UNITED WE STAND

Dennis Fitzgerald Melbourne, Australia

The UAE health authorities and other government establishments are doing their utmost best to protect us from falling victim to the deadly COVID-19. And they need our cooperation. The situation is no doubt precarious and we are all anxious, but there is no other way out of this but to adhere to the guidelines conveyed to us by the authorities (“Public should adhere to preventive measures,” Mar.29, Gulf Today).

As a working mother of two young children I can well understand the difficulties parents must facing these days, coping with their children’s online schooling, and at the same time managing their own official work from home. Coupled with that, there are restrictions on movement, which means that the kids are holed up at home all day. That’s added frustration for the children. It’s surely not a desired situation.

I know there are plenty of articles and videos doing the rounds on how to creatively use our time to engage more with the family, strengthening our relationships with our children and others. That is good but I take it with a pinch of salt because for many of us, we were doing pretty well before the coronavirus decided to upset the healthy applecart. Quality time with our family was never an issue, so mandatory isolation in that respect is unwarranted.

But, there is a healthy twist to the crisis we are in today. And that is the welfare of the other. Me and my family may be perfectly fine but what about the other family? That is why we need to observe social distancing and stay home. I was prompted to write this primarily because not many understand that if we are to be healthy it is imperative that our neighbour and our workmate and our fellow passenger is also healthy.

If the virus has taught us anything, it is that we are all in it together. United we stand, divided we fall should ring a bell.

Carmen R By email