Quarantine ended successfully - a lifetime experience

 

Last 5 days in quarantine

February 6, 2022

In the last two days I was seeking help from different people in getting permission to get my car from where I had parked nearly a month ago to the quarantine hotel so that we could drive on Monday to Thimphu. Every small thing seem complicated and you keep worrying if your next step might offend the protocols. After asking several people was done  possible to get the car driven to the parking in front of the hotel Thanks to my friend who introduced me to s very helpful Dessup in charge in the Zone where my car was parked. The next worry is the weather. The incessant and heavy snowfall in the highland has caused a lot of road obstruction and hope that the highway to Thimphu will stay open on Monday. There are reports of snow even in mid and lower altitudes this time. People say it is due to climate change even though many people are happy about it and say it is a good omen and a good harvest for farmers looking forward this season.

The news of the lockdowns in half of the country is quite painful. We had pretty bad experience in 2020 and 2021 already and this is really unexpected. People are stranded in spite of the helpline working 24 hours to provide guidance and facilitate travels. Students are expected to travel to schools and colleges while there are family emergencies and sickness that compels people to travel. I do not think anyone would travel for leisure these times inside the country. The quarantine facilities are falling short just like the ventilators in other countries some months ago. There is some degree of restlessness and worries even though there are no serious implications of the infections in Bhutan. The numbers are rising and the government is finding hard to get enough isolation hotels/ centers which is causing shortage of quarantine centers. Even though the international travelers would have dropped following huge number of infected people in one lot from among the imported workers, that being the cause of community transmission as well, domestic travel is unavoidable for many.

I feel for the resident of Phuntsholing. Almost after a month of lockdown with restricted movements, from today there is a complete lockdown declared for 10 days. The community transmission is not stopping and that is worrying the task force. Hope this is a solution and the lockdown does not continue any further unlike last year when it lasted for over 4 months.                                                                               

On the 4th evening I was able to join some academicians from the region to discuss and share the idea of blended learning. The Daffodil University of Bangladesh had organized this seminar - Transforming Higher Education, Post Pandemic  - A South Asian Model. I hope to contribute a book chapter on this theme.

The spillover effect from India as put by someone seems unstoppable. This town being the main gateway for the import and export, on all days there are large trucks carrying essentials such as gas, fuel, food supplies and medicines. This is pretty clear how dependent we are and in fact we have become even more over the years. With urbanization and increased consumerism, the import will only rise. Spillover is inescapable. Little that is produced in the country also has to find the Indian market.

The front liners and medical staff are working day in and out. But how long can we sustain this and most importantly how long can our front liners continue doing this. It is quite possible that the 5^th death in the country was a result of fatigue from our front liners, if not a deliberate lapse. I fear more unfortunate results of fatigue in days to come !

Just as I was writing this on the 6th of February, the nightingale of India who sang in Indian music industry for over 7 decades passed away. It is an end of a voice that soothed billion hearts in pain, happiness and leisure. The consolation for this sad loss comes from the thought - what a wonderful journey this mostly highly acclaimed singer of this entire region had. She will continue to live in the hearts of billions!

Monday, 7^th February, at around 1030, we could load our car and drive home to Thimphu !

Our nuclear family of four is back under one roof.

Quarantine continued...

 Day 8: January 31 and Day 9: February 1, 2022

The first big news for us today is that RT-PCR test given yesterday came out negative including the rest of the hotel inmates who got tested yesterday.

By the way, we are a family of four. While two of us are quarantined here at Phuntsholing for the last 9 days, Arun, our elder son is in an extended quarantine in Paro. He tested positive for COVID after a week-long stay. He suspects he caught it on the plane as he had a negative test report before he flew back from India. He was on a two week trip to Mumbai, an epicenter of Omicron for a filming contract. Who knows at what point in time the virus found its way into his throat! He was asymptomatic and had only mild throat pain, symptoms milder than a common cold. Just this afternoon he is allowed to go home after he tested negative. He was moved from a quarantine facility to an isolation center, another beautiful resort nearby in Paro. This was not enough as he was also bestowed with a special food package gift from the palace. We offer our gratitude to our benevolent King for this extra-ordinary love and care to His people.

Our younger son at home, all by himself, is managing his time and working from home at this challenging times. In the lockdown he seem to have gone a bit philosophical as is evident from some articles that he has posted recently on his Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/bhattaraisrj).

Back in here at Phuntsholing temporary home (central Hotel) time is moving on. I have just completed reading two books in vernacular – Pasinaka Paila by Laxman Gamnage and Gham Astayeko Hoina by Byanjana Sharma. I have also started reading “Factfullness” by Hans Rosling. Thanks to Mr Netra Binod for the e-copy. Reading on the screen is not as comfortable unlike our new generation who simply do not look at the paper prints!

While 8^th day was a pleasant one with sunny and warm weather, looking through the window I witnessed an eagle taking away the peace and the romance of hundreds of pigeons that would fly between the buildings and feed on the generous neighbors who frequently sprinkle some grains on the empty roads below. But these happy-go birds are terrorized by one eagle who seem to be chasing them, perhaps to pick a prey. This chase, which lasted over fifteen minutes resulted in some restlessness and chaos among these symbols of peace. There were also some crows seen crowing and flying mixed with the pigeons, equally restless for whatever reason! Finally, the eagle seems to have left the area, perhaps with a prey that he was seeking.

Back to the updates on news and Facebook posts, the COVID cases in the country seem to be skyrocketing, even to the extent that US has categorised as a  country on high risk.  Looking at the number of cases, it does not seem that the lockdown is going to be lifted soon. In fact it is already extended for one more week as almost all the Dzongkhags are in red, while four of those with over 1500 active cases are newly categorized as “High Burden Dzongkhags”. Every day there is a new record for Bhutan with over 300 new cases today. This border town is leading with 90 community cases as it feels as if the virus is all over in the air. We see much fewer people on the street. The news, government circulars and notifications are constantly changing, often contradicting, causing some amount of confusions among the people. Most recent notifications sent out about the Class X and XII examinations by the Ministry of Education is a clear example of the nervousness and panicky that is prevalent, even in the Government quarters. 

                                      

Globally, the COVID-19 seem not a scary thing anymore. Even in the most developed nations lockdown is not any more the option. In fact the Director General of WHO has repeatedly said that he is not ‘suggesting national lockdowns’ but only appealing for more vaccinations and follow other protocols. BBC discussing about the variant Omicron and its two infectious lineages, BA.1 and BA.2 says, “it is one for the scientists to watch, rather than for the public to be alarmed about at this stage.” Perhaps in Bhutan too it is time to review the way we are dealing with this new strain of milder virus!