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First of all this isn’t a how to stay safe post. This isn’t about social distancing, washing your hands and clothes, coughing on your shoulder, properly wearing masks posts on COVID-19, it’s best your refer to WHO for that. And please do. Facts are important. This is going to be me – rambling on about COVID-19 and it’s current state in Nepal.  At thee time of writing this (March 21, 2020) or (८ चैत २०७६), Nepal has gone into semi-lockdown and Lord behold panic has ensued.

But that’s not the reason i started putting pen to paper, or i guess it’s now hands to keyboard ? Anyway, a post going around social media saying Nepal has zero confirmed cases of COVID-19 and making fun of how there can be no confirmed cases since there isn’t any testing got me a bit worked up – and we’re here – so lets talk about it. You can see the image/meme in question below.

Initial thought was – you’re just demeaning Nepal, cause you can’t explain the absence of Corona – sandwiched between China and India .
But then i thought, what IS the testing process ?

Body temperature only tells if you have a fever, you have to get a throat or nose swap and test it right ? So – what testing methods are in place right now ? Are you only supposed to go to hospital after you feel sick ?

By that time you could have infected thousands of people. What plans do the government have in place? I’ll answer that last question – zero – the government never has a plan – never will.

I’m at a pretty comfortable age group – not the healthiest person out there i will admit that -but I am by no means sickly – so if nothing else i’m confident I would survive. But a lot of people I love and care about deeply are immunocompromised or have preexisting conditions – and I am worried.  As a man, wrongly or rightly you’re supposed to fight these “enemies” that would do your family harm. But this one is invisible and the more I read about it, the more worrisome it becomes. It’s a nagging thought – always in the background.

By early estimates – the vaccines for the virus will take about a year to develop. Of course i know nothing about vaccines and viruses except for the fact that vaccines are good and viruses are bad. Again – please refer to WHO for information – these are just my thoughts. These current methods of lockdowns and social distancing and no traveling and no globalizing – unsustainable isn’t it ?

The global economy is definitely going to tank – no amount of stimulus packages in the world can prevent that. So I am fully aware of how thats gonna go. But money won’t be the problem – the problem will be when that money cant buy you anything.

Introducing Hoarding 101 – the survival guide for an Apocalyptic future:

1. Preventative Purchases
   1. First to go is things that are directly effected by the current situation, in this cases
      1. Masks
      2. Hand Wash and Sanitizers
2. Food and stuff :
   Stock up on all the essentials.( No toilet paper isn’t one of them ). So first things to buy is food.
   Rice, Daal, Potatoes ( Keep a stock of these things as much as possible ). So generally you probably have a month or two months worth of supplies of these.
3. FUEL UP:
   Nepalis are well versed in fueling up now. You just need to see two bikes in line at a Petrol station and the immediate urge will be to line up too. So with the global aviation industry coming to a complete halt – the prices for Petroleum products have gone way down. The petrol stations are reluctantly giving out fuel – but you wouldn’t risk not having fuel would you ? What if you have an emergency and need to go somewhere real quick ? No – no chances can be taken – get that fuel tank filled up.
4. Liquid Petroleum Gas Cylinders:
   Get 2 – one more just in case. Self explanatory this – you gotta eat – you gotta cook.

There you have it – that’s my Hoarding 101 guide – this is a modified list I developed after the first major calamity in my life – the 2015 Earthquake. The list above is modified to fit the latest calamity. There are many wise people that tell me that this is just temporary and not to panic – that everything will be alright – but quite frankly I can fully understand why everyone is panicking.

The Nepali Government doesn’t have a plan – they have 12% of a plan – and i’m being generous. I don’t trust my government a bit – i’ve seen what they do – empty promises and half brained schemes. I trust the Government as much as I believe I have a chance of winning Nepali Idol.

The Nepali people on the other hand – these people I do trust. We’re a good lot. A bit of fighting here and there – but all in all a very helpful bunch.

What worries me though – is that this pandemic is a social problem and needs to be governed and managed at the highest levels, so sticking together won’t help. Only time will tell if we’ve evolved beyond 2015 but hopefully we have. I could tell you not to worry but i’d be lying. All I can do is follow the steps for prevention – stay diligent and hopefully survive this.
Think of the bright side you can tell your future kids you survived both the 2015 Earthquake AND the corona virus.

Here’s hoping there’s a better tomorrow.

P.S. Shout out to all the Doctors and workers in the medical. Thank you for taking up arms in the time of need. You guys rock.