ShareBy Abdellatif Sharaa
we go again…health officials spoke and are speaking about how to protect ourselves against the coronavirus. The start was very simple: Wash your hands often, keep a distance between yourself and others, avoid shaking hands. If you sneeze or cough, do it in the inner side of your arm, and the best weapon against this thing is to stay home.
People's compliance with those instructions was lax and widely not adhered to or they didn't take the matter seriously. This prompted authorities to impose a partial curfew, close down certain businesses, make special arrangements to visit co-ops, then restrict co-ops to accept area residents only, besides other measures to limit the exposure, but few heeded the warnings. We had areas that were placed under total lockdown for one reason and another.
The number of cases started to climb again lately despite all efforts being taken by state authorities, which called for quick action and imposition of a total curfew for a three-week period to bring the virus under control.
But people rushed to markets in huge numbers like there is no tomorrow! Scary scenes show waves of shoppers near food stores, supermarkets, co-ops, etc, standing in line. But they were close to each other and one was almost breathing in the ear of the person in front of him - what a horror situation! This is something that should be avoided under normal circumstances, and we are under the threat of a pandemic.
A brotherly Arab country, where officials moved very early and had good control over the situation, recently recorded zero cases for eight consecutive days, but had a setback as 24 cases were recorded on the ninth day. This was caused by a truck driver who was ignorant enough to invite more than 40 persons to dinner! The driver was infected with the virus and in turn infected all those who were present, and they in turn took the virus with them and gave it to others.
The driver was found to have visited a hospital and the hospital is now under isolation. I mentioned this story to show how one person who ignores all instructions thwarted the efforts of five months in just less than an hour!
This is good evidence that staying home is the best weapon against this enemy. We must remember that we are not immune - no one is immune. The state proved that life can go on normally as far as food, medicine, cooking gas, gasoline and other necessities are concerned, so no need to panic and rush to stock things, as arrangements are already made to enable everyone to get what they need. So, please listen well and do exactly what the health authorities ask you to do, because it is for your own sake, and the sake of the entire population. Thank you!
Final word: "Even the smallest act of caring for another person is like a drop of water - it will make ripples throughout the pond." - Jessy and Bryan Metteo
