In the orginal Matrix Agent Smith said, "I'd like to share a revelation that I've had during my time here. It came to me when I tried to classify your species and I realized that you're not actually mammals. Every mammal on this planet instinctively develops a natural equilibrium with the surrounding environment but you humans do not. You move to an area and you multiply and multiply until every natural resource is consumed and the only way you can survive is to spread to another area. There is another organism on this planet that follows the same pattern. Do you know what it is? A virus. Human beings are a disease, a cancer of this planet. You're a plague and we are the cure."
We were part of a business that does building maintenance and we still help out with it. The one thing that we noticed is that the rubbish on the street, and that comes from the street, is almost non-existent. We would have to pick up a trash can worth of rubbish every day but now there is almost nothing.
China has decreased its emissions by over 25% since the COVID-19 outbreak happened. Many scientists felt that 2020 would be a turning point for if the world didn't react to curb the effects of climate change, and bolster efforts starting in 2020, it would be too late.
There is also some new research that is linking the Coronavirus with areas of high air pollution.
COVID-19 has a greater effect on those with pre-existing conditions, this includes not only the elderly but also people with obesity and diabetes (one reason why the US has such a high death toll)
Maybe Agent Smith was on to something and it is the way human beings treat the planet, and each other, is the real virus. Maybe COVID-19 is one of the ways the planet is responding. Think of it this way that COVID-19 is the antibody the planet is producing to attack the virus which is us.
If Agent Smith is the planet then "You're (humans) are a plague and we are the cure."