If I Go Down, You Go Down Too

Even as I write out this blog post, the global COVID-19 cases stand at 101,441,979, of which Bhutan’s number stand at 856. For once I am glad of the fact that we rank so low among world nations – posting low numbers and being counted among the achievers is good!

Sadly, in the thick of the pandemic, the human race still remains a confused lot.

First, they do not trust their own determination and resolve to do the right thing – they surrender their lives to the hastily rushed and unproven vaccines that are still considered “experimental drugs approved for emergency use”.

Second, a majority of the people – even literate ones - seem to be under the impression that the vaccines are a cure for the virus. God only knows where they got that idea.

Third, there is so much hysteria and dread of death by the virus that people are driven to ignore everything else – there are even more critical issues that should matter more than surviving the virus. The incidence of death by COVID-19 is negligible – it does not call for this level of paranoia. There is no cure yet for the virus – but we do have safe and tested defense against its infection – the prescribed public health measures put in place by the government and health authorities. As long as we rigidly follow the safety protocols, we should be more than OK.

Fourth, people seem to think that wearing a face-mask is fortifying themselves from being infected by others. This mindset needs an overhaul – we have to realize that even more important than protecting ourselves, the bigger responsibility we fulfill in diligently wearing the face-masks is – protecting others from ourselves. Once you realize this, then your sense of responsibility and duty is heightened – you know you are serving the community – and not just yourself.

And finally, this COVID-19 pandemic exposes the most fundamental of human failings – forever focusing on the SELF. People still do not seem to realize the inter-connected nature of modern society. It is no longer possible to survive in isolation – you are not safe until those around you are also safe. Thus the recent attempts by some rich nations (the bickering between the UK and the EU) to hoard the vaccines are a sign that they have not understood that doing so is self-defeating. They forget that the populations in the poor nations form the larger percentage of the human melee. If this section of society suffers, the rich nations too will perish. The people of the rich nations need to understand that in safeguarding the health and life of the poor nations, they are safeguarding themselves.

During my many years of trekking the frigid alpine regions of Bhutan, one lifelong lesson I learnt is this: that it was even more important to protect my support team from the harsh and unforgiving elements than myself – because if they fail – I did not have a rat’s ass of a chance at survival – they go down, I will definitely go down!