Snow-capped peaks of the Dhauladhar range are visible from Jalandhar, which is more than 200 km away
The COVID-19 pandemic has turned the world upside down. Since the onset of this deadly virus everything has changed drastically. It has scared people around the globe like never before. Even the most powerful countries in the world are feeling helpless and powerless.
The entire world community has nearly come to a standstill. Those who did not take this virus seriously in the beginning are now paying the price. Every day, more and more cases of people testing positive and even losing their lives have been dominating the headlines around the globe.
Country after country is shutting down its borders in order to contain this disease. Here in Canada, we are fortunate that all levels of government were quick to respond and take protective measures to contain this pandemic. Along with others, to its credit, the BC government has been doing a commendable job in keeping British Columbians fully informed and engaged.
In this context, Health Minister Adrian Dix and Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry have been doing an excellent job with their daily updates. A vast majority of British Columbians have been very compliant to the guidelines set out by the health authorities. These include, staying home, washing hands frequently, social distancing and self-isolation. Consequently, the situation in BC is relatively less serious than in many other provinces like Ontario and Quebec.
However, with the possible arrival of thousands of returning Canadians from abroad presents a major challenge. People returning from abroad must remember that self-isolation for 14 days for every person returning from abroad is mandatory. There are likely to be severe consequences for those who don’t obey this rule. It is the law.
Also, it is incumbent upon the loved ones and relatives of people returning from abroad to ensure that they comply with it. It is in the best interest of all of us to interrupt spread of this virus as much as we can.
As they say every crisis has a silver lining. Similarly, the Coronavirus has forced people to sit back and think. It has provided an excellent opportunity for all of us to appreciate each other more and count our blessings. It has also made us aware of the Nature around us.
It has brought home the point that we are one humanity living on one planet. Let us get our priorities straight. With vehicle traffic down to a trickle, the pollution has gone down quite a bit. With pollution at a very low level, people can breathe easier now.
In this context, it was interesting to watch a video from the city of Jalandhar (Punjab) where they were very excited to see the snow on the mountain peaks of the Himalayas in Himachal Pradesh more than 200 km away.
Some people were remarking that they were experiencing something like this after more than 50 years. Also, there are reports of more birds, animals and wildlife around. Thus, now we have an excellent opportunity to not only appreciate each other but also appreciate Nature more.
Finally, we should be thankful to our healthcare workers, doctors, nurses, support staff and all of the frontline workers who are putting their lives in danger in order to protect and serve us. Let us remember that we all have a stake in keeping ourselves, our neighbours and our communities safe.
All of us need to be patient, co-operative and understanding. We are all in it together. Let us make best of the situation we are facing. Hopefully, this unexpected crisis will blow over before long and people will be able to resume their normal life activities.
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Balwant Sanghera, The writer is a retired school psychologist and community activist
b_sanghera@yahoo.com
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