DEATHS AMIDST THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

( NHỮNG CÁI CHẾT THỜI COVID )

Author : Jorathe Nắng Tím

Translator : A. Prisca

            We are frightened by Covid because of the deadly virus. People in the world fight for survival over Covid because of its destruction. Everybody is desperately afraid of Covid because it is easy to fall in the situation of losing the life without any family members beside at the hospital beds or any friends for the final farewell when they are infected by this virus. And Covid has become the sign of the Scary Death!

            Up to now, known global death toll exceeds 215,000 and there are over 03 million confirmed cases with several hundred thousand Covid patients, who are in the emergency rooms and have a close brush with death for resuscitation, so the deaths amidst Covid-19 Pandemic actually have become dangerous obsession and a terrible threat to the whole world.

Among hundred thousands of deaths in the Covid-19 period, there have been deaths beyond medical diagnostics and beyond the initial estimate of scientists that Covid does not affect the infants. However, in reality, there is a confirmed case of a 6-month old baby in Connecticut, the USA as well as a lot other confirmed cases of children from 2 to 10 years old in Europe, in which there is a pitiful case of a 3-year old child without parents besides from the time of infection to the time of dying.

            Among hundred thousands of deaths in the Covid-19 period is a sudden death of Ms. Lorna Breen, an anti-Covid woman doctor at the front line of New York, the head of the Emergency Department of a hospital in Manhattan, who committed suicide at the age of 49, on April 26, 2020 after a very difficult time serving Covid patients after knowing her Covid infection due to the intolerable pressure of the obsessing deaths in front of her eyes, particularly right at the lobby of the hospital. Her sudden death seems to be unexpected footsteps of Covid into the world !

Among hundred thousands of deaths in the Covid-19 period, there is the death for the future of the world of the elderly woman Suzanne Hoylaerts in Vlaams-Brabant Province, the Kingdom of  Belgium, Europe. Taken to the hospital due to her Covid infection, knowing that there is a serious shortage of ventilators in hospital in comparison with the contiunually increasing number of Covid-19 patients, with the suggestion from the doctor to use the ventilator, she replied : “ I don’t want to us the ventilator. Let other young people use is. I think I have fulfill my life beautifully. It’s oke for me now!” Two days later, on March 22, 2020, she passed away from the Covid.

        Among hundred thousands of deaths in the Covid-19 period, while there are some deaths for the future of the world, there are some others for being afraid of the future of other people as the death of Mr. Thomas Schaefer, Minister of Finance of Hesse in German committing suicide after “coronavirus crisis worries” on March 28 by heading into a railway track because of becoming “deeply worried” over how to cope with the economic fallout from the coronavirus. Moreover, there is a death because of getting such an awful fright from Covid like the suicide of Dr. Bernard Gonzales, a physician at the Stade de Reims of the French League, France, on Sunday April 5, 2020 at the age of 60 right after testing positive for the coronavirus.

            Among hundred thousands of deaths in the Covid-19 period, there are such a lot deaths of doctors, nurses, medical workers, volunteers, fighting Covid like soilders in the front line with bravery and sacrifice for the sake of the others. Every evening, at 8P.M, all people in France applause simultaneously to show the deep gratitude and glory to them from all windows and balconies.

            Among hundred thousands of deaths in the Covid-19 period, there are still such a lot deaths of Catholic priests, men and women Catholic religious, men and women Buddhist monks and monastics, and other volunteers of different religions for the spiritual happiness of the Covid patients when taking up ministries for the patients in hospitals.

             Besides these hundred thousands of deaths in the Covid-19 period, there are some deaths not because of Covid, but because of being alone and being lonely of a great numbers of the ederly men and women in the infirmaries or nursing homes. They did not died from the infection, but from the loneliness and the depression because of the quarantine when their children or grandsons and granddaugters can not come to visit them often as usual.

  Indeed, we have never been closer to death than at this very moment because the coronavirus has crossed any country boundaries and attacked any person regardless of age, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation or any other social or personal characteristics ; it is high time for us to be fully aware of the death around us because any mistake, any carelessness, any incaution in our social meetings or conversations can lead us to hospital or to mortuary; and more than ever, we have a lot of time to think about the mortal life, to question about the reason of life, the meaning of life, the value of life as well as the attitude to have in our lives.

     The Month of May is just around the corner. The month begins with the day of Muguet Flower, also known as Lily of the Valley, May Lily, May Bells, Lily Constancy, Ladder-to-Heaven or Our Lady’s tears, recognized as the sign of peace and good luck. With all my heart-felt appreciation, I would like to offer a bouquet of the pure white Muguet to the departed amidst the Covid-19 time and my fervent prayers for the peace to them afterdeath. Besides, another bouquet of Muguet is given to all of you, who are still alive, who are bitterly fighting to protect the others from Covid-19 as doctors, nurses, medical workers, volunteers , or who are the victims of Covid-19 staying in hospitals with my best wishes for a great abundance of forever luck to you.