In adherence to the basic guidelines as provided by WHO, the
government announced the lockdown to avoid further consequences from COVID-19.
This scenario has definitely left varying levels of anxiety and negativity in
people?s minds because in the initial days, we all were unaware with the fact
that this lockdown would be for this long. As of now, many of us have started
feeling frustrated because everything has been stagnant, and people aren?t able
to go to work or run their businesses. There is also an increased possibility
of a rising death rate because hunger has become a much larger issue during the
COVID-19 pandemic. Along with the fear of having physical health complications
due to COVID-19, the possibility of being affected by mental health problems is
increasing, affecting the livelihoods of many people.
This COVID-19 pandemic is a global, collective crisis; thus, collective
effort is needed to combat it. If we do not put forth collective effort and
challenge the entire nation, everything will collapse. This novel coronavirus
can only be defeated by collective global effort, networking and working together. All we need at the moment is
love, compassion, and harmony. We should not divide the world with pity,
religion, or any other kind of conflict.
There are several articles related to COVID-19 on various
platforms, on national and international media, providing new updates every
other second, regarding the number of infected people and the number of death
rates caused by COVID-19. In fact, even the big and powerful nations were
brought to their knees by the deadly nature of coronavirus. While at first,
this seemed to be an issue of minor concern, the virus quickly spread from one
person to another and from one country to another, taking many lives along the
way. In consequence, the world is in mourning and an isolation phase at the
very moment.
Nepal is a country that strongly believes in ?Unity in Diversity,?
with its rich biodiversity in flora and fauna, multicultural traditions, and
widespread hospitality. So, in this crucial phase, all we can do is use that
respect for others to provide care, support, and help. We must start by showing
compassion for our own self, then reaching out to others, home to home, ward to
ward, neighborhood to neighborhood. Aside from COVID-19, many people who are
residing outside the Valley, in the Terai region, or near the border are dying
due to hunger. These people currently have no jobs, and the business they used
to do has been hampered by the lockdown. Many vegetables grown on their farms
are failing, and in consequence, they are being frustrated by the losses right
in front of their eyes.
There is a tendency to blame others whenever we get in trouble,
but this time we all are facing this crisis. Instead of placing blame, we must
remember the importance of unity. If we are able to trust in one another and
provide that much needed support, we will be on the path to healing. We need to
stay positive and motivate each other. This is the time to show humanity by
being united morally, even if we cannot be together socially.
Even though everything in life is unexpected, we never imagined
that we would be facing such a time in our lives. Also, this situation made all
of us realize that no matter how powerful we used to feel in terms of our
health, wealth, positions and other materialistic things, we have all been
leveled by this tiny virus, which we can?t even see with our naked eyes. This
virus has taught us all a lesson: even something as small and invisible as a
virus can be powerful and dangerous. So, the first and foremost duty of ours is
to realize the fact that nothing else is as important as our own health and our
family?s safety. Thus, the safest place we can be right now is in our own homes,
surrounded by our loved ones.
We Nepalese have gone through many such devastating incidents in
the past be it the earthquake or the blockade, but we stood together and came
out strong. This is almost the same situation, but this time, things are little
different, for all we have to do and should do is stay safely inside our homes
for quarantine, without panicking, worrying or overthinking about the
situation. When people get too worried, they tend to buy in excess and store
things at home. Also, people have been seen doing this before 11 in the morning
and after 5 in the evening, even though one needs to understand that this is
not any kind of ?Banda Day? or ?Curfew.?
Going out to buy food items or daily necessities is okay and a must, but with
that, please be mindful of the safety measures: use proper masks, wear gloves,
wash your hands before touching anything and after coming from outside, take a
bath, thoroughly clean all of the products that you bought with sanitizers or
soaps, dry it in the sun, and only then consume it. Because the virus can travel
in the air and on surfaces, it is dangerous to neglect these small safety steps
and risk infection.
In order to make the most of this period in quarantine, time may
best be spent doing productive things, engaging ourselves in creative works,
working from home, helping with household chores, or helping our mothers and
other family members with their work. Keeping ourselves busy, active, and
positive, rather than spending time thinking about the virus, reading and
hearing news all of the time, and panicking, will help us get through the
pandemic in a healthy way. While this is easier said than done, for the sake of
our mental health, we humbly suggest engaging in productive activities and
inspiring others around us to do the same. Stay safe and stay at home. United we
stand, divided we fall to this battle with #COVID-19.