The virus appeared on the earth much before any form of life. Obviously, the virus is without life. Then followed various forms of life, as per Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. Darwin also wrote about the ‘Survival of the Fittest’. In the present times, it is this minuscule Coronavirus that is deciding upon what is fittest to survive! Despite itself being lifeless, it is able to rule upon our lives!
In our childhood, we got inoculated against BCG which was not a virus. We also learned to live with virus-based infections, and the doctors said there was no need to take any medicine (since there was none) but just to take rest for a few days, allowing the body to fight against the virus. With the victory of the body over the virus, we emerged cured.
Vaccines merely replicated the fighting effectiveness of the body against the disease, sometimes against more than one disease, so that the real disease had no opportunity to make us ill when it came. It is another matter that in some cases the body found itself helpless to fight what had been introduced into itself, resulting in it getting diseased due to the vaccine, death not excluded.
Reverting to the origin of the virus, it came to exist and to survive in the bodies of birds, and of certain other animals. Millions of years passed, and there was no ill-effect on the body that carried it as a parasite. Logically, the bird or the ‘bat’ had been able to produce enough antibodies so that both lived in harmony.
COVID19 & The New Normal
Then came the year 2020, or the period leading to it. The human mind, never content with the waters still, made attempts to break this harmony of nature, between the virus and the animal. Unless proved that this one of the series of Coronavirus called ‘COVID19’ was synthesized or created by human intervention, it was simply dislodged out of the animal body and was allowed to disperse or to escape. The result is the disaster that the world is facing today.
The human race today is like the new-born child the body of which has yet to adapt itself to the invasion of the virus. We have had no past experience of it. So, new solutions are being worked out every day. Some doctors are busy finding vaccines to fight it; others are experimenting with plasma therapy which too appears to be a logical solution since the plasma that was extracted came from a person whose body had learned to live with this virus by developing antibodies.
At this initial period, we are adopting a new lifestyle; of keeping ourselves locked-in to break the chain; of sanitizing every single thing that has been touched by a hand of someone else, one not from our own household; of putting on a mask every time that we need to move out; and to eat nothing in its raw form. We can no longer dine together with friends; nor participate in marriages; nor in funerals!
Let us forget for some time any mode of travel; either by train or by plane! Vacations are only a part of the memory. Seminars, Meetings, and Trade-Fairs are ruled out for a long period; for at least a year. ‘Networking’ is finished, except for its route thru WhatsApp or e-mails, but with these modes, you cannot strike into a person whom you had not known before. This will continue for some time but not forever. Gradually, human society will start evolving itself into a new pattern. It will learn from its experience!
Pre-COVID, Non-COVID & Post-COVID Era!
The world will divide itself! There will be 2 categories of people: Non-COVID; and Post-COVID. There is a distinction between ‘Pre-COVID’ and ‘Non-COVID’. The former could consist of people ‘Pro-COVID’; those who would be prepared to get exposed to ‘COVID’ one day, while the latter (senior citizens) being those who would need to take precautions all the time, all their lives, so as not to catch COVID!
The ‘Non-COVID’ category of people would have to continue to observe precautions all the time reaching a level of paranoia, to be careful with every single step they took out, on where they could breathe with a mask, or without it; to measure the intervening distance each time they came close to a person; with acquaintances behaving as strangers! Even going out for a walk has a deterrent!
Now imagine the life-style of the other group; the ‘Post-COVID’ group. Each one of them has spent about 2 weeks in a hospital if not just the same period spent in quarantine! Their body has got adapted to living with the Coronavirus! Some of them have got cured by themselves; others with the dose of a donor’s plasma.
The latter group would lead a life similar to what we all led till the last year; throwing parties; playing cards; having about together of drinks; and participating in the meetings for business or for pleasure. These are the people who would be taking the flights freely, without demanding space between adjoining seats; with the food served by a smiling air-hostess without a mask! Holding of hands or frolicking with friends would have resumed, as before. ‘Corona-cured’ would become an added qualification for new recruitments!
Invitations would go after prior scrutiny of whether the invitee belonged to Group ‘A’ or Group’B’; the confirmation being sent depending upon the reply received. Today, we are used to checking with the guests invited for dining in a restaurant on whether they are ‘Veg’ or ‘Non-Veg’. Tomorrow, there would be an additional category: ‘COVID’ or ‘Non-COVID’! The latter would be seated 1 meter. away from the others, and would maintain a distance in a queue for the buffet!
It cannot be ruled out that a new logo would be coined for these ‘abnormal’ people, maybe the same one as exists for the Coronavirus today! Its appearance, a badge on the shirt pocket, or on the jacket would automatically declare you as untouchable! To think deeper, some societies could demand a reservation in the jobs for this class! The only alternative would be a shot of the Corona vaccine, to convert into ‘Haves’ those who were ‘Have Nots’ earlier. To become immune!
Lock Down: Natural way of Cleansing the Environment
Another aspect of the present Coronavirus! Many people around the world are observing with amazement the cleansing of the environment and of the rivers as a result of the lockdown! Incredible sights of the mountains, of the sky, and of the river bed as not seen by a whole generation past! It makes many of us wonder if the advent of the Coronavirus was not a boon for humanity!
This reminds me of a century-old tradition followed by Italy, for a long holiday! This meant a shut-down of all industrial and office-activity for a whole month, that of August, every year; year after year. I remember that nearly 40 years ago when I happened to be in Italy in that period, for attending an Italian language course, most of the establishments carried a signboard outside ‘Chiuso per Ferie’, meaning closed for holidays. These included many restaurants and cinemas too.
Everybody was away either on the sea-beach or in the mountains. All factories being closed, competitors included, neither the customer complained nor the supplier. Imagine that for a whole month there were no effluents passing into the river and, with few cars on the road, hardly any air pollution. So, for a month every year, nature was able to recuperate its health in that part of the world.
All countries will have to move towards that experience if the human race is to survive! Let us hope that good sense prevails to get us out of the present crisis.
