One day in December 2019, a 34-year-old ophthalmologist named Dr Li Wenliang tried to send a message to other medics warning them about a new virus in the city of Wuhan, China. The communist state took action against Dr Li and ordered him to avoid making 'false claims.' Dr Li would go on to die on February 6 from the virus, which we now know as COVID-19.
Little did we know that what started in Wuhan in December 2019 would lead to a global pandemic affecting over 200 countries, millions of people and every individual in some way or the other.
Many countries are dealing with the invisible 'monster' by urging people to self-isolate, practice social distancing and stay clean. But an excruciating battle, it still is.
'COVID-19 is not going away anytime soon'
On March 19, the Governor of California ordered a complete lockdown, thereby making it the first state in the United States to do this.
Vivek Balasubramaniam from Ontario, California, who has been living for almost 12 years in the USA, says 'these are (indeed) unprecedented times'. He doesn't anticipate the pandemic to go away anytime soon.
With well over 300000 positive cases and 10000 deaths, US has entered its most crucial week in the coronavirus crisis as per reports. According to Vivek, California has identified 17 essential services across different business categories such as energy, public health providers, essential manufacturing units, pharmacies, supermarkets etc.
Vivek has friends in Kansas city who tested positive but are now recovering. The 33-year-old engineer feels that despite measures taken by the US government to minimise the spread of COVID-19, there is no specific rulebook that can prepare an administration or public for such a rapidly spreading pandemic of which we know very little.
Vivek lives with his wife and a newly-born baby girl and is working from home. He says even if things settle down in a few months, he will still hesitate to move out considering his family.
'Need for emphasis on how to tackle future pandemics'
Empty streets, working from home and cancelled classes are common across countries.
24-year-old Arman Aijaz Ilmi, a student of Sciences Po College in Paris, talks about how he tries to stay positive despite everyone whom he knows in the city being affected by the virus in some way or the other.
Europe has been the worst affected continent from coronavirus pandemic with over 30,000 deaths spread over the past three months. Many of these deaths were recorded in Italy, which has recorded 12,500-plus fatalities, followed by Spain and France. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, in fact, called the pandemic a 'bigger challenge than World War II'.
Arman recalls that his landlady's sister was among those who tested COVID-19 positive. With his university classes now taking place online, Arman says moving out is limited to just buying groceries and medical supplies. It has been 20 months since he moved to France and he says never before have the beautiful roads of Paris been so empty and lifeless.
And how does he view the future now? Arman says coronavirus has tested people's humanity, and the governance and healthcare facilities of every country. The only thing to be done now is to place an emphasis on how to prevent another pandemic like this in the near future.
'The uncertainty is worrying'
While countries find ways to tackle the coronavirus, the impact of the pandemic has brought various professions and businesses to a screeching halt since the beginning of this year. With more and more countries going under lockdown, the impact on the economy is beyond imagination. Pay cuts and job losses are the next big worry.
29-year-old Vibha lives in Belfast, UK. She works for a plane manufacturing company (name not revealed on request) and says that 'initially all employees were asked to work from home but as the uncertainty increased, many employees lost their job and some have been put on a furlough.'
Needless to say, the aviation sector has borne the brunt of COVID-19. Passenger flights being cancelled and travel restrictions staying in place in many places have forced many airlines to ask their employees to take sabbaticals.
Vibha says this is just the beginning and 'tougher times' are ahead.
Talking about the initial spread of the virus, she says the problem stemmed from China, which was too late to let the world know about the deadly virus. While she feels necessary steps are in place in the UK to minimise the spread, there are also people who are flouting lockdown rules, which is troublesome.
Khushboo Tanwar, who lives in Toronto, Canada, too has a similar tale of woe to narrate. Khushboo worked for a Canadian company that had to temporarily shut down amid the ongoing pandemic. She says everyone around her is affected by the coronavirus either physically, professionally or mentally. It has been three years since she moved to Canada from India and says living during a global pandemic all alone, away from parents, can make you numb.
Praising the Canadian government's efforts to ensure everyone feels safe and at home, the 23-year-old says 'though I try to remain positive, frustration is inevitable especially when your job is at stake.'