Daily Times

Leaving aside all the conspiracy theories on the virus that have been deleted from my WhatsApp, the lockdown of Italy and the rest of the European countries was inevitable and necessary when by mid-March the number of infected persons listed in Italy jumped from a few hundred to thousands within days – and have continued to multiply since. Europe was suddenly overwhelmed when foreseeing that healthcare facilities, doctors and nurses would be flooded with the influx of sick patients. Was it inevitable for the virus to reach our country? Certainly, it is already here and the numbers are rising. Irrational statements flew from Facebook posts by those who only got their data from the misinformed that Pakistan was ‘not speaking about it’. The same people appeared only a week or so later on YouTube as certified holistic gurus consoling the nation, in what they said was in place of government, to do what they called their duty. Their basic scripts created more sensationalism and bias than warranted and all this whilst desperately trying to rope in somehow that it was the inaction of the ‘establishment’ which allowed the virus to spread. A bit of nonsense never really hurt anybody if taken with a grain of reasoning and makes for great entertainment news as well.

As far as official news is concerned, the WHO and the UN had already detailed several setups of data for information as well as even developed methodology to combat panic and anxiety as something that occurs in times of crisis. The World Economic Forum-COVID action platform included strategic intelligence on global health, economy and more. All official news was already being filtered and shared via our government through different channels since January 2020 as the crisis developed- and that continues to date.

When the WHO issued a situation report on January 21, 2020, Pakistan’s National Institute of Health issued the first advisory for COVID-19 on the same day. By January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization issued a public health emergency for international concern and Pakistan followed suit by doing the needful. It is true, that private and public institutions here were not shut down until news of lockdowns abroad provided the perspective. President Alvi with social media teams shared verified information (missed by many), including public health advisories in Urdu, English and other regional languages. Yet it was still felt by opposition parties that not enough or no pro-active measures were taken.

And here is the staple repeat paragraph of what Corona is: “The coronaviruses have been described as a large family of viruses which may cause illness in animals or humans. In humans, several coronaviruses are known to cause respiratory infections ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The most recently discovered coronavirus causes coronavirus disease COVID-19 (World Health Organization)”. And that is what the entire world is facing a pandemic of.

Private and public institutions here were not shut down until news of lockdowns abroad provided the perspective

A few facts here as well to dispel some myths; Yes, one can catch it from other humans so it is contagious – and thus the shutdown on public spaces was required (beaches, cinemas, meetups, matches, restaurants, any mass gatherings). Garlic is not a cure. Neither heat nor summer is going to kill the virus. Yes, face masks were proved effective via reports from other countries. Yes, the first few reports of the virus came out of Wuhan, China. It is not to be termed as the “Chinese Virus’. That is simply racist. There is no vaccine or drug to date to cure it that has been officially recognized (although they are under development). The WHO and the UN have given out basic preventive measures as well as steps on what to do next; Hand washing, sanitization of self and surfaces, not touching the face, self-isolation, testing, screening as well as social distancing measures. Yes, the phrase Social Distancing has become the term to be applied and implemented into our lives. Reports, rumors, facts and myths aside – nobody wants to fall sick even for a few moments.

However, there is no need to panic to the state of chaos. That phrase in different ways, was communicated in almost every single presidential, government and official speech and address regarding the virus, around the world – if one carefully followed the wording. Yes, this is a pandemic. It is a global crisis being faced by all, including those with better economies who have world class medical care, science and technology. Yes, it can be contained; countries as we speak are fighting towards that. However, spreading misinformation, or fear, and panic will end up creating unrest, anxiety and stress.

Prime Minister Imran Khan’s first official address on the matter was simple and straightforward similar to that of several global leaders. Preventive measures put out by international health organizations have been adopted which have been simplified and repeated till people adjust their lives to it as a way of living. As instructions were passed down, the government shut down public spaces and large gatherings of different kinds. Everybody felt it was a wise decision. The first official address explained that a national lock down could not happen because our economy would not be able to face the financial repercussions. With the country now shutting down its activities with the numbers of patients rising, with only essential work being carried out for day to day sustenance, how we handle this next, remains to be seen. Can we face the economic ramifications of a complete lockdown, as it is being called for? Pakistan has to adapt to the international recommendations to its national reality. Given the state of the current economic setup and the fact that we have so many daily wage workers who have to find work and income (with no savings) – maybe a semi-lockdown down is what should be called for- not a full lockdown as was applied in other countries. This is something that the government seems to be more partial towards currently; as they called it a balancing strike strategy.

Pakistan is trying to do whatever it can in a time of crisis; it’s up to us to take the positive route or the opportunistic one- either to make this a political issue or just an occasion to simply assist each other. A real time data portal has also been set up here by the Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination on COVID-19. As the USA, China, Germany and other nations enter the race towards developing a vaccine, the world anticipates. In all of this, hope emerges as news filters in; China has declared that they have had zero domestic cases reported this past week. Reports from several countries have come in for the experimental use of a drug called Chloroquine (that is used to cure malaria), and is heard to work on the symptoms of the virus, hopefully it will prove to be successful. The success rate and official news on this is yet to be determined.

For us as people, it is difficult to make sense of things as to why this is happening; it certainly feels like the worst of times. But with the knowledge that we do have and the intelligence given to us, we can fight this if united together. And perhaps in doing just that, the values of humanity can bind us together and let us make sense in the time of the coronavirus.

The writer is known for covering articles on socio-cultural impact