Swine flu is a contagious respiratory disease, caused by H1N1 virus. Well, now you will think that we all know. So, without discussing further about how it is caused or what its effect is, I will tell you the panic that I have seen just 2 weeks ago and the current situation in the city.
After getting hyped by the media, everybody got scared of the flu. Within 2-3 days everyone on the road was wearing mask. In buses, drivers and conductor were also wearing mask. Children in the society were allowed to play only if they were wearing mask. If a person was suffering from an ordinary flu, either people kept distance from him/her or suggested him/her to stay at home.
After getting hyped by the media, everybody got scared of the flu. Within 2-3 days everyone on the road was wearing mask. In buses, drivers and conductor were also wearing mask. Children in the society were allowed to play only if they were wearing mask. If a person was suffering from an ordinary flu, either people kept distance from him/her or suggested him/her to stay at home.
The biggest problem was the shortage of masks at medical stores. Even the disposable masks which cost rupees 1 or 2; were selling at rupees 20-30. People were giving order for the special H1N1 masks. It was good as all were taking precaution against disease. But what for those who were purchasing the mask from “hawkers” and from roadside? How could anyone ensure that those masks which were outside will protect from the virus? How can these masks be immune to the virus?
And as the death rate increased people were so much frightened that they stopped coming out of their home. Schools, colleges and multiplexes were closed. Most of the companies ordered their employees to work from home. The most crowded streets of the city where you can’t walk without bumping into someone on a normal day; were deserted at that time.
When the panic grew out of limits, government warned media not to hype the disease; to control the terror in the city. Well that was the condition 2 weeks ago.
Now, though the H1N1 virus is not completely wiped out from the city, people are roaming freely without any protection. As usual everybody is doing their work. No more “Work from Home”. Schools and colleges are opened. Where those masks have gone? Yes, sometimes in the buses; I could see people talking freely without covering their faces but, when the bus starts they cover their faces with hanky as if the virus will come from the window of the running bus.
Death rate has risen up to 30 in the city. No publicity, no terror. No terror, no precaution. After all; we all got familiar to this disease. It is well said that
“What is this Life if full of Care
We have no Time to Stand and Stare!”
And as the death rate increased people were so much frightened that they stopped coming out of their home. Schools, colleges and multiplexes were closed. Most of the companies ordered their employees to work from home. The most crowded streets of the city where you can’t walk without bumping into someone on a normal day; were deserted at that time.
When the panic grew out of limits, government warned media not to hype the disease; to control the terror in the city. Well that was the condition 2 weeks ago.
Now, though the H1N1 virus is not completely wiped out from the city, people are roaming freely without any protection. As usual everybody is doing their work. No more “Work from Home”. Schools and colleges are opened. Where those masks have gone? Yes, sometimes in the buses; I could see people talking freely without covering their faces but, when the bus starts they cover their faces with hanky as if the virus will come from the window of the running bus.
Death rate has risen up to 30 in the city. No publicity, no terror. No terror, no precaution. After all; we all got familiar to this disease. It is well said that
“What is this Life if full of Care
We have no Time to Stand and Stare!”
