COVID 19

COVID 19: A PANAROMIC VIEW OF OTHER DANGERS

Avdhesh Jha

The world with terror of COVID-19 having the power and strength to attack the human body, mind and soul is in critical phase of health and hygiene. In this 21^st century, when the human ambition and strife leads the human mind to far of galaxies and planets; directly or indirectly, this micro COVID-19 has affected the whole world in such a way that the world is shocked and shattered with its terror. The fast spread of this virus has attacked the human existence and its harmony but human is no less to raise itself in any situation. China, the first infected country, with its readiness to control the virus strongly adhered to complete isolation and thus recommends isolation to the world. The lessons from China depicts that with due care and strong adherence of control on movement by each individual, this virus can exist no more. China did it and still adheres to it with utmost care and severity and on the same lines, to avoid any similar painful event. To avoid similar situation, well in advance India posited controls with lock down. Every event has two sides and so has this event. This painful and panicking event is not at all good but this terror and trauma of the human mind and world has also added to the human, society and world. Whether the cognitive, psychomotor or the affective domain of human, COVID 19 has impacted each domain and all types of human health. Whereby it has threated the human existence, it helped the human to ponder on his requirements and achievements. The little COVID 19 with its spurious and speedy reach to the world affected the human as an individual physically, mentally, morally, ethically, emotionally, socially, economically and spiritually whereas it affected the world with respect to development, economy, socialism, ethics and spiritualism but simultaneously it added to the spirit of the human and the world and led to the rethinking for its development and the real requirements.

With the observations from the revealed data depicting 2-4% mortality rate, COVID 19 is not the only dangerous one but yet as of now the world treats it as the most dangerous. Along with its extreme contagious capacity, the media as a tool of technological development and its reach and accessibility to each home and individuals across the globe is the reason of the terror created in each human mind. Whereas the ignorance, fake ego, reputation and the lack of control of human mind is also responsible for the reach of this virus to every part of the world even the human bitterness lead with arrogance, hatred, discrimination and difference within the society is responsible for the spread of this virus. The COVID 19 because of the technological development, ignorance, lack of control of mind and bitterness proved to be the mightiest just because of its transmission speed, rapid multiplication, its contagious ability and fastest spread, its ignorance among the people, authorities and government and the inefficiency of the system to setback the COVID 19 which created the hype and exaggeration of COVID 19 and turned this situation as the battle and even worse. It is this hype and exaggeration that turned it as a grave battle which seemed as a world war and at a later stage turned as a war against humanity. In a way, the lack of preparedness of the system added to the spread and transmission of the so called mighty and gigantic little corona. It was this time that presented the ability of the human towards the different types of human health. It was observed that most of the people suffered from physical health and others suffered from emotional and mental health. The COVID 19 with its negative energy and power created lot of differences and enforced human to keep away of human. When the sympathy and empathy was required, the human driven by the force of their safety and security and ignorance about its cure turned weird and selfish. Whereby the infected and the sufferers might have been looked upon with mercy at most places they were treated as the species endangering the humanity or as if the COVID 19 itself. The lack of medical facilities rendered the human helpless and even forced the government to turn insensible and cruel towards many. This turned to be the time of politics for many merciless inhuman newsmongers who abused the technology and added to the uproared fake news which spurred with all its might because of the individuals spreading it by sharing it to many without its authentication.

Whereas a little of common sense, care, courage, caution, control, discipline, patience, hope, selfless action, trust and humane was required in most cases it was turned to need gratification carelessness, restlessness, recklessness, uncontrol, indiscipline, impatience, despair, selfishness, distrust, and being inhumane. The mad-self started with the fight for life but soon because of the poverty and the unsatisfied needs for existence turned it to be a fight of livelihood for the satisfaction of their basic needs. This need oriented people suffering the terror of poverty, ignorance, illiteracy, lack of understanding of value of life and lack of basic needs had only choice to join the fight for the satisfaction of their basic needs. Its pity the number of such fighters was huge enough to turn this fight as a war and thus willingly they opted, joined and supported this everlasting, all time existing fierce war without any weapon and if at all it was only their spirit to survive.

To better understand the way of thinking under such circumstances a research was conducted to study the impact of COVID 19. The objective of the research comprised to study the thinking process of the individuals undergoing crisis, study the stages of thinking process for the crisis management and to study the impact of the crisis on human, needs, media, health, economy and humanity. In-depth interviews were conducted in four groups with about 200 people. Based on the satisfaction of basic needs as such food, water, clothes and other life requirements, the research sample was divided in two groups – one who were self-suffice i.e. had a stock to satisfy their basic needs and others who suffered to have a stock of basic needs. The model thus is based on the assumption that the society is divided in two groups - with stock of basic needs (WSBN) and without stock of basic needs (WoSBN) which turns to be the limitation of the model. It was observed that the lack of psychology, social and human factors impacted the life badly. This mix of these impacting factors may be termed as Psychosomane. A mix of the word’s psychology, social and human; Psychosomane relates to the interrelation of social factors, individuals thought and behaviour and the aspects of humanity on the way towards being human. The analysis of the thought process showed the presence of different characteristics in both the groups which was presented in hierarchy. Whereas the hierarchy of WSBN presented security, assurance, acceptance, adjustment, aweful for law, caution, common sense, care, control, discipline, patience, courage, responsibility, hope, trust and lead towards humanity; the hierarchy of WSBN depicted insecurity, worry, rejection, maladjustment, fearlessness of law, risk, need gratification, carelessness, uncontrol, indiscipline, impatience, restlessness, helplessness, despair and distrust which lead towards just being inhuman. Unfortunately, this battle against COVID 19 which started for life, only with the lock down turned to be a battle for livelihood because of which many lost their lives. Accordingly, the psychosomane characteristics were categorised in different stages of psychosomane crisis of two conflicting forces. Howsoever when an individual reconciles in a particular stage, they enter into other stage with two conflicting forces. Overall, the characteristics with similar virtue, like reasons for cause and like determining factors were placed in same group and accordingly the following stages of psychosomane crisis was presented in hierarchy (from lower to higher) as follows:

Hierarchy of Psychosomane Crisis

1.     Security Vs. Insecurity

2.     Preparedness Vs. Limitations

3.     Assurance Vs. Worry

4.     Acceptance Vs. Rejection of situation

5.     Adjustment Vs. Maladjustment

6.     Aweful of Law Vs. Unaweful of law

7.     Caution Vs. Risk

8.     Common Sense Vs. Need Gratification

9.     Care Vs. Carelessness

10.  Control Vs. Uncontrol

11.  Discipline Vs. Indiscipline

12.  Patience Vs. Impatience

13.  Courage Vs. Restlessness

14.  Responsibility Vs. Helplessness

15.  Life Vs. Livelihood

16.  Hope Vs. Despair

17.  Pleasure Vs. Pain

18.  Confidence Vs. Conceited

19.  Trust Vs. Distrust

20.  Commitment Vs. discontentment

21.  Humane Vs. Inhumane

In this fight with the virus, people started with the idea of security with positivity towards life but only a few reached towards end. Those with life and the ability to survive because of economic support ended up at live vs. livelihood. Others because of lack of economic support ended up with helplessness and some of them even loosed life. At this time there were only a few who behave normally and ended up with humane. It was unfortunate that the crisis started with selection of life but many had to think for livelihood and many lost their lives. In any situation, the collection in the form of donation has turned very common but simultaneously we should also think for the people around us who with their hard work have been striving for live.

Impact of COVID 19 on human: The most terrible impact of COVID 19 was seen on human. With the lockdown was posited several controls and the same aroused several questions. The curiosity didn’t allow the human to keep away from the media and news whereas the livelihood didn’t allow many to rest at ease. It was only this situation that asked the human to think of life and livelihood and most people selected life. The fear of the control forced the people for hoardings and the shops turned empty within hours. The slave of the need, requirements and the necessities; the human; took all that what was required and even those that was not required. Capitalism proved to be a motivating factor and people bought all that what money could buy. The quick and unexpected decision by the government and its vicarious presentation by media and misinterpretation by people created a chaos. Capitalism spurred and livelihood requirement hailed for those who had money. But the poorest sight was for the poor people and the daily wages workers. They also loved life but left with nothing, neither the livelihood nor the stay, these poor people chose to move back out of fear of dying by starving. It was this decision that created lakhs of people taking risk and ultimately joining the shelter homes. It proved that more than corona was the fear of their existence in the lockdown.

With the concept of social distancing and the multi-faceted rumours about corona added with the infections of the differences; the distrusted people with the fear of their endangered life removed all the household workers which staked the life of these household workers yearning for their livelihood. The infections of the presentation and mis-presentation; the interpretation and mis-interpretation turned viral and created a chaos and humanity came to a standstill with no one for none and none for even anyone. It impacted the human to avoid face to face socialism, sharing, caring and added to people suspecting others as corona positive, treating others as untouchable and looking every other with prejudiced eye. It enabled many to invest time, exploring other opportunities especially in education it spurred with online classes. It further added to family togetherness, thinking about real need positing the question as such how much we need, what is truth, how useful are the materialistic pleasures etc. For India COVID 19 added to spreading religionism, spiritualism; cherishing the time with what you like. The concept of work from home in most cases was abusive because young children expect parents to help them accompany but parents were busy reporting their offices creating a negative impact amongst the children. Nonetheless, COVID 19 added to the homeliness, family togetherness and oneness. Those who had work from home were troubled with reporting and generating business whereas others were busy to think and strive about how to spend time mostly with TV news, social sites, calling a friend on phone, or with giving their presence to net flix and prime video etc. Whereas removing the workers without caring for them was a problem for the workers, it also turned a problem for each family and also a boon because it was only this time when each household had to work on his own which in turn added to their physical health and to their attitude towards their worker.

Impact on needs: With complete lock down and the opening of only a few essential services, COVID 19 let human have the opportunity of survival with restrictions. COVID 19 posited strong controls. Those who could control their habits restricted their needs and proved themselves powerful others had to pay a lot for their habits. These payers boosted the market for their needs and nearly most of the people satisfying their needs earned huge profits. COVID 19 presented different facets of human with collectivism, hoarding, black marketing, profiteering etc. but there were some who served the society neutrally. Whereas the virus presented the threat, it was sad that even this situation was looked upon as a business proposition which presented the poor picture of inhumane by the human. It presented the degradation and devaluation of values and humanity.

Impact of Media: With infomedia, in this era of science and technology, media is the backbone of the society. Media is a source of guide and information. And thus, it has the responsibility to validate the news before sharing. Because of the popular social sites keeping the people busy to share the information, today most of the people have turned a media man but without any sense of duty and responsibility. The competition amongst the newsmongers to be the first one to share the news and picture created a chaos as the messages were mis-represented and mis-interpreted. These newsmongers created a chaos by sharing the news without any facts and validation which created misfodemic. Misfodemic here means misinformation epidemic. The reporting of the same news about COVID 19 created a terror and trauma amongst the people who kept updating themselves with the virus and its impact on the society. These were the one to consider everyone suffering from corona and looked upon them with hatred. A little irresponsible behaviour by the newsmongers of the social sites and some media created several problems to the innocent people from the community. Not restricting the misfodemic to the community, it created competition among the rulers and ministers to use the social sites and news channels to post themselves as the first one to take steps. It was pity politicians took this tragic event as opportunity of popularity. Social sites were the one to add to the misfodemic which further added to the mis-interpretations and forced people to take the steps which were strongly prohibited. COVID 19 thus presented a huge virus infecting the people at large with distrust and thus promoting the uncurable misfodemic at the cost of trust merely for small and temporal gains against humanity.

Impact on health: COVID 19 cursed the human health badly. Not restricting to physical health and death, it impacted the mental, social, emotional, economical and spiritual health of human. The misfodemic was not restricted to the human but reached the societal health and cursed the mental, social and economic health of the countries within and amongst their partner countries. To help the people follow the lock down, most of the countries tried all that could attract the people to keep at home and thus follow lock down. This gave the opportunity to promote culture and spiritualism with the popular TV shows telecasting it again. Indeed, it added to culture and spiritualism but it’s unfortunate the goodness remains for a short while whereas the misfodemic was working all the time affecting the societal health and damaging the human health for which there could hardly be any vaccines. Its pity, with this most common and most dangerous misfodemic, having the capacity to harm the generations with its infection, there is no hospitalisation, for the wound is unseen but the unseen wound has its deep and stained marks on body, mind and soul. Because the symptoms of this infection are not described medically there is no hospitalisation, no seriousness and so no chance for any vaccine.

Impact on economy: The repercussion of COVID 19 brought complete closure to the industry, business and trade and thus impacted the economy negatively. There was no individual and no country that was left without the impact of this virus on its economy. The economy with respect to GDP maybe addressed and compensated sooner or later but the impact of the suffering of the people and the country and its impact on happiness of the people and the country could hardly be economised and compensated at any point of time.  

Impact of humanity: With the wild messages spread by the newsmongers, peoplr abhorred talking vegetables from the vegetable vendors not only creating huge losses to them but also prompting them to starve to death. The people out of their fear and helplessness took huge risks and some lost even their dearer members which would remain a lifetime tragedy and pain for them. Its sad on the part of the society too that missed its duty and pledge towards humanity. Whereas the posited lock down of COVID 19 with the imposed control was an opportunity to assess the patience, perseverance, creativity, duty, responsibility and commitment of an individual towards their family, state and nation; COVID 19 also posited thinking about real need, how much we need, what is truth and how useful are the materialistic pleasures. Because of misfodemic and thus the lack of patience many people suffered and many had to pay with their lives. Most people, most countries lost hope and went in despair. Indeed, it was the loss of humanity, humanity suffered because of the inhumane humane. The lust for power and greed for richness slayed the humanity and human (in the name of COVID 19) slaughtered both human and humanity.

Pros and cons of COVID 19: COVID 19 questioned the medical and psychosomane readiness of the countries to face such a situation. It threatened and challenged the developed countries boasting about GDP with the best infrastructure, instructional facilities, human resources, industrial development and technology that were hardly able to cope up with COVID 19. It prompted the countries to assess their health and medical facilities and its related infrastructure. With COVID 19 were posited several restrictions as a precautionary step. Whereas some self-locked themselves, others were forced by the system to lock down and follow the lock out. Indeed, this imposition was a terror for the people. Several were panicked with lock down whereas some behaved wise. Unfortunately, people took a long time to understand why system forced the closure of schools and colleges for students. Although this step was not well understood by the managers but it created new opportunities for many which initiated the application of technology to education. With several threats as such ability to bear the stress of lock down and its control; the stress of the meetings about the economic betterment of the organisation; the unending debate about the effectiveness of the online or virtual classes; expectation of the authorities from the teachers to prepare the case study, research papers and innovative lessons etc.; mental health of teachers and employees; the stress of the mental health and its worth to write papers and do much in this panic situation;the mental health of the people with different SES; miscommunication; stress of fake news on popular social sites; politicisation of the news and creating differences; the trauma of the daily wage workers and its possible causes and outcome; the mindset of the people towards other fellow beings; stress of being human to anyone coughing and sneezing; the stress of ability of being human at the idea of risking life; the stress of the idea of our development with respect to our own health etc. posited a lot to the society and its balance turning it more unbalanced. Such an unbalance urges for rethinking about the luxury, leisure, high GDP, technological development and best infrastructure as indicators of development. It further seeks clarification if even the society of the developed country has the capability to safeguard its human health and societal health to this pandemic.

For most of the employee - the backbone of the organisation; this debate of the organisational heads caring for their organisational economic well-being vs. those caring their employees’ health arose. The terror of reporting twice by the employees even in teaching field along with the proof of work done was a horrifying mental state. The debate about fake news, the social sites abuse, politicisation of news, self-publicity at the cost of corona terror, declining humanity were very common but just remained unanswered. Such situation asks the society to assess if humanity prevails and that if economy is the only need for human development? It also questions the physical, social, mental, emotional, aesthetical or spiritual health of the societal members and asks to check the same when we are self-locked. With increasing terror and trauma of COVID 19, even though the honourable Prime Minister of India emphasized humanity without fear of economic consequences, its pity that institutes are busy following their protocols selfishly, some of which has affected and impacted the name and fame of country badly. COVID 19 awakens us about poor medical infrastructure and facilities and lack of preparedness of the countries towards this situation. This pandemic proved that technology can also be an option to education.

Most of the countries have their own history of freedom. Yet we have failed to understand the importance of freedom and so still we are not free. We are the slaves of prevailing inequality, differences of color, race, religion, gender, power, capitalism, technological development etc. Each minute some powerful is killing the humanity and so we are still not free. The tiny corona challenging the mankind has proven its might now and all the mankind is suffering. The race of proving the worth with materialistic development initiated by an ignorant is now the race of the world because of insecurity amongst the others.

Any country is the land of people of passionate love, and faith. Today technological advancement is not a major issue for any country rather expansion and its reach to all, is important. Rather than Bullet Train Project the humanitarian projects are important. Rather than the investment in high speed train the countries need the investment for loving and caring heart and brain. The issues for upliftment of declining humanity, life and its safety are important. The small corona posited a lot threat and shackled the world and all its aspect. It questioned the developing countries and the mankind about its so-called development and challenged the readiness of the world for any such sudden event and cause. Infact it has awakened the world. It rests up to us, how we take it.The attraction and run for creation of tallest statues as wonders of world are just becoming a tourist sight and will remain meaningless with pictures in the mobile phones. The need is valuing the value. The nations can just boast of its development on the basis of its economy and GDP but for the fact this doesn’t indicate the real development. The real development lies not in giving the concept of Global village but lies in turning this concept practical and real. It should not remain a concept to study but be converted to real situation to feel and enjoy. All we need to do is to manufacture humanity, to produce and consume humanity, develop equality. To reach Mars is not tough but to add and prevail humanity and be prepared for any such situation is real development.

The furious and grave COVID-19 pandemic may look to be a serious matter as of now but along with it has entered more furious, more grave and most dangerous virus of misinformation which spreads without any control across the globe within no time and impacts the world negatively misleading each one with the differences that creates distrust towards each other and turns each of them more selfish, lonely and inhuman. Like the fast spread of the corona epidemic termed as pandemic this fast spread of misinformation, maybe termed as the misfodemic is the most dreary and scary. Unaware of the facts and its cure, the people keep loitering with the false information and keep surrounded with its spread and reach troubling themselves with nothing, for nothing. The power of social sites, science and technology is much required here to let truth prevail and the fake or the false to perish. Whether it is physical, social, mental, aesthetical, economical or spiritual health of the human, this misfodemic with its ease of reach and access to all human endangers each type of human health and harms it badly creating distrust all around. This in turn infects the society. Thrilled falsehoods full of wild conspiracy towards a caste, community, society, state, nation and other countries are the waves that fill in the air to damage the mind and thought process of all those inhaling it whether knowingly or unknowingly. Media and people say it’s the videos that getting viral but for the fact it’s the spurring abundant envy, jealousy and hatred spreading and getting viral and infecting the people mentally with such a strong impact as to infect several generations. This is the time science should be awakened strongly, technology supported social sites should spur with dissemination of facts infecting the human with lessons of love and humanity, and most importantly the developer of the viruses of the differences be punished without any mercy.

The impact of this pandemic on the human mind is severe. I am sure, this pandemic will end soon but I am afraid the consequences might be very tough. Even after the end of this pandemic, it would be difficult for the parents to send their ward to school. There are chances that many of them will change their idea of lavishness and will restrict their needs. It may lead to abhorring the brands, less outing, less show off which may affect the economy badly. Socialism may also be affected and impacted and people may choose to limit themselves only to a few by restricting the size of family, relatives and friends. Although human has the benefit of boon of forgetfulness but till the individuals forget it will take not less than a year to turn the things normal and socialism is such which once affected is likely to create the walls permanently. Precautions are must but precautionary measures should not be an attack on the livelihood of the hard-working people because they are the equal member of society and their progress or regress will equally affect us. The messages must be must be softly and smoothly. Necessary care and precaution should be taken that any message should not affect any innocent. Sooner or later, the vaccine of COVID 19 maybe found and maybe one or two doses of this vaccine will develop the stamina to resist the disease but the virus of distrust created by the misfodemic cannot be healed, cured or vaccinated by any medicine. The only way is preserving the trust, developing the trust and transmitting the trust for one and all irrespective of the political, economic, individual selfish gains whether for power or position of an individual or the country. This trust should exist within and between the individual, communities, states and countries. It’s only this trust that can add to humanity and turn world a true global village. With a hope that trust prevails and humanity hails, I am sure each home will be quarantined with COVID 19 but I hope and wait for the world where each home and mind are quarantined with the fastest virus that create differences amongst the human and endanger the existence of humanity on this beautiful paradise.

With a hope of best for the mankind, appreciating and paying tribute to all those who have supported this fight against corona directly or indirectly, I am sure this article will enlighten the potential researchers and the society as well it will help us all ponder about the real idea of development which starts with the health whether physical, social, mental, emotional, aesthetical or spiritual and ends with humanity.

References:

https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/economy/asia-pacific/india-economic-outlook.html
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/poverty-matters/2014/apr/07/is-india-still-a-developing-country

Acknowledgement

I am grateful to Dr. Asha Thokchom, Dr. A. K. Kulshrestha, Dr. Bharti Venkatesh, Dr. Rajesh Sharma, Dr. Rajshri Vaishnav, Dr. Lalima Singh, Dr. Rajesh Gupta and all the people under the study for their valuable information and support.