Viral Verities

We are all in fear of The Virus. It has earned its capital letters. What sci fi lovers read and watched and shivered at, has become reality almost over-night. Those of us not touched by it, are reeling and don't know what to say or think. We feel helpless and afraid but don't talk about it.  Soap and water appear to be the best prevention other than avoidance of places where the virus might lurk. The world is in a state of shock but is gradually learning how to deal with this terrible tiny creature that arrived suddenly and with a viciousness that makes The Thing, The Alien or The Creature From The Black Lagoon look like a flock of chickadees. At least victims of the fictional beasts ceased when blasted with rays or guns or sunshine, but this microscopic enemy defies everything so far. It has put the entire earth into a united mode that rises above wars or political insurrections or the ridiculous Hollywood mentality. It unites all humans in a true democracy, working together in a way that is awe inspiring. It arose out of necessity where most beneficial things occur and forces countries to cooperate as never before. To say that good things come out of bad would be inappropriate but if it were a truth, this could be an example. The enemy of a world is a pandemic. The virus is free of prejudice other than those elements physically able to combat it. Our bodies are used to building antibodies to take a wee sip of something not friendly to our being, and run off to its inner factories to build its weapons. This time, something crept in suddenly, much too suddenly to give human bodies a chance to do that work. The only way to win is to run. And run we do by avoiding places and people and symptoms in our environments that might invite the disease in. If we are afflicted we try not to panic, but to tend to our health as best we can to push the bug away and come out of the sickness,  healthy. Hopefully, once introduced to the enemy, our bodies are wiser and more knowledgeable for the fight, but it takes time and some just do not have that advantage. Isolation or hiding from this miniscule enemy seems the best way to avoid its ire. As when the movie monster arrives in the neighbourhood, we batten down the hatches, latch the shutters. board up the windows and doors and crawl under the beds. Figuratively. It's no fun being stuck in a torturous "nine by twelve room" as one victim of a quarantine complained, likely inaccurately. But to that person, as it would with most of us, it was like prison. To him, and others we are immensely grateful for their helpful suffering because it is a form of suffering done for our behalves. These people came close to their own ending and by doing what they do in quarantine, they become our "army" against this fierce virus. They are our heroes and we thank them for their sacrifice.