Victims of the Pandemic

Thousands and thousands in Hong Kong have caught the virus. Some of whom are in the hospital, many are waiting to be admitted to the hospital, and an unknown but definitely large number are lying low, hoping that the infection will go away by itself.  

Many thousands are lining up, many hours at a time, just to be tested to see whether they are infected.  Most of them have no symptoms, but they have to be tested anyway.  

Many small businesses have been forced to close.  Many people have lost their jobs.  Many are scrambling to find any part-time, temporary jobs in order to survive and feed their family.  

Many, particularly the elderly and infirm, cannot be vaccinated.  They are living in fear.  Many are suffering from depression, because of the anxiety and separation from their loved ones.  

A million students at all levels cannot go to school.  Some are making do through some form of online classes.  Many do not have the hardware, software, bandwidth, room, suitable environment to participate meaningfully in online teaching and learning.  They are falling seriously behind in their studies.  Many are suffering emotional problems because of the social isolation and lack of stimulation.  

Most of these people are the poor and underprivileged.  onThe rich can pay to go to private hospitals and avoid the public ones.  They can pay to be tested, instead of waiting for 5 hours in the cold and rain to be tested.  The rich have deep pockets to tie them over the pandemic.  They can even make tons of money selling tests, test kits, vaccines, services, products of all kinds through the pandemic.  The rich’s kids have all the computers, bandwidth, science and robot kits, and whatever is needed to keep their children educated and entertained.  Social distancing does not bother them as much.   They can stay in their spacious accommodations and when they are bored, fly away to sky and swim as needed. 

The pandemic and many of the measures taken to tackle it is making the digital divide, and all the other divides worse.  The poor is doing worse.  The children of the poor are falling further behind.  Whether by design or not.  

This is the reality.  But it does not have to be like this.  Human beings are not always condemned to be the prisoner of circumstances.  Humans have the capacity to change the course of history, to be compassionate, to be generous, to empathise with the less fortunate.  It is up to us to change the reality.  It is what God desires.  It is also what we should desire.  It is up to us.  Are we up to it?

God bless us all.