The mystery of COVID-19 and the question of environmental sustainability

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) is a highly transmittable and pathogenic viral infection. The disease is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) which emerged in Wuhan, China in December 2019 and later spread quickly to other countries around the world. There is no vaccination or treatment for COVID 19, making it the most dreaded disease. The spread of the disease can be reduced by keeping social distancing and observing proper hygiene of hand washing using soap or rubbing 70% ethanol hand sanitizer. Since its emergence, scientists have been trying to understand the origin of COVID-19 and the virus that causes it: SARS-CoV-2. The origin of SARS-CoV-2 has been increasingly contentious. Several schools of thought on the origin of SARS-CoV-2 have come up. One school of thought believes that the virus was intentionally genetically engineered in a laboratory while another believes that the virus, highly similar to the bat-associated coronavirus, originated from nature. There has also been suspicion of accidental escape of a wild sample from laboratories due to poor laboratory safety practices. This article analyses the possible origin and spread of COVID 19 and lessons for science, as well as environmental balance and sustainability in the light of Christian ethics and inclusive development.
Keywords: environmental sustainability, genetic engineering, development and ethics