Below is a replica of my Essay paper CSS 2021. I reproduced this paper a few days after the exams and it is quite accurate. I scored 6 in it. More precisely, I was given 6 marks in it by the Examiner. I know it has its shortcomings, but 6 is quite low. I hope this will make new candidates realize how tough the CSS exam actually is.



Covid19: A wake up call for Pakistani Researchers

Outline
A. Introduction
Thesis: COVID-19 served as a wake up call for medical, economic and social researchers of Pakistan

B. What makes COVID-19 so dangerous?

C. Wake up call for medical researchers of Pakistan

D. Wake up call for economic researchers of Pakistan

E. Wake up call for social researchers of Pakistan

F. Conclusion

Essay

Pakistan has neglected research since its inception. Other than military research, there has been no research in medical, economic and social areas. While Pakistan was in this underdeveloped state, COVID-19 hit Pakistan and served as a wake up call for medical, economic and social researchers of Pakistan.
COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered virus named SARS-CoV-2. This new virus and disease were discovered after the outbreak in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, and in March 2020, WHO declared this disease to be a global pandemic. Mild symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, dry cough, and tiredness, while serious symptoms include difficulty in breathing, chest pain, and loss of speech or movement. It spreads primarily from person to person through droplets that are released by an infected person's cough, sneeze, or speaking. Most people (about 80%) easily recover from the disease; however, older people, and those with underlying medical problems like high blood pressure, heart and lung problems, diabetes, or cancer, have a high risk of developing serious illness.
Although COVID-19 disease is deadly enough to cause death, it is not the deadliest pandemic that the world has faced in the last thousand years. Up till the end of 2020, COVID-19 killed around 0.002% of the world's population (1.7 million deaths); whereas, the Spanish flu (1920) killed 2.7% of the world’s population and the Black Death (1350) is considered to have killed between 30% to 40% of the world population at the time. What makes COVID-19 pandemic a huge threat to the world is not its lethality but various other factors.
The main reasons why COVID-19 pandemic turned into a huge crisis are disparate. Firstly, COVID-19 is asymptomatic, so it spreads among the people without being detected. Secondly, the disease rapidly spread all over the world and infected millions of people due to the modern interconnectivity. Lastly, it has no cure, because antibiotics do not work against viral infections; however, its vaccine is under development, and is expected to be available by the end of 2021. In the meantime, governments were posed with the huge challenge to somehow contaminate this malicious disease that kept overwhelming the health systems due to its rapidly increasing cases.
COVID-19 overwhelmed the health system of Pakistan, exposed its shortcomings and served as a wake up call for medical researchers of Pakistan. The first case of COVID-19 appeared in February. The number of daily cases sharply increased to 6000 in mid june. There was a shortage of medical equipment like ventilators, testing kits, safety kits, all of which had to be imported from China or other countries. Recently, vaccine is also bought from China. Pakistan needs to develop its own medical equipment, like it did with the ventilators, establish research labs for the study of emerging diseases and their cure, and train specialists to handle pandemics.
COVID-19 diminished the economy of Pakistan and served as a wake up call for economic researchers of Pakistan. The shutting down of all businesses, institutions and industries decreased tax collection, trade and GDP; whereas it increased unemployment, inflation, and debt. The GDP growth rate for fiscal year 2019–20 turned out to be negative 0.4 percent, which was the first time it fell negative in seven decades. Economic researchers of Pakistan can learn from this setback and develop measures to prevent economic instability in case of any future pandemic or any other natural catastrophe.
COVID-19 transformed the society of Pakistan and highlighted the need for social research. The precautionary measures adopted to control COVID-19 had a huge impact on Pakistani norms and culture. Practicing social distancing has changed the way people used to interact with each other. Previously, people would shake hands or hug each other as a custom, but now they try to avoid this. Even in mosques, where people used to stand close to each other, the distancing practice is being observed; furthermore, the number of mosque-goers have also decreased. Additionally, due to ban on gatherings and shutdown of banquet halls, wedding and other celebrations were halted. People celebrated Eids with precaution and less zeal than before. While drastic changes are taking place within Pakistani society, social researchers need to find ways to preserve Pakistani culture and traditions during these changing times.
In conclusion, COVID-19 exposed the numerous shortcomings in health, economic and social sector of Pakistan and accentuated the need for research. If Pakistani researchers learn from this pandemic and conduct the necessary research then Pakistan will emerge as a developed country in the near future.