Just as the modern definition of terrorism is inherently controversial and has baffled the best of investigating agencies primarily for the motives behind it, the COVID-19 pandemic as a global phenomenon has flummoxed the medical fraternity for the unpredictability of the infections.
But both have invariably had a direct bearing on modern day life to an extent that living with them has become the best option for the world.
We are in the midst of a terrible quandary right now deciding the bigger of the two threats posed “ terrorism or the virus!
At least for now the submicroscopic infectious agent that replicates only inside the living cells of an organism seems to be more intimidating.
Cities in a bid to quarantine itself against the virulent attacks of this monstrous malaise have however been adapting ridiculous options.
Rather than educate the public about the ill-effects of moving around in crowds and avoiding panic, a virus that presumably spreads through all possible means is for the umpteenth time being attempted to be contained by the efforts of an ignorant administration which believes that face masks and sanitizers will give the masses immunity against the recurrently mutating strains!
The horse having already bolted, the stable-keepers seem intent on securing the gates!
The age-old practice of keeping viruses at bay with immunity is being highlighted and harped upon now. Simple health tips that have been circulating from time immemorial are conveniently forgotten to resurface at such impromptu hours.
Why, for that matter, health has been the most neglected aspect of free-India!
Having stuck around the globe since its emergence in 2019, the novel coronavirus has had time to evolve and mutate, causing waves upon waves of infections with new variants emerging almost constantly.
With the resurgent subvariant ‘BF.7’ triggering fears of a fresh wave of infection, it is but natural that the country would pull out all the stops to ensure that there is no repeat of the earlier ones which caused devastation all around.
No matter how much one would like to deny it, the virus explosion is here to stay. One’s immunity is the best bet against the viral onslaught being experienced these days. Immunity boosters are scoring where even vaccines have proved ineffective.
But a fourth jab! As rightly argued, a fourth shot of a Covid preventive is unwarranted at the moment as most people in the country are yet to receive a third dose and there is no data available on the utility of a second booster for the currently used vaccines.
So everything points to a renewed Covid scare!
The coronavirus which was finally declared a global pandemic by the WHO and went on to afflict the health, economy, politics, culture and psychology of almost the whole global system was not at first predicted to have the potential to negatively affect people’s lives across the world.
Yet, no one needs to be reminded as to how the world was turned topsy-turvy by the microscopic villain!
The pandemic rightly taught us to adjust, change and modernize ourselves. Accordingly, the three turbulent years with the rampaging virus at its marauding best saw the world reinventing itself with a whole lot of adaptations.
When news of a more virulent strain which could infect people much faster than before couldn’t deter the Chief Minister of the state from postponing intentions of imposing restrictions with an eye on the possible spread of the disease, it is not difficult to gauge where the priorities of the state actually lie.
The month of December is a festive season for Goa. Besides, the inauguration of many ‘historic’ projects in the state had some really prominent personalities gracing the occasion.
Even with COVID-19 spreading through the region in subsequent waves, news about revellers arriving in the state on the sly, though amusing, served to belie the seriousness attached to the safety protocols prescribed by the government.
But it is difficult to envisage the world crawling back into a shell every time there is an eminent threat to its existence.
The fiscal impact of Covid-19 lockdowns has been severe. The decision by ‘Amazon’ to lay off more than 18,000 employees from its workforce citing economic uncertainty is one grim reminder of the pandemic woes inducing such drastic steps.
However, the measures designed to keep businesses afloat and maintaining the employment quotient at a reasonable level helped reduce economic uncertainty then.
With the situation looking a lot better now, albeit nowhere near normal, a revisit of the same old dreary scenes is way beyond one’s conceptualization. No one wants an encore, not the government or the people.
The news that viral mutations could prompt another deadly Covid-19 wave is not at all comforting. That the year 2022 ends with the impending risk of a new coronavirus variant far more potent and able to induce more reinfections should hence be putting us on our guard.
Yet, assuming a mindset of wary caution, would we be able to tame the next wave of infectious diseases which does carry a ring of inevitability about it.
Viruses are recognized as the simplest form of life on earth, whereas humans are the most complex. Yet the warfare between the viruses and human immunity has at times been more overwhelming than the conflicts between warring nations which have gone on to shape an unpredictable future for the world.
Understanding that the virus wars will now be perennial feature of the new century, as rightly said, efforts must be on to develop vaccines, antibodies, drugs and other intervention measures and bionics related to antiviral immunity with new strategies.
But the detest shown by many during this pandemic to take the prescribed doses of the medical preparation that is used to stimulate the body’s immune response against diseases says a lot for the disappointment and disbelief harboured by people against contemporary medicine.
