The Great D

In early 1930s, the United States experienced the Great Depression in the economic sense. The economic crisis affected other nations globally who traded with the US. There were hardships among people. I was not born then.

I experience another kind of Great D in my lifetime. I call it the Great Disruptions because of the Disease named Covid-19 coronavirus. The pandemic disrupted lives of millions on a global scale. People lost their loved ones. Others have their lives disrupted as a result of the virus.

From my perspective, I count the following as major disruptions.

1. Social interactions are reduced significantly. Family members meet less physically. School children do not play together like the old days. I do not meet friends just to get together.

2. Physical contacts are not recommended as far as possible. So working adults learn to work from home. Students have to adjust to home-based learning. On-line banking, cashless payments, Zoom meetings are ways to limit contacts with another person.

3. We learn to buy things on-line and have them delivered to our homes. Asking for food delivery has become common. We know from the number of delivery riders on the road during meal times.

4. We cannot leave home without the TraceTogether tokens or App on our mobile phones. Checking in at most places with these become compulsory, like wet markets, supermarkets and shopping malls.

5. Only those vaccinated against Covid-19 are allowed to dine-in at eating places including hawker centres. This is the latest restriction imposed on the nation.

6. The last item on my list is mask wearing. We cannot leave home without a face mask.

How long will these disruptions last? Two years or three years or more? Feeling melancholy at the state of affair.