The Corona craziness

Who would have thought the March Madness will mean a different type of madness this year. The excitement of the basketball court, being replaced with an extreme sense of panic in every corner of America. Even the luck of the Irish could not save the St.Patrick's day celebration. The usually crowded pubs, restaurants around this time of the year were left deserted due to the government-mandated curfew in many cities. St.Patrick's day parade, one of the largest celebrations in the world, canceled for the first time ever due to this virulent virus.
A fragile microorganism makes the stock market to plummet, schools to close, and businesses to shut down. Broadway pulled its curtains indefinitely, Hollywood turned off its lights, a record number of flights came to a squealing halt, restaurants turned their chairs upside down.... the entire world in lockdown due to this rapidly spreading pandemic. It makes us all feel so vulnerable. Never in our lifetime have we all witnessed an outbreak of this magnitude. There seem to a shortage of everything from canned food to compassion, respirator to respite, masks to mercy. The Corona induced craziness is unbelievable. People hoarding supplies from the stores as if there is no tomorrow!
I believe that adversities are indeed the litmus tests to differentiate an altruist from egoistic.
During hurricane Sandy, in 2012, strangers from the community gathered to pile sandbags on the beaches, deliver food to the elderly, rescue residents from their flooded basements... a real act of kindness at a time of need. Similarly, the Chennai floods in 2015 not only demarcated the low-lying area of the city but also spotlighted those incredibly selfless people who resurrected the city successfully in a few months. We are now seeing thousands of health-care workers on the frontline who have put their lives at risk to save others. Many working even without proper personal protective gear, their patience, and resilience put to the test. My own friend Anu, an infectious disease specialist, has been an altruist angel being in the eye of the storm and braving it.

The handwashing that we have been emphasizing forever suddenly takes center stage of every conversation, news, and talk shows. The so neglected disinfectants are suddenly getting sold like hotcakes, and the protective gears that stayed on the storage units of the hospitals are being used like water.  This pathogen gave a new face to this world that is the masked face. Handshakes and hugs being substituted by elbow shakes or our good old Namaste! The social distancing putting the already distanced community into social isolation. Corona in Greek means a crown, this virus definitely takes the crown for causing the maximum damage to mankind.
This unseen enemy has induced greater fear and uncertainty than the terrorist attack of 911. Despite the advanced technology and medical science, we all feel so unprotected with our new battle against this pandemic. COVID-19 is an equal opportunity provider.... does not spare anyone, from Tom Hanks to Kevin Durant to Mrs. Trudeau to Aam Adhami, everyone is in its wrath. It makes us all realize that despite one's financial status or fame or title, we all are equal in the eyes of a pathogen and in the face of death.
While the cops were happy with the decline in the incidence of motor vehicle accidents, they were annoyed by the dramatic increase in domestic violence for obvious reasons! China saw not only a record number of Coronavirus infection but also a record number of divorce rates in recent months. Divorce lawyers see gold mines in this crisis while the rest of the working class is running to file for unemployment benefits. Everyone in this world seems to be suffering from some fever or other; if not Corona, then it is Cabin fever. Cabin fever has brought out a lot of hidden talents, we see Smulers, Tik-Toker cropping up every day of this lockdown period. Quarantine taught us the value of companionship, social distancing made us long for the warmth of the human touch and most important of all it taught us the fragility of our existence.
In my own experience, it felt bizarre to screen every patient as a potential COVID-19 infected patient, to wear the N-95 ask that covered 95% of my facial expression and the gloves that concealed that warmth of my touch. Even my staff obsessing with spraying aerosols in every room, wiping off all the surface with loads of disinfectant wipes while saying a prayer or two to oust this microscopic menace. We are all slowly getting used to this new normal.
After a long stressful day, as I hopped into my car, the near-empty parking lots and streets gave me a strange sense of loneliness. The thought of being trapped in a tunnel or navigating through a maze in an unknown land! Just then, I noticed the Daffodils, Tulips popping out with their colorful faces trying to tell me the brighter days are ahead! Life goes on... and we all will live to tell our grandchildren about the pandemic of 2020. 

The new social norm

The new social norm

When I was growing up in the 80's-90's friendship meant so much. Our lives revolved around our social circle. There was great excitement in making new friends. We even made pen pals through letter chains from far away cities. When emails, social media was a far-fetched thought, we managed to keep in touch with near and far ones through letters. The blue color folded inland letter carried every emotion from love, heartbreaks, marriage proposals to casual chitchats. Technology has revolutionized the way we communicate with each other. I'm not sure if it is good or bad.
Facebook, more than a decade ago, was the go-to social media from teens to seniors alike. Now we have Instagram, Snapchat, and whatnot. The kids unable to tolerate the postings of their parents quickly moved out of FB and found their hub on Instagram, Snapchat. FB branded its platform in terminologies like "like," "friends." In the FB world, the word "Friend" got a new meaning. He/She may be a person whom you have never met or set eyes on, like your sister-in-law's friend's son's ex-girlfriend! For many FB friend's lists grew in 100's to 1000's enough to make them believe that they can challenge Rajini in popularity. Moms and dads got carried away with the thought of sharing their glories with their so-called FB friends. Friendship also got a new measure in the FB world .... the number of likes! People found instant gratification in sharing their mundane moments that got the much-expected reaction in the number of likes. The privacy factor was quickly tossed into the trash bin. There is no limit to what people could post on FB.
Another breakthrough a few years back was WhatsApp. It was a dream come true to carry those international chitchats initially through text, then came audio and video calls that too all for free! Groups cropped up in WA from mommy's to alumni to professional groups. The life span varied from a few days to a few years.  The shortest one I was ever on lasted 5 days. Group dynamics change too, the admin who is the creator of the group might vanish into thin air, and the most active member might be the one who no one knows in real life. Members can be categorized as the incessant chatters, the attention mongers, the smart heads, the life-givers, the trouble makers, etc. Some people in WA are forever asleep, while a few are always in a meeting, while some roam around with dying cellphone battery all the time! Some manage to be silent spectators but still will not let go of the membership status. Some get their adrenaline rush by actively sharing their lives moments while others post controversial topics and get in trouble. Chat groups are supposed to mimic living room chitchats, but except that the person sitting next to you on your living room couch will most likely respond to you, but in WA chat rooms, there are no courtesy, decorum or even rules. People choose to ignore when they want to or actively choose to respond when it is convenient. The purpose/agenda of the group changes too, one group which was started for travel ended up being a political battleground with candidates running for election from a professional organization on each other' s throat to win the election.
We all live in a different era now, and it is required to embrace these societal changes. It keeps the community together on the surface, whether it strengthens the bonds is a million-dollar question. The happiness that a simple handwritten postcard brought is still missing in the technologically advanced instant messages delivered by our fancy gadgets.