Even though the spread of Corona virus or COVID-19 has been fairly controlled in India, this is no time to let down your guard. Take precautions and stay safe for as long as it takes.
The purpose of this headline is NOT to create any sort of panic. But if you ask me, honestly, it IS meant to scare you a bit. Sometimes, fear is important. Fear makes you take necessary precautions. Fear makes you be careful and stay safe. Believe it or not, sometimes, fear helps you think rationally. This applies especially on those who think they are immune to this ongoing Pandemic.
Here’s a tweet by Jason Yanowitz, an Italian resident to put things in perspective for all of you.
If you'e still hanging with friends, going to restaurants/bars, and acting like this isn't a big deal, get your shit together.
The following thread is taken from an Italian citizen.
As they put it:
"To the rest of the world, you have no idea what's coming."
MUST READ?
— Yano (@JasonYanowitz) March 14, 2020
As I think everybody knows, Italy is on quarantine because of the coronavirus outbreak.
This situation is bad, but what's worse is seeing the rest of the world behaving as if it isn't going to happen to them.
We know what you're thinking because we were in your place too.
— Yano (@JasonYanowitz) March 14, 2020
यह Tweet Thread हिंदी में यहाँ पढ़ा जा सकता है
Hindi Translation of @JasonYanowitz ‘s tweet:
अगर आप अभी भी बेवजह बाहर घूमने जा रहे ये सोच कर की ऐसा कुछ भयावह नहीं हो रहा, तो सतर्क होकर ये इटली के एक नागरिक का अनुभव पढ़ें:
"बाकी दुनिया के लोग, आपको शायद नहीं पता आगे क्या होने वाला है."
जरूर पढ़ें.— Navneet Kaushal (@tonavks) March 16, 2020
Jason explains the outbreak of this capricious and unanticipated viral infection through various stages. According to him, stage one was simply the news and identification of a virus called COVID-19 in any given country.
Naturally, nobody is worried or scared or taking precautions at this stage. (YOU SHOULD! YES, FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.)
Let's see how things developed…
? STAGE 1:
You know that coronavirus exists, and the first cases begin to appear in your country.
Well, nothing to worry about, it's just a bad flu!
I'm not 75+yo so what could possibly happen to me?
— Yano (@JasonYanowitz) March 14, 2020
STAGE 1 (cont'd):
I'm safe, everybody is overreacting, what's the need to go out with masks and stock toilet paper?
I'm going to live my life as usual, there's no need to freak out.
? STAGE 2. The number of cases begins to be significant.
— Yano (@JasonYanowitz) March 14, 2020
A quick and efficient response at this stage can save your country from the Epidemic, but that almost never happens. Neither did it happen in Italy. Sadly, the outbreak proceeds to Stage-2.
STAGE 2 (cont'd):
They declare "red zone" and quarantine one or two small cities where they found the first cases and a lot of people were infected (Feb 22nd).
Well that's sad and somewhat worrisome but they're taking care of it so nothing to panic about.
— Yano (@JasonYanowitz) March 14, 2020
STAGE 2 (cont'd):
There are some deaths but they're all old people so the media is just creating panic for views, how shameful.
People lead their life as usual.. I'm not going to stop going out and meeting my friends am I?
It's not going to get me. Everybody's fine here.
— Yano (@JasonYanowitz) March 14, 2020
Just in case, you are not getting the underlying sarcasm in all these tweets- EVERYTHING IS NOT FINE. NOTHING IS. But guess what? It can be! If you be careful and take all necessary precautions. What precautions? READ HERE!
Sadly, for Italy, the outbreak wasn’t taken as seriously as it should have been. It only got worse. Here’s where things get out of hand. The stage 3-
? STAGE 3:
The number of cases is rapidly going up.
They almost doubled in one day.
There's more deaths.
They declare red zones and quarantine the 4 regions where the majority of cases are registered (March 7).
In Italy 25% of the county is under quarantine.
— Yano (@JasonYanowitz) March 14, 2020
STAGE 3 (cont'd):
Schools and universities are closed in these areas but bars, work places, restaurants and so on are still open.
The decree gets released by some newspaper before it should…
— Yano (@JasonYanowitz) March 14, 2020
STAGE 3 (cont'd):
…so around 10k people from the red zone escape from the area that same night to return to their homes in the rest of Italy (this will be important later).
Most of the population of the remaining 75% of Italy still does what it always does.
— Yano (@JasonYanowitz) March 14, 2020
STAGE 3 (cont'd):
They still don't realize the seriousness of the situation. Everywhere you turn people advise to wash your hands and limit going out, large groups are forbidden, every 5 minutes on TV they remind you of these rules.
But it still hasn't settled in people's mind.
— Yano (@JasonYanowitz) March 14, 2020
By stage 3, the government in Italy was at war with the virus. They were doing everything required. But, the truth about this outbreak is that it cannot simply be controlled by lawmakers and enforcers.
IT CAN ONLY BE CONTAINED BY A COOPERATIVE, PRECAUTIOUS, AND CAREFUL PUBLIC.
But as far as Italy was concerned, the people never understood that and the stage 4 came knocking.
? STAGE 4:
The number of cases is heavily increasing.
Schools and universities are closed everywhere for at least a month.
It's a national health emergency.
Hospitals are at capacity, entire units are cleared to make space for coronavirus patients.
— Yano (@JasonYanowitz) March 14, 2020
STAGE 4 (cont'd):
There aren't enough doctors and nurses.
They're calling retired ones and those in their last 2 years of university.
There's no shifts any more, just work as much as you can.
Of course doctors and nurses are getting infected, spreading it to their families.
— Yano (@JasonYanowitz) March 14, 2020
STAGE 4 (cont'd):
There's too many cases of pneumonia, too many people who need ICU and not enough places for everyone.
At this point is like being at war: doctors have to choose who to treat based on their survival chance.
— Yano (@JasonYanowitz) March 14, 2020
STAGE 4 (cont'd):
That means that the elderly and trauma/stroke patients can't get treated because corona cases have priority.
There's not enough resources for everybody so they have to be distributed for best outcome.
I wish I was joking but it's literally what has happened.
— Yano (@JasonYanowitz) March 14, 2020
STAGE 4 (cont'd):
People have died because there wasn't any more space.
I have a doctor friend who called me devastated because he had to let 3 people die that day.
Nurses crying because they see people dying and can't do anything aside from offering some oxygen.
— Yano (@JasonYanowitz) March 14, 2020
STAGE 4 (cont'd):
A friend's relative died yesterday of corona because they couldn't treat him.
It's chaos, the system is collapsing.
Coronavirus and the crisis it's provoking is all you hear about everywhere.
— Yano (@JasonYanowitz) March 14, 2020
It’s a National Disaster. Apart from the rising dead count, the entire country is also undergoing a brutal and unforgettable trauma.
? STAGE 5:
Remember the 10k idiot who ran from the red zone to the rest of Italy?
Well, the entire country has to be declared under quarantine (March 9).
The goal is to delay the spreading of the virus as much as possible.
— Yano (@JasonYanowitz) March 14, 2020
STAGE 5 (cont'd):
People can go to work, do grocery shopping, go to the pharmacy, and all businesses are still open because otherwise the economy would collapse (it already is), but you can't move from your commune unless you have a valid reason.
— Yano (@JasonYanowitz) March 14, 2020
STAGE 5 (cont'd):
Now there's fear, you see a lot of people with masks and gloves around but there are still are people who think that they're invincible, who go to restaurants in large groups, hang out with friends to drink and so on.
Next step.
— Yano (@JasonYanowitz) March 14, 2020
Let me reassert the fact that this whole disaster in Italy could have been averted IF ONLY the people in general were more cooperative and cautious.
⚫️ STAGE 6:
2 days later, it's announced that all (most) businesses are closed: Bars, restaurants, shopping centers, all kinds of shops etc.
Everything except supermarkets and pharmacies.
You can move around only if you have certification with you.
— Yano (@JasonYanowitz) March 14, 2020
STAGE 6 (cont'd):
The certification is an official document where you declare your name, where you're coming from, where you're going and what for.
There are a lot of police check points.
If you're found outside without a valid reason you risk a fine up to €206.
— Yano (@JasonYanowitz) March 14, 2020
STAGE 6 (cont'd):
If you're a known positive patient you risk from 1 to 12 years of jail for homicide.
— Yano (@JasonYanowitz) March 14, 2020
FINAL THOUGHTS:
That's what the situation is like now today as of the March 12th.
Keep in mind that it all happened in around 2 weeks…
5 DAYS FROM STAGE 3 TO TODAY.
— Yano (@JasonYanowitz) March 14, 2020
The entire Tweet thread is also available in Hindi via the link below.
एक बार फिर आपको बता दें, यह Tweet Thread हिंदी में यहाँ पढ़ा जा सकता है-
Hindi Translation of @JasonYanowitz ‘s tweet:
अगर आप अभी भी बेवजह बाहर घूमने जा रहे ये सोच कर की ऐसा कुछ भयावह नहीं हो रहा, तो सतर्क होकर ये इटली के एक नागरिक का अनुभव पढ़ें:
"बाकी दुनिया के लोग, आपको शायद नहीं पता आगे क्या होने वाला है."
जरूर पढ़ें.— Navneet Kaushal (@tonavks) March 16, 2020
Italy couldn’t be saved. They had to endure this evil. But our country still has a chance.
The onus of saving our country and its entire population now lies on each one of us. Take all the precautionary measures very seriously. Stay at home as much as you can. We have all learnt how sometimes, defense is the best offense. That’s it. That’s how we fight COVID-19.
