Coping with Covid 19

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When the new year dawned, it was business as usual for most. The same old resolutions and the desire to make this year the best one ever, but who could have foreseen what was in store just a couple of months into this fateful year of 2020. Murmurs of some disease spreading from Wuhan in China were trickling in, but no one could have predicted the real extent of the damage that it would cause. Around March, country after country was announcing a lockdown, the dreaded new word that would enter our lexicon. The disease was soon declared a pandemic COVID 19 and it hit us with such a force that we have been battered and bruised, but not defeated. The mask and hand washing became our protective shields. Our established beliefs and practices have been thrown out of the window and we have started innovating with everything, like the way we shop, the way we work and the way we interact with friends and family. When the lockdown was strictly being enforced the only way to get daily use items was through app based home delivery. Travel, which was a part of our lives has become very different and, in a way, stressful, that’s if travelling was allowed at all. The religious suddenly found their places of worship shut and had to make their interactions with the Almighty in the safety of their homes.

The pandemic has taught us the value of personal hygiene. We have learnt the importance of washing our hands frequently, we have understood the importance of maintaining a respectful distance with others when talking to them and don’t rush to hug and kiss them in public.

But the very important lessons have come at a very big cost. The financial and emotional price that everyone has paid is still being calculated. We have been hearing scientists and others telling us that the environment and the animal life in it are not to be abused. Now it transpires that this dreaded virus has been passed onto human beings from bats. There are many such viruses present in animals and are perfectly at home in that environment due to the immune system being completely different from humans. This virus in its present mutation seems to be too aggressive for humans, leading to massive loss of life. Therefore to avoid such a contingency in future the best thing we can do is to learn to respect the environment and the animal life it contains and that the best legacy that we can present to posterity is a world suitable to live in, where nature is respected. We can only hope that we don’t return to our old habits when things normalize.

Humans are adaptable and though our immune system may be incapable of handling the virus, we can surely cope very well with the external situation and this is demonstrated by the way we have adapted to the new way of working. What was considered inefficient and taboo yesterday is the norm today. People have found that they can balance their duties at home and at work miraculously. We have learnt to live without servants, domestic helps and cooks. Couples have learnt to divide the work equitably and ensured dignity of labour in every household chore. Our living rooms and bedroom have been converted into workstations during work times. What a transformation. We have found sense and order in chaos and some reports have said that efficiency has not been affected. Many employers are happy with the output of their workforce. In most cases, effective cost cutting has been achieved with reduction in travel costs.

Big spending, splurging on branded merchandise and vacation and travel, have taken a hit. Education is no more the same. The effect the lockdown has had on children is one of the major downsides of the situation. Elders have seen better times than these since nurses and home care personnel getting hard to find. Migrant labour is another sector that has felt the slap of the pandemic. Left to fend for themselves they had to struggle to make both ends meet.

Companies have found that letting employees work from home has its advantages, both in terms of productivity and cost savings. Some of them have decided to make this facility a permanent one for those that opt for it.

The shock treatment meted out by COVID, has made us better human beings, but at a terrible cost in terms of lives and misery of those who have lost their jobs and loved ones. Let us, as a tribute to these unfortunate among us, respect nature and learn from this disaster so that the future generations have a better life.

NEHA SHARMA 🌷