Leading with Empathy. Gautham Pallapa

has severely affected many communities. In particular, vulnerable communities with entrenched poverty, limited employment flexibility, and overcrowded housing faced significant challenges. The health and economic impacts of the virus are being borne disproportionately by poor people. They continue to affect the most vulnerable populations, including older citizens, disabled people, youth, and Indigenous people. Other people at a disadvantage include the homeless, who are more exposed to the danger of the virus in tent camps and other close quarters. Similarly, refugees and migrants also stand to suffer from the pandemic and its aftermath.

       Social Relationships

COVID-19 disrupted people's social relationships and the ways they used to connect with their loved ones. Some people felt isolated physically and emotionally, and others felt more connected to their families, friends, and social networks than they typically do. The ban on personal gatherings promoted the unconventional activities of maintaining social distancing, such as birthday parades on birthday parties or balcony sing-along for concerts. Awkward socially distanced get-togethers in cul-de-sacs or front yards substituted socializing at bars or favorite hangouts. Driveway or drive-by conversations replaced meeting friends and chatting. Children were continuously cautioned to be six feet apart, don their masks, and not have physical contact during playdates.

       Domestic Violence

Many countries reported an increase in cases of domestic violence during the lockdown.²⁹ Unemployment, financial insecurity, and stress were significant contributors that led to the increased aggression at home. Several news outlets reported a surge in domestic violence during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.³⁰ With people confined to their homes, there was a potential increase seen in intimate partner violence (IPV). The lockdown measures were intended to protect the public, but they left many IPV victims stuck with abusers unable to connect with services and ask for help safely.

Surveys conducted worldwide have shown a significant increase in domestic violence cases since January 2020. The Guardian reported a surge in domestic violence during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.³¹ The UK's largest domestic abuse charity, Refuge, reported a 700 percent increase in calls to its hotline in a single day.³² According to the American Journal of Emergency Medicine³³ and UN women³⁴ —a United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and empowerment of women—the cases of domestic abuse increased by 300 percent in Hubei, China; 33 percent in Singapore; 25 percent in Argentina; 30 percent in France; 30 percent in Cyprus; and 50 percent in Brazil.

       Religious Impact

      Religious and devout people visit places of worship to receive hope, peace of mind, strength, and spiritual guidance. Due to the pandemic, churches, temples, mosques, and other places of worship had to close overnight, affecting people of all faiths. There were the cancellations of services, festivals, observances, pilgrimages, and Sunday schools. People felt isolated and alone. Many religious organizations offered worship services through video conferencing and live streaming. However, people have expressed that they do not feel the same spiritual connection and peace as before.

Diwali, the festival of lights in India, is usually celebrated by over 800 million people worldwide. This festival involves the lighting of lamps, exchanging gifts, celebrating with friends and family, and lots of fireworks. COVID-19 restrictions severely limited these activities, with an estimated 60 percent reduction in social interaction.³⁵ Other religious events have been significantly impacted as well. About 4.55 million tourists visited Israel in 2019, but this was reduced by 81 percent in 2020³⁶ —a mere 850,000 tourists. Hajj, Islam's most important annual pilgrimage, which usually has more than 2 million people attend every year, was limited to only 1,000 people due to social distancing and crowd control measures implemented by Saudi Arabia. International travelers were barred from the Hajj for the first time in decades.³⁷

Advocates of many religions appealed to their followers to take safety precautions and embrace their spirituality to deal with challenges related to global crises. Muslim clerics emphasized the government regulations by issuing fatwas³⁸ and encouraging their communities to practice social distancing and self-isolation. Pope Francis urged Christians to follow the protocols and stay united in difficult times. The unprecedented global crises made millions of Americans embrace worship as an essential part of life.³⁹ According to a PEW Research Center report,⁴⁰ more than half of adults admitted to praying for an end to the virus, with women and the elderly constituting a large portion of the adults.

       Pandemic Pets

Many pet owners were shocked to hear news reports that a small number of cats and dogs were infected with the COVID-19 virus, probably by being exposed to someone who was COVID-19 positive. There were also other reports of animals being potential carriers of the virus, and some people were reluctant to keep their pets due to the fear of transmission. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a statement⁴¹ stating that there was no evidence that animals play a significant role in spreading SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, to people. They also said that based on the limited information available to date, the risk of animals spreading COVID-19 to people is low.

Despite that initial fear, the number of people adopting more pets during the lockdown also increased. People stuck at home are using pets to endure the challenging time and comfort them. People dealing with mental health problems self-reported that their pets helped improve their mental well-being, and they experienced stronger bonds with them. Also, pet owners reported feeling less lonely than those who didn't own pets. Pets constituted an important source of emotional support and helped people filling the gap created by the lockdown.⁴²

       Divorce Rates

With everyone locked in together for long periods and with high levels of stress and anxiety, relationships have been strained and stretched to their limit in many cases. During the COVID-19 pandemic, divorce rates skyrocketed, and lockdown created a make-or-break environment with people having relationship realizations. In the United States alone, the divorce rate increased by 34 percent.⁴³ Relationship counselors rank financial problems, boredom, mental health issues, disagreements about parenting, and division of labor in the house as the most common sources behind relationship trouble. The most affected couples had bumpy relationships long before the pandemic, and being couped up with the stressors further amplified during the lockdown, leading toward separation.

Humanity Needs Empathy Now More Than Ever

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic, political turmoil, and revelations about systemic racism and sexism have been heart-wrenching