They say `Man Proposes but God Disposes.’
The new Corona Virus epidemic which has suddenly spread across the globe, reminds me of the great German scientist Albert Einstein’s quote, “God does not play dice with the Universe.” What did he actually mean by this? He actually meant that everything in the universe is governed by certain underlying principles, and there are mathematical laws to nature. But somehow, the new virus which has caught humanity off guard and it shows us how vulnerable we are to the vagaries of nature.
Or is the Malthusian theory at play. The 19th century British economist Thomas Malthus theorized that populations would continue expanding until growth is stopped or reversed by disease, famine, war, or calamity. So, is this virus here to balance the population growth?
Though, today we are at a stage where technology and science has reached the pinnacle of success, yet the infection has spread. Scientists and researchers have not been able to fathom the spread of the virus. People who test positive have been quarantined.
The Covid -19 originated in China and has now spread to Italy, Iran, Europe, Japan and South Korea. Yesterday, more than 22 people have tested positive in India. Even the US has had some positive cases. The common signs of infection include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, and shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. Infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death.
As per the World Health Organization report, Corona viruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases. Earlier, there was MERS-CoV and SARS CoV. This novel Corona virus (nCOV) has not been previously identified in humans.
Corona viruses are zoonotic, meaning they are transmitted between animals and people. Detailed investigations found that SARS-CoV was transmitted from civet cats to humans and MERS-CoV from dromedary camels to humans. Several known corona viruses are circulating in animals that have not yet infected humans.
With the infection spreading fast, there are just a few precautions that doctors have advised.
*Focus on hand and respiratory hygiene. People have been told to avoid handshake and contact with anyone suspected to be infected.
*Avoid all crowded places like malls, bazaars, and best to avoid international travel for the time being.
*And of course, if you have too then use a mask.
*Cover your nose while coughing and sneezing.
I am reminded here again of Einstein’s words. In a letter that he wrote to the American physicist David Bohm: “If God created the world, his primary concern was certainly not to make its working easy for us.”
Amen! TAKE CARE..is what we say!