In the Time of Covid-19- The Invisible Enemy

I thought I lived an ordinary life until I witnessed the whole world swallowed by a ruthless virus. It knows no geological boundary, no social ranking, no race. I saw one country after another going on lockdowns, sacrificing economy and freedom because of this virus. For once, I felt that we were battling the same thing not as a gender, a race or a nation but as humans all together. If I survive, I lived through a battle with a magnitude bigger than that of the world wars. If that is ordinary, then I don't know what is. 

For almost three months, the word C-O-R-O-N-A has been perching on my ears everyday if not everytime I am connected to the media. From just reading the news about the virus coming from people eating bats in Wuhan, to hearing it hit Malaysian shores, to knowing that I can be the next victim, I observe the change of sentiments in me.

Like many, in late February, I was merely an acknowledger of the virus and only dabbled in some gossips. The virus seemed far away and there were many other important things than sanitizing the hands. And then, statistics reared its head and I was beginning to hear about cases sprouting closer to my home and my work place. I stopped going to the gym all together no matter how much I craved for a sauna. But still, the mask was not a part of my attire. 

The media was very quick. In early March, my phone space was quickly filled with videos and images about the 'prickly ball'. The Corona topic emerge frequently in my Whatsapp groups. Information was ubiquitous about what it is, how it spreads, how to prevent it and how much damage it has done. Suddenly, it is imposibble not to disinfect my hands. Hand sanitizers are as common as trashcans in every corner of facilities. Hand sanitizer companies are pumped in production and not to mention share price. Meanwhile, surgical face mask becomes a priced commodity and a statement that things are not getting any better. Touching my face is no longer a sign of self love but a threat to my ownself. That is how our new enemy gains access to the respiratory system.

Mid March, I heard news that the government was getting advice from experts calling for a lockdown. Many of us had no clue what a lockdown is but before I knew it, there were photos of empty shelves and long queues at the supermarket. On 16th March 2020, the Prime Minister announced a Movement Control Order. It felt like the government was forced to trade off the already feeble economy. But it had to be done before more lives are taken. None of us were familiar with that order and I suspect even the government themselves were still figuring out the details. There was a foray at supermarkets like there was no tomorrow, literally.



The partial lockdown meant that people have to stay home unless they are part of the essential services workforce or they have to buy groceries. Panic buying developed among the public. People have been told that panic buying will only cause the disease to be rampant but it was like telling them to forgo a 90% sale. When I heard that grocery shopping is still allowed, I told my family that we will eat what is left on the shelf.

Two weeks have passed since the implementation of MCO. The enemy cannot be seen but definitely made its presence felt with 39,566 deaths worldwide. Nothing else matters in the news other than the battle against COVID-19. Everywhere we turn, we hear about the enemy that made us look like we were wearing shields and gears against ghosts. From work to entertainment to food, every aspect of people's lives have changed drastically. We have to adapt to the new normal. Only the invisible enemy could do it so perfectly and quickly. I barely hear the sound of a car passing by my house anymore, only delivery bikes. There is no need to fuss about matching shoes to work or being left out in gatherings. If it was not easy for some eateries to survive before this, it won't be too difficult to guess how they will withstand the effects of the pandemic this time. Every business is finding a way to reach out to their customers online. The online virus is the only virus we are glad to get now.

We begin to notice that being locked at home is not the worst. Daily wage workers begin to lose their source of income. As if it is not bad enough living from hand to mouth, they have to rely on savings they never had to survive the mere 2 weeks. Not only dine-ins are closed, hairdressers, tailors, boutiques have to shut doors. New businesses just had to receive the bombshell with the little notice they recieved. Nothing is in the order we are used to anymore. We see how dependent or independent people are on things we never could imagine. Having said that, opportunity in times of adversity do happen. Tiktok, Netflix, Gardenia bread and any brands that bring products usable indoors see a spurt of growth.

While some are quick to obey the order, some are not shy to flout. The authorities cannot afford to have the ignorant and foolish to be vectors of the disease as if the virus continues to manifest, the country might as well be prepared to pile up dead bodies. The MCO is strengthened and extended for another 2 weeks. Roadblocks are rigourous. Summonses and jail sentences await those who travel more than 10 km of their houses and caught wandering without a substantial reason. We saw that the police showed no signs of relentlessness in operations. So much so that some are infected themselves.

The crisis brought out the best and the worst of humanity. While staying at home, peering at the world through the media, we hear that doctors and healthcare workers are overworked and falling sick. There is no doubt that the frontliners are putting their lives out there to keep people alive. There are also heartwarming stories of people preparing food for people whose lives are grazed by predicament. My own friend stepped out of her comfort zone to volunteer as a lab assistant. Upon being chosen, she messaged us and from her words, we could imagine she was leaping for joy to be able to contribute in the battle against the deadly virus. Local designers also emerged to volunteer to sew scrub suits for the additional volunteers.

While the good surfaced, the worst also followed. Scammers pounced at the opportunity in the midst of donation drives while robbers lure civilians with the precious 3 ply face masks. Complaining is the other virus that has been attacking people and I doubt there is a cure for that too. The rich hoard food at the grocery stores just for the pleasure of their eyes leaving empty racks for the rest. They make envious posts on social media while the poor eats rice with sugar. With the war going on, we realize that what keep us safe surviving is the roof above our head and food on the table. 

It doesn't take a genius to know that we humans are the most formidable creatures on earth. The abuse we brought to nature eventually made her spew back in retaliation. Could this be the biggest  correction Earth made to heal herself?It's not surprising that humans are the very culprit of it all. When we hear news of the Himalayan mountains in sight from Jalandhar the first time in nearly 30 years and the canals become clearer in Venice, there is not much defence the humans can use. As tourists, do we really care about how harassed the turtle is just to make a good pic for the Gram? Do we care where the facemasks end up in? This pandemic whips us with lessons and punishments that no court is powerful enough to sentence. So many lives taken. What else can make us stay out of the streets, out of the skies and waters so quickly and effectively.

If we still don't learn from it, then there isn't much hope left for us, is there?