Third wave or a ripple?

 

Third wave or a ripple?

Tomorrow is our Independence Day. Proudly colouring everything right from dupattas to pulao and sandwiches in the colours of our tiranga (tricolor), our chests puffed up with a surge of patriotism and love for all things Indian, we have already forgotten about our sportspersons and their performance in the recent Olympics except the drizzle of some interesting nuggets of information.

As long as our army guards the borders, whichever the government might be, I feel safe in expending my resources fighting my own war of thoughts.

My constant fear and cause for worry is the impending third wave of Covid-19. The first wave shook us with uncertainty and consternation, the second rattled us with its ferociousness and now every news channel, medical expert and person next to me is warning me of the arrival of the third wave and reasons for or against if it would be deadlier. Looks like Delhi has already been the winner in this race although you would find it hard to believe it.

As the national capital is battling a resurgence in Covid-19 cases, health experts on Thursday said that Delhi is currently facing the third wave of the disease which is likely to last at least a few more weeks (Nov 26, 2020).

https://www.indiatvnews.com/news/india/delhi-coronavirus-third-wave-covid19-far-from-over-doctors-667572

Experts say the second wave has ebbed, because the number of cases has generally gone down. I am not aware if after its brutal behavior for nearly two years, the virus has finally announced the departure date of the ongoing second wave or the landing of the next one. As long as even ten cases are reported, for me the second wave continues; agreed though that instead of a wave, the number of infections is behaving like ripples.

This virus has changed our thinking. So far while food stores in malls were closed on weekends, liquor shops were kept open. Now I know the government appreciates and follows Ghalib. A story goes that Ghalib was asked why he spent all his money on liquor and he is rumoured to have replied, “God promises us food and water but liquor, you have to arrange for yourself.” Some among us must be thrilled that not only did the government know that, but that this way they too are helping in nation-building by filling up the government purses through excise tax. Shouldn’t then legal and punitive action be taken against anyone who opposes drinking?

Every country is trying to protect its citizens. Nearly all of them have banned flights to and from their airports. Euphemistically called travel restrictions, the rules mean that except students, health officials and diplomats nobody please buy a ticket to our land. We are fighting our own battle, we do not want fresh scare.

So to drive the thoughts of the looming threat out of their minds, some of us rushed to hill stations during this somewhat quiet period. The near-similar pictures in various news sources of Manali roads packed with tourists worked like fodder for the minds of those blessed with sharp wit and of course, tickled the social media into peals of laughter. These revenge tourists, proving that social distancing is a myth, lend support to the usual question kahan hai Corona (Where is Corona), put like a challenge before me whenever I ask someone to maintain a metre’s distance or put on his mask properly. (According to news18.com ‘from June 27 to July 6, the police have issued 308 challans, with fines totalling a whopping Rs 2.77 lakh in Manali.’)

Photo: news18.com

We as a nation that had to take legal and forceful steps for decades to remove the practice of untouchability in the society have become so humane that we now as a rule have discarded the practice of social distancing at the risk of our (and others’) lives.

And I also know of some people who are adamant about not taking the vaccine. Their plea is that there are so many kinds of viruses around us humans and we do not take vaccines for them, why for Covid-19? The second reason they cite is that there is no certain knowledge as yet about immunity provided either by the vaccine to the present and the mutant variants or by the infection itself. Although I remember very well how while in school we were regularly vaccinated for smallpox every year. Smallpox, a bigger killer, is reported to have been eradicated with persistent vaccination.

Strongly feeling that every single citizen should be vaccinated so that the chances of the virus surviving in our bodies plummet, and yet not able to do anything practical about it, I raised my doubt about this wisdom in front of Mani. Sadly, his reply was more in the fashion of a run-of-the-mill husband who generally supports the other side in a discussion. (Although he took nearly all the precautions including of course the vaccine; why, he is even waiting when the booster dose would be given).

Therefore, armed with my near-naught knowledge about the behavior of this virus, I wait even as the illiterate virus jumped straight from alpha to delta skipping the letters in between. By the way does it plan to cover the whole of Greek alphabet and in how many years?

The problem is some smart alec once told me that things also come to those who wait and watch. I have waited and watched some manufacturing units and businesses go under, people lose their jobs, undeserving students move into next classes (they are the future of our country) and the Prime Minister’s beard grow from a well-manicured stubble to the length nurtured by hermits (they have renounced the world), but alas, the virus demon keeps dancing its own Tandav (the dance of destruction by Lord Shiva).

So what should I do? Does anyone know if any of the following methods works effectively against Coronavirus?

                                                                                                                                          - Anupama S Mani