It has been 13 days since I tested positive for COVID-19 yet the constant waves of body muscle pain and headache seem to be my faithful companies, still. By now, when my body starts to show signs of them turning up, all I could say is, “Here we go again.”
Before I go any further, let me introduce myself. Hi, I am the hardcore germ freak who often gets insecure and hypochondriacal. I am also a homebody whose everyday’s destinations could simply be narrowed to the office and home. I use my mask at all times, wash my hands incessantly, always have my hand sanitisers with me, rewash the cutleries I am about to use, regularly sterilise my belongings once I got home from work, cover the straw of my iced coffee, and am fully vaccinated. Despite of having all the boxes ticked, I still got the big C. How could all those extra miles not be enough?
I spent my first days in bed contemplating about the unfairness this virus serves me in my orange knitted sweater and green lousy pants (you know when you are super sick you just cannot help but to wear the clothes that do not match). However, just as I started to get used to live with the anosmia and head to toe ache, my heart had to break as a week later my parents also tested positive. I could not bear hearing the news and for the life of me the pain of knowing that I am the possible main culprit behind this debacle tortures me more than the pain that this virus causes my body with.
Although we are still fortunate enough to be able to treat ourselves in the comfort of our home and got shown so many love by our family and surrounding, but still, talking through video calls while being under the same roof and not being able to hug my parents in times when we need it most racked me. Every time I hear them cough, it feels like a hard slap on my face and it does not get easier by days.
The amount of stories that resemble mine has now skyrocketed more than ever. Sometimes, we have already shielded ourselves with the best precautionary measures we can do, yet, at the same time, some whack jerks who are not willing to even try or still consider this virus as a mere conspiracy ruin everything for everyone.
Well, news flash, battling against this virus would only be a hopeless cycle of misery if people fail to understand that it is not a one man show and that this virus costs lives as its currency. People need to wake up and realise that this virus is the root of a vicious domino effect. One day it might contract you, the next it might be your parents, after that it might be your parents’ colleagues and their children, then it might be the friends of the children of your parents’ colleagues, and it could go on and on.
Having that in mind, it seems unfortunate that many people take being able to stay at home for granted. Believe it or not, it might be one of the finest luxuries one can have in times like this. But, rather than being grateful and spend the opportunity well, they choose to needlessly hang out with their friends like there is no tomorrow. Now, tell me, does the worth of mingling with your pals surpass the worth your family's lives at home?
Do not wait until you or your loved ones got defeated by this virus just to believe that this virus is real — because let me tell you, it is, and it causes the most draining and long-lasting side effects and distress.
Never let your guard down, because at this point, living in a country where the overall number of cases reach 1.95 million really puts all of us in a position where we simply cannot afford to cut some slack when it comes to the discipline of enforcing the proper health and safety protocols. Start double-masking, stay at home unless it is urgent or necessary, and most importantly, get vaccinated if you can. Yes, it might not give you the superpower of being immune to the virus entirely, but it builds the antibodies you desperately need to protect you from having severe complications.
Nobody is safe and everyone could have been a carrier, including you. So, please, if you do not want to make efforts for you, at least be compassionate enough to do it for those who are susceptible. Learn to appreciate the frontliners who have sacrificed their all to take care of the people in need, day in, day out, to the point that being overwhelmed seems like an understatement for them. In addition to that, the fact that the extreme rise of new cases is not being facilitated with sufficient amounts of supporting resources only proves the inadequacy of the system that supposed to look after us — hence, like it or not, we are kind of on our own now.
Remember, this virus tolerates nothing or no one. Be vigilant. Be protective. Be considerate.
Stay safe.
