COVID-19 and Quarantine

COVID 19 or Coronavirus a disease which, first discovered in China’s Wuhan city, has spread around the world in a few months, has killed more than 648,476 people and has infected more than 16,205,467 people. Afghanistan, my country, is one of the affected countries and has around 36,036 positive cases. Kabul, my hometown, has the most positive cases.

Afghanistan, my country, is one of the affected countries and has around 36,036 positive cases.

Hasina Ghafoori

As this virus is zymotic, it can spread by touching an affected person, by air,  and by touch of a place or a tool which is affected by this virus. Therefore, like all other countries across the world, my country is also in quarantine or lockdown. The Afghan government is trying to control the spread of this virus across the country, as we are a poor country and don’t have kits and other materials needed for therapy of this virus. It’s about 4 months that we are all in quarantine and most of the offices are lockdown.

We appreciate our health sector’s workers as well our police forces and MOI staff who are working hard to protect us as far as possible from this virus. However, still most of the people are not taking care of themselves and their families. They don’t care about the quarantine.

We appreciate our health sector’s workers as well our police forces and MOI staff who are working hard to protect us as far as possible from this virus.

Hasina Ghafoori

My family and I are in lockdown and we are trying to do our best to stay far from this virus.  I am Hasina, 25 years old, and working as HR Recruitment Officer in an international organization by the name of Swedish Committee for Afghanistan (SCA) in Kabul. We have more than six thousand employees around Afghanistan and thousands of beneficiaries.  I also can go outside like the other people who are not taking care of lockdown. I know that if I am infected, I could infect more than one thousand people.  Why, why are we not helping our health sector?  Why don’t  we care about our health, our family’s health and our society? These are the questions I want to ask all of those who are making excuses to break this lockdown.

I know that if I am infected, I could infect more than one thousand people.  Why, why are we not helping our health sector?  Why don’t  we care about our health, our family’s health and our society?

Hasina Ghafoori

I know it is not easy for anyone, especially who has the habit of going outside each day,  to stay at home. Even my friends and I cannot tolerate being at home for a month or more in a country where we have many problems, such as with low quality of internet and problems with electricity. Even though we are living in the 21st century, our country is not included in one of the developed countries in the world. Even so, we have to think about it, and accept that, in this period of time, where most of the countries are in lockdown due to this COVID 19 virus, we need to stay at home for our self, for our family, and for our society.

During this quarantine period I learned how to deal with problems and how to handle the hard moments. When we do not have access to electricity, I spend my time by reading books. I read two books, Becoming by Michelle Obama,  and a part of Sheltering Rain by JoJo Moyes.  When I did not  have access to the internet, it was really fantastic because after many years I could spend much of my time with my parents. We remember our past days and  my childhood. I now understand much better how much my parents were feeling alone when I,  my brother and sisters where busy with our own business all day in college or office and all night busy with the internet and social media. We did not recognize that we were leaving our parents alone.

During this quarantine period I learned how to deal with problems and how to handle the hard moments.

Hasina Ghafoori

My wish and my hope is that all the world gets rid of this virus and everything comes back to its normal way. I wish all the people affected by this virus get well soon. I want to go to my office and start my normal life back but I will keep in mind that after coming home, I should give some time to my family. I developed good habits during this lockdown and will try to keep it up.

I developed good habits during this lockdown and will try to keep it up.

Hasina Ghafoori

Author: Hasina Ghafoori is a 25 years old girl from Kabul. She graduated from literature faculty of Kabul university and currently working for Swedish Committee for Afghanistan as HR Officer.

Editor: Thomas P. Valenti