MARCH 21, 2020
KARO-NA! I am confused
Last year when I applied for the summer school at USC, my counselor showed me the 4 week course on Global Health. At first, I was unsure and keen to sign up for an economics course. However, having read the course outline I couldn’t wait to start exploring the intersections between health, development and the economy.
City after city is going under lockdown. Experts warn of serious ramifications of COVID-19 and pharmaceutical companies are giving timelines of 24 months before a vaccine is available for human consumption. The journey looks very painful and distressing. I am ramping up my english vocabulary as I become acquainted with words like triage (prioritizing treatment to those who would benefit most), zoonotic (transmitted from animal to human), and the full forms of abbreviations like SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) and MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome)
The scene looks grim. Countries with top level health infrastructure are struggling to contain spread and deal with corpses. Experts are of the view that catching the sign and not the disease is important. In the absence of any vaccine, prevention is better than a cure. Some call it staying ahead of the curve!
The world is living a new kind of life. No meeting friends, no outings, no school etc. Staying home among your people is the new normal. Nobody knows the precise outcome, the extent of the damage, or the restart time for our NORMAL world. On top of this, new theories are floating around regarding the cause of COVID-19 – for example, that it is spread by way of electromagnetic waves.
On WhatsApp, people are suggesting cures ranging from yoga to religious prayers.
I am confused!
All this reminds me of the phrase “People never grow up, they just learn how to act in public” by musician Bryan White. I believe this new guide to how to act in public, regarding health and hygiene, is going to stay with humans past COVID-19 as well. This new way of living is going to stay as this disease is a slap on the knuckles of humanity.
Ironically, social distancing is bringing people closer and COVID-19 is uniting humans irrespective of their differences to defeat the disease. As Publilius Syrus said, Equanimity is calamity's medicine!
On the other front, Governments around the world are doing everything possible to deal with this situation. Stimulus packages, health benefits, no pay cuts etc. are the promises ringing out in all sovereign nations. The words of the UK's chancellor are worth noting: “When this is over, and it will be over, we want to look back on this moment and remember the many small acts of kindness done by us and to us. We want to look back on this time and remember how we thought first of others and acted with decency”
What a classic case of calm in chaos. Let us all live in HOPE!