months and dreams behind, plus the holidays closing in, it is easy to become frustrated or slip into depression.

The aim of this article however, is to resurrect- as difficult as it may seem, any possible glimpse of hope… because once there is life, there is hope!

The English dictionary defines hope as a feeling of expectation and desire for  something to happen or become real. Like faith, it is a strong yearning for a thing which hasn’t happened or doesn’t exist to happen or become existent. It is common knowledge that how we feel is a result of what our senses absorb… particularly things we see and hear. Consequently, we must guard these inlet senses in order to control our feelings which then influence our state of mind. When we focus on the disappointments caused by the pandemic, the feelings of disappointment cloud our minds and hopelessness becomes inevitable. Contrarily, when we remain grateful for the things  we still have such as life, despite the unfortunate deaths of over a million people, then, we usher in feelings of contentment and hopefulness. At this point, you may be thinking “Easier said than done”…  after all, how do we switch our thoughts on and off like a light bulb? 

Certainly, it’s not that easy… cultivating positive thoughts and changing one’s thought patterns and processes is  no child’s play and doesn’t happen overnight, but it’s not impossible.

There  must be a conscious consistent commitment towards changing our thought habits. First and foremost, resisting the urge watch and listen to anything that triggers sadness such as COVID-19 updates and news would go a long way. This does not translate to avoiding reality, instead, it is understanding and  accepting that our feelings cannot change reality. Watching comedy movies, reading uplifting books,  and learning a new hobby like cooking are some simple ways to replace news time and keep the mind busy.

A second and equally important way to remain hopeful is to practice meditation. Again, some people may argue that meditation is a means to evade reality or turn-off one’s feelings and thoughts but this is false. Meditation is a healthy way to decongest the mind, it has nothing to do with deceiving oneself or becoming a different person. It helps us channel our energy towards training in awareness and having a healthy sense of perspective. This healthy perspective  helps us observe and control our thoughts and feelings without judgement thereby promoting mental health, inspiring hope and  wholesome understanding of oneself.

Energy is transferable; consequently, it is important to surround oneself with positive energy both environmentally and socially. By doing so, the human  spirit and hope can be lifted and built respectively. Although social distancing has limited the feasibility of being around people, one can recreate a positive energetic environment at home by engaging in fun skill development and hobbies as well as spending quality time with immediate family. Additionally, hope can be ignited through spiritual activities and relationship with one’s faith.The pandemic has changed our world significantly in these past months and it is our common responsibility to overcome this challenging circumstance by doing the right things- Wearing a mask, keeping social distance, washing our hands properly and frequently. The advent of the COVID-19 vaccine by Pfizer is a ground breaking progress which undoubtedly increases our hope that sooner than later, COVID-19  will be history. As always, charity organizations such as BlessWorld Foundation are well positioned to continue supporting communities through aids in these difficult times. We will come out stronger and better, together… let us keep our hope alive

Digital revolution has tremendously affected many aspects of our lives especially health and medical care, in general. Medicine has long been influenced and complimented by technologies like X-rays, CT scans, MRI and other diagnostics to help in better care.  However, digital revolution is something more significant; It includes electronic health records, m-health, tele health, amongst others. It is the integration of technology into every bit of healthcare forming it’s very foundation. Digitisation has produced impressive results in other industries like automobile, aviation and as such have been advocated by health organisations and professionals as the future and hope of healthcare. This change in the course of healthcare which brings  it closer to patients and healthcare consumers is in fact the boldest move to patient centred care.

Since the early 2000’s, there has been a global trend in view of the prospects of digitisation, that is, making healthcare completely digital. Most significant would be the gradual digitisation of health records. The result is a new health record system known as the electronic health records (EHR). EHR is simply the digital form of paper records but collected and available in real time through multiple media outlets. The immediate advantage of the EHR centres around ease of accessibility and portability with increased transparency. All these allow for a more integrated, coordinated and personalised care. At the very least, it eliminates most of the errors of the traditional paper-based record system like medication errors due to poor legibility and suboptimal emergency care due to limited access to data.

Despite these  advantages, the reality of the current EHR has left both health professionals and patients frustrated,  negatively impacting care. This issue of usability  has been pointed out by healthcare workers as a major problem- It is only in healthcare that systems are designed without inputs from the very users (healthcare workers). In  aviation for example, airplanes are test run by pilots and their suggestions are used to improve the design. This lack of user-based design has led to increased time with computer mostly to repeat the same inputs. This results in fatigue, as well as poor interface and inflexibility. Many health workers have tried several solutions with little success like using a voice recognition program to prevent them fixating on their screens, using scribes  or  paper records and then entering them in the EHR later. Additionally,  there is high cost of installing EHR as well as non-transferability of records from one hospital to another.

 Technological advancement has also brought gradual modifications to the doctor-patient relationship; Gone are the days when the doctor’s note belonged to the doctor alone. Patients can now see their health records and the doctor’s note that was once private, due to changes in social structure and the presence of third parties such as :lawyers, insurance companies  and employers. There is consequently, and quite understandably, the concern over privacy due to digitisation which has been an issue of increasing concern with the growing rate of cyber crimes.This is why government agencies in charge of privacy like must set strict privacy protocols for EHR vendors to follow and ensure that health records are kept secure and private.Irrespective of these lapses, EHR can still be looked upon as the hope and future of healthcare because many professionals still consider it an inevitable step in the right direction. In line with digital revolution, BlessWorld Foundation is in her final stages of unveiling the World Hospital Initiative Project (WHIP)- a digital platform that represents a one-stop-shop for all health care goods and services across  the globe

Broadly speaking, Social change is defined as any change in social relations and interactions that transforms societal structures and institutions. Social change is constantly occurring in the society because change itself is constant and inevitable. It is important to note that no society ever remains the same. As times change, societies undergo either enforced, or gradual but significant alterations and transformations in social order and mechanisms. These transformations usually have profound long-term consequences for individuals and the society at large. As a social determinant of health, social change affects health, and consequently, the quality of life; hence, positive changes improve health while negative changes depreciate health.

Social change mostly results in increased awareness and understanding  because it allows for the circulation of  information, which enables people and communities to make informed decisions. It also results in improved civic participation  which can be attributed to behaviour change and motivation to challenge instances of injustice.

Some changes in the society are neither gradual nor natural, but are fought for and enforced to transform the community. Revolutionary social change almost  always begins  with individuals- it starts with personal changes which then develop into passionate commitment  needed to undertake group and community change in general. Individual interactions and relationships facilitate social change- understanding and respecting the differences in opinions and life experiences as well as accepting that there are limitless perspectives and points of view in the world.

 An important aspect of social change is the direction of the change. Creating the changes we want require conscious commitment to shaping the direction of social change. Popular examples of social change include social movements in civil rights, women’s rights, and LBGTQ rights. These changes resulted in relationship, institutional, cultural, transformative and organizational changes.

Agents and drivers of social change include various pivotal factors and situations that arise or need to be fulfilled to produce the required change. These types of change involve addressing urgent sustainability issues and challenges such as loss of biodiversity  and climate changes. These changes are guided and facilitated by the application of practical knowledge, education, scientific and social research,  and experience. For change to be successful, the community must be fully involved both in the development and implementation processes of social change policies. Engaging grassroots inspires participation and cooperation, especially when the change requires behaviour modification and compliance. 

Major agents and sources of social change  include;

• Diffusion and Population change
• Technological  Advancement
• Industrialization and Revolution
• Change in Ideology and Culture
• Economic fluctuations and Political movements
• Environmental impact and Evolution
• Social conflict and Competition
• Modernization and Urbanization
• Bureaucratization and Acculturation
• Mass dissatisfaction
• Disease outbreak, as in the case of COVID-19

COVID-19 represents an example of urgent, grassroots and  transformative source of social change, resulting in a complete change social behaviour- social distancing, wearing of masks, frequent hand washing and use of hand sanitizers. The pandemic enforced change in social and health behaviours across the world in order to prevent and control its spread. Organizations such as BlessWorld Foundation continues to support this social change by providing palliatives in form of cash prizes to youths in different communities.