The whole world is in different stages of lockdown and every individual on earth has been affected in some way or other! All means of transport had to be stopped, countries and States closed their borders, people told to stay indoors and not step out for days together extending into months. This has come gradually to some and abruptly to others with devastating consequences! Industry, commerce, business, demand and supply chains, loss of jobs, sports and all other events including religious, tourism, educational institutions, people and families stuck and separated in various parts of the globe due vacations and travel plans cut short, the worst hit being the poor and migrant labour, who do not eat if they do not earn their daily wages. People now have to wear masks, keep social distancing, and manage their daily essentials like groceries and medicines during fixed times and at designated locations or be able to manage home delivery with many restrictions hoping their area will not become a hot spot and be locked down again. This alien way of living without visiting, locked up at home, with greetings of hugs and kissing, handshakes, coughing and sneezing becoming very dangerous taboo, indulging in which may contract the very infectious new Corona virus!
There have been worse contagious pandemics like the Spanish Flu in 1918 and that time there were no computers, sophisticated drugs, medicines and vaccines like we have today. However Corona has no known cure or vaccine and has lead to thousands of deaths worldwide, which is scary. At present little children and elderly seem to be most vulnerable. This virus reportedly transited from animals to humans and hence our immune system does not know how to handle it, nor do we know which drugs will cure or the vaccines we are working on will deal with it since the virus is known to be mutating. There are a lot of conspiracy theories and misinformation.
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Although we in India have far inferior medical capacity and wherewithal to deal with this pandemic than America and Italy, our rate of contamination and death rate are far lesser and in control at time of writing. However we have far greater problems due population density, crowding like for instance in Dharavi with poverty, poor hygiene and where social distancing is impossible to maintain! Lockdowns cannot go on forever as economic reality has put the nation and indeed the world economy into very dangerous recession! Whilst virologists, computer scientists and others worldwide are racing to find a cure and a vaccine, we in India are cautiously lifting the lockdown to enable industry and commerce to limp back as best they can. It is a deadly war against a ruthless and heartless invisible enemy that knows no boundaries whatsoever!
We are warned by the WHO that this virus is not going away in a hurry. China, South Korea which flattened the curve early and opened up lockdown cautiously has started getting re-infection again! It is also found that asymptomatic people who may not exhibit any signs of carrying the virus, perhaps due to strong immune system, maybe 80% of the population and may infect others unknowingly. Wearing masks, the social distancing and frequent sanitization/washing of hands for now must become the new normal! Problems getting back to work can be seen taking the example of Maruti. There are long lines of new cars already produced piled up in the yards and all over India with no sales. Their big labour force cannot be paid due loss of income. The government trying to inject capital to start the factory and save jobs is difficult since all ancillary industries are shut down, parts unavailable and even if they manage to start the production, what happens to the old unsold inventory with no demand! New jobs demand skills our labour force does not have. Video conferencing, working/ learning online, artificial intelligence and robots are the new reality.
Will the world accept a change in mindset and way of living? There is a joke of liquor addicts pressurizing the government to open liquor shops as their withdrawal symptoms are telling on their health. The minister tells them if they survived so long without it, they can get used to abstinence. To which they replied if people could survive so long without religious functions and places of worship, would they do likewise? Climate change affects all, even if one nation is the polluter? The lockdowns have rejuvenated the earth with its flora and fauna! As we recover from Covid-19, which has exposed all our shams and brought out the best and worse in mankind, will the lessons learnt lead to a strong world body that ensures all nations are equally represented, the resources of the earth and human rights managed in the interest of all concerned? Nobody can predict what evolves. We have to steel ourselves and be prepared for the long haul with world unity! Corona has shown us that the most macho rulers, powerful nations with all their guns and nuclear bombs, the richest nations with the best health care systems, and also the poorest nations with daily labourers and everyone on earth is vulnerable . The biggest lesson from Corona is simple: Together we can overcome. The world better learn to live green, stop polluting and help each other swim or sink together!
