yurayurateikokuさんの おぼえた日記 - 2023年7月18日(火)

Count the Blessings of Covid-19 (2)

For example, researchers are trying to come up with an mRNA vaccine for malaria. Each year, that disease kills hundreds of thousands of people, mostly children. It’s notoriously hard to vaccinate against. We may also finally get a new set of tools to fight cancer more effectively.
The pandemic also led to the rapid development of meat alternatives and plant-based meat. Back in 2020, many meat processing companies across the country suspended operations at plants where workers tested positive for Covid. Cluster infections caused supply shortages of pork chops and ground beef. Food companies were suddenly under increased pressure to produce alternative products.
Burgers made with plant-based ingredients are now a hot item at supermarkets and fast-food chains. They look and taste like the real thing. Cultured meat has the potential to lessen the environmental impact of meat production and improve animal welfare and human health. It will be some time until cultured meat is mass-produced, but I’m looking forward to it. Work has also been transformed for the better. Suddenly, hundreds of millions of people around the world had to figure out how to get things done without going to the workplace.
Yes, many people say their lives are much better without commutes and with more flexibility. Commuting wastes time and can make us more sedentary, which is associated with many adverse health outcomes. Telecommuting and flexible work schedules have become the new default for many workers.