Getting scared is a necessity

Getting scared is a necessity

Roman Stoic philosopher, statesman, and dramatist, Seneca said ‘Where fear is, happiness is not’. But in the present condition opposite to it is true i.e. Happiness is there where fear is. Apprehension has become imperative to protect ourselves from the wrath of coronavirus. This fear is not an excuse to come to a standstill but it requires precautionary activities for a smooth sailing life. An understanding of the infectiveness of the corona (SARS-CoV-2 virus) makes it mandatory for sane humans to exhibit their prudence to keep them away from the enormity of this ghastly virus. WHO has suggested a lot of measures to keep swathed in a protective covering to remain unaffected from the atrocities of this virus. Let us enlighten ourselves with the significance of the precautionary measures which we need to be aware of and practice them stringently.

Social distancing is the first norm in the race of circumspection to avert for countering infection. Social distancing focuses on deliberately increasing the physical space between people to avoid spreading illness. In other words, it aims to prevent ailing people from coming in close contact with healthy people to reduce opportunities for disease transmission. It can include large-scale measures like canceling group events or closing public spaces, as well as individual decisions such as avoiding congregation.

One of the undemanding ways to achieve social distancing is to keep ourselves ensconced in our homes. Living in confinement and self-quarantine, and thus having no physical contact with the outer world inadvertently leads to social distancing. To understand why self-quarantine is required; we need to look into the mode of transmission of respiratory infections. Respiratory infections can be transmitted through droplets of different sizes: when the droplet particles are >5-10 μm in diameter they are referred to as respiratory droplets, and when they are <5μm in diameter, they are referred to as droplet nuclei.  According to current evidence, the COVID-19 virus is primarily transmitted between people through respiratory droplets and contact routes. Droplet transmission occurs when a person is in close contact (within 1 m) with someone who has respiratory symptoms like, coughing or sneezing and is therefore at risk of having his/her mucosal lining or conjunctiva exposed to potentially infective respiratory droplets. Transmission may also occur through fomites (inanimate objects) in the immediate environment around the infected person. So here remaining aloof plays a pivotal role in survival.

The second recommended precautionary measure is repeated washing of hands. Here too fear plays a paramount role. It is a fear of germs, a mandatory requirement. This fear is not OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder), an extreme behavior whose real purpose is to lessen intense feelings of fear and anxiety but a prerequisite. The secret of handwashing as to encumber the infection to manifest itself lies in the biochemical composition of the virus. Viruses have the weakest link in the fatty bilayer, thus strong forces are not required to break the units forming them apart. Soap dissolves the fat membrane and the virus falls apart like a house of cards and dies or rather, we should say it becomes inactive as viruses aren’t really alive (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/mar/12/science-soap-kills-coronavirus-alcohol-based-disinfectants).

60% alcohol-based sanitizers inactivate enveloped viruses and corona is one of them. Sanitizers target the viral envelope made up of proteins and lipids. Alcool-based disinfectants have also been shown to effectively inactivate Coronavirus on inanimate surfaces such as metal, glass, or plastic (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7301780/).

One of the ways to keep ourselves safe from acquiring infectious particles is by wearing a mask. Though one might feel suffocated by wearing a mask continuously for long hours yet it is mandatory when one is moving on open roads or interacting with someone in close vicinity.  CDC recommends wearing a cloth face covering when one is in public places or it is difficult to maintain social distancing. These are places where there are usually more people like cinema halls, pharmacy shops etc.

Though handshake is a greeting associated with amity and harmony, it is supplanted by ‘Namaste’, which is the joining of hands to greet and involves no physical contact. The contagiousness of COVID-19 is addressed in this way (https://www.hindustantimes.com/art-and-culture/namaste-corona-away-the-way-the-world-greets-when-corona-attacks/story-Ufe3axqAyRFPe2ybu4pZnM.html).

Fear of spreading contamination is associated with the practice of sneezing and coughing by hiding the mouth or nose in upper arms. Around 40,000 droplets are produced by sneezing  and as high  as 3000 droplets are released by coughing and if a person is sick the droplets in a single cough may contain in a single cough as many as two hundred million virus particles (https://www.livescience.com/3686-gross-science-cough-sneeze.html)

The bottom line is that all these precautionary measures are associated with the fear of infection due to Covid19. Initially, these precautions may seem punitive and tedious but following them religiously exhibits your fortitude and coming out as a victorious worrier with a beaming smile. This eventually evinces that fear is necessary for happiness.