Lockdown 9 : The new order?

Dear diary,

Why is this virus attack unique for mankind? It is not that we have not suffered from Nature’s wrath earlier, we have had earthquakes of severe magnitude, floods that have ravaged us time and again, storms, tempests and typhoons and even Tsunami. Why? We even had virus attacks like the SARS, Ebola etc. AIDS, I recall was quite a terror for mankind when it sprung suddenly on us. The Spanish Flu of 1918, the two World Wars and a spate of economic upheavals like the Great Depression. Mankind has been under attack time and again, so what is unique about Covid19? 

The answer for this perhaps lies in the realization that it is perhaps for the first time in our living memory that a deadly virus has spread its tentacles to virtually every corner of the planet, and that too with a speed that has taken all by surprise. One will remember Donald Trump telling the Americans that he is not afraid of the virus because it is simply a different form of flu, a common cough and cold problem! Look what is happening in the US with more than 50,000 dead and millions affected, leaving Trump and the Americans stunned.

It is also true that this virus managed to explode our complacent attitude about our own preparedness. I feel that deep within us, we were all secure in the thought that science today has the answers to everything and that our scientists and doctors are equipped with the most sophisticated equipment to deal with any crisis. No one dreamt that when Wuhan was locked down by the Chinese, the virus would dare to escape beyond Wuhan. The virus however proved us wrong. What is shocking is that Europe and America are the most affected, despite their known strengths and resources to ward off any threat.

Man has now been forced to concede that Nature has more mysteries hidden in its bowels than all the scientists and experts could ever unearth. And now, we talk of a new world order for human beings emerging from the ruins of the crisis. What is this new order and how will it affect us?

We know that we do not yet have a cure for the virus which also seems to be mutating in several parts of the world. The entire army of scientists is working to make a vaccine, but this is not a job that can be accomplished overnight. Edward Jenner could make the vaccine for smallpox in the year 1796 and this is considered to be the first vaccine invented in modern science. It took centuries to make vaccines for diseases that had ravaged mankind since times immemorial! While we are all praying for the vaccine for Covid19 to be made soon, the earliest that it could be possible is perhaps a year or two from now. This means that we have to learn to live with Corona Virus till then. This is what is meant by the new order.

The new way of life we have to adopt after the “flattening of the curve” is this:

1.Wearing masks will become the norm. It will be compulsory and no more optional.

2.Social distancing will become the norm. No more can we afford to travel in crowded trains and buses and have large gatherings where people are close to each other. Watching movies in a theatre could be impacted.

3.We will have to be more careful with our hygiene. Sanitizers, disinfectants and other personal hygiene methods will become the norm. One may see lesser people eating out in hotels and restaurants and street food could actually vanish.

4.Periodical testing will also become the norm.

5.Travel within the country and overseas will be far and few.

6.More and more organizations could opt for “work from home” or “work from anywhere” instead of asking employees to be physically present in offices.

The present state of lockdown will no doubt be removed, but beware, this is not going to be the end of the crisis. We must all gear up for the “new order”, a new way of life.