DNA Exclusive: Lets follow COVID appropriate behaviour to save innocent lives

New Delhi: Even as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc in the country, there are still many people who are quick to lose their temper when asked to follow safety guidelines such as wearing masks and maintaining social distancing. Such behaviour has led to immense harm in the country’s fight against the pandemic. It is costing innocent lives.

What is needed is that people follow COVID appropriate behaviour to deal with the crisis.

On the occasion of Ram Navami, Zee News Editor-in-Chief Sudhir Chaudhary urged people to take lessons from ‘Maryada Purushottam’ Lord Ram in modesty, self-righteousness and doing the right thing in these trying times.

Today (April 21) is Ram Navami. According to religious beliefs, Lord Rama, son of King Dasharatha and Mata Kaushalya, was born on the ‘navami’ date of the Shukla Paksha of Chaitra month.

People can learn a lot from Lord Ram today. He spent 14 years of his life in exile. He did not once deviate from his decision. He made this sacrifice with dignity. Today, we also need to make a similar sacrifice to fight against the pandemic.

Today it is important that you do not unnecessarily go out of the house. Do not go out to attend birthdays, parties and other occasions for a few days. Avoid meeting with your friends and relatives. And most importantly, do not stop wearing masks. Just like Lord Ram spent years in isolation, people need to do it for some time.

There are many people in the country who do not follow the COVID guidelines. Recently, a Delhi couple misbehaved with the police when they were asked to wear masks. In another incident, doctors in Bhopal were abused by miscreants. These incidents happen because such people have forgotten their limitations. They could learn the importance of restraint from Lord Ram.

In Ramayana after Ravana took Sita to Lanka and Ram had to cross the sea to get there, he could have dried the sea in a moment. But he did not do so. Instead, he chose to act with restraint and pleaded with patience. Had he dried up the sea, millions of marine animals would have died.

Today we have to follow the limits. We have to remember that if we cross our limits and remove the mask or do not follow social distancing, then it can threaten the lives of people around us. Today, our country needs decent behavior and temperament from all its people.

Lord Ram used to treat everyone as equal. But today the VIP leaders in our country and people who have a lot of wealth are using their clout to get oxygen and beds in hospitals. This should not be done.

At present, there is a crisis of oxygen shortage in many states of the country. In such times, people should not unnecessarily over-burden the hospitals. If your body's oxygen level is between 94 to 100 percent, then you do not need to visit a hospital.

When the amount of oxygen in a patient's body decreases by 85 percent, then in such a situation, the patient needs oxygen and seriously ill people also need ventilator.

So until there is really a need for oxygen support, people should not ask for it as it could deprive the needy and risk other people’s lives.