Lessons learnt from Corona Virus

Lessons learnt from Corona Virus Today it is Sunday, 5thMarch 2020. Another holiday amidst Corona Virus 21-day lockdown period when everyday happens to bea holiday or work from home now. We are forgetting days and dates as we are facing a Quarantine World situation. Today was the day when we have been requested by our respected Prime Minister Modi’jito light candles/diyas/torch lights/mobile flashlights at 9 pm for 9 minutes at our homes. Started hearing about Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) from December 2019 onwards; initially when China and Italy started getting affected but never did I ever imagine that this disease could be such a deadly one. It is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus. Most people infected with the COVID-19 virusexperienced mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover without requiring special treatment.  Older people, and those with underlying medical problems like cardiovascular disease, diabetes and chronic respiratory disease. The best way to prevent and slow down transmission is to protect yourself and others from infection by washing your hands or using an alcohol-based rub frequently and not touching your face. The COVID-19 virus spreads primarily through droplets of saliva or discharge from the nose when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Amidst the alarming increase in the death rate and some people are away from their near and dear ones too, it is indeed a sad situation. But, I strongly believe that there are two sides of a coin. There are pros and cons to every situation. The positivity struck me. I could feel something invisible came and put everything in its place. People started to have more time. Parents’ (specially working mothers like me) who are always running dearth of time and perhapshaving a guilty conscious, are spending time with their kids as a family. The words that comes to our mind are  "solidarity", "love", "strength", "empathy" and "faith".

The rich and the poor; we all are sailing in the same boat now. Empty streets, less pollution, less gasoline level, clean air, the land also breathes, the dolphin plays happily, the deer is out and the peacock dances on the streets.

In Kolkata, it seems that the Alipore Zoo animals are having a sigh of relief with no crowd. Only Chimpanzee Babu is missing us as he loves to pose for a click.

HEALTH is the main thing with or without money.Nature is forcing us to clean up the mess created by ourselves. What the coronavirus is teaching us:

-Our best protection: GOD

-Our best refuge: HOME

- Our best company: FAMILY

- Our real time: TODAY

- Nature's call: STOP US

- Its message: WAIT, RESPECT

We have also learnt few lessonsin the past few days:

ü  We and our kids can survive without junk food.

ü  We can build hospitals within days.

ü  We can survive vacations without trips to Europe and USA.

ü  Developed nations are as vulnerable as any poor nation. In fact, more vulnerable.

ü  Our family system is still intact with all the values, ethics and principles.

I go back to my childhood days and it gives me a feeling of nostalgia watching Ramayana, Mahabharat and Byomkesh Bakshi with my kid. I am sure all Indians still love it.

We have goneback to the basics and to the essentials. For the lockdown, the rate of increase for the virus has declined and probably the situation is getting stable.

It is an earnest request and an urge to stay at home these few days and urge others to stay Home as well.

Dr. Madhumita Sen Gupta

Mobie:9830886751
Email ID: msgsengupta@gmail.com