There was a time the word ‘Corona’ meant a school to me.
The kids wore check white and red dresses with a similar shirts for boys and matching maroon colored shorts. Now, it just seems like a byword. Like that unwanted relative that shows up and pokes a finger at our ribs as a gentle reminder that he or she still exists- even though you know and are trying hard to forget.
On Monday , I went to a Bank event, expecting to be drowned by facts figures and money wisdom. Walking up the entrance of the building, a man in a suit scanned my forehead and after a beat asked me to go in. ‘Does this mean I am not infectious?’ I asked as a security guard – this time- asked me to sanitize my hand. This, I did before stepping into a hall , with at least 500 people. So we made it; Corona free and ready to crunch figures… Or so we thought.
Yesterday , news reports were rife with the announcement that a third Corona Virus carrier has been identified. Subsequent reports called on travelers who had disembarked from a BA flight from London to Nigeria on the 13th of March to self isolate or contact them for quarantine orders.
My head starts a mental check.
What are the chances that some of the people in that hall had been on the flight?
There is at least a one percent chance. A lot of these guys had come from Lagos for this event. Yes, my forehead had been scanned before I got into the hall. But then it had taken authorities four whole days to detect the recent case. Most of those infected say the symptoms weren’t obvious at the onset.
We now have three cases in Nigeria. Officially, at least.
In Italy it’s running into thousands. The same in the US and China, which is worst hit than any other place.
My point is, three cases or 10,000 this Virus is all up in our faces, isn’t it?You can’t actually tell the number of people who have it – some will deny it flat.
This morning my asked me how my quarantine drive was going. My response?
Businesses would fail. Luckily there are ways you can make it work because we live in a digital economy. And when we do perhaps this guy could be an inspiration for how to make it rad.
Meanwhile, my sympathy to ex and current students of Corona Primary and Secondary school. Hearing the word Corona must bring mixed feelings…🙃😆😢🤔😑
Either way, let’s all stay safe and sanitized!
Amina Maikori 
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