Subhash Gupta
Corona or COVID 19 has taken the world by surprise. Everybody was unaware that this infection will spread in all the countries and continents. Corona infection started in a small way at Wuhan, China then engulfed the whole of the Wuhan province and now it has almost been controlled in Wuhan.
How come it jumped to other countries like Iran, Italy, USA etc and almost all other countries except any other province or state of China.
Today the USA is the biggest sufferer with above 35,000 deaths. Health Departments worldwide including most advanced countries, health officials and administrators do not know what to do. Humanity or man is directionless in the 21st Century with all the scientific knowledge.
India is no exception. Corona has invaded almost all the states of India but with our large populations, different religious and cultural backgrounds and people’s resistance things are little different here. Thanks to the policies of the Central Government under the dynamic leadership of PM Narendra Modi, it has been contained to a large extent but what direction it will take in the future is not known.
Mr Modi is being praised by everybody at the national and international level including USA which has never praised India or its PM before. But Congress in its frustration is criticizing Narendra Modi every day.
Social Distancing i.e keeping a safe distance from each other, no handshake, no hugging has helped. Safe distance has become mool mantra of not spreading Corona so much so that in the UK, USA and other countries people are doing namaste and no handshake.
Keeping distance is alright but what about the majority of the population in India where 4-5 people live in a small room making safe distance almost impractical.
Every other day we see hundreds or even thousands of people gathered due to one reason or the other. The very principle of safe distancing becomes useless. Surprisingly very few cases of Corona have been reported in labourers or farmers. What comes to mind that this infection or disease is limited to well-to-do people. It is not that COVID 19 discriminates between haves and have-nots. Seems nature has saved them from this deadly infection.
The reason seems to be that those who were very mobile, travelled frequently from one country to another and other places mostly by air. These people meet different people and of whom some of them may be infected or carrier of Coronavirus. Why all of a sudden Italy, Spain and other countries are suffering most likely because many of them had business in Wuhan province of China caught infection there went back to their country with no idea that they have been infected with COVID 19 because of the incubation period. Back home met many of their friends and acquaintances and infected them.
The infection did not spread much to other provinces of China because people of Wuhan were not allowed to go to other states and rest of the Chinese were not allowed to visit Wuhan so spread of COVID 19 was contained to Wuhan only but travelled to many other countries.
In India mostly people coming from different countries got infected there on reaching India had contacts with different people and so caused the spread of Corona. It is said that one infected person unchecked moving freely is capable of infecting almost 400 people. Such people do not come in contact with labourers, farmers or poor people. No mixing with them, socialising not possible. Class difference. Hence these people were not infected. Not only that well-to-do households asked domestic help not to come for work till Corona pandemic lasts. Thus, ironically, saving the working class from infection. Had working class come in contact physically with so-called well-to-do one can only imagine the results.
Nature or God or our system which is responsible for this segregation has helped and saved our vast 70-80 percent population from this infection, though it is early to come to this conclusion what shape and direction it takes in future is difficult to say.
It is said that those who have nobody to take care or save, God is with them. Jiska koi nhi hota, uska bhagwaan hota hai. To a large extent, this aptly fits here.
In the second lockdown after 14th April, the infection has increased manifold in India but is still under control. Authorities are implementing the laid down rules to prevent and control infection strictly. With the help of our dedicated frontline workforce especially Health workers, doctors, nurses, cleaning staff, Police and others are doing commendable jobs under very difficult circumstances. Salute to them. General public cooperation is very appreciable except few elements but hope they will understand the gravity of this situation and will cooperate and follow Government guidelines.
Nobody is resistant to infection by Corona. He may belong to any community, religion, cultural background or gender. Everybody is equally susceptible to infection.
Each and everybody must take precautions in the form of – Social Distancing – Safe Distance Stay at home – Stay safe is to be followed sincerely and strictly. If all of us follow rules and instructions, the infection will be controlled to a large extent.
(The author is Ex-Principal Government Medical College Jammu)
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