186 Million Cases and the White Flag is Desperately Waving

Covid’s caseload worldwide has surpassed 186 million cases. And yes, 4 million deaths.

Namibia is country #98 to reach 100,000 cases todate – and with Malaysia reporting 8,868 cases yesterday, again, we move up another step to #34 among countries with the highest tally of infections.

It is worth mentioning that Covid is not much different from wars, homelessness, hunger and other conditions that bedeviled humanity. Meaning, the poor, the underprivileged and the deprived are the ones who suffer the most. 

In fact, a Covid report by the Health Foundation charity in the UK found that the death rate from coronavirus was 3.7 times higher for working age adults living in the poorest 10 percent of neighborhoods in England compared with those living in the wealthiest 10 percent. 

Of course, we can grieve for those who succumb to Covid and died – but for those who are spared death, life could turn out to be really hard and difficult. Not excluding those who are untouched by Covid because lockdowns as an outcome of the pandemic are enough to wreak havoc in an economy. And when that happens, people lose their livelihoods.

For sure, we can find many victims who are caught up in the unpropitious throes of abject adversity. And we don't even need to look beyond our shores. 

The ‘white flag’ that is a community initiative in Malaysia is rapidly escalating – and this is heavy-hearted authentication that the suffering of the down-and-outs in the country is becoming heart-wrenching.

The 'white flag' is a simple idea. If anybody is in need of food and/or essentials, they just need to raise a white flag outside their abode to signal to others that they need urgent help.

And white flags are desperately waving to get attention because households are in distress. It is, therefore, heartwarming to see Malaysians responding positively and giving a helping hand to those in need.

In a depressing landscape of Covid devastation, acts of kindness bring a glimmer of hope and a spark of optimism to desperate lives.

#KitaJagaKita