Author: Alex Nanijanian

The Coronavirus—COVID-19—pandemic has adversely impacted the health and well-being of people globally. As it compounds at an alarming rate here in the Western United States, the crisis is taking a heavy toll on the elderly and other vulnerable populations, including those groups in the Armenian community.

Expanding upon the scope and extent of efforts already initiated by several local chapters, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Western U.S. Central Committee has created a task force to provide and coordinate emergency assistance and resources to those in need.

The task force includes representatives of the Armenian Cultural Foundation,  Armenian Relief Society, Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region, Armenian Youth Federation, Homenetmen, Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Board of Regents of the Prelacy Armenian Schools and Hamazkayin—community organizations that have a long and proud history of always serving our nation and community when crisis strikes.

In these trying times, the ARF Western U.S. Central Committee will devote all its capabilities and resources toward the health and welfare of all Armenians.

We welcome all those who wish to join in our efforts, so that we can collectively emerge from today’s hardships as a stronger, healthier and safer community.

We will be updating you on a regular basis regarding the work of the Armenian Community Coronovirus Task Force and how each of you can help in this effort.

We urge all community members to follow safety guidelines put forth by state, county and local officials and stay safe and healthy.

BY MARY NAJARIAN

How can I keep quiet, and not talk about the Coronavirus? After all, I am a 86 year old retired nurse, and my husband is a 90 year old retired doctor. Combined, we have had over 85 years of experience in health care.

I think I should pass on to you what I know, and what my thoughts are about this coronavirus. By the way, they have fashionable names for it now: COVID-19, or still better yet Chinese virus..

Let me take you back 63 years. It was September of 1957 and I had arrived in Chicago from Beirut, Lebanon. Two days after my arrival, I started to work at Wesley Memorial Hospital in the Emergency room as part of my orientation.

I had only been working at the emergency room a little over ten days or so, when one of the co-workers touching my forehead said, “You have a fever. I bet you have the Asian-flu.”

I did not know what Asian-flu was, nor when and how I could have gotten it. They put me in a wheelchair and whisked me to the 5th floor of the hospital, where they were using the whole floor as an emergency care center for the doctors, nurses, and staff who had contracted the Asian flu.

I gave my name to the receptionist, who, after making several calls told me, “You have been working for only fifteen days, and your health coverage starts on October 16. You have not been with us 30 days yet, therefore you are not covered yet.”

The doctor checked my temperature and looked in my throat and advised me to go home and drink lots of fluid.

I walked the two blocks to my apartment. It seemed like the two bocks would never end, and I would never reach my apartment. But as soon as I got to my room, I threw myself on my bed, and I don’t remember what I ate or drank, and how long I slept. The only thing I still remember is one morning , perhaps the fourth or fifth day I woke up, and it was like a dream. My head ache was gone, and I had no pain, and I was hungry. I took a long shower, put on my uniform and went to work.

I had almost forgotten about the Asian-flu of 1957, until the coronavirus started blowing its horn . I want you to be the judge and compare the Asian-flu with the coronavirus.

THE ASIAN- FLU 63 years ago
It was September 1957.
The population of USA was 170 million.
No statistics were available as to how many people were infected with Asian-flu.
116,000 Americans in USA died from the Asian- flu that year.
Our president was Dwight Eisenhower.
He was not up for reelection.
He did nothing to prevent the spread of the Asian flu, and no one blamed him for it.
In 1957, they did not close the schools,
They did not stop gatherings,
They did not stop flights.
They did not close the borders.
They did not cut the interest rates.
They did not crash the stock market.

Coronavirus, “Covid 19”
It is March 2020.
The population in USA is 330 million,
26,000 Americans in USA have been diagnosed with the coronavirus .
To date 330 Americans mostly elderly have died, from corona virus, and we all know this is only the beginning.
But why these extreme measures now , and why nothing was done then in 1957?
Is an American citizen’s life less valuable then , than it is now?

This whole coronavirus issue is confusing.

Do people know what is happening to businesses? The airline industry, hotels, the travel industry, restaurants, the entertainment industry, the stock market?

An economist recently said on TV, “Coronavirus will not kill Americans, but the economy will.”

Could this have something to do with the upcoming election?

Is Trump scared that if he did not take these extreme measures, Democrats would have criticized him?

Already Joe Biden says, “If I were the president I would have done a lot more, and a lot sooner.” Bernie Sanders is still looking into the past, and trying to find out what his role- model, Fidel Castro would have done or has done in such a situation.

Please don’t misunderstand me. I am scared too, and I am over-reacting and panicking like every one of you. Now in our older days, known as the “Golden Age,” my husband and I are prisoners in our own home. My children refuse to visit us, so that they won’t expose us to the virus. We are not allowed to leave the house for fear we might be in contact with someone who has the virus. My grandson who lived with us has moved out , afraid that he goes in and out of the house, he might bring the virus to us. Our food is brought by our children, dropped at the entrance, as they scurry away. Yes we are lonely, very lonely.

A life filled with loneliness and fear of death from coronavirus is a tough life to live.