Africa-Press – Uganda. This second Covid-19 wave has demonstrated that we didn’t utilise the grace period after the first wave. And when I say, we, I mean all of us, government and citizens alike. But this doesn’t absolve the government of its responsibility. To who greater power is given, more is expected.
With that in mind, we should turn our focus to the third wave. Did I say the third wave? Yes, I did. You see, the success of viruses largely depends on human nature.
For one, we underestimate dangers that aren’t in the here and now (refer to Noah’s ark). In the first wave, deaths were far removed from our personal lives, so we underestimated the danger of Covid-19. In the second wave, however, those numbers took on a very personal meaning.
Either we fell sick or personally knew someone who was hospitalised or died because of Covid-19. Suddenly, we learnt how dangerous the disease is and started observing SOPs. However, this vigilance is temporary.
Because we are now observing SOPs, infections and deaths will decline, and before long, Covid-19 deaths will become a thing of the past, something far removed from our lives.
As a result, we shall let our guard down again, and the cycle will repeat itself. This will happen until the majority of the population becomes effectively vaccinated.
For now, let’s enjoy the decline in deaths as we continue to mourn our loved ones. For some, grieving has meant lashing out at government, which for sure has made (and continues to make) grave mistakes. But if we are honest, we, too, made mistakes. For long, we did not wear masks despite government’s pleas.
Day in day out, we went to bars, attended parties, and many other social gatherings. In fact, some of us who were eligible for vaccinations didn’t turn up despite government’s incessant pleas until it was too late.Does this mean we are stupid or undisciplined? Not at all.
You see, we humans have deep drives that make us act in ways that defeat simple logic. And that’s because there is more to life than simple logic. Indeed, most of these drives are fundamentally helpful.
For instance, our ability to read faces helps us predict other people’s true intentions or motivations, which can be lifesaving when dealing with enemies.
Unfortunately, the same trait makes us struggle to listen to a masked person. It also makes us feel censored or constrained when we speak with our masks on. As a result, we struggle to diligently and properly wear our masks.
The same goes for socialising. Some members of the animal kingdom (to which we belong) live solitary lives while others live in groups. Humans who lived and worked in groups had higher chances of surviving, having children, and raising them to maturity. As a result, their offspring make up the majority of the human race today.
Like their ancestors, most of these offspring (us) have a deeply rooted drive to live in groups. So, when you see humans doing everything in their power to socialise (e.g., attend parties, or go to bars), contrary to government regulations and good sense, please understand that it isn’t simply a result of indiscipline or stupidity. There are strong biological and evolutionary forces at play here.
It’s these deeply rooted drives that make non-vaccine anti-Covid-19 measures such as social distancing and masking unsustainable.
And lockdowns only make sense when you can offer support to the vulnerable; it isn’t just a matter of enforcement. The only sustainable solution is effective vaccination.
Mr Matogo is a professional copywriter [email protected]
