THE PATTERN

Without warning, we were thrown headfirst into a “new normal” where isolation is common, fear and uncertainty are on the rise, and sickness and death get decimated to statistics.

But was it really without warning?

COVID-19 and G4 are zoonotic, meaning they’re transmitted from animals to people – and they’re definitely not the first of their kind.

We’ve experienced swine flu and G4 looms over our heads

From Marburg and Ebola in 1967 and 1976, respectively, to the more recent SARS, A(H1N1), and COVID-19, Mother Nature has reminded us again and again about the consequences of our interference with nature and our abuse of non-human animals, as written by Alia Chughtai in a 2020 article for Al Jazeera. Yet, we’ve continued with our destructive practices and cruel eating habits.

Will she send us a reminder again soon?

While it’s been easy for many of us to frown upon the consumption of wild animals by other countries particularly China, it’s been difficult to assess our own eating habits. (And it’s a discussion that needs to happen if we don’t want a continuation – or, worse, a repeat – of this outbreak that just might bring about an apocalyptic nightmare. -Ed.)

Consumption of wildlife shouldn’t be tolerated, not before and not now during the sixth mass extinction. But this doesn’t excuse us from assessing our own eating habits as well.

Animal meat commonly consumed worldwide has brought upon their own set of deadly outbreaks.

In 2003 and 2013, there were bird flu outbreaks

Animal agriculture is a major contributor to deforestation which exacerbates the spillover of diseases

Wet markets with dead animals (wildlife or not) are an ideal melting pot for viruses