Given that we live in a world of constant change and turmoil, a good number of us always seek to see the silver lining in the challenges we face daily. Something good has to come out of it all.
In the case of this recent outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease in West Africa, there could be a silver lining.
This perceived silver lining however, is dependent on how forgetful people are. It is said that people have the shortest memories especially when it comes to things or events that they would rather never happened.
There has been an increase… or I would like to assume (with the increase in the sale of hand sanitizers, liquid hand soap and all)…in hygiene standards in the country.
People are now…I suppose… practicing regular handwashing or using hand sanitizers frequently.
I have seen people around me sanitize their hands with a frequency that seemed to me like once in every 20 or so minutes.
Hand sanitizers have become the new cool.
The real message in keeping your hands clean however, is that you should wash your hands with soap and water regularly. Hand sanitizers should only be used in situations where you don’t have access to soap and water, it shouldn’t replace the use of soap and water.
I sincerly hope that the message of hand washing habits which people have not been paying much attention to, will become the new norm for them after we have ridden the storm of this current outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease.
This would be the silver lining in an otherwise scary, sad and painful epidemic that threatens to wipe out a considerable amount of the human race.
