Mortally paranoid

By Rhona Canoy

SO… Now that this novel coronavirus has everybody scared out of their underpants, maybe we should take a look at the reality and not the paranoia. We Pinoys like to take things to the extreme, and viral for us has a totally new meaning.

When news of the illness first broke, it came hot on the tails of the Taal explosion. This meant that the supply of face masks was already critically low. If one were truly informed about both situations, it would be easy to see that those exposed to ashfall were more in need than those afraid of getting infected. Ashfall was going to affect all the people, while the virus is more selective and situational.

I don’t want to waste anybody’s time talking about health tips and practical advice. Like any virus, Corona can be avoided by taking basic general steps. Frequent washing your hands with soap, generally keeping hygienic habits, drinking lots of water, making sure your constitution and resistance are above par, wearing a mask if you’re in a crowded place, being mindful of what you touch in public places. That’s common advice against any contaminant.

But that everybody is deathly afraid that they will be the one to succumb to the virus is a little beyond my logic. Percentage-wise, I don’t think Corona can kill off 110 million of us. Some will succumb, if not treated in time. And sadly, like what is happening in China, the older more frail of us have a higher chance of dying from it. That’s just reality.

Pandemics have come and gone, and people have survived them. From the first recorded one in Europe way back around 500 BC which (according to descriptions) sounds like it was typhoid fever, to the most recent in the 1980s which brought HIV-Aids to the world’s focus. And NCOV will not be the last.

What I actually find more amusing is the insanity that has come with NCOV. We have proven, once again, that Pinoys are inherently racist. We hated the Chinese because they are successful at business and generally richer than us. And now we hate them for bringing a deadly disease. No matter how we see it, the virus which was first recognized in their country has a greater chance of infecting their own because there are BILLIONS of them over there. The fact that the outbreak happened at the season of Chinese new year certainly ups the ante.

They all travel for Chinese new year. They go home to their parents, most taking public transport. Kind of like our Boholanos go home to Bohol in droves when May comes around. I don’t think those people wanted to get sick or become carriers of the illness. It just happened. And if you stop to ponder upon the severity of this whole thing, I feel most for the people of Wuhan.

For a city with a population of almost 12 million, the outbreak certainly was not expected. For what idiot would go around expecting some viral disaster? They were probably the most unprepared. And our Bible thumpers are now quoting parts of the book that “support” why this disaster happened to those heathens. Because they eat odd animals and animal parts. Hey, so do we.

Think of all the exotic things we have on our regional tables. Bugs, frogs, worms, ears, innards, tails, feet, blood. We’ve got those too. Before Christianity came around, people made do with what was available. That’s how food delicacies come into being. There are cheeses in Europe which are loaded with the maggots of certain flies and are considered most delectable just before the wormies become bugs. Japanese eat blowfish, which already are basically lethal so that’s the true walk on the wild side.

People are looking for someone to blame for this terror. If they spent as much time observing the prevention habits as they do fingerpointing, then I don’t think there would be anything to fear. Actually, I think people are just afraid of dying. And that’s more a spiritual than a viral issue. We spend so much time professing that our faith keeps us ready to meet the Maker. Walk the talk. Put up or shut up.

The reality is that the next NCOV victim could be me. Or not. It could be someone I know. Or not. But the fact remains that there’s going to be someone before they can get this thing under control. That is the nature of a pandemic. Did Europe blame the rats for the bubonic plague? Did they blame their terrible garbage disposal habits for its rapid spread?

Technology has made the worldwide spread much easier. Yes, technology. Trains and boats and planes. And a lack of responsible population control certainly raises the percentages. There are more people now than ever before. But then we have to take into account that statistics are based only on known cases. We don’t know how many people in China actually do have the virus but never went to seek medical help. Or how may died from it but went unreported?

All we can do is keep washing our hands, wear face masks and look like robbers, or better yet stay at home and live in fear. We don’t know how long this scare will last. Let’s give credit where credit is due. Our health care providers are most at risk. Doctors, nurses, nurse aides, hospital janitors. These are the true heroes. And we often forget. They do their jobs, in spite of what might befall them.

How petty that we ordinary mortals will fight over the last disposable face mask, unafraid to show our vile, selfish nature in the face of our mortality. We’re all going to die sometime. That’s a truth many of us don’t want to face. But it is inevitable. If your religious faith is supposed to make you and keep you strong, then you’re supposed to be ready anytime, aren’t you? For those claiming that this is God’s punishment for eating those strange animals, think about that statement.

God sent down this pandemic, then. And for what purpose we cannot fathom. If you’ve been good, then doesn’t it follow that you will be kept safe? Kind of like Santa Claus. Otherwise, you better watch out, you better not cry.