Covid comes home

So, how does one deal with this feeling of impending doom?

With every passing week, Covid comes closer and closer home. First, it was colleagues who were testing positive. Next, I heard of some close friends getting infected. Then, there was news of my neighbours falling ill. And now Corona has struck within my own family.

My cousin and her husband, both doctors, tested positive — even after they had received both doses of the vaccine — though, thankfully, their symptoms are mild. Another cousin contracted Corona as well, along with members of her extended joint family, including her infant son. And as I write this, my aunt — who is in her 80s and bedridden — is showing symptoms though her test results are not in as yet.

I am, of course, far from unique in this. Sadly, this is the situation in every second family, as Covid cases increase exponentially across the country. In fact, such is the prevalence of infection that it seems as if it is only a matter of time before Corona invades our bodies as well. As a consequence, a sense of weary inevitability has overtaken us all, bringing with it both depression and dejection in equal measure.

So, how does one deal with this feeling of impending doom? How does one cope with rising anxiety levels? And how best to rise above the general mood of pessimism and strive for a little cheer in these testing times?

Well, the first thing to do is stop doom scrolling. I know, I know, I am a fine one to talk given how much time I spend on Twitter, though I justify it on the grounds that I am retweeting and amplifying Covidrelated requests. But too much bad news, consumed all day, can bring down anybody’s spirits. So, it might make sense to switch off every couple of hours and do something to destress — read a book, listen to music, cook a meal, whatever works for you.

It is a given that during times like these, your worries will tend to overwhelm you. But instead of trying to shove them away — a futile effort, at the best of times — embrace them and channel them into some positive activity. If you are worried about the

KEEP ABREAST OF

Do your bit to combat Covid disinformation in your Whatsapp groups or family circles

health of your near and dear ones, and are too far away to look after them yourself, try and make their lives a little easier, say by organising delivery of home-cooked meals for them. Do your bit for the community by collating information about hospitals and medicines and making it available to all. It’s not much, I accept, but every little bit helps.

If your health permits, then volunteer to help out those Covid patients in your neighbourhood who are isolating alone at home and have no one to look after them. Assist them with getting medicines and groceries, set up a rota so that they have homecooked meals three times a day, and keep their spirits up with regular phone or video calls. If working on your own seems daunting, then join an organisation that is helping out, using whatever skill set you possess. If your neighborhood gurudwara is making meals for Covid patients, for instance, sign up for a couple of shifts in the langar kitchen.

Do your bit to combat Covid disinformation in your Whatsapp groups or family circles. If you encounter vaccine hesitancy then do your best to dispel it. Do this with sensitivity and love, because everybody is scared and hurting right now.

But in all this, don’t ignore your own physical and mental health. If the lockdown is keeping you home, get an hour of exercise in, even if it is just walking on your terrace or doing a spot of yoga or Pilates on your drawing room floor. Try and eat healthy as far as you can, but don’t beat yourself up if you cheat with some fries or ice cream once in a while.

The key lies in finding pleasure in small things. It could be an old book, in whose pages you can rediscover happier times. It could be in a glass of wine, that helps you decompress after a hard day. Or it could be in a new Netflix show, that helps you forget your everyday cares for a while.

Just do whatever works for you. And in time, this too shall pass.

The views expressed by the columnist are personal

THE KEY LIES IN FINDING PLEASURE IN SMALL THINGS. IT COULD BE AN OLD BOOK OR A GLASS OF WINE OR IN A NEW NETFLIX SHOW. JUST DO WHATEVER WORKS FOR YOU

GOOD CONNECTIVITY It has a suite of connected features with Apple Car Play and Android Auto

This is one of those sequels that’s better than the original. Much better. I was never a fan of the original Mercedes GLA, which felt more like a hatchback on stilts and not the crossover SUV it was intended to be. Which is why the all-new GLA, which is nothing like its predecessor, other than in name, feels refreshingly different, and good.

First, it looks more like an SUV now with squared-off proportions, a chunkier chin, a taut and tightly-skinned body and a more upright tailgate. The bonnet, too, is more muscular and the latest interpretation of the Mercedes grille with chrome pinheads, glint-like jewels in sunlight. The LED lights, too, look nice and techy and the chunky tail lights we saw on the previous car are gone in favour of a sleeker set of LED lamps.

The cabin is suitably spruced up with a pair of high resolution screens integrated into one huge panel dominating the dashboard. The interior fixtures are all high-quality: well-damped buttons and exquisitely-crafted rotary vents exude luxury.

There’s a laundry list of equipment, which includes twin sunroofs, customisable LED mood lighting, a suite of connected features with Apple Car Play and Android Auto and a plethora of USB ports, but in a car that’s designed for the future, the USB ports are C-type. Another miss is wireless charging. Boot space isn’t generous either and the addition of a ‘space saver’ tyres, which sits on the boot floor and not under it, eats into luggage room.

The big surprise is cabin space, which is substantially more than the previous GLA, especially at the rear. There’s

SLEEK RIDE

The LED lights look techy and the chunky tail lights are replaced by a sleeker LED lamps ample headroom and legroom, too. It's now decent by class standards. Which is to say that though space is nowhere near as generous as in bigger Mercs, it’s not cramped either. The GLA rear seat is comfy enough to make it an acceptable chauffer-driven car.

But the GLA is not meant to be a chauffer-driven car, and is best enjoyed from behind the wheel. Launched with two engine options, a 1.3 163hp turbo petrol (GLA 200) and a 2.0 litre 190hp diesel (GLA 220d), it’s the latter that I drove.

Diesels are a natural fit in SUVS given the strong punch they offer. The GLA 220d has enough of it (400Nm of torque to be precise) and just a small dab on the rally style accelerator pedal delivers a lusty tug. The diesel GLA 220d is very responsive and coupled with the quick-to-respond 8-speed automatic gearbox, it whisks you to serious speeds very rapidly. The 0-100kph time of 7.4 seconds is an indication of the engine’s potency and on the highway, it scythes past traffic with contemptuous ease. In town too, the GLA is quick in traffic.

Complementing the impressive performance is a sophisticated suspension and accurate steering which gives you the confidence and control to exploit and enjoy all that power and torque. And adding to the driving pleasure is the plush ride which soaks up bumps quite well. It’s only deep potholes and sharp-edges that catch out the suspension over which a hard thud is felt.

Flaws? Engine refinement could be better, it vibrates a bit during idle and at high revs the characteristic diesel drone isn’t as well supressed as it should be. A more accomplished compact luxury SUV than before, the GLA which goes on sale next month, is a nice blend of size, luxury and driving pleasure.

THE NEW MERCEDES GLA IS A NICE BLEND OF SIZE, LUXURY AND DRIVING PLEASURE

The views expressed by the columnist are personal