The Corona Virus has
taken the mainland China and the Chinese people by surprise initially. It has
soon spread its wings by leaps and bounds to the neighboring Asian countries.
In a short duration, even before the analytical progress on the virus and the causes
for the epidemic are understood, it has spread far and wide to several other
countries the world over. The fear of the virus, the symptoms of the virus, the
precautionary measures to protect oneself with preventive masks, the hygiene
requirements gained attention calling for collective action at individual and
collective levels.
Inadvertently, the
corona virus became a welcome factor engulfing Dharma and Principles of Dharma,
causing common awareness amongst the people of the world, and from all countries,
with the unique features of spreading the awareness of the virus, the rapidness
of its spread, measures for the containment of the virus, sharing of the
information without reservations, cooperative measures for exchanging medicines
and their effectiveness, information on measures of preventive steps, remedial
information from differed sources about natural herbal applicants, and
collective action on a war footing to accommodate the increasing numbers of
patients and so on, being geared up on the fast track; more voluntarily and
spontaneously, working together for the common cause of the virus containment
in individual countries and also globally.
Corona Virus provided
the global platform. An excellent example of a role model of unstinted
cooperation and coordination of people and nations to accept and work towards
the containment of the viral, all such acts coming under the orbit of dharma
working for the common causes of saving lives and to stop the spread of the
virus.
The fears about the
Corona Virus and to what levels they gravitated and the concern and impact of
the virus is not confined to one country, but created waves globally, and has
not stopped with health and welfare of the people; but the offshoots of the
virus extended to affect worldwide the exports and imports, leaving a fall on
the economy, and fall in the index of the stock exchanges of different
countries; a drastic fall in travel affecting airlines and the financial
returns; a slowdown of tourism; deceleration of industry; and all these showing
up in the form of a flux in banking,
retirement funds, and so on creating uneasiness in investments and confidence
levels too. All these are unexpected and unanticipated aspects leaving a
surprising impact on the day to day needs and even with people stocking up the
necessities of life not being sure of the duration of the virus or its
containment.
A look at a daily newspaper
on any single day shows the stark reality of the degree of anxiety being
anticipated as a result of the coronavirus. Being a reader of Mercury News,
some of the Headlines drawing attention on 7th March 2020 are selected
on the basis of the initiation of this write-up. Coronavirus spreading in Bay
Area, California and U.S. 21 Positive Tests on Stricken Ship – Grand Princess.
Quarantine likely, but where? Fate of 2,422 in limbo as they await testing.
Events canceled amid dire warnings – Health officials urge ‘assertive actions’
to limit potential exposure. Stocks drop as week of wild trading closes out.
All these being on page one. South by Southwest canceled because of coronavirus
fears (page 3). Trump’s advice: ‘People have to remain calm’- coronavirus
outbreak (page 4). Mayor calls for moratorium on evictions – In response to
coronavirus worries, the temporary order would be in effect for at least 30
days (page B1). Coronavirus concerns shutter senior center – San Bruno (B2).
Good News, Bad News – John Horgan’s column: The Apocalypse may finally be upon
us – or not (B4). Sales of Toys, already in trouble, could be further hurt by
virus. Shortages from factory shutdowns expected by summer (C7). Bay Area
Economy: Silicon Valley businesses are expected to suffer long-term damage from
virus. Facebook, Apple are encouraging Bay Area workers to stay at home (C8).
High School Basketball: Health concerns force Menlo to withdraw from D1 tourney
(C6). This cross-section of the Headlines very clearly reflects anxiety,
awareness of the different sections of the society, preventive measures to face
the virus; alongside the effect of the virus on the economy, sports, seminars,
travel etc. due to the intensity and rapid spread of the virus.
Coronavirus provided
the perfect background for world cooperation to tackle the virus on a war
footing, as well as the financing for tackling the unexpected disease, to
initiate research for the development of suitable drugs, vaccines, and perhaps
it is the first time global togetherness being exhibited on such a large scale
to confront and to contain; drawing a parallelism between the virus extending
its arms, crossing national borders and boundaries at will, and so also for
once the people of different nations quite willingly coming on to a common
platform promoting the facing of the
virus and its containment without any hitch what so ever totally following and
abiding by dharma and what a rewarding thing which under normal conditions is
even unthinkable.
May this coronavirus be
the beginning to provide the urgent need to deal the Issues of concern to the
Environment like Global Warming, Glacier Meltdowns, Oceanic Intrusions and
Receding, Deforestation, and the greed of undue exploitation of mineralogical
wealth, besides indiscriminate use of the atmospheric gases and rare gases in
particular; since humanity is already facing the consequences in some form or
the other. Dharma’s positivity should help the humanity to deal with the
environmental issues, just as the coronavirus, and to protect and save the
future generations; keeping in mind that exploitation is easier than
conservation and protection of the environment.
The heartening feature
of the coronavirus is the bringing together in a unifying manner the people of
different countries far and wide from different continents on to a common cause
with common goals of fast track containment, resorting to restrictions on
congregations, travel and even taking classes from the net, apart from working
from home. Call it a scare, precautionary measures, preventive steps, the
motives being to arrest the spread of the virus and to regulate the treatment
and these measures are in consonance with ideals of dharma. The WHO in fact has
declared the coronavirus changing its status from epidemic level to pandemic
level drawing the attention globally for taking steps necessary for preventing
and containing.
Coronavirus was first
detected in China. Spread rapidly. Measures were speedily taken to treat,
prevent and control on a war footing by isolation, quarantine, hospitalization.
Yet recorded the maximum number of deaths.
India reported
coronavirus cases. States in India were asked to invoke Epidemic Disease Act.
Recalled its students from China by sending chartered flights. So also from the
middle east. Travel restrictions to the effected countries were enforced. The
states of Karnataka, Maharashtra, Kerala, Delhi reported cases that were
positive to the virus.
U.S. stock futures
tumble as Trump’s virus response disappoints. UK health minister tests positive
for coronavirus. Turkey announces coronavirus case. Dell and Mind tree confirm
one case each of COVID-19. Pope to deliver Sunday prayer by livestream due to
virus. Italy coronavirus toll tops 230, cases near 6000. India has banned the
entry of any International Cruise Ship, crew, or passengers with a travel
history of having visited coronavirus –hit countries. From the COVID-19 Iran reported
54 deaths in 24 hours. Italy and Canada reported the first deaths due to the
virus. COVID-19: 12Mar Update from Singapore as of 12pm reports 9 new cases,
Total being 187, total discharged 96, and total in hospitals 91. The WHO has
issued a call of action to all countries to help push the virus back. The
Indian Army says it will set up quarantine facilities for 1500 personnel at
certain locations in the country. The latest figures cited by the U.N. body
show that there are about 17 times as many new infections outside China as in
it. The virus has infected nearly 98,000 people and killed over 3000. COVID-19:
China’s death toll surpasses 3,000. COVID-19: 35 dead, around 6000 infected in
South Korea. U.S. lawmakers agree $8.3 bln COVID-19 response Bill. A steady stream
of infections from the novel coronavirus are being reported from all across the
world. Coronavirus jokes too surfaced attributing to the use of unprincipled
and undemocratic means of misrule against the wishes of the people of Andhra
Pradesh effecting the very existence of democracy and the larger interests of
India. These news items that surfaced and picked randomly present a picture of
COVID-19 effecting the global stage, as well as indicative of the prevalence of
dharma. With such awareness and coordinated efforts by different countries optimistically
the control and containment of the coronavirus should not take long and
research and development of suitable medicines and vaccines become available
before long.
Please see the Cartoonist's View - Tom Meyer, Mercury News, page A 10 March 12, 2020
To sum up, it is
appropriate to quote Leonard Pitts Jr., a Miami Herald Columnist, as it
appeared on Thursday, March 12, 2020, A11, Mercury News, GOP Mass Delusion:
Coping with coronavirus in the age of ‘truthiness’ – “At this writing, there
have been, according to New York Times database, 1,190 diagnosed cases of
COVID-19 in the United States; 37 have died. The stock market has dropped like
a boulder from a cliff, colleges are cancelling classes and sports teams are
playing in empty arenas. Internationally, 118,000 people have stricken. All of
Italy is on lockdown. A St. Patrick’s Day parade has been cancelled in Dublin. Those
are grim facts. But the view from inside the facts-resistant bubble that passes
for conservatism these days is quite different.”
The tendency of people
in this millennium turns out to be self-motivated selfish attitude of being
concerned about one’s self and personal happiness and totally unmindful of the
happenings outside or even around; however, the followers of dharma think and
work towards the goal of the happiness of everyone; and even go to the extent
of all being happy he too could be safe and happy, completely complying to dharma
principles of ‘Sarve jana sukhino bhavantu’, meaning let everybody be happy.
Let us hope COVID-19 very
soon takes the backstage coming within manageable limits, or free the people
from the fears of a pandemic state overwhelming them.
Copyright YVR, 2020.
GOOD Comprehension and analogy brought in
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