N 106
Covid 19 and Me
2020 is a disastrous year for everyone because
the whole world is suffering from the Covid 19 pandemic. Only some countries in
remote areas like Bhutan, N korea and some island states do not have impact
from the pandemic.
The pandemic emerged in late
December in Wuhan, China, and it was named Covid !9. Since then it has spread
across the world at an alarming rate topping 10 million cases until now . The
virus is everywhere.
Our country , along with a few
neighbouring countries like Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam is fortunate that it
doesn’t has an outbreak. But anyway the central government and district administrations are taking
precautious measures to prevent and face it when there is one.
We, the people are asked to
wear mask and stay at home. Even if someone has to go out to wear mask and keep
a distancing space from other people, so as not to catch the virus.
During the early period the
outbreak is not so alarming that I sometimes went out as usual. The last time I
went out was the 23rd of March and it was to buy offetries to
monasteries during Thingyan. I usually buy them
beforehand as the shops are overcrowded when it is near. After that day
I was not allowed to go out because warnings said that old people are more
vulnerable to catch virus.
But young people in my household like my 2
daughters and son in law go out when they have to. My son in law is a
member Covid 19 relief committee set up
by the chairman of KBZ bank U Aung Ko Win.So He often goes out to help with the distribution of relief
measures at their centre and accompany the chairman on donation trips. My hubby
also go there sometimes to help out or donate food to the volunteers working
there.He also went to Kunhing with the chairman once. I couldn’t help thinking ….. what difference would it
make if they are going out and only some of us stay at home.
But it is fortunate that there
isn’t many covid cases in our town. According to news released by the health
ministry there are only 299 cases as of
today (30th June )in the whole country. Among the afflicted there
are 6 casualties and the number recovered is 215.
But if we look at the whole
world it is disastrous. I learned from news that the number afflicted by the
virus has topped 10 million , and among this number more than 500000 had
perished. the number recovered is 5.5
million .The hardest hit countries are developed countries such as USA with 2.5
million afflicted and 126893 fatalities,
followed by Brazil, Russia, India and
nearly every countries of the world.
Until today it is not showing
signs of slowing down, but still surging. So lockdowns of countries and cities
are not coming to an end but still extending.
There is no need to say that
the virus had hit all economies. Many governments have to help industries and
businesses to keep them going on. Even in our country the government is giving
out loans to hard hit businesses, but many may have met their end.
Everybody can see that the
hardest hit are the grassroots people. People who are daily wages earners. Most
grassroots people in our country live on the daily wage of the breadwinner.
They have no savings, no insurance,not even decent places to live. So if the
head of a household cannot work for some days the whole family will have
nothing to eat.
But the good thing in our
country is people who are rich, who are well off like to donate, to share to
the have nots.Rich people like Saya
Kyaung, Max Zaw Zaw , Sai Myo Win and many others donated every needy things
like PPE suits, masks, ventilators, testing machines, and so on. Our country
also received these things as donations from other countries. So far I haven’t
heard about people going hungry and have nothing to eat.
As for me I am not rich enough
to make big donations. The 20th of March was my daughter’s birthday
and as she wanted to make some donations we went out together to do so. We each
donated 500000 kyats to Nam Kone charitable foundation (which will be busy if there is a breakout
in town ) and 500000 each to Sao San Tun Hospital to buy PPE suits or use where
necessary. Later I also bought some food
to make food packages for donation. But as I didn’t see much people in need
around me I donated to 10 household only.
.Taunggyi is still locked down
like other towns and cities, there is
not much difference with other times. Only the shops of Myoma Zay are allowed to
open alternately according to their numbers. If even numbers open today odd
numbers have to open the next day. So only half of the shops open on each day. Other
markets also have to move to larger place and keep at a distancing space of 6
feet apart.
But I notice that Taunggyi people are not so
scared of the virus now and are going about their activities as before, some
wearing masks while most don’t. I also started to go out sometimes when I have
to after staying home for about two and a half months. But at the present
because mass gathering is banned there are no weddings, no parties, no religious
gatherings and such things. Many businesses had come to a stop and surely
people are hard hit.
Covid 19 had a dreadful impact
on people’s lives. Everyone cannot have a normal life like before. People
cannot do business as usual,cannot go to religious and social events, children
and students cannot attend school. People who have awareness of the danger of
the virus cannot stay calm or unconcern.
So everybody including me
would like to see this contagious virus which is disrupting the whole world comes
to an end , so that we all can continue our lives as before.
