Yitschok Kornbluh.

Paralegal Advocate Consultant

COVID-!9 IT’S NOT A JOKE

Following the somewhat slight relaxing of lockdown by the government, I am most stunned
at the glances and amused looks which I get when I am out for my early morning stroll with
my face mask and gloves as if I am an over concerned individual. Well let me tell you that I
have been in self isolation since March 13 th long before the government’s lockdown laws when
the news of the pandemic began reaching our shores. I ceased going to shul and Mikveh and
shopping. Why? because life is too precious and the thought of contracting the virus instilled
a sense of fear and anxiety, notwithstanding the fact that there are so many life changing
perils which one needs to be aware of and take precautions to lead a healthy lifestyle on a
daily basis, the thought of contracting this terrible disease through sheer neglect and
ignorance was something that I was not prepared to gamble on by leaving it to chance . So
what! that I missed my daily Shiyurim, So what! that I missed my daily Minyanim, So what!
that I missed my Social life! is it really worth to risk ones health when there is a Pandemic
sweeping the country and the only way to avoid it is by a trivial sacrifice of self-isolation? Its
a very small price to pay to stay healthy is it not? What concerns me most is that instead of
consolidating into a new type of lifestyle for the moment and on a temporary basis, there are
people out there looking for excuses and justifications to go out and about as if the whole
saga is a bygone situation. More so, not only are they compromising their own health and
their wellbeing but they are actually putting others at risk too. Where is their sense of
responsibility and accountability? Suppose a test has indicated that they have the anti-
bodies, that doesn’t take away the risk of them being a carrier and pass the virus on to
someone else. The social distancing law is there for a very good reason and to discount this
practice as being obsessive or over vigilant is like someone driving a car at 150 mph and
hoping that they don’t get a blow out at that speed which could have catastrophic
consequences. Any notion that that it’s all over is a total miscalculation.

I recently had discussions with some individuals who had been ill with covid-19 and following
recovery they are still experiencing bouts of breathlessness and other symptoms. “No one
knows exactly what the disease will do in the long term to patients but we do know what
impacts other forms of viral pneumonia – which Covid-19 can trigger – can have on patients,”
said Professor Ian Hall of Nottingham University. With these conditions, many patients suffer
from significant lung scarring and are affected by a condition known as advanced respiratory
distress syndrome which can require months of recovery. “There is some initial evidence to
suggest that for Covid-19 patients, it may take even longer.” Cardiologist Professor Tim
Chico at Sheffield University indicated that people hospitalised with Covid-19 were also at risk
from blood clots in multiple locations, including their lungs, veins, and brain and such an
effect would leave patients vulnerable to pulmonary embolisms, strokes, and deep vein
thrombosis. “This has been a national trauma like no other that we have experienced,” said
psychologist Professor Dame Til Wykes, of King’s College London.I am not a doctor nor am I
involved in the medical profession , however I profess to be a logical minded individual which
makes me think rationally and hence my encompassing guidance on the corona virus issue.
There is no easy solution and that is why one must do one’s utmost not to tempt fate in
contracting this terrible disease. So, when you see someone taking extra precautions whether
its social distancing or wearing a mask etc don’t chuckle or make fun of them. The risks are
still very much there and especially for people who are overweight which very common in our
community and also those who have diabetes which can complicate matters. Ethnic
minorities(BAME) are also more likely to succumb to the virus. This threat which has hung
over us for so many weeks already is very likely to go on for much longer even when full
lockdown will relaxed. Nothing can be compared to spending months looking over your
shoulder all the time worrying of the consequences, so just take reasonable precautions. It
will save your life. Achieving a healthy lifestyle isn’t a one day job as it might prove to be
really difficult at first seeing how you have to change your mindset and make so many
sacrifices. But in the end, it will all be worth it, and you will be glad you made that life-
changing decision. Many years ago I attended a seminar in the USA by the very famous Philosopher
Mr.Jim Rohn who quoted “The most valuable form of discipline is the one that you impose
upon yourself. Don’t wait for things to deteriorate so drastically that someone else must
impose discipline into your life.” What a powerful message to take away.”