Beware man! By San (Andrews), the author of Too Bitter to Swallow

Didn't I tell you so! That Corona in the days to come would show its real colour! That it is in the mutation stage and might even assume the role of an invisible predator who has the capacity to squeeze out your lungs and finish you off! That is what the fiendish creature is doing now! As days pass by the number of deaths and confirmed cases is running ahead of human imagination in the whole world. India too is maintaining the same tempo. Still Corona is yet to reach that landmark of 10 per cent with regard to death and it seems the figure is a long shot for the micro-organism. Thank God, if it surpassed that figure or even reached near it would have been a fatal disaster of immense proportions, something that will resemble the Spanish Influenza tragedy of 1918 that had snatched away millions of lives. Despite this weak point of the virus, the death toll has crossed the 6 lakh figure.

Whom to blame?

Who is to be blamed for this mishap and reality? A naïve man may conclude that the development is the game of the fate. Just go deep into the matter and a discerning man will be forced to point the accusing finger at the people themselves.

You can observe that disrespectful attitude on the television itself. Sometimes they don't wear masks despite the Government's order! They do not even keep the minimum social distance of one metre or 3.3 feet (six feet is the stipulated distance) from their colleague or friend or any nearby stranger; always huddling together in public places, then when the opportunity comes rushing into the bus or any public vehicle pushing aside all around as if trying to get out of a stampede. Here the mad rush is only for a seat. And in the melee not only the mask even their dresses get pulled out.

Nobody knows whether they wash their hands or not! Judging by that don't-care attitude one can infer that they just omit that 'ritual' too! Mind you, soap is the most hostile weapon that we have at our disposal against the elusive Corona! Undoubtedly, the sanitizer too is equally hostile!

Why one is so insistent on seeing all this on TV itself! Just turn your head in your town premises or village surroundings and you can witness these tamasha all around, these careless and impudent actions with scant respect for the government guidelines to ensure safety and security from the stranglehold of Corona! Even the old and matured human beings think that it is fear that provokes them to abide by the rules and regulations. So they just indulge in all those unsolicited practices that can only attract Corona!Why to bother so much! If Corona comes, let it, you just can't put yourself on tenterhooks all the time! I am not afraid of it! If something is destined to happen nobody can stop it! These will be the usual utterances from such irresponsible idiots! They are right! If a man is bent upon breathing his last nobody can stop him from that goal! And if everyone thinks like that! Requests, earnest pleas and advices will only offend them. By what name will you call this attitude? Nothing but over-confidence or indifference!

What should be done!

My point here is that if it is we who are going to be infected by Corona only we can prevent that rogue from this kind of wicked acts! Pieces of advice, request, plea and all such emotional gestures are in plenty from various quarters even in the form advertisements. The number of doomsayers and well-wishers is the same! My version of advice or  criticism is not doom-saying. It is a reality check of things that are going on and require a thorough introspection and consequent rectification.

And if nobody is ready to lend his or her ears and continue these reckless ways with gay abandon things are likely to be worse and worse in the days ahead. And mind you, colleges and schools will remain shut because of the fear of a massive spread. All activities related to progress and prosperity will be in a state of inertia! Progress or inertia, what do you prefer?

In spite of all this, as patients throng public hospitals and clinics, saturation stares at the facilities doled out by the government for free. Their number will be too big for the government arrangements. Then the infected will have to look forward to private hospitals whose primary aim is to extract more than the amount they really deserve. Fortunately, the government has fixed reasonably fair rates catering to their profit-related concerns. Private medical institutions are not run on or for charity, they want returns solid and cash down!

Are you stupid enough to pay through the nose or make exorbitant payments for private facilities? If not then go according to government rules, guidelines, orders and stipulations! To the effect of wearing a mask if you venture into the market or town thoroughfares, maintaining a distance of at least two metres or six feet from your colleague, friend, cousin, wife or husband, sister or brother and all those whom you interact with whenever and wherever (Corona will go down crashing before it reaches that 6-foot distance, less than that is a blessing as it will enable the virus to clasp at a human throat), avoiding groups and crowds and staying safe at home without roaming about the town with your friends for no reasons; above all washing Coronas that have got stuck off your hands with that devilish (only for Corona) weapon called soap and making the best use of a sanitizer abundantly available in various packs, forms and brands. Any type or brand will do!

In addition to this, I will advise, to keep your mouth shut or talk less unless it is of utmost necessity for it is from your throat that droplets that carry Corona fly about searching for another throat to carry out its nefarious activity of infection. Wearing of mask, social distancing, avoiding crowds and groups, staying at home safe and washing hands with soap and sanitizer, all these will scuttle Corona from clinging on to your or another man's throat!

Remember that when you wear the mask not only you all those whom you interact with will also be protected as droplets from your throat will not pass on to another's. And vice versa! Provided the mask you use is leak-proof.

According to experts, during conversations macro-droplets (large) and micro-droplets (very small and invisible to eyes) will be emanating from human throats. These large droplets will dissipate within no time if they have enough space to spread out (in a closed room this process of disappearing is virtually impossible, a room with open windows and subsequent free air circulation is the most advisable for any type of conversations and discussions; this means an air-conditioned room is the aptest setting for Corona and its mischiefs).

If to come back to the point, the micro-droplets, it is learnt, will remain suspended in the air for about 20 minutes even after the conversations. In a room with open windows these minuscule emissions will take more time to fan out than their larger counterparts. Be well conscious of those micro-droplets for they are the ones who can put you in deep and deep crisis.

Lesser the distance between the conversationalists, more is the potential for danger. Likewise louder the voice greater will be the number of droplets and more the possibility for trouble.

 Immunity

 Anything to be said about immunity? The lesser said the better, that too about a state whose inmates consume only junk food! Nothing else! The people in this most literate state of the country will seek the help of a catering firm if they have to entertain 10 or more guests- sometimes even less- at home. Why? They do not have time, do not want to take pains to cook the food for their guests, rather they will outsource that chore to a catering firm, who will adopt all tricks of the trade to gobble up huge profits! If otherwise all the ingredients required for any number of snacks are up for grabs at malls and supermarkets. You do not have to sweat them out at home. It will be sensible to forget about the rampant adulteration in both these options. What to say, even human beings may be adulterated here! So much for the immunity that experts keep on babbling!

The intellectuals who wag their tongue about immunity will be well requested to note this point!    

 Obey orders!

 So, beware man! Do away with your reckless ways and penchant for defying guidelines and rules. Fear is never a bad quality. If you think that fear is a synonym of cowardice you are absolutely wrong because only the former or fear can activate your intelligence. Cowardice is your inability to react for fear of backlash. At the same time courage is your ability to respond when it is unavoidably necessary and requires your immediate and rational intervention, and not the other way round. There is no use of showing off your apathy borne out of defiance due to ignorance. Here compliance with the essential rules and regulations is the need of the hour and that calls for mental courage which will always be accompanied by discretion. That is why Shakespeare has said, “Discretion is the better part of valour”.

And if you are going to cock a snook at or brush aside all these restrictions as if they do not exist, then there is no alternative except to sink with Corona! The ball is in your court, you are the one to decide where and when to strike it! 

 By San (Andrews), the author of Too Bitter to Swallow.