Covid-19 is Double Edged Sword

Iqbal Hadi Zaidi

During comingDecember to February not just my beloved Pakistan but the world at large will have to face unimaginable, uncontrollable truly gigantic untold human miseries on account of newly born babies right from east to west and south to north irrespective of the countries’ monetary affluence which simply cannot be avoided by any country including the Super Powers under any circumstances come what may to be very honest.

Notorious coronavirus which WHO has classified it as nothing short of pandemic is not only awfully very dangerous but killing as well and, therefore, each and every country irrespective of its importance or ranking in the international community or per its capita income or technological development and or its topographical situation had to face it. Numerically speaking, till now 3rd June, when I am writing the article at global level as many as 6,518,109have been victimized by the corona virus whereas 384.808are the unfortunate who could not face the deadly virus anymore and hence, they have eventually shifted to their permanent abode. Unbelievably, the USA, the ever-mightiest power on the face of earth, is the worst hit which may shock many and they may be very much reluctant to swallow the bitter quinine pill but yet undeniable fact remains that out of total population of 330,815,283there alone 1,891,430have been inflicted with the deadly virus while poor 108,608 have died as well. Needless to mention, ever since 215 countries and territories have been hit by Covid-19 it is quite crystal clear that humanity has never ever before faced such pathetic and miserable conditions and still the more surprising is the hard truth that none but the USA despite boasting of its unmatched health facilities is at the top of the ladder so far as corona victimization is concerned and that too for so many weeks in continuity.  

All the world leaders in each and every country and territory when noticed the onslaught of the notorious corona virus they were confronted with very awkward and ugly situation whereby they were left with no alternative but very much obliged to advocate and resort to lock down and curfew etc in the greater interest of their population in their respective countries so that the number of the victims in their countries are minimized. Undoubtedly lock down and curfews so clamped down by the leaders in their respective countries have very categorically played conspicuously quite dominant and significant role to nullify the corona effects to a great extent otherwise the world has witnessed far more people been victims all around than what presently we have now to tell you the truth.

I wish I am wrong which I am not to pronounce, if not annoying, that perhaps all those leaders who curtailed the movement of their people by slapping lock down and curfew had forgotten to think as to subsequently what could be in the after effects of such forced suspension of human life. Each country without exception slapped locked down duly punctuated with curfew or without curfew, of course varying in intensity and application, during March to May whereby all government offices and institutions, banks, insurance companies, universities, schools, companies, shops, garages, factories and workshops etc were closed and as a result there of all, rich and poor, male and female were to compulsorily to be inside their houses as none is allowed to leave the house except those people only who are rendering essential services like employees of ministry of health, interior, municipality, fire brigade, ambulance, rescue services, electricity, water and telecommunication  etc .Under such scenario  every soul be male or female had no option but to remain inside in their houses on 24 hours basis. However, special mechanism was developed facilitating certain people to leave the house for a purpose and special passes were issued to the people to attend to any eventuality and not otherwise. At different places some people who came out of their houses and have been found on streets with no reason and rhyme during the stipulated lock down and or curfew hours were quite naturally have been punished in itself very well proves that people whether they liked or not were forced to be inside their houses come what may.

The rich people are also very much obliged to remain inside their houses whole day long which is a bit taxing and waxing only to the extent that their liberty to run around the city is curtailed and nothing more than that to tell you the truth. However, ever since they very much belong to upper middle and middle class and therefore consequently, they not only have sufficient money but also very fortunately they are also duly equipped with different entertaining gadgets so they can very happily kill their time and the question of boredom does not even arise. The items namely television, internet, mobile, books and magazines etc give very good company to them and therefore they are not bored at all any day or any hour and instead they quite happily spend their 24 hours inside their houses and did not feel any difficulty or frustration and the pinch to be inside their house whole day long. Of course, they did not waste the opportune to enjoy their time with their beloved life partners in exclusive privacy hence the wife and her husband enjoy in their personal bed rooms and therefore quite but naturally in turn their family size will have to be increased after the stipulated pregnancy months for sure.

What a sheer bad luck for those numbering in thousands, not hundreds, daily wage earners or low paid employees in each and every country, of course varying in percentage, who absolutely are empty pocketed and they and their families eat whatever they earn during the day but very much regretfully due to lock down situation the poor lot not only lost their jobs but also have been forced to be confined inside their four walls on daily basis right from dawn to dawn. The most unfortunate poor of the poorest, cannot even think of in dreams to be facilitated with mobile or television, forget about internet in any case, so quite naturally the question arises as to how this lot kills their 24 hours and that too each day for couple of months in continuity is the most baffling and trifling question? They also being a human exactly like the rich ones want to bring smile on their faces, at least for some minutes if not hours, but the question is what could be the logistics, if any, for them to smile? The poorest married couple had no option but to resort to temporarily matrimonial pleasure whereby quite naturally bulk majority of the married women folk will conceive and turn out to be pregnant but it gives birth to the question as to how then the poor unemployed empty pocketed fathers will be able to feed their newly born babies? The most compelling and irritating question which simply cannot be ignored, rather on the contra, it needs clear cut categorical answer?

Aren’t those most respected experts and acclaimed commentators have themselves proved to be too innocent, ignorant, naïve and grossly mistaken since they have too loudly proclaimed at the pitch of their voice at all media outlets both local and international that due to notorious corona world population will considerably be shrunk without caring the least that eventually during December-February period global population will instead be increased by 55% if not more?

My most intriguing, genuine, alarming as well as mind bogging question under the given peculiar circumstances is if at all our hospitals and maternity homes irrespective of their topographical locations right from east to west and south or north are fully geared and toned up and can boast of having the capacity duly punctuated with their ability to handle such unprecedented huge surge of newly born babies all at the same time during the stipulated three months period which, as such, has never ever have happened alike before in human history at global scale?

I with all sincerity and sobriety pronounce that it is truly very ripe and high time that we must wake up from somber sleep and instead immediately embark upon increasing our health facilities to meet the upcoming gigantic challenges to be faced during comingDecember-February period otherwise the humanity will be doomed and we will have no option but to face nothing but cries and tears instead of smile.