Our Own Pandemic

The sudden occurrence of the Covid-19 virus had made an impact on people from all walks of life. No one was prepared for this kind of pandemic to happen during this age. Especially now, when the healthcare systems all around the world had advanced beyond our understanding. But, the saying goes, we are only human. Am I right? I being a 21 year old, was expecting this year to be the year of firsts. Maybe my first time in a club or my first time in buying alcohol. Instead, it became the first time I had to go through an epidemic. I suppose, on the larger scale of things, it bound to happen. We only know the surface of everything happening in the world. We do not know what happens in the underground world. Have you heard of the bubonic plague? Well, the majority of people believe that rats were the source of this pandemic. Contrary to that belief, fleas were actually the ones that caused the plague. The fleas infected rats with bacteria, which was then passed to humans. Now, assuming this is true, if a dangerous type of bacteria could be transmitted from rats to humans. Then, in an underground wet market in China, where they serve exotic animals as food, there would probably be a lot of bacterias exotic animals can transmit to humans. However, now we might never know as the consumption of exotic animals was finally banned in China -thank God- due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Where allegedly, a man who consumed bat soup, yes, bat soup, contracted the virus and spread it all over China. And China, where if you read numerous theories, didn’t take into account how deadly the virus could actually be and merely passed along this patient as having a normal cold. The disease then began to spread around China before going all over the globe for a world tour.

Did you know that apparently, if conspiracy theories are true, pandemics on this planet happen every 100 years? Oh, don’t believe me? Google it. Or if you were lazy. Let me help you. The Great Plague of Marseille in 1720 was the last major case of the bubonic plague. The Massive Cholera Outbreak in 1820, 1920 Spanish Flu, and of course, the one major historical part of the world that we are currently living in, 2020’s Covid-19. The name looks pretty cool when you compare it to the others. Kind of a science fiction vibe if I say so myself. Your interest is stirred? Not yet? Oh, there are more conspiracy theories about this virus. Some say that the world’s major powers had created this virus to control the population. You know, reducing the number of humans around the world. If you have watched ‘The Office’ you might think that Dwight was the master behind all of this. It’s all fun and games to think about these theories. But the fact remains the fact, the world is in a crisis right now. Countries that cannot support many hospitals and healthcare instruments are the ones with the most risk of losing their patients to this virus. Major countries’ economies are getting negatively impacted as well, people losing jobs, payments being cut, no school, no going out, lockdowns. It all sounds pretty scary, right? Imagine reading this 20 years from now. It would have sounded even scarier.

In Malaysia, we have undergone around two months of a lockdown or MCO (Movement Control Order). MCO is a rule where the citizens were instructed not to leave the house unless it was for important things and pressing matters. The army deployed to ensure the citizens abided by the rules. Police stop on every major highway. One could say that this is an amazing experience. Sitting at home doing nothing, eating, watching TV, playing my PS4, and eating again. But two months straight of just doing that can drive you crazy. I had thoughts about disobeying the law to go hang out with my friends. But, the greater good always halted me from doing so. Thinking about how my actions could cause my family to fall into great danger. How if I got infected by this virus, my family would also be affected. That was the major reason I chose to obey the rules. That, and as well the fine that the government would penalize you with. I don’t have that kind of money. Unlike some “important people’s” children. If you know what I mean.

So the time I spent during this lockdown was somewhat productive. I mean no one can blame me. Who would not love just sitting around their house doing nothing, right? If you told me you did not do that, I would expect your nose to get longer, because you, like Pinocchio, are a LIAR. But, guilt has a funny way of making you do things. I started to feel like a useless piece of garbage. So I decided to start doing things. I started reading again. Boy, oh boy, did I miss reading. I felt like I was a kid back in primary school again. Reading away at my Percy Jackson books, reeling in the fantasy of running around chasing Greek Gods and whatnot. I also started playing the guitar more and then realizing how bad I was at the guitar, but it never stopped me from practicing. Now I can say I am around 8% better at the guitar. Not much, but I’ll take what I can get. So, what did you do during the lockdown? I bet it’s almost similar to what I did right?

Now, after months of lockdown, we are beginning to live again like how we used to do before the virus struck. But, we have to be wary. We could be veering even closer to the second wave of the virus. Many experts have pleaded to the government not to start reopening schools and workplaces as the threat of the virus still looms over us. From numbers of infections hovering somewhere near zero near the end of the lockdown, numbers have started to increase slowly. Clusters emerging from everywhere around Malaysia proves that the second wave is just around the corner. Nobody wants this, another lockdown, another two months of just sitting at home, another two months where your whole life is at a pause. Just because of a few bad apples who did not respect social distancing or wearing masks in public places. You know your part and what to do. Some people had their weddings postponed, people who have not visited family members in other states/countries because they have respected the law and only leave their houses when it’s absolutely necessary. These are the people that are doing their part in helping fight against the virus.

If you have been keeping up with the news, you would have seen that in New Zealand, they have gotten rid of the virus completely. Their citizens are the monument of strength that the world needed to see in order to prove that we are capable of beating this virus. We just have to work together and use all our resources to help fight against it. In New Zealand, the government let all their scientists make the decisions instead of their politicians. Unlike some countries. Who let their politicians, with little or no knowledge about pandemics, make the decisions. For example. America. Their president ruled that wearing masks was not important. But then the number of cases started to rise and he realized his mistake. Then, he started wearing a mask himself. This just shows that we are capable of beating this virus. All that we need to do is to work together.