23
Dec

Forewarned is forearmed

Humankind in general and the land’s past generations have not only survived the battering by various disease-death-causing vectors but also have laid down the ground rules for mitigating the loss of human and animal lives that have stood the test of time. Although advances in science in general and medical research in particular have taken place, the vectors seem to be having the last laugh. Some brushing up of knowledge about micro organisms that hurt life of all living beings should be a matter of prudence.
While antiseptics, which act against microbial organisms are applied to living tissues (such as skin) to reduce the possibility of infection, antibiotics, being prescribed by both knowledgeable medical practitioners and quacks, safely destroy bacteria within the body, and disinfectants destroy micro organisms found on non-living objects. Microbicides, which destroy virus particles or antivirals are effective against COVID-19 if used efficiently and effectively, but no remedial means are yet available to deal with the many harmful consequences caused by the virus, particularly infection of the lung. In this backdrop, all the measures that people are required to follow in their daily life, in spirit and word, particularly maintaining social distancing, remaining within the confines of homes, washing hands several times with soap and covering the face while speaking and coughing as well as sneezing, virtually are in the nature of fire-fighting exercises.
If every citizen in the land, irrespective of their profiles on various counts such as social status, age and so on had fallen in line with the guidelines, widely publicised, perhaps the drastic action called lockdown might not have been necessitated. Corrective action to unlock the lockdown on the part of every Indian should begin right away, remembering the advisory Forewarned is Forearmed.