Lockdown - the Tragedy

 Warning: The content might be a bit morbid for few.

Imagine this: You are sick and in hospital, surrounded by machines, wires, tubes, etc. One monitoring your heart rate and oxygen levels, one ensuring your sustenance, one eliminating toxins from your body, one pumping oxygen into your body, and whatnot. You do not have the energy to raise a finger but just enough to be aware of what is going on around you, which is not much except the beeping of the machines. Once in awhile a medical professional comes to check on you and to note down your vitals. They are also a bit cautious, donning PPE suites - a scene right out of a medical thriller. You have no contact with the outside world and have no way of knowing what's happening. God forbid, but what a way to spend your last days - alone and lost.
In the not so serious scenario, you are in a quarantine ward and it is worse. You have energy levels but nothing to do. Loneliness - how long can you talk to friends and family over the phone (no one is allowed to meet you). Boredom -  how long can you play games or watch TV? Since you are more aware of the surroundings, you are aware of the fact that even medical staff is maintaining a safe distance, it does prick. A lot.
The least serious scenario, home isolation - you are plagued with the thoughts of your family's safety and whether it would be better to be in a hospital or isolation centers. Such a dilemma.

Imagine the other aspect: You have a loved one diagnosed as positive. They are in ICU under medical care, but little is revealed to you. No one can be blamed since no one knows what needs to be done, what will happen, and when. You are chased away from the hospital, to minimize the risk of infection. You cannot stay away - it is someone you love in there. What if they need your help? But what assistance can you provide and how? Was it a mistake to get them to the hospital? Would it have been better if they were at home? But then there are kids/seniors at home. Should you have taken the chance? So many thoughts while you wait helplessly for some news, and flinch every time the phone rings.
At last some news - recovered. But the euphoria does not long last. Apparently, there are side effects like heart or liver complications at a later date, so the fear is not completely gone. What if they are still carriers?
If unfortunately - succumbed. The situation enters a realm we never knew existed. You do not get a last glimpse of the person. An ambulance picks up the body and transports it to the crematorium. There the last rites are performed by a complete stranger. The maximum you can do is watch from a safe distance. Even if you are not a believer, it hurts. While all this is done for the benefit of the community and society, it still feels unfair and inhuman. 

I think most of the families by now have experienced these situations - directly or indirectly. That is how COVID 19 is affecting all of us. This is one pandemic that is affecting all - equally and globally. The situation is really pathetic. Apart from the physical pain and suffering of those infected, it is touching every single aspect of our lives. What can be done? How can we mitigate its effects? Looks like there is no viable solution to this problem. We keep getting tons of advice - mask, sanitizer, 6 feet distance, zinc fortified vit c, pranayama, yoga, etc. etc. Do any of these work? No one knows. 

People are getting frustrated with the safety measures and are rebelling. The common refrain - how much longer and more importantly to what end. Some are getting infected despite precautions while some who are moving around more freely are not infected. Some are showing minor symptoms and recovering fast, while some are succumbing easily. 
Might be maintaining physical distance doesn't help - but what is the harm in keeping distance? Do we have to pile on one another at shops, banks, and other public places? (I used to wonder about this even in the pre-pandemic days)
Mask - they may not eradicate but I am sure they do help in containing. It is like adding a glass of cold water to a bucket of hot water - it might not bring down the temperature drastically but it would definitely take the sting away. Same with a mask, I feel.
Sanitizer - a little bit of hygiene won't kill anyone.

We needn't lock ourselves in the houses, that would be detrimental to building our immunity but few precautions might, just might, go a long way. Next time you step out of the house and feel like ditching the mask, think of all the damage that it can cause. Think for a second, not just about yourself but your family and society at large.

BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY