Matung Raikhan
Dimapur
When I was a child I remember my mother telling me not to drink water from my neighbour’s house whenever I visit them, because their mother is supposedly a cancer patient. I also remember my father warning me not to talk with drug addicts and drunkards simply because I might contract AIDS from them. There was also an instance when my mom panicked and desperately emptied all bed linens, mattress and even window screens and sanitized them after one relative who is a drug addict stayed overnight in our house. We were even prohibited to peep at the room, leave aside going in. She'd spent many hours deep cleaning the house that day.
Those were the time of 90's when Cancers and AIDS were mushrooming in the society and little was known about the disease that people began stigmatizing the drug addicts, women operating booze joints, people from red-light areas, etc. That was the time people from that locality, who is not even diagnosed of Cancer or AIDS, are told to be avoided at all cost. We were heavily warned with consequences if we come closer to them let alone fraternizing them. As I stand here today, looking back the late 80' and 90's on how things went by I don't blame my parents for keeping us from such person as I understood that it was a kind of precaution or rather a prevention per se from such sickness. They were ignorant and the sickness was new with no official guidelines or SOP's to deal with. It was only after many years, the WHO finally concluded that AIDS and Cancers are not communicated by speaking with them, eating together, touching, hugging or even sleeping together with AIDS patient with measure. The whole newspapers and National TV promoted socializing with them as Discriminations was at peak. Many TV's captured commercial breaks promoting AIDS patient against discrimination, billboards, flyers, seminars and many medical event took place encouraging the healthy people to stay closer with them giving love and not discriminate.
Coming back to today's situation, it is unimaginable to experience the air of 90's once again filled with 'untouchable' practices even to a person of doubtful character, and what’s worse is that even Doctors and Nurses are not spared this time. The usual practice of publishing ‘orders’ from different authorities imposing total lockdown including ban on vehicular movement and closing shop before and post arrival of stranded returnee, deploying hundreds of police and medical staff, logistical support team, people in full PPE dress, etc have reminiscent the Zombies movies depicting the returnees as infected, trying to spread the virus and bring the world to an end ultimately, not unless some hero jumps in from nowhere and starts shooting. But true to the comparison, the environment has been developing a negative ripple effect while the administration(s) are unintentionally bringing back the era of caste system of un-touchability and eventually the returnees will fall victim post quarantine and despite with negative test. It won’t be surprising to see Churches and societies, neighbours and relatives alienating them in the name of precaution thereafter.
Thought unofficial release sources says Corona, with low fatality rate, is not as deadly as E-bola or SARS, it is pertinent that death due to hunger and poverty, other terminal sickness and suicides during the last three months have exceeded the Corona Virus toll. What more alarming is that being the age of social media's and technology, false news spread faster than anything. Alarmed villagers resorted to erecting entry gates and digging up roads, prohibiting the visit of person from one village to another in spite of Corona free zone between the two village, not allowing death to be buried in cemetery, Orders to kill dogs if found loitering, volunteers and uniformed personnel locking up village roads and towns not knowing the extend of discrimination they impose on daily front lines workers and other officials who needs to take the road daily, some even depriving medical emergencies other than COVID-19 and the list goes on. On the nature of Corona virus, it is equivocally presumed that there is no evidence of contracting COVID-19 disease by touching a COVID victim since the virus is not known to have penetrated the skin cells and sweat glands till date, which mean a person is safe as long as he wash his hands with just ordinary soap after touching the victim. I am surprise to notice a bullet point from WHO website stating "If you are healthy, you only need to wear a mask if you are taking care of a person with COVID-19", and other myth busting concerns. In other words, it is safer than we thought. There is even a chance of not contracting the disease even after the virus has entered the nose, ear or eyes as the virus has to break the strong immune system of the body first. One article says that, even if it enters the body, ingesting of the virus by hot water can do the healing as the Virus gets kill from the acid present in the digestive enzymes of the stomach. Apparently, many people around the world with initial infection are cured from home, taking natural remedy as there is no difference between hospital and home treatment, not unless one needs ventilator or intensive care. In fact, recovery takes more time in hospitals as the amount of cross contamination from the medical team touching between mild, sever or recovering patients without changing PPE or Gloves is high (not unless Doctors and Nurses change it hundreds of time daily), scarcity of medical equipments, patients depriving of nutritional foods as family attendants are not allowed to enter, makeshift hospitals in halls without isolations where patients are barely a feet apart, non existence of treating medicine or vaccine are all taken into account of.
Understanding on fear of Corona has remained elusive but seeing the wide protest across America to ease lockdown amidst the country facing the highest surge of infection in the world including death has became rational. Brazil, France and Italy and many others follow suite in spite of its heavenly toll, in fact they have steadily reopened the economy, Malls and markets, public entertainments, parks and Concerts, etc. This again has made one to wonder how exactly the Covid-19 has to be dealt, considering the outcome one is to believe that only ‘Knowledge’ can save us from infection and not imposition of unbearable diktats from Village and government level authorities, therefore education is the essence to fill the gap. Government needs wide publication on rational approach of the virus till such time the WHO or the health authority officially releases a finding and meanwhile, the adamant public to be little discipline in following guidelines not crossing the line jumping over the fence to see what’s in when a notice clearly states no to look over. These are virus, unseen from the eyes unlike ‘law and order’ problem that can be taken for granted hoodwinking the authority for excuse. Your status or packing will not help you from Corona virus, don’t experiment yourself to see yourself, it might prove fatal.
In the meantime, Corona is imminent to stay long and we have to learn to live with it. There must be a way to deal the situation taking utmost care that nobody is discriminated in the name of this disease. Now that our brothers and sisters from Chennai and other place will soon be released from the QC let us not stigmatize them of being the Corona carrier, not that, after their arrival had led the rise of COVID-19 cases in the state, as this virus don't choose people and our brothers and sisters didn't acquire intentionally therefore cannot be blamed. They have already faced many ordeals while in mainland and are all human with emotions just like anyone else. The government and medical Institutes are working day and night to find a way but un till such finding on how to live amongst them comes up, let us learn to live together as human. Let's us share love and pray for each other, proactively attend to their grievances. In spite of danger lurking around, we still could be friendly yet with cautions, we may avoid handshakes and hugs, sharing plates and rooms unlike the AIDS era, but encourage them to be strong and positive. Let us also not believe in rumours and unverified words, and most importantly let us not succumb to the social media news. Together and with the help of God, we shall prevail.
