Viral: Moving On: Viral

By D. T. Adams

The COVID-19 pandemic: uncensored observations, mini stories and more

 

A collection of writings about the catastrophe that was the COVID-19 pandemic. The pieces of writing in this collection are presented in three categories:

 

–    'Post-Lockdown'. Feeling sick and tired of invasive rules, struggling to adjust to the official way of doing things and holding the firm belief that this new approach to life will soon end. These are three key aspects of the period when we took the risky step of going back to normal. 'Post-Lockdown' is about claiming victory over the virus and resuming our lives free from worry.

–    'Lessons'. Should we see ourselves as vulnerable to life? Ought we to disregard the old and value the new? Is it sensible to follow rules with no questions asked? These are three of the many questions to consider as we try to live our best lives going forward. 'Lessons' asks whether we've made mistakes and what we can take into account to improve our lives.

–    'The Future'. Is normality guaranteed to resume? Will another virus come along and cause another worldwide catastrophe? When will the world have truly conquered COVID-19? These are three of the many questions to consider as we embrace defiance and move on. 'The Future' looks at how much longer the virus is going to play a role in our lives and whether we'll have the backbone to shake it off for good.

 

We've all been affected by the pandemic and the staggering ways it's changed our lives. We all have something to say about it. Here's some of what I have to say.

 

If you're after a social commentary that gets you thinking about the horrific pandemic, you'll enjoy reading Viral: Moving On.

 

Buy now and see what I have to say about conquering the virus and getting on with our lives.

• Language: English
• Publisher: D. T. Adams
• Release date: Oct 7, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223281535

Book preview

PART ONE

POST-LOCKDOWN

1. BOMBARDED

Walk down a street and you’ll see them everywhere. They’re in just about every single window staring at you, reminding you what has to be done and making sure you don’t toe the line.

They’re simple sheets of paper explaining the rules that are designed to mitigate the virus’s effects. You should know by now the sorts of things they mention: the necessity of wearing a mask; the need to maintain your distance from others; the ritualistic hand-washing you must practise; the limit on how many people can be inside at once … all that stuff.

It’s easy to be overwhelmed when you see these signs, notices and warnings everywhere. These things have become inescapable, a forced presence in our day-to-day lives, an omnipresent blight on our ability to enjoy living free of woes.

It’s not uncommon to want to tear the things up and rip them to smithereens. After all, people the world over are sick and tired of constantly being told to do what they already know they have to do. We’re fed up with all these reminders and orders cluttering up windows. It’s got to the point where we’re so sick of being bombarded from all sides that we’ve stopped taking it all in.

There’s only so much you can drill into someone before you hit a nerve and provoke a reaction.

2. NO MASK, NO ENTRY

You know the rules, you’ve heard what’s going on and you’re aware of all the changes, so put on your mask and protect others from the virus you may be infected with. It’s no mask, no entry. Get it?

The must-have accessory of 2020 and 2021 is the mask. It is a literal must-have, as essential things are barred if you’re not displaying one across your lower face.

Are your nose and mouth covered? Good. If they’re not completely hidden by that thin piece of fabric, you’ll spread that horrific virus around like there’s no tomorrow and infect goodness knows how many people in the vicinity. The straggly masks that most people wear may be made of weak material, but anything is better than nothing and rules are rules.

Upgrade to a proper, higher-standard mask if you so wish and show to the world that you take all this seriously. We can’t force you to wear one of these right now; any sort of face covering qualifies for entry. But one day soon, that might change.

Yes, one day in the not-so-distant future the pathetic, flimsy ‘masks’ that barely do anything but still count, may well be deemed insufficient. Your little mask may gain you admittance now, but someday soon you may be compelled to upgrade and acquire a professional mask.

It’s no mask, no entry. Anything counts right now, so consider yourself lucky. For if you despise the practice of wearing masks, it could be a whole lot worse.

3. HAND THEM OVER

Do you want to get in? Do you want to enter this shop, peruse the items on the shelves and purchase something? Do you want to patronise our store and help us out by giving us your custom in this difficult time?

Well, we’re grateful and appreciative, but we can’t let you in just yet, no matter how much money you’re willing to part with. We need your details, so hand them over. Please.

Goodbye to the anonymous shoppers who come in, do a light spot of browsing and maybe buy one or two things on impulse before leaving. Goodbye to the anonymous shoppers who come in and know exactly what they’re after and make a purchase that delights and satisfies them.

Goodbye to those shoppers without traceable identities and hello to the shoppers of the COVID-19 age. Our loyal and reliable customers can’t get in without letting the system know who they are, where they live and who they live with.

You can’t get in without forsaking your privacy, you can’t get in as an anonymous, untraceable person. You can only set foot in our den of merchandise if you submit to the system and put yourself out there.

You think they’re safe, your details. You mistakenly think they can’t be compromised and that they’re being given up for the greater good, to halt the spread of the Chinese coronavirus and prevent the numbers from rising. But once you hand them over, you really can’t be sure who will see them. They may only be used by someone in an official capacity, but you never know what else could happen to them.

Your name and address are powerful. Should they fall into the wrong hands, there’s no telling what may happen and what the ramifications of your giving the details up could be.

Most people’s details are safe and sound, safeguarded by the system’s protective measures. But nothing is truly safe, nothing is free from invasion on any level. Your precious details aren’t immune against enemy threats from cyber hackers and internet criminals.

Become part of the COVID-19 age. Give up your personal details so you can be contacted by the system should you be likely to contract the virus. Yes, that lethal, deadly virus you can have without being aware of its presence.

Refuse to provide the system with your details and you’ll be denied basic pleasures and experiences that were once available to all without question. So, will you hand them over?

4. A SINGLE COUGH

The atmosphere is tense. Everyone’s in silence. There’s a dearth of activity, a lack of motivation or willingness to do anything. A sense of disquiet has befallen the place, rendering everyone mute and immobile. On chugs the train, zooming at excessive speeds, flashing by in the blink of an eye.

The few passengers busy themselves. One listens to music through earphones while listlessly gazing outside. One voraciously reads a novel, her body here and her mind elsewhere. Another types furiously away at a laptop, taking care lest the pounding of the buttons produce too much noise. It’s each to their own.

All it takes to disrupt this unnatural calm is one brief cough.

If you feel it brewing, you