Abundant Surmises And Lessons To Learn In Times Of Corona

The estimated number of the world population residing on earth is expected to have crossed 750 crores. This would account to a larger number in proportion to the people who had lived on this planet. However, the present world population would come around only 7% of the total number of people who lived here in the last 50,000 years!

The scientific world today is engaged in serious discussions on the various dangers that can happen which can, in turn, become huge threats to the existence of the human race. Although the species were able to overcome many disasters, in the coming century, the world may witness massive calamities like super volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, infectious diseases, other deadly influences and release of gamma rays on planetary explosions.

According to renowned Swedish philosopher and Cambridge University Professor Nick Bostrom one of the primary reasons for the destruction of the human race is going to be unnecessary interventions by human beings over nature and science.

So far only twice were nuclear weapons used in military operations, in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. A third nuclear war would result in the ultimate devastation of mankind. Albert Einstein might have had this in mind when he said in an interview, “I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.

Bioweapons causing contagious diseases result in mass decimation of people compared to any other warfare. Bioweapons are not a new trend; they have a long and scary history to speak of. In the last century alone around 50 crore, people have succumbed to death due to epidemics. Among these numbers, lakhs died of bioweapons.

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During World War II, Japan intentionally released virus strains to fight the Chinese, leading to the death of almost 30,000 people. Japanese planes released plague affected flies over the Chinese cities, rice fields and roads. The diseases they caused went on for several years.

Bioweapons are something which cannot be predicted and hence no prior precautions can be made. They are not only invisible, but their effects are vastly unpredictable. Their consequences can be fast, can be slow. Due to the number of people that can be affected and killed, panic and insecurity creeps into society. Adding to this is the dubiety and tension that grows around all fields leading to complete lockdown.

Various suspicions and conspiracy theories are on the rise associated with the birth of COVID-19 virus that is currently causing havoc around the globe. The most powerful of them is the Lap Escape Theory which discusses that the virus was made in the laboratory to use as a bioweapon and was accidentally leaked.

U.S. social scientist Steven Mosher thinks that COVID-19 would have been leaked from Wuhan Institute of Virology, China’s National Bio-Safety Laboratory. “Wuhan Seafood Market where COVID-19 symptoms were first reported is only a few metres from the Virology Institute”, said Mosher. The market is a huge hub where everything including bats, snakes, dogs, different types of animal meats are bought and sold.

Even though many scientists object the politicization of Coronavirus, officials at the Chinese Foreign Ministry and Chinese media agencies claim that COVID-19 was an American creation. To accuse China and to establish Coronavirus as a bioweapon born of Chinese masterminds, many seek the help of 1981 published science fiction, The Eyes of Darkness. The book tells the story of Wuhan-400 virus made by Chinese scientists which could completely wipe away a city or a country. The prediction about a virus outbreak with a noticeable resemblance to COVID-19 by author Dean Koontz will leave us surprised.

Yet another creative work that received ample attention lately was the Academy Award-winning movie ‘Contagion’ released in 2011. Since several world leaders have advised their citizens to stay indoors, people watching the movie on various online sites have gone up and have caught the attention of international media.

 
Trailer – Contagion (Provider: Warner Bros. Entertainment)

The film talks about the MEV-1 virus, originated in Asia and spread through touch. Like COVID-19, one of the primary symptoms of this disease is a cough. The striking similarities both the book and the film offer have led people to cook up new stories and discussions on framing Coronavirus as a product made of intense research based on these works, which are at present gaining momentum on social media.

COVID-19 virus is indeed teaching the world a multitude of things. As a society made of human networks, any good or bad affecting an individual will have an impact directly or indirectly on others around. The nations of the world need to come forward with a readiness to share their resources and effective healthcare facilities to whosoever is in need.

COVID-19 does not discriminate anyone based on nation, religion, race, economy, status, honour or colour. Nations, more so, those who had been into constant conflicts and relentless battles should consider this as a crucial hour to join hands to help each other and initiate healthy communications.

At this hour of Corona pandemic engulfing the world, it’s undoubtedly, a clarion call to reclaim our human values and environmental consciousness that is reverberating all around.