In the midst of all the craziness, death, and tragedy surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, some surprising positives have erupted.

1. People are spending less money and more quality time with their families. According to the AHA: “Family time is an essential factor that helps to create strong bonds, love, connections, and relationship among the family members. Spending quality time with family does help in coping with challenges, instill a feeling of security, inculcate family values, fill kids with confidence, and much more.”
2. Appreciating things we took for granted. During social distancing, we’ve been restricted from the freedoms we used to have like seeing our friends, eating at restaurants, going to school, etc.
3. Fish have reappeared in the canals of Venice. According to ABC, “The coronavirus pandemic has had an unexpected side effect in Venice, where the normally cloudy canals have transformed into water crystal clear enough to see fish swimming below.”
4. Air pollution in China has lessened. According to NPR news: “Air pollution levels have dropped by roughly a quarter over the last month as coal-fired power plants and industrial facilities have ramped down so employees in high-risk areas can stay home. Levels of nitrogen dioxide, a pollutant primarily from burning fossil fuels, were down as much as 30%, according to NASA.”
5. Air quality, in general, has improved in lockdown areas. According to Mercury News: “In Los Angeles, the air quality, which is usually some of the worst in the nation, has turned into one of the cleanest compared to other major cities. Even more impressive is the fact that the city has enjoyed its longest stretch of “good” air quality since 1995. Elsewhere in New Delhi, India, residents saw blue skies, which has become a rarity. The lockdown has led to less air pollution and cleaner water.”