Fraternities during times of pandemic  

During catastrophes, natural and man-made, scores of human qualities and virtues come to the fore. These universal virtues normally remain latent in human subconscious. Many people are not even aware of these qualities of theirs hidden in them. They learn about this aspect making their mental make-up different from others only during times of crises. Standing by the severely hit and afflicted humanity in the midst of conflicts is one such scenario. These episodes have been picked by lots of movies and books in the last one hundred years. These works vividly portray the desperate human efforts to rescue known or unknown people stuck in predicament. The venue could be a war-ravaged country or a land flattened by an earthquake or cyclone.

Against the backdrop of the global ravages being left by the Covid-19 pandemic, the terrible chapters of other deadly epidemics overshadow the mind. Bouts of disease-induced pestilences have repeatedly played havoc with millions of lives in different continents, especially in Europe and North America. From the 14th to early 20th centuries, epidemics of different killer fevers, bubonic plague, smallpox and cholera have wiped out large human settlements in over a dozen countries. Parts of the Indian sub-continent were also among them. These epidemics would strike countries at intervals. Owing to their intermittent onslaughts, a few diseases became endemic to vast areas. However, amid the dance of death and sufferings, hundreds of people emerged with the goal of volunteerism during those times of great misery.

They extended their helping hand to humanity at its most difficult times. These Good Samaritans came forward with myriad types of help. Some stood beside the afflicted people with medications and food. A lot of others provided them with temporary shelters. Those without money or means dedicated themselves to be present at the sites as nurses. Until the 18th century the acute dearth of correct medications aggravated the epidemic-hit countries. However, by late 19th century, effective vaccines against many pandemic diseases, including smallpox and cholera, reached the medical persons.

It's undeniable that inquisitive doctors had played a great role in the fight against the epidemics. At the same time, large sections of philanthropically disposed common people eventually expressed their camaraderie with the medical persons. In the period immediately after the middle ages, the system of institutional relief was still unknown. The monarchy-dictated state administrations had yet to introduce well-orchestrated relief operations aimed at alleviating the sufferings of the disease-stricken people. Only exception was Henry VII. He passed a law which said all slaughterhouses should be placed outside the town walls. Isolated efforts on the part of voluntary groups emerged as only sources for the common people to depend on. These loosely established platforms used to do their best to bring food to the hungry and palliatives and cures to the disease-stricken.

The global epidemic situation has changed radically with the advent of the 20th century. With Europe veritably cleansed of the curse of major pandemics, and medical scientists focusing their concentration on the scourges having potential for turning widespread, the world began experiencing a new age. It was one that could ensure a life tolerably free of endemic diseases. Democratically elected governments had a pioneering role in the creation of this new world free of deadly pandemics. Except Ebola and some fevers in the Sub-Saharan Africa, there are few epidemics surviving in the 21st century world. AIDS is limited to some highly developed and a few permissive societies. Since the first detection of an AIDS patient, the deadly disease has been enjoying sympathisers - mostly due to the rise in its innocent victims.

At the moment the world continues to be harried by minor epidemics. Their nature and movement paths are more or less known to both the trained physicians and quacks. However, witch doctors, psychics etc. exert their dominance on the ignorant people by spreading myths about certain diseases. The exact behaviour of Covid-19 is still unknown to even the seasoned researchers. Concepts about the virus are changing. They negate the earlier theories to accept the new ones. This is blamed for the delay in reaching a unanimous conclusion and the invention of an effective vaccine. The novel coronavirus is still considered a baffling ailment. A section of overenthusiastic people believe the virus of the disease has been loosened on Earth by aliens living in outer space planets. Unless a vaccine is invented and the disease's spread contained, more such wild thoughts are feared to circulate in human societies.  The chief hazard related to Covid-19 is that delay in its treatment leads to death. Over 100,000 people have died from the disease throughout the world since December 2019.

There is, however, a silver lining. Unlike in the times of European epidemics in the 14th-early 20th centuries, the global outbreak of Covid-19 witnesses spontaneous supplies of relief and medical support from scores of charities. Governments alone, even those in the USA, Italy, Spain or the UK, find it a herculean task to deal with the challenge posed by Covid-19. Like in other emergencies, many countries in the scary situation created by the coronavirus outbreak have also found the UN beside them.

The developed countries have some built-in rescue mechanisms which help them overcome the difficult times. Yet during hard times, they welcome supports offered by small and large voluntary organisations. Besides groups, many come forward to extend help in their individual capacity. People in the developing and poorer countries witness both charities and selfless individuals in times of great calamities. In the on-going pandemic, the governments in the smaller countries are found engaged in operating their relief juggernaut. The stance of the citizenry being in conformity with that of the governments helps create a congenial atmosphere. It reduces the enormity of many outsized challenges.

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