I love songs and poetry about the moon. Unfortunately, the novel coronavirus took centre stage when a supermoon beamed beautifully at us a few weeks ago. The moon has been at the centre of controversy when Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong set foot on it in 1969. Many people thought that moon landing was fake. One thing that I know for sure is that the moon is made of cheese. There are thousands of conspiracy theories about it on the internet. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a conspiracy theory is, “a theory that explains an event or set of circumstances as the result of a secret plot by usually powerful conspirators.”
Over the past couple weeks, the strangeness of this lockdown life has seeped into every nook and cranny of our daily lives, exposing, among other things, the conspiracy theories. Social media has made it possible for people to say whatever they like and think. It’s a conspiracy theorist’s heaven. There are countless conspiracy theories flying around about the novel coronavirus. One popular conspiracy theory is that COVID-19 is a bioweapon created in a lab in China. I guess people begin to believe these theories, especially when professionals in the field make those claims.
COVID-19 has created a perfect storm for conspiracy theorists. I've observed on social media platforms just how much South Africans love conspiracy theories. Okay, some of it is humour, but the rest are serious claims. We all feel vulnerable because this pandemic and the effects of it on our daily lives are almost depressing. This could also be a reason why spreading conspiracy theories gives some people more of a feeling of control. It should stop because it’s a false sense of control. It causes more harm than anything during this trying time.
Claims that the government is using the lockdown restrictions to control its citizens is dangerous and laughable. The aim of these allegations is to ultimately force the government to lift the lockdown. Fighting a deadly virus like COVID-19 is not that simple. It is unrealistic to expect a normal life to return after the lockdown has been lifted even partially. Throughout the world, people are coming together to do what they can to fight the pandemic that has changed life as we know it. Let us fight this common enemy together by staying home.
The impact of COVID-19 on our psyche is severe. During the lockdown, many women, men and children are stuck at home with their abusers. The number of cases reported since the beginning of the lockdown is scary. The right thing to do is to help someone who needs our help. Call the Stop Gender-Based Violence Helpline on 0800 150 150.
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#COVID19
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