Saad Gul
Many of us are utterly petrified right now. Fear, panic and uncertainty are at an all time high. Afraid that we or our loved ones could contract COVID-19 or unknowingly spread it to others, some of us have been practicing social distancing. Scores of others , particularly healthcare workers and doctors- whom I call heroes amongst us – have on the contarary been working tirelessly to contain this pandemic. However clouds dissipate and we must remain hopeful, joyful, helpful and fulfil our moral obligation of acting responsibly by helping those in need – both emotionally, morally and financially.Â
I am practicing social distancing very consciously – using this time to bond with my family, read and write more, reflect, cook, workout, make health a priority. Our work teams have been instructed to work from home and leverage technology to get things done. If you are doing the same, well done. Consider this responsible citizenship. We’re vulnerable if we’re outside because we don’t know who is or isn’t infected.
Moreover, consider this an opportunity to slow down and appreciate the little things in life. Work will resume and businesses will pick up. Doing our bit will help doctors, governments and institutions fight and eradicate this pandemic so that we can soon return to normal life.
According to some estimates, over the next 3-7 months, there will be 96 million cases and nearly half a million deaths.
The Coronavirus is spreading fast. More than 218,000 people are known to be infected and over 8,800 deaths have been recorded.
It is premature to project where the disease will go from here but it is likely to spread to more countries, affecting many more people. The number of cases is beginning to decrease in China but is climbing in the rest of the world.
China, by locking 50 million people down in the Wuhan province, within three months has tackled Covid-19 head on – no new cases are being reported. Russia has just reported it’s first death. Pakistan has been recognized by the WHO as having taken drastic measures within the healthcare system to be able to fight a pandemic of this nature. Panic has struck the global financial system and leaders are rushing in to come up with practical projections and next steps. Schools and universities are quickly capitalising on digital technologies to establish online classrooms.
Having said all of this, I am confident that humans are super resilient – we will evolve and overcome this. Adversity reveals a lot of opportunities and lessons.
If your or someone you love is sick from COVID-19, take this time to ask yourself if this is one of the worst things that has ever happened to me, how could this be one of the best things that has ever happened to me?
Most importantly, as responsible citizens, we must avoid spreading rumours. Spread and share only reliable information. Perhaps China should step forward and help the world tackle the disease? Less affected countries can afford to send experts and doctors to the heavily impacted areas where there is need for human resources as well as experience to be gained. Perhaps the World Health Organization, World Bank and United Nations should come together to create a global safety net to rescue the worst hit areas. It is indeed a welcome move that the WB and the Asian Development Bank have agreed to help Pakistan fight the consequences of COVID19 with nearly $600 million.
Last but not the least, all non-essential travel should be curtailed and this can be controlled through visa issuing authorities. In prevention and precaution lies our success against the COVID19 monster.
