No school, no travel, no events and who knows what’s coming: The new corona virus is paralyzing Germany and is forcing us to give up. The majority of people seem to accept this. Those who are still ranting about the restrictions should now finally see: it’s not about you.
The majority of Utopia readers and, incidentally, also employees are, roughly simplified, under 50. So not necessarily the corona virusRisk group. If you – like me – belong to this majority and have no previous illnesses: Congratulations. You are likely not to die from Covid-19 and you may not even experience symptoms. But. It’s not about you now.
We have to think beyond ourselves
The normal reflex as a German or maybe just as a person in a crisis seems to be that one wonders: does this concern me? In most cases, the answer will be no, and then we tend to take neither the crisis nor the containment measures too seriously. For the first time perhaps in a crisis, we really have to think beyond ourselves and our immediate environment.
(Photo: CC0 / Pixabay / sabinevanerp)
Because even if you – which is highly unlikely – really shouldn’t know anyone who is over 50, has previous illnesses such as asthma, diabetes, cancer or heart problems: There are these people and you are now responsible for their survival.
At least as important as washing your hands and general hygiene rules is now: keep your distance, avoid social contacts and stay away from smaller events.
That means: Yes, you have to damn restrict your life now. So it hurts. We are now morally committed to reducing direct contacts wherever possible, avoiding crowds, postponing travel, knocking down plans.
Nobody wants to take something away from you
Just a few days ago I read in a WhatsApp group about organizing – or just canceling – a meeting with friends from all corners of Germany: “But I don’t want to completely forego my social life just to avoid possible contagion.” A friend, freelancer, who has an order in Switzerland next week, said that despite the border closings, he would find a way to get in and out of Switzerland. Another friend said that it would be enough if a relative with severe asthma “now takes care of himself”.
(Photo: CC0 Public Domain / Unsplash)
People, again: it’s not about you. Release yourself from the outrage mentality à la “They want to take something away from me”. Nobody wants to take anything away from us. The measures that Germany is currently using to restrict public life are not directed against us. Those who set these measures are not people to be defended against. “They” are not to blame for the fact that we have to cancel meetings and jobs and vacations. “They” are not to blame if we worry about our income now because we take unpaid leave to look after children at home, as bitter as it is.
“The” only try – scientifically – sensible measures to protect weaker people than you by slowing down the spread of the novel corona virus.
You are responsible for the survival of other people
It is not about you. Given the possibility or even probability that around one million Germans will need intensive medical care due to the coronavirus, it is essential that we slow down the spread now. Because one million patients who need ventilators and other complex treatment cannot cope with our healthcare system all at once. And patients who need treatment for something other than the coronavirus are not even included.
It is not about you. It is about the people who will urgently need medical treatment and, at worst, cannot get it due to overcrowded clinics. People who will die because there are not enough ventilators, beds, medication and staff. This is not fiction is already happening in Italy. It’s about people who have a chance to survive if we as a society manage to flatten the curve of new infections.
The Washington Post shows in an impressive simulation what effects human behavior has on the spread of the virus. Even if, as the author himself says, the simulations “considerably simplify” the real situation, they give the clear hint: the more people stick to the “social distancing” measures, the slower the virus spreads.
So again: it’s not about you. It is not about your social life, your hobbies, your work, not even your financial existence, as hard as that may be. It’s about the survival of other people – and ultimately about what kind of society we want to live in. That sounds very old-fashioned now, but: Do we want to live in a society in which everyone thinks only of themselves and their immediate surroundings, or would we prefer one in which we consider each other?
Read more on Techzle.com:
- #FlattenTheCurve: Now we are all asked to slow down the corona virus
- Coronavirus: These hand sanitizers don’t help
- Because of corona virus: 9 tips on how to make good use of your time at home