Influencers and our responsibilities

Can we cancel the subscription to 2020 ? Or at least reset it ? It seems as if I was venturing out freely, driving around or running on roads in my previous birth. Six weeks of lock-down feels like a life time.

And we live in a complex where we can walk around a bit, there are trees and birds and it is actually nice. I can imagine how it feels like if you have to be indoors constantly. If you were a cyclist, runner or a biker it is even more pain-full. Used to roads, rides and runs the heart simply longs for the open stretched.

So when the Govt. of India eased the lock down yesterday there is spurt of people on roads. Walking , driving , riding running, shopping …

Lot of my friends feel it is fine to go out if not in the restricted area. After all the Gov. would have thought it through and get experts’ advice. And we are progressive, educated and conscious lot. We will take precautions. Masks, sanitizers, distancing. After all mental health and staying fit is as important as staying safe. And since we will do this may be really early in the morning and take all that care we should be fine.

We need to know that all of us are influencers. I do not mean just me and my circles. I mean all of us as in whole humans. Our actions influence others. The behaviors can be infectious too. Strangely the microbes and the behaviors are more virulent if they are harm-full. Good stuff takes time to spread but the bad ones can explode.

So a rumor and an urban myth can spread rapidly while good stuff takes some time and on top there are opinions on its effectiveness and relevance.

So one of us stepping out with all the care influences few more to step out and those few will “infect” many more. And as the number of walkers, runners, bikers, drivers, cyclists increases the quantum of care that all of them will take, as a whole, will go down. And then one person can spread COVID to the whole street and more.

This will of course put stress on the health care infrastructure. IT will also make the authority go to the next stage of lock-down for longer and more stricter. If there is 1 positive case in a complex of flats and houses the entire community will be in containment. Entire ward/street will be in red.

This will cause more issues to already stressed society.

So whatever the motivation be for the Gov. to relax the norms, lets understand that the virus is more or less illiterate and does not care about the policy nor follow a calendar. It will merrily do its work.

Other aspect is use of masks. When ever there is an interaction with some one out side of the family wear mask. All the people in the interaction even while maintaining distance. This too can be only influenced by practice. Not by preaching. If you wear a mask that can influence other to wear. If you do not it will influence others more strongly to avoid. Also buying mask may help the makers in making a living.

So let’s understand our role as influencers and own the responsibility in checking corona-virus. As I said the good take time to spread but if we behave responsibly and show it, this too can infect others and they will be responsible too. Once the whole city is free and we have a very controlled entry and exits we can venture out freely. Till then stay indoors, innovate on fitness to stay fit. And connect with family, friends and nature.

Let’s have the patience and stamina of a marathoner to see the end to it.