Right now the world is being brought to its knees by this “novel” Coronavirus. I was completing my surgery rotation in Brooklyn, the current epicenter of this virus, when I was sent home. I saw, first hand, the impact that this monster had on the community. Trust me, coming back to my quiet home in northern Virginia and being stuck indoors for 14 days drove me crazy too. But not because I wanted to hang out with my friends or go out to eat, but because I had seen how the world was suffering and would continue to suffer and there was nothing I could do about it. This virus was about to show the world how being ignorant may not be as bliss as we all thought. It doesn’t discriminate between races, age, gender or wealth. To be honest, this was the most equity I had seen in the 27 years of my existence.

Being an Ahamdi Muslim, I was listening to a sermon by the head of our community on Friday and he stressed the importance of abiding by the rules placed by one’s country. Honestly, as a doctor-to-be, it saddens me how ignorant we as a nation are. Wake up America. You won’t die if you don’t play basketball for a couple of weeks or get your nails done for a month. But you will put many others around you at risk. And if that risk is greater than your love for one another, then what a shame. I hope that this virus teaches us the importance of selflessness and compassion and I hope that once this pandemic ceases to exist, that we as humans don’t forget these important lessons.

Aneela Wadan

Fairfax