Parallels Between The Coronavirus And The Ten Plagues Of Egypt

Passover is fast approaching. Given the fact that the world for over a year has been plagued by the coronavirus pandemic, there are those who argue that there are many parallels between the coronavirus pandemic that we are experiencing today and the ten plagues of ancient Egypt. After all, the coronavirus, like a plague, has caused much pain, affliction, torment, distress, and loss of life. In fact, last Passover, one of the most common statuses on social media was: “Jewish irony: Passover canceled because of a plague.”

As of today, 22,679 Canadians and over 2.7 million people worldwide have perished due to the coronavirus pandemic. So many people across the globe either know someone who perished or got sick due to this horrific pandemic, making the humanitarian suffering en par with what the ancient Egyptians experienced. 

In fact, in the United States and Italy, there have been so many fatalities that they were forced to cremate the bodies. In Iran, many unfortunate souls have been buried in mass graves.  The hospital system in many countries has collapsed, which is a reality that causes even a greater number of deaths that could have been prevented. Such a reality makes us feel for every Egyptian who lost their first-born child, for so many of us have also either lost someone that we love and cherish or watch someone close to us suffer the after effects of getting the coronavirus.  

However, the disaster that this pandemic caused is greater than merely the number of sick and vast loss of human life. Since the pandemic began, peoples across the world have been plunged into darkness. Theaters, cinemas, restaurants, and shopping malls have been shut down. Schools, universities, churches, synagogues, and mosques have been shuttered. Even the production of TV series has been delayed due to the pandemic. For a great part of the past year, people were locked down at home, without the ability to travel between cities, much less internationally. 

The fortunate were working from home or were given special permission to work in an essential business. The less fortunate sit alone and mope, sinking into a grave psychological depression. Living such a reality thus makes us understand what the ancient Egyptians must have felt when they were plunged into darkness. 

Furthermore, many of the plagues of ancient Egypt were somehow caused by animals: frogs, lice, wild beasts, cattle disease, and locusts.  Similarly, there is reason to believe that the coronavirus was caused by bats.