It's been more than 100 days since this catastrophe called Covid 19 hit us.
A pandemic in the form of Spanish Flu of this magnitude was experienced almost 100 years ago in 1918.
Spanish flu caused havoc and left trail of death of the enormity which the world had not seen before.
But the world 100 years back was very different from what it is today .
Today the distances between continents and people are just a plane ride or a video call away.
Large organizations are multi dimensional and multi continental based.
We are more interdependent on each other and the flow of good and people is smooth despite all the restrictions imposed by various countries.
Hence the pandemic 100 years back and Covid 19 have no parallel.
Since this pandemic hit the globe ( as it travelled through countries) , everyone has been clueless as how to handle it?
Almost all the countries have faltered in handling the medical, economic, social and human cost ( especially India).
On the onset of the fear of virus traveling and being very contagious, countries enforced lockdown. ( In our country it was absurdly strict and harsh in nature.)
It was assumed by all countries that enforcing no people movement will stop virus movement.
Country level directives were enforced absurdly state wise, city wise and housing society wise.
We all became paranoid about anyone unknown.
Why did we try to stop people from traveling ?
why were we constantly bombarded by media and Govt , "Stay at Home "
Did this achieve spread of virus stopped?
I am not a expert, nor would want to comment on it , but today after 100 days, experts, medical fraternity seems to be a divided lot as to the efficacy of this solution.
What it definitely achieved-
1. Economic destruction.
2. Religious divide in our country atleast.
3. Panic and total abomination for covid patients.They became the new untouchables, not only the patients, their families, health professionals were all ostracised .
4. Social issues like depression, suicides, domestic abuse, children sexual harassment as everyone was in lockdown in their homes.
5. Work from home created its own set of issues, like productivity , team motivation ,work life balance went for a toss , post lockdown, employees refused to join back due to fear of catching the virus .
6. Health issues like obesity and general laziness.
7. Medical services like chemotherapy, dialysis or even normal medical services were put on hold. Do we even know how many casualties happened due to denial of these medical services?
8. Women faced their own set of issues.
As maids were forbidden from entering the societies ( Ofcourse many of us even didnt want them to come ), they were faced with the domestic work load, office work, as well as children online schools .Many of them had to leave their jobs as children were not in schools and no help available.
9. Children were suddenly coped up in homes. Small kids couldn't comprehend why were they locked up and couldn't play with their friends. Studies already show multiple side effects on their physical and psycho social wellbeing.
10 . Teens are looking at a uncertain future. Schools, colleges shut, no exams, have put on hold their dreams and aspirations for better education and career.
Screen exposure increased for all age groups. Eating disorders and general grumpiness are becoming the new normal for teenagers. Social media addiction has reached unbelievable levels. We are hearing suicides of young Tiktok stars and even the sudden death of a popular filmstar created a sudden vacuum and feeling of gloom all around.
12. Under the fear of pandemic, most countries became more authoritarian.
Anyone voicing a opinion on the steps taken by the Govt were bulldozed and their patriotism was questioned.
13. Urban labour class on whose strength and toil our cities functioned ( also called immigrants. I fail to understand this term. Are we all not Indians and we travel for work as per our constitutional rights, how are we immigrants?) Underwent the worst nightmare. Suddenly out of work, having no financial security, the natural urge of all humans to go home was also denied.
14. Small entrepreneurs like tailors, barbers, hawkers, roadside telawalla and so many such small but self sufficient individuals were suddenly on roads.
15. Beauty parlors, restaurants, malls, movie theaters and all other public entertainment venues have been hit by a deluge. Many of them have closed down with no hope of revival.
16. Travel, tourism, schools and colleges, private hospitals revenue has been wiped out and they are clueless about what is in store for them.
17. Professionals like doctors, lawyers , CA and CS are also struggling.
18. The less said about the retail and the luxury market, the better.
19. Salaried employees across industries have taken salary cut in range of 30 to 50 %.
20. Newspapers which is the basic need of most of us were not printed for 3 months and the most routine and normal thing in our lives was denied to us due to fake and unfounded rumours that newspapers were a source of the virus.
In a nutshell it has affected all the strata of the society in the negative way.
None of us have escaped the wrath of Covid 19 lockdown, dont know the virus wrath.
This heavy financial, human, medical and human cost is unprecedented and can never justify the loss of human life due to Covid.
Pl dont get me wrong, each life is precious and we should value and strive to ensure dignity of each human being.
But this panic, this paranoia, this lockdown unfortunately has not stopped the virus spreading.
Its contagious behavior is undisputed and is a matter of concern.
But is it a killer like TB, Cancer , AIDS ?
The results are yet to be out.
But whatever we have seen in the last few months , it is clear it is a flu which spreads very rapidly but does it kill with the same ferocity, I doubt.
By repeatedly bombarding social distancing ( I am not saying it is not required), avoiding unknown, we have created more divisions than before.
The economic cost and destruction of lives of such a large populace has been needless.
The long term effects on the mental, emotional, financial on all humans will be enormous and the benefits of just delaying not stopping the virus spread will be meager in return.
I am not comfortable with this NEW normal which everyone talks about
WFH
Online social and friends interaction.
Kids glued to screen for learning
Social media perversion in our lives.
Fear, Paranoia, Anger and Stress
Pl let's get back to our old normal and lead the actual normal life, so what few or many of us contract the virus, we can fight the flu and get on with it.
It's high time we all got back to our lives , Covid is here to stay , let's fight with empathy , caution, by taking the society together.