Our way of life has drastically changed following the emergence of the dreaded Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. As tough as this could be, we are being forced to suddenly change our pattern of greetings as we no longer accept hugging, kissing, and handshakes even from dearest loved ones. We have adopted the “Namaste” pattern of greeting with either a slight bow and our own palms pressed together. Others simply give a wave, elbow bump or even leg shakes. Our appearances and cosmetic look have also suddenly changed over the last few weeks. People are fully clothed with hand-gloves and face masks all day long, even though a number of them do not still know when and how to properly use these protective gear. Some still see this as disrespectful, but it is what it is, and we have no other choice rather than to readjust our lifestyles and maintain social distancing.
In all of this, the reality check is that we have realized our wrongdoings, our over-reliance on foreign goods, foreign food, foreign expertise and even foreign health care. We have discovered our creative potentials as individuals and as a nation. We have learned to produce, cherish and value our indigenously made items such as the alcohol-based hand-sanitizers and face masks due to its gross scarcity. Not only this, but we have also found time to co-exist even along party/religious/social- class/ethnic lines, and care for each other. This is simply because, if we fail to do so, our immediate neighbors, friends, enemies, colleagues, or family members can easily infect us with the virus.
Nations of the world with opposing views have swallowed their pride, thrown away their differences and briskly settled in search of help. There have been numerous philanthropic donations in cash, supports, and provision of preventable equipment from notable personalities, from different walks of life, with the likes of Bill Gates, Jack Ma, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Roger Federer, Aliko Dangote, Folorunsho Alakija and others around the world as front liners. This is in a bid to reduce the tension and to prevent deaths arising from the virus. We urge others to do the same.
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With the high incidence and prevalence of Coronavirus (COVID-19) each day, it is, therefore, a threat to every sector of our economy and also a teacher for all of us to learn, do away with greed which has buffeted us as humans and adjust our lifestyles accordingly. This timely lesson should obviously make us easily co-exist in peace with others on this planet earth. Pharmaceutical companies across the world are in the race to develop a vaccine that will confer protection on healthy individuals against the disease and a possible drug to cure those already infected. Many of these companies have gone into partnership to do so. We could only hope and pray that God who is the Almighty and the great revealer of deep and secret things, gives them wisdom and insight into a possible timely solution.
Akinmutola Abayomi
Clinical Pharmacist, Nigeria.
March 26, 2020.