Apparently we have bid goodbye to the horrors of the coronavirus pandemic. Despite warnings from experts in the field, the masks have come off. It is more of joviality that describes meetings between people these days sans any dose of the accursed formality that has been the accepted standard for more than two years now.
The coronavirus pandemic has turned the clock back by many years with the frequent lockdowns only having succeeded in raising insurmountable barriers and imposed many roadblocks which necessitate a powerful societal commitment to overcome these hurdles.
All these months the stress was on restricting the spread of the virus with not enough attention being paid to nipping the problems right in the bud. In this sense, procrastination has cost everyone dear.
The world has also had to contend with the powerful media which was further flaming apprehensions of intermittent outbreaks of infections caused by new variants of the virus which in turn was mutating at an unbelievable pace.
It was however a big surprise that the Novel Coronavirus would take the backstage no sooner the channels had something more sensational breaking news.
Hence a feeling that it was more of media hype than anything else which catalysed an abominable global fear about the dreaded disease cannot be overlooked either considering a sudden drop in the consistency of COVID-reporting whenever the world stared at disturbances that could prove to have far greater repercussions.
It was otherwise the bouts of calmness seemingly punctuated by persistent commentary about the forthcoming waves of the pandemic one worse than the other which had the masses cringing in fear.
But these days people are more conversant with Delta and Omicron as these variants are being spoken about in the same breath as common ailments like diabetes and blood pressure.
On the other hand such perceptions point to a trend where with a bit more alacrity and a show of prudence, people have decided that living with the virus is the wisest thing to do now.
If the pandemic in India may have turned back the clock on a number of matters that had progress written all over them, the virus has ensured that people improvise their lifestyles and learn to live with the times.
The ‘virtual’ revolution has had every aspect of business, education, healthcare, and name what you may, lending the term ‘ease of conduct’ a new meaning. People have realized how easy it is to stay away from the ‘physical’ world, yet carry out routine affairs from the cosy confines of their homes.
The phrase ‘the show must go on’ could not be described in a better fashion and exemplifies that attribute of the human psyche which automatically slips to an alternate mode to either brave, or adjust to, the situation that has an overwhelming effect on the present scenario.
Mankind is known to have survived the worst over the ages only to have overcome all adversities through his inborn knack of ‘adjusting’ his response to an ‘external stimuli’. His ability to withstand the worst of traumas stoically also gives rare glimpses of that aspect of his character which sets him apart from other creations on this planet.
Yet as much as one speaks of these fine qualities of man blessed with the courage to confront challenging situations, it is the reticence shown to come out of the comfort zone that he eases himself into while ‘blending’ with the situation which is paradoxical, to say the least.
With a pronounced drop in the harshness of the pandemic, the switch from the ‘online’ to the ‘offline’ mode has been quite a tough proposition for many. The return to normalcy is eliciting mixed responses.
Having lived their lives within a cocoon for the past two years, it is as if the sudden exposure to the glare of realities is taking its toll. A marked reluctance to get over the ‘forced’ hibernation symbolises this change-over.
A life minus the threat of the virus is even today an improbable thought for many. Hence when there are reports about there being a substantial relaxation of pandemic-related restrictions by governments across the globe, there are quite many who have become more safety-conscious.
But, how right is it to tag the present times as the post-pandemic period considering the looming spectre of a fourth and presumably the most severe wave to date just around the corner! With reports about new coronavirus variants emerging every four months on an average, the COVID-19 pandemic is far from over.
However it is the proclivity shown by many for thrashing out a ‘compromise’ with the marauding virus that describes the latest strategy employed. It is not only about living with the virus; it is now about both, the people and the microbe, supposedly sharing a ‘casual’ relationship – each unmindful of the other’s existence.
With co-morbidities and recklessness as the only impeding factors, it could well be said that the world has negotiated the COVID threat well.
The virus has introduced the world to a new lifestyle which defines not new parameters but adherence to the old norms as the essence of life.
But there are others who opine that the pandemic has had a debilitating effect on the world in general and all other claims to the contrary can only be treated as poor consolations to the disorder that has set in. The conciliatory stands on the virus’ waning influence lack conviction.
But evidently, the viral threats ushered in an emphatic tedium lasting for over twenty four months and the monotony has only been broken now with many showing the willingness to walk that extra mile to show how misplaced the fears have been.
Nevertheless, as the world continues to be reminded about the lingering presence of the potent virus, the effectiveness of the new ‘methodology’ poses its own share of questions.
(The author is a freelance writer and a columnist)
