- Manvi
The world under Covid-19 is surreal. Empty roads, clear skies, no people at stores and public places. It sounds a bit like a sci-fi. The coronavirus outbreak feels like something out of a science fiction novel or movie. Indeed novelists and filmmakers have been imagining scenarios like this for centuries. It was Mary Shelley, who wrote one of the first plague novels The Last Man (1826) in which she envisioned a post-apocalyptic earth ravaged by plague at the end of 21st century in which everything gets extinct. In the end the "last man" is seen floating away from Britain in a small boat. Ever since then if we see such pandemic based novels have taken a huge part of the thriller genre whether it is novel like Pandemic come and goes in waves, or The Andromeda Strain in 60's by Michael Crichton, The mega successful The Stand in 70's by Stephen King and many others like Outbreak by Robin Cook in 80's and Max Brook's World War Z in 2000's.
With the Covid-19 pandemic on everyone's mind, reading or watching such books and movies can either be a frightening turnoff or a fascinating what if thought experience. But as anyone who reads a lot of books or watches lot of movies can tell that the looming spectre of devastating plague is as some novel and Hollywood movie and they have been preparing us for this moment for decades. For instance look at Pacific Liner the film's central conflict is between two very different men, a doctor Chester Morris who wants to implement drastic Quarantining and sanitation method as soon as the outbreak begins and a tough guy Victor Mc lagen who refuses. The 2011 thriller Contagion has been near the most relatable movie and it also made to one of the top digital streaming content ever since the news of novel coronavirus strain became impossible for people to ignore.
Clearly the pandemic and their aftermath are subject of interest at the moment. None of these books or movies are about real world concerns at least not overtly. They are not meant to show us the nuts and bolts of how we might behave during an actual epidemic they are cautionary tales warning us to be aware of how our deeper flaws could make an awful situation worse. In other words the debates we're having right now over the best ways to safeguard the public health aren't really all new. In some ways science fiction got it right and science fiction helped us expect what the situation will feel like. At the same time, science fiction is fiction so you can't use it as something to model behaviour.
Now the world is fighting a battle against COVID-19 the entire scientific community is working day and night breathlessly to develop a vaccine for COVID-19 not just to save the present generation but also to save the coming generation scientist are hopeful that the vaccine will be ready by 2021. At this crucial time with rest of the world and country the Andaman is also facing the rapid increase in the number of COVID-19 patients as well as the death of few person due to this reason it.
It is rightly said that PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE and it is the social responsibility of every citizen to obey the guidelines issued by government of India and Andaman and Nicobar administration for prevention and control of COVID-19. The government is working hard to control and contain the COVID-19 pandemic therefore it is our responsibility and I strongly believe that it is the duty of each and every one of us to wash our hands and sanitize it properly, always wear a mask, maintain social distancing, student must acquaint online learning, develop healthy habits and develop strong mental health, eat healthy food and try to help the poor and needy people at this crucial time.