An Interview with Corona Virus (COVID-19)
Me: Why would you indiscriminately take away the future of so many people?
COVID-19: Humans have all God-given gifts right from eyes to a great brain. You will find my antidote. As to why would I do it, I can’t say. I don’t have a body like humans, neither brain.
I am just a lifeless entity who keeps trying to fend for itself. I enter your bodies, integrate into your system and use your energy. That is the only way I can survive. I keep on creating my copies, so that, I keep going on. I am trying to fend for myself.
My days are numbered. I am fighting for a piece of my existence.
Me: Are you trying to imply that your pursuit existence is justified, no matter, how many good people have to give up their lives?
COVID-19: I don’t have a conscience to process this. I can’t differentiate between good or bad. I just try to find a home. I am inanimate until I don’t find a host. I will be eradicated I know that.
Neither of my siblings ever could go on forever. Brother SARS, Grandmother Spanish Flu, Grandfather Plague, and many of my kin have been eradicated. I accept my end but I will fight for myself till the end. I am not different from humans in that sense.
Humans have the most powerful survival instinct. They have weathered trials and tribulations of nature for so long. So, I will not underestimate you guys but neither should you guys underestimate me.
I have seen people coughing on other people as a joke. I have seen people taking their lives lightly. Your technological advancement gives you an edge, but at the same time, the confidence it gives you has become your downfall.
Me: Where were you born?
COVID-19: Honestly, I don’t know. I was sleeping. Then, someone just nudged me. I have two commands in my mind: multiply and seize energy. I have to keep on creating copies of myself. In that sense, I and my copies follow a matriarchal society. But, we don’t have a collective consciousness. So, no two copies can contact each other. Every copy I create is a hope for existence to continue.
Me: How can we fight you?
COVID-19: I’ll say a proverb of yours here, “Prevention is better than cure.” Stop taking me lightly. I have reached every nook and cranny of the human population. You can’t see me but I can, and I will stop at nothing to invade your body and make it my host. An invisible enemy is the hardest to tackle. I am highly tenacious. So, you can find me everywhere.
Stay inside your own home. Sometimes, I think I am the revenge of nature on you. You have threatened all species on this Earth without any protection. You indiscriminately cut trees and kill animals for something, you guys, call money. While what is of value, you destroy. Maybe I am a messiah for nature against you.
Wear gloves and mask, if you have to go outside and maintain social distancing. I can enter your body with a whiff of air, given my host sneezes there. If you maintain at least 1-metre distance from anybody who is coughing or sneezing, I won’t be able to enter your body. And if you really want to act like Superman and not wear mask and gloves, then, at least sneeze in your elbow for the safety of others. It is a good time to think about other people rather than yourself.
Go digital. Your so-called now can travel, am I right? You print numbers on paper or plastic and say, its money. You really can’t avoid money, so, I can’t avoid using it a means to invade your body. It is best that you try to pay online even when you are going to buy essentials.
Wash your hands frequently. I have heard some humans have this problem, OCD and some of them, do a lot of washing hands after touching everything. I can’t even touch those guys. So, be like them until I am looming above your lives. Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub.
Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth. You people say water is the source of life. Guess what, it is same for me. Your eyes, nose and mouth are the places where I can get access to your body. So, I just invade you so easily. To be honest, it is a piece of cake for me. And if you are really itching to do that, at least wash your hands before and give your best shot at killing me.
Take proper precautions when you get things delivered. You guys love to order everything online. I can stay on those packages for a long time. So, the onus lies on both the delivering party and receiving party to take care, I don’t get the chance, because I won’t leave a single opportunity to infect you with myself.
Be proactive when you feel the symptoms created by me. I like to invade your lungs, so, as soon as I enter your body, you will feel, difficulty breathing after some days. You will start coughing a lot because of the same. And because I am not a native to your body, so, your body gives its best shot to fight me by giving you a fever. Don’t be a hero and wait it out. Because I am the greatest villain and I will stop at nothing to take control of your body. So, run to the healthcare centre as soon as you feel any of these symptoms.
I am death incarnate and I will stop at nothing. So, follow what I told you above to avoid me. You give it your best shot and I will my best shot to invade your body.
Let’s see who wins.
Abhishek Verma is a researcher in the field of deep learning and artificial intelligence. He likes to write about the logical way of self-improvement. Spurred by emotions, he also likes to write poetry. Stay in touch by joining his newsletter. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Mix.
