Take a pledge to fight against the stigma of Covid patients

PC THOMAS

COVID-19 is the biggest challenge of our lifetimes unfortunately. It is changing human behaviors and attitudes today to a great extent and forcing people to respond in different ways. Presumably, the pandemic may require more time to be brought under control and it may take years for normalcy in all aspects of life to return. Meanwhile the moot question is how we would survive. Perhaps there will be radical changes in life in the future, as the crisis has caused a great deal of panic and the, people now consider it more of a crime to be affected by it than a disease.

What is the attitude of the society towards the patients who are confirmed Covid positive? Due to panic among the people, the Covid positive people are sometimes treated like untouchables, even though they are getting recovered from their disease. The cured persons struggle with multiple factors including social isolation, stigma and discrimination which put them at higher risk of psychological problems. This social stigma needs to be tackled through education and awareness.

According to doctors’ versions, the Covid19 is coming and going unknowingly to many of our people. 40 percent of people would not be aware of the fact that they have Covid. But when they were tested and found positive, they become not only the victims of Covid but also of a social tragedy. A stigma is attached to those who are sick, or suspected to be sick, as well as to those who tend to them.

Also Read- what-to-do-when-corona-climbs-mt-Everest

There is a need to change the mind-set of the people. We need to understand how much suffering this crisis causes to the patients and their loved ones. People with this disease should not be discriminated. In the ancient times, only lepers were secluded to a great extent for fear, of contracting the sickness or becoming ritually impure through any contact with them. But Jesus Christ touched the lepers and healed them, according to the scriptures. What is the attitude of people towards Covid positive patients in this modern world? Unfortunately, people treat them as if they have committed a major crime when they are infected with the coronavirus.

Human relationships are to be maintained in all situations. Social distance does not mean not helping each other. In fact, what is meant by social distancing is physical distancing. Unfortunately, the word social distance is often misunderstood. The so called social distance should be understood as keeping at least two meters physical distance between persons. Do not misunderstand it.  Human beings are social beings. They have to treat one another with respect, empathy and love in all situations!

Also read-Stay positive in negative situation

No one can live without social connections in life. Our vision and focus of life should be for all and for one another. Otherwise there is no point in saying that we are cultured or social beings. Even a herd of animals will always try to save a suffering animal. On the contrary, human beings are becoming indifferent to other human beings. Are we not better than other animals?

Today there is a tendency to exploit the Covid situation by greedy people. It seems to give them some sort of power to control the life of others through various means. Unethical business dealings are some of them. Hoarding of essential goods or selling things including life-saving medicines at a higher price to people who struggle to survive is one of them.  Public systems need to be put in place to protect the people from such exploitation and price rise. Let us take a pledge to fight against the stigma of COVID-19.

    

What to do When Corona Climbs Mt. Everest?

PC THOMAS

We are marching towards more than sixth month of the coronavirus induced lockdown and there seems to be no breather from the highly infectious contagion which is devastating the world. The crisis appears to be unfolding in India in the worst manner than we could have expected. As of September 22, the alarming number of COVID cases worldwide has crossed the 30-million mark and has resulted in 9,71,879 deaths.

Having dealt with social isolation in India, people keep wondering and thinking when we will able to live a normal life? The pandemic shattered the economy, corporate or the everyday economics. It wreaked people with pain of less work, of not going out or exploring new things, but it bridged that void between relationships.

While scientists and medical experts around the world have been working at a breakneck pace to launch a vaccine to control the spread of COVID-19, there is one question that everyone has that how will the pandemic end? While the official caseload has crossed the five million mark, medical experts suggest that the pandemic will touch its peak at different marks in different regions of the country. Therefore, our reaction to the pandemic has to be more localized and effective, to get rid of the pandemic from the root level.

Although the COVID time affects our emotions, memories, feelings and perspectives, it should help us to transform our vision of life for the better and to develop our character. A crisis like this teaches us lessons we would not learn when things are pleasant. We are the sum of the experiences that we come across as we go through life. As human beings, when we encounter a challenge, we have liberty on how to respond to it.

Also Read - How do we prepare ourselves against Covid pandemic?

This pandemic has taught us many things if we can introspect. Different people must have got different realization. The time is ripe to reconsider and rethink our lifestyles and our approach towards social unity. We must tighten protocols and work in unison to build a COVID free society. Cleanliness of surroundings in general and personal hygiene in particular should now be prioritized. We must extend a serving hand without anticipation of a reward. We can help those in need and be ready to help and take help when needed. Let us realize that humans are made out of love and let this love be around. Let us imbibe and reflect love.

Also Read: when-will-we-go-back-to-normal-life

In these difficult times we see many torch-bearers who are risking their lives to protect others – Doctors, nurses and police forces are the epitome of human values in this crisis. Keeping our helplessness in view, we must all surrender before the Almighty’s Power. As we move ahead on the pathway of humankind, things will roll in our favour, pleasing the creator. If we are at peace within ourselves and at peace with the nature we will certainly dispose of this virus. All of us are tense and stressed. We must turn to Almighty. Stay updated with the Best Blog PC Thomas

 

 

 

Hoping for the best amid pandemic

 PC THOMAS

Coronavirus has apparently created massive financial disproportions in humans from all walks of life. What is even more worried is the striking reality that many lives are falling into poverty, particularly from the lower middle class that includes skilled labours, hawkers and workers. With the earning hands shifted to jobless or endured pay cuts, many families are finding it hard to cope with things in their life, which ultimately affected the education of their children.  

Recently, media reported a Class-X student of Indore allegedly ended his life as he had no means to pay his outstanding fees which was forcefully demanded by his school authorities. In another report, a man who was rendered jobless due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown, hanged himself at Kanpur in UP. In July, media reported, children in about 62% households discontinued their education amid the Covid-19 outbreak. Suicide Cases during Corona Lockdown in India are many.

Numerous reports also came to light showing that many parents are very much hard-pressed to maintain the education of their children due to their job loss. Many unaided parents have been forced to sell their valuable resources for buying the gadgets for the virtual education of their children, driving them further into poverty.  

Also Read: Stay Positive in Negative situation

Obviously, the pandemic crisis has led to a massive spike in the unemployment rate of the country. A latest report of the CMIE revealed worrisome data, which says more than 1.8-Cr salaried employees lost their jobs in India since April, followed by one lakh job losses in May.  

As a result, education is mainly undergoing a severe predicament at the moment. Presumably, schools and college campuses will be shut through 2020 due to an increasing number of COVID cases. In the midst, the shift of classroom experience to virtual platform has highlighted digital disparities, exposing vast tracts with internet connectivity problems. Parents find it difficult to pay for laptops, iPads, smart-phones or the data packs for their children to log into online classes.

While everybody suffers differently, it is of serious concern, how can common people or unemployed parents survive? When and how the economy will recover?  As far as school authorities are concerned, how can they ensure the security and wellbeing of students, teachers and staff? How do they discipline students? How can they protect teachers? How do they revamp classroom experiences? Can parents afford to pay school fees without job? Can institutions afford to pay teachers without students?   There are many unanswered questions.

Also Read: Corona crisis and coronation of our lives

The crisis has revealed that hoping for the best does not help us. On the other hand, we must plan for the worst and hope for the best. The time is ripe that governments should vehemently address this issue – Save our souls and save our States is the weep of people. All state Governments must prioritize the most deprived children and their families through significant social protection schemes including child benefits, remote learning opportunities, healthcare services and generate more and better quality jobs for people to survive. It is also significant that each State and districts have a plan for how to ensure that the pandemic does not derail the aspirations and achievements of this generation of students.

 

Stay Positive in the Negative Situation

PC THOMAS

The global economic recession and uncertainty set off by the Covid-19 pandemic as well as the stringent lockdown imposed to contain its spread have impacted lives and livelihoods in India. Financial imbalance and social isolation have pushed many of them to the brink of despair and uncertainty.

Despite the fact that the unlocking has been in progress for past 65 days as of writing this piece, people are attempting to adjust themselves to the new normal life.  However, during this Covid-19 crisis, there are reports indicating to a growth in alleged suicides. On the flip side, there are stories of young people who have triumphed over adversity with life-changing success.

The challenge of Covid-19 is that it is a large-scale crisis affecting the entire society. Businesses go bankrupt, people lose jobs, no hike in salary and people face many struggles to survive during these difficult times.  However, it is a fact that even in the toughest of times, positive people are winners and the negative people are the losers. All of us have the opportunity to utilize this Covid time positively to prepare ourselves to build a better future for us and for our posterity.

Sometimes people, probably because they follow their zeal with passion or because they are by nature aggressive, brave, ambitious, they are willing to leave the comfort zones and move towards the discomfort zone to achieve what they look for in life. But there are some who drift through the present situation aimlessly.

The primary lesson that we need to take from this situation of pandemic is that it is a crisis or it appears to be a setback to the progress of the entire humanity, but the world is not going to an end. The world will emerge stronger and we will find a treatment for the disease and we will go about our lives and get stronger and get better. The most important thing that we can do today is to have that self-belief. Every crisis builds its own winners and even the absence of a crisis has losers. Hence, be positive and believe in you and in the Supreme Power that gives meaning to your life.

In addressing the social issues related to the suicides committed by Covid-19 positive patients or the disgrace and stigma attached to the disease, we need to educate people about reasonably confronting painful and difficult situations in life. Further, we need to be sensitive and caring about persons who need support and encouragement.  Therefore, it is very important for us to quickly reach out those persons in our society who show indications of depression. Timely financial and emotional support in this difficult situation can reduce the number of people taking an irreversible stride to end their lives.  The Central and State governments, on their part, need to take care that  the schemes announced to alleviate the sufferings of the poor and the needy reach the deserving people and that too without delay. For all of us, the need of the hour is to be positive about life and embrace life with confidence come what may! - This article published in Metro Vaartha on 14.8.2020. Stay Updated- The Best Blog PC Thomas

 

 

 

 

When will we go back to Normal Life?

PC  THOMAS

When COVID-19 is causing a massive shake-up of our daily lives, a major question that comes up in everyone’s mind today is “When are we going to return to normal life”? We have to find out new keywords to optimize the situation. Even when the Vaccine is experimentally advanced to reach out, it will roughly take about six months to get it injected into our blood.  In any case, when we are ready to immunize ourselves with the vaccine, it would perhaps be hard for all the people to manage the cost of the medicine unless the Government assumes the liability of 135-Crore Indians. Read more  PC Thomas Articles

The fundamental factor would also reveal to us that for a nation like India, which is densely populated where people are not prepared enough to be restrained, it will be extremely hard to keep up social distancing until we are disciplined enough to  make it a part of our day to day living culture.

In our normal way of thinking, we may presume that we can achieve zero-coronavirus population by conducting tests of every one going from home to home. When the civic administration is searching for Covid patients through the left side, real patients are running away from the right side, and vice versa. Then, what can be done?  Like we have done for Aadhar implementation and Voter id-card exercise, are we able to do a corona test on every resident in a phased manner?

Every resident of this nation should demand a test from the government right now than anything else. Of course, a caution is needed. Two difficult factors still remain: not increasing the testing rates and the government’s denial of community spread. Recovery rates do spiral because that is the natural course during a pandemic. However, we would not find out more new cases unless we test more. Until and unless all citizens are completely tested, what is the answer for these terrible circumstances we have just fallen into?

Already, voices are rising in nations like the USA against the Government's deferral in understanding the seriousness of the issue and now the administration is openly admitting that their framework was not set up to face such a consequence.

In India, we seem to be more interested in trumpeting about what we do in combating the pandemic and showing off the social help we are giving during the lockdown than to confront the situation with earnestness and discipline. In any case, would we say  that we are posing difficult queries  or that we are not prepared to address the enquiry - how long do we need to be in lockdown?

The time has come to settle on hard options, create a middle path with respect to the public. The challenge, when all said than done, is - how would you cause the citizens to make the best decision to follow guidelines when they are not familiar with following civic rules. Considering the gravity of the situation, the main way out is to communicate and conscientize the people about the need to follow the instructions through various governmental agencies to keep themselves safe ceaselessly and consistently. We have to attempt to do the best, and then we will survive! Stay safe! This article published in Metro Vaartha on 3.8.20- Stay updated with the Best Blog PC Thomas

Covid-19: Alarming situation on the employment front!

PC THOMAS

The employment sector in India is facing the brunt of the global pandemic that is jeopardizing the future of employers and employees. Loss of jobs has aggravated the problem as most employment sectors from lower economic backgrounds.

Due to the coronavirus crisis, millions of Indians have lost their jobs and keep on stressing as the pandemic circumstance in India appears to exacerbate. But, even as rising coronavirus cases and unpredictable lockdowns undermine India's business recuperation rate, the recent official data came into the light on new jobs in July gives another ray of hope.

As per data released by the Centre for Monitoring India Economy (CMIE), there had been further advancement in job situation in July and a further decrease in the joblessness rate. Urban employment openings are also on the rise. While the gain in July has not been any place close to June, however, there has been an improvement in job numbers. The CMIE research organization earlier forecast a fall in the employment rate in July.

In the last weekend July 19, the urban employment rate recuperated to 35.1-percent, which is the   most elevated rate after the maximum fall in April. According to CMIE, the rate had expanded to 34.5-pc in the week ended June 28, but decreased to 33.2-pc in the first week of July. From the past week, more employments are being included in urban India landscape which brings something relief to millions of individuals who are still searching for a job in a fairly lukewarm market. Essential services and service sector jobs have additionally hurled on different job portals like Noukari.com. Because of the sharp ascent in cases, the situation keeps on staying uncertain; most experts anticipate a sharp angular recuperation in employment if the trend continues.

Set aside from the statistics of CMIE, however, it is obvious that a damaging impact on an economy as large as India's caused due to a complete lockdown cannot be overemphasized. The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), a leading industry association of India, earlier in April released its finding that 100-million and more Indian Jobs are at risk after COVID-19 lockdown.  Therefore, how the economists and entrepreneurs react the issue on employment is still in the realm of speculation like the forecast of Metrological department – “there is chance of heavy rain and NO rain today”.

Social distancing brought about employment misfortunes, explicitly those Indian society’s lower financial layers. Numerous households terminated domestic help services – basically an unorganized monthly-paying service. Most Indians invested a large amount of time involving in household tasks themselves, making it the most widely practiced lockdown action.

As a matter of fact, these are the nervous times for job hunters amid pandemic, particularly for newbie entrants into the rat tap cage. But not getting a job is not the end of the world.  In the situation of crisis, there still lie many opportunities. Many would not get their dream jobs or big pay-perks straight out of the gate, yet given time, they can rethink themselves and set themselves for a better long term future. This article published in Metro Vaartha on 1.8.20- Stay updated with the Best Blog PC Thomas

Keep mental health while social distancing

PC THOMAS

The Covid-19 pandemic has radically changed our lives, including our relationships with other people in our communities, our homes and our workplaces. People are feeling depressed or bored.  Some people are challenging flexible management of works keeping social distancing regulations, some are working safely from home, some are in quarantine and some are distracted themselves for not meeting their loved ones. For romantic couples, the isolation  has an adverse impact on them who have been stuck inside together for months and may be getting bored with each other's company. However, social quarantine should not prevent you from keeping up solid, healthy connections or boosting your skill development and mental balance. 

In this Covidian social time, it is necessary for you to do each possible extent to keep up your physical fitness and emotional wellbeing.  This, in turn, will assist you with a positive mentality to keep your relations upbeat and solid. But how would we go about it? During social distancing, it is imperative to seek approaches to support your mental well-being. You can do this by keeping your mind involved and finding inventive approaches to keep up your social life.

Social distancing and seclusion can be hazardous unless people work to maintain their connections with others. Even if you are encircled by family members at home, tensions will come up and relationships can be strained. Therefore, it is necessary to nurture relationships outside the home, even if you cannot see them face-to-face.

Social distancing is changing the manner in which we live, yet it does not need to change our companionships, sentimental connections. Whatever be the case in your life, you have to understand that this is a temporary stage, and you will come out of it soon. Hence, rather than getting hindered with depressing thoughts, utilize this time to work on your healthy relationships and build beautiful memories.

During this isolation, anyone can maintain his skill development through reading books, brushing up vocabularies to improve his proficiency and share his knowledge and reflections with his friends which will enhance knowledge of people, society, history and culture. It will also expand your minds, and can also give you a sense of accomplishment during these depressing times.

If you want to experience mental and spiritual peace, put on some music and give meditation a try. Meditation and prayers will also help you reduce stress, boost energy, develop an immune system to combat the virus attack. Choosing any of these activities will give you peace of mind and enable you to do complete justice to your free time. You can also explore many other activities in line with your taste and aptitude.

An honest assessment of these areas in your life needs consideration for your mental health. A helpful spot to assess yourself is to consider the areas of your life where you are feeling depleted. At the point when you begin assessing how you can honour your needs and start to take action in these areas, you begin to build trust with yourself and boost your self- compassion. This article published in Metro Vaartha on 31.7.20- Stay updated with the Best Blog PC Thomas

Major Challenges Facing Online Education Today

GREESHMATHOMAS

The crisis that Coronavirus created has led to major changes in the education system in many countries. The most significant move is the change of the traditional way of teaching in which students are taught in classrooms meeting teachers face-to-face. Although a lot has been discussed on the impact COVID-19 has had on the economy, employment, and the environment, how the pandemic is currently affecting different stakeholders of the education system and how they are responding to it, needs serious concern today.

While online classes are an effective substitute for the Covid situation, there is one major concern as to how effective the online education is going forward. Although the digital teaching system is considered a temporary one that will fade with the lifting of the lockdown, it is likely to become permanent in the future.

Accordingly, there is an expected change in the curriculum and time of learning in schools all over India. Union Human Resources Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal has lately said that he plans to reduce the syllabus and the schedule of classes in schools for the next academic year after consultations with the education secretaries. He has also sought comments and observations from teachers and experts in this regard. However, the central government is now considering opening schools in August or so and it is hoped that by that time the outbreak of covid-19 disease will be brought under control.

In the midst, a large number of wealthy parents are looking for ways to organize online learning for their children.  As a part of this, they are trying to secure those laptops and mobiles that are the best to suit their children’s needs. On the other side, we recently read the sad news from Kerala that a girl committed suicide due to a lack of access to online learning.  Our digital education system road ahead should not ignore the fact that many such poor students still exist in our country and do not have access to digital educational programmes for want of internet access. At the same time, the urgent need is also to consolidate the procurement of technical amenities for all to be intensified.

At least, every student must have access to high-speed internet even those who are living in isolated areas. For students who are not sufficiently equipped with basic technological tools and skills, watching pre-recorded or live online classes   will be baffling as well as frustrating for them.

The curriculum and learning platform must be designed in such a way that it does not adversely affect the quality of education from primary level to higher secondary level. Governments and educational thinkers must look at this need positively and scientifically.  

This Article published in Metro Vaartha on June 6, 2020

Reducing Syllabus: A Great Relief for Students

GREESHMA THOMAS

A woman had a pet dog and one day it fell sick. To save the dog, every day she attempted to give a tablespoon of medicine down its throat, yet the dog would always resist and pull away. One day when she took the bottle, it slipped out her hands and the medicine spilled all over the floor. To her surprise, the dog went over to the puddle and began lapping it up! In fact, here, the dog had not been resisting to take the medicine. It was resisting the strategy that its master had used– pushing it down its throat.

It is a similar situation when we consider the pedagogy used in our schools. If heavy subjects, other educational burdens along with parental compulsion and peer pressures are push into children’s throat in the name of educational therapy, many of the students will not be able to absorb them and they will resist and vomit it, especially now, as  they are  in the pandemic situation.

During this Covid-time,  when students, teachers and parents are all  in a crisis situation, the decision of the CBSE to reduce the syllabus for classes 9 to 12  by 30-percent this year, seems as a right strategy due to the trouble caused by the COVID-19. It will certainly elevate students’ to a happy frame of mind to study with earnestness.

The CBSE in their process of trimming down about 190 subjects for classes 9-12, cut various key chapters like secularism, democratic rights, religion, gender and caste and food security, which create now a major controversy by some people. However, there was a mixed response from various stakeholders as many school representatives welcomed the move to decrease the course load on children, while a section of academicians said it appeared to be ideologically driven.

Amidst arguments, however, let us realize that education came to bring life and light to people who have no vision or right vision of life. But so often, as we have seen in the above story, we use the wrong method to force our expectations down students’ throats instead of presenting it in such a way that they will willingly receive it.  Parents also often make wrong decisions in their eagerness to give the best opportunities for their children by giving unwanted compulsion in study down their throat. What children should realize is that they are the ones responsible for their own learning, homework as well.

With the CBSE’s decision by reducing the heavy burdens for students at this juncture of Corona crisis, it is necessary to teach the students the values of secularism, democratic rights, religion, culture as well as the evils of gender and caste discrimination. While reducing the syllabus, these lessons must find some place in the syllabus, maybe in a shorter version.  Our first priority today is to save our world from the coronavirus crisis and to look for ways to revitalize the economy, and our lives, after this major crisis. Let the students now go for enjoying the education with discerningly reduced syllabus and freedom! 

Preparing Children to face Pandemics

This Covid-time is an unprecedented situation for all and has ripple effects into almost every phase of our lives. In the midst, children are the most vulnerable because of their increased exposure to the background to disease. In their tender heart, they experience a state of worry, anxiety and fear of their relative’s death and miseries or a fear of what it means to receive medical treatment for all.

Anxiety and panic about the virus and what could happen can be irresistible and cause strong emotions in children. Public health protocols such as social distancing can make them feel isolated, secluded and can increase them more stress and anxiety. However, children should realize that these precautionary actions are essential to decrease the spread of COVID-19 and managing the stress in a positive way will make people healthy and his community stronger.

It is quite difficult to determine the horrible impact of the virus spread on children be it emotional, health, education, and many other ways. Due to the uncertainty of COVID situation, children tend to develop short-temper and anger. Considering the risk to the children, the healthcare workers across the world have been warned to be more cautious for the patients under the age group of less than 18. Though every year of a child's life is valuable, their primary stage or the first ten years are very crucial because the basics of emotional, social, physical and psychological development are laid down at this stage.  

Staying out of school for more than three months has made children restless and reduced their physical activities. The social distancing has made them lonely and irritable in this crisis because they are not getting to visit their granddads, extended family members, and go for family tours as they used to enjoy during their last summer vacation.

Many experts have concluded that expression of Covid-19 is diverse as children are in constant emotional tumult. However, the parents are the caretaker of love,  care and positive thoughts to their children but in the present crucial time, parents are too busy in their own official backlog and finding less time to be with their children.  However, the adherence of being indoors has made pressure on children to be more disciplined and occupied themselves with screen-TV, computer, laptop, and mobile - either for online education or entertainment and play.

It is said that the future of tomorrow is laid on the hands of children, but they can shape the future only if their own future is secured. Therefore, it is important to pay special consideration to the children in the present times of COVID so as to keep them safe and sound.  It is also important that they must be occupied in physical, music, Yoga and other recreational activities to become active and dynamic. Their anxieties and concerns related to the pandemic must also be addressed through proper communication. There is a need that all the important counselors like teachers, parents, social workers act jointly to cope with the challenge posed by COVID-19.

How impractical to worship as a Community adhering to Social Distancing!

P C THOMAS

The response of churches to the challenges presented by the global COVID-19 pandemic invites a closer examination during a time of social distancing where every religious institution is permitted now to reopen for worship.

As the country is still under the slavery of Covid-19, human life is now rapidly returning to normalcy with a few important restrictions after almost a three-month long hiatus due to Covid-19 lockdown. The central government has set a number of community guidelines which include that all religious places such as temples, mosques, churches must follow stringent rules, like  no touching of statues, idols, holy books and other things inside the premises of the places of worship, no offerings like prasad or sprinkling of holy water etc.. It is also demanded that the doors of these holy places are to be opened only for a limited period of time and numbers of the faithful to attend the worship will have been vigilantly restricted. For Churches, thermal scanners are to be used at the entrance, allot sitting places with numbers on the pews.  After each Holy Mass, sanitize the church, pews, chairs etc and the Priests carry sanitizers and if need be, use it during the worship.

In my point of view, with the restrictions it is not all conducive and comfortable to worship as a community of the faithful because the Christian worship has both personal and communitarian dimensions. Since the community of the faithful cannot worship together without restrictions it is better to be satisfied with personal worship of God with our minds concentrating on God and in communion with all humans of goodwill in the privacy of our homes for a little while longer until the conditions become favorable for public communitarian worship. There is also no pressing need for the faithful to seek public places of worship for his or her spiritual exercises amid the fast spreading virus.  None would be a ‘lost sleep’ in the lockdown period because he or she is unable to go to church, temple or mosque. In this circumstance, we should ask ourselves whether we would get the mental peace and serenity we seek in a worshiping place when there are many restrictions on getting a darshan or a blessing. How impractical for us to get divine blessings at this point adhering to these stringent social distancing and protocol?

In a way it is good that several states including Madhya Pradesh have now determined to extend the re-opening of religions places, knowing that the virus spreads fast, there is no medicine yet to combat it for certain.  Every believer should be aware that the number of patients is already alarmingly high in the country and it may take some time to fully cope with the situation. Therefore, it is the obligation of the believers to take necessary precautions in order to contribute to the survival and security of society in which they live. Love and worship of God need to be expressed in the love of others. Perhaps, not visiting the places of worship at this time of social distancing due to coronavirus is a better act of worship of God than visiting them and probably causing danger to the lives of others. Only those who are able to experience God in the temple, church and mosque of their hearts will be able to experience God in those temples, churches and mosques made of stone and wood!.

The Author can be reached at askpcthomas@gmail.com

This article was published in Metro Vaartha on 10.6.2020

Elderly deserve serious attention in the Covid times

If the India government tries to follow this method nationally, it will obviously be a blessing for the national old aged ones in their life.

P C  THOMAS

COVID-19 has impacted quite a lot of lives and is steadily increasing its reach in India even in the midst of locking and unlocking. In this juncture, it is the elderly section of people who has become the most vulnerable of the attack. Beyond the threat to life, the endemic is putting the elderly who are above 65  at higher risk level as compared to other group, due to their decreased immunity coupled with  their multiple ailments.

Health experts and governments state that if the Covid-19 attacked the old-age people, the treatment will be complicated for them.  Therefore, they are recommended to stay indoors. They will have to stay home until the covid-19 departed from the world. However, the government of India in its newly economic package, has not mentioned any plan to safeguard the elderly people who are locked at home.

Due to the lockdown situation, in fact, most of the financially distressed elders feel loneliness as they have lost their independence, self-esteem and even dignity to some extent, as they have to depend upon others for their needs. Many have said they were suffering from depression, lack of sleep and appetite, and other associated ailments. As the COVID-19 cases continue to soar in India, and looking the plight of the old-age people, the physical and psycho-social health of them needs urgent attention by the Government.

Since the Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF government came to power in Kerala, there have been many developments taken place  for the sake of the old age people where one thing  catches more attraction  i.e - every senior citizen having  less than Rs 1 lakh  yearly income gets a pension of Rs.1300. The Finance minister Thomas Isaac has announced that the same amount will be increased to Rs.1500 by next year.

Currently, those who are above 75 years are getting Rs.1600 per month. If the India government tries to follow this method nationally, it will obviously be a blessing for the national old aged ones in their life.

What day is today, Friday or Monday?: A Lockdown Impact!

During this lockdown, I often ask to my wife, what is the day today?  Is it Monday or Tuesday? And she gets irritated with me for raising such a silly question. Have the lockdown days made me so forgetful about ordinary things?  On the one hand she looks at me quizzically but on the other hand, she herself asks even more silly questions to me like “What day is today, Friday or Monday? Or what is the date today, 10 or 20?” 

If you have been confusing what day or date it is, you are not alone.  In this lockdown, everybody’s mental clock is only partially functioning or not at all, as many are struggling with the pandemic.  The Covid-19 virus outbreak has rendered calendars somewhat obsolete. As India settles down into its more than 9th week in lockdown, it seems that many of us, particularly those who are working from home, are beginning to lose the track of time and try to go about with a semblance of normality.

For what reason does the lockdown befuddle our feeling of time?  During normal times, our calendar days or weekends and month-ends are dictated by our work.  That means, in our day to day schedule, what we eat, how we dress, when we go to sleep and when we wake up are totally dictated by our work. By routine, we get started with our work on a Monday and knowing that it would be wound up on a Saturday. But during this lockdown, certainly, many of these characteristics of our routine have been lost.

More than a third of the world's populace is now thought to be under some sort of lockdown in a bid to control the spread of the Covid-19 disease. This is especially true for those working-safely-from-homes and who would normally structure their days around their work and work-schedule.

To those experiencing difficulties remembering the date and the day, it is advisable that they organize their life with a little more discipline than other times. Try to wake up at the same time each day, even if you have no work.  Eat normal food  at a specific time and ensure adequate discipline throughout the day by scheduling time for other activities like meditation and physical exercise of one’s choice, not remaining sitting idle for prolonged periods of time.

What makes the Covid 19-times disorientating is that the physical atmosphere looks very normal but we have lost every social anchor that we would normally use.  Also, setting definite goals, and scheduling time to accomplish them besides our other obligations, can help us to structure our days and feel more productive. This will also provide a sense of achievement, something many of us have been probably lacking in these lockdown days! Monday to Friday and in the week-ends live consciously. Give a boost to your inner spirit!

This article published in Metro Varrtha on 31.5.2020

Making Fervent appeal ‘to Covid’

P C  THOMAS

Covid-19, you are making your mysterious journey still around the world, and as a result we have an exceptional, historical and critical year and continued to Stay-safe-at-Home with the fourth phase extension of lockdown to keep ourselves from the attack.

You know, in a span of a few months, you have become the media's fancy, the world's biggest celebrity, and fought within the human race drastically in the world. We learn, you posses no specific languages, caste or creed. Being purely secular, you can communicate anybody regardless of gender disparity - the rich, the mighty, the senior, junior, layman. No society is spared whether national or regional or local.

In the modern world, we have doubted whether power is great or money is, but we have learnt now that these are not at all great compared to your devastating effects. We have seen various tsunamis, torrents, floods, droughts, fires and epidemics, but they were constrained to certain places and the rest of the life went on normal. But on the contrary, you now dominate all over the world killing peoples mercilessly!.

With your free entry to the world, without even a passport/visa, the world is now going through a horrible moment with intense health problems, financial crisis and mental imbalance. The normal existence of people has defected horribly and the defect was affected effective way of human life.  The life seems an endless series of problems - Vehicles became airless, petrol dried, ration finished and people became lonely and disconnected.

We know that you have the talent to live like a ghost and can rob life and health of people as there is no definite cure for your infection, no vaccine discovered.  We implore you Corona let us know when you will stop your terrorism?