I’ve never been a fan of any leaf of the Indian State of Tamil Nadu’s ruling Political Party, The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhakam (AIADMK), or even leaning towards it. For a brief moment in time, I did like the good intentions and national fervour of its founder, the extremely popular and famous Tamil cinema actor and then superstar M G Ramachandran, popularly known as MGR. But this was in the backdrop of the severe parochialism of MGR’s life-long rival and ‘mother-ship’ Party, The Dravida Munnetra Kazhakam (DMK). We call them the main Kazhakams of Tamil Nadu.

MGR split from the DMK, to successfully start-out on his own, adding Anna to DMK, due to the endemic corruption that had seemingly crept-in to the Party after the original founder of the Dravidian Parties, Annadurai – Anna (elder brother) to everyone in Tamil Nadu – passed away. MGR was so successful that when he pitched himself against the DMK in the Assembly Elections he won easily on debut, and remained in power for over a decade, entirely due to his charisma and the awesome magnetic pulling power of his image as a supporter of the poor and downtrodden masses, and the saviour of maidens-in-distress. He cultivated a strong image of being a ‘Mom’s Boy’, worshipping his mother like God, and being down-to-earth loaded with tons of humility. He could do no wrong. Anna, the brilliant founder of the DMK, had tactfully brought MGR into politics to draw people to the newly formed Party then struggling to get a foot-hold in Tamil Nadu. He famously told MGR, ‘Thambi, just show your face and the people will vote for us. Leave the rest to me’. Anna had great oratorial skills and magnificently entwined it with MGR’s ‘hero good looks and on-screen deeds’ to romp home in the Elections, in the first round, and then kept the magic going in Election after Election.

MGR’s AIADMK Party symbol, the ‘Two Leaves’ eclipsed the ‘Rising Sun’ of the DMK ever since he entered Politics and until is death due to illness. Looking back, from today, the symbols have an eerie meaning. While the AIADMK is presently being held together by two small-time, but growing big leaders, O Pannerselvam (OPS), and Edappadi K Palanisamy (EPS), the DMK has become a ‘rising son’ Party. After the death of the DMK Chief, his Russian name bearing son has become the Chief, and in turn the ‘grand’ son (also carrying the Russian name) is being lined-up for the role, in the years to come. The Dravidian in the DMK begins with the ‘M’ and ends with ‘K’. I don’t need to explain this, I’m sure you know. If not, visit the Marina Beach, or just about ask anybody in Tamil Nadu, or simply stare at the sun with a pair of bold dark glasses – they will find you!

The AIADMK was thrown into disarray when its ‘MGR trained’, equally charismatic and beautiful Actress, iron-lady Leader, fondly called ‘Amma’, died in mysterious (still being investigated) circumstances, following a prolonged illness. During the many times the Law caught up with Amma, while in Power, and forced her to count the jail bars, OPS filled-in and keep the Chief Minister’s chair warm and cozy; until Amma could wrestle with the Law and get back to, ‘waving to the masses’ from balcony of her lovely House in Poes Garden, Chennai. Never mind, the Opposition calling her ‘Balcony Pappa’ This happened a couple of times.

However, in the game of the Game of Thrones following Amma’s passing, Tamilnadu – travelling through curving country roads and flashy holiday resorts – almost saw a ‘Household Partner’ ascend the Throne only to be thwarted by the Law, catching-up fast and furiously, crashing the Partner in to a Bengaluru jail. Candle making becomes a job and counting of jail bars starts again. But not before the ‘Lion of Salem’, EPS, finds himself sitting on the Throne and a meek OPS agreeing to be his deputy – for the love of Amma and the Party. Oh! It’s truly Two Leaves – no doubt about it.

The nay-sayers, the expatriates, the garden spies, and the sun-rise experts, spent almost every day predicting when EPS would fall: in two months said one, in six months said another, in a year said yet another. Meanwhile, EPS grew into the job and was actually performing well, rightfully supported by the Centre. MGR always believed in working in co-ordination with the Centre, rather than oppose everything it does – which the DMK does so effortlessly (and needlessly) well.

Then the COVID-19 pandemic struck India, and EPS’s AIADMK found many of its voices (with Amma’s green photo shouting out through their white shirt pockets) speaking up and rising up to the challenge of managing the spread of the virus in Tamil Nadu. They did it in the name of Amma and we were endlessly drilled – bored to death, if I might say – with ‘Manbimegu Puratchi Thalaivi Amma’vin Aatchi’ Whatever, I must say EPS & Co are doing a reasonably good job and should be commended for the quick decision-making and control of the pandemic, thus far. The fact remains that if it weren’t for Amma’s campaigning skills and its electrifying ‘Two Leaves’ symbol, the AIADMK would have been burnt by the Rising Sun. EPS and OPD owe that to Amma, for sure. They know that only too well.

With Tamil Nadu State Elections coming up in the year ahead, in 2021, the AIADMK finds itself, probably for the first time in its History, without a charismatic, dynamic face to show and bring the voters to vote for the AIADMK. It’s almost at the proverbial, cross-roads. The Game of Thrones is entering a brand new season and this time the weather will be hot. The scales seem tipped in the direction of the Rising Sun, howling to get back to power and seething with the rage of being blocked from a real sunrise for almost two continuous decades, with only one break of five years. If we cannot rise with the Sun, who can? The DMK goes into the Elections thinking that it’s ‘their birth right’ to win and come back to power. They also have that Russian name spine holding the various vertebrae together. They have been vociferously exercising, by walking out of the Assembly as often as they could, to grow the strength of their legs, and a power-again scenario. Meanwhile, other Parties, and once fearsome Actors are donning the war-paint to get their Big Boss acts together hoping to make a difference.

The current Chief Minister, EPS, was chosen by the jailed Household Partner to sit on a Chair, that was almost hers, and he has since seriously capitalised on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, to make a name for himself. He has, coming from humble beginnings, in a village near Salem, worked his way up the AIADMK ladder. But given the emerging situation of the Household Partner walking out of jail in the upcoming year he could be influenced by the Partner, in mysterious ways, who will act as a martyr, having ‘sacrificed herself’ for Amma. OPS has, to thumping applause, rebelled against this influence which has resulted in the present ‘comfortable’ situation. He was the ‘chosen one’ by Amma, in times of crisis, and if indeed the AIADMK believes in doing everything in the name of Amma, OPS should rightfully be the CM Candidate. Else, please drop that ‘Manbimegu Amma Act’.

Alternatively, OPS and EPS could step aside and become full-time Mentors, running the Party affairs, after carefully selecting a bright, young CM Candidate and grooming him/her to become the Chief Minister, should they win the Elections. The AIADMK has thrown up many more Chief Ministers that the DMK has done. This is a superb inherent strength. The job of a great Leader is to create more Leaders, not followers. The AIADMK Party worker should believe that he too can reach the highest position in the Party, much like an OPS or EPS, if he proves himself to be capable.

Before all of this, the AIADMK should sit down at the drawing board, boldly design authentic, pragmatic, workable plans to make Tamil Nadu a great State in all aspects. Transform the Party into a modern ‘green house’ for its two leaves to grow, and to power ahead in the years to come.

The focus on Education and Healthcare in the last Budget Season was invigorating and shows they seem to know the priorities. They should accept the fabulous National Education Policy, NEP 2020, and implement it in the State. Students should should be encouraged to learn one or more languages in addition to the two of Tamil and English, and why not Hindi? Leave the unrealistic Tamil chauvinism part to the DMK – they will fall with it. The recently passed Farm Bills are path-breaking and they should be executed with gusto. We need urgent Police Reforms, we need better roads and infrastructure, we need Stadiums for our kids to become Olympic athletes, we need parks for the Old to walk – before they die… we need so many things to be done – A long List pregnant with expectations.

The AIADMK should promise that it will accept all laws passed by Parliament, after ensuring that it has debated them, which ever Party is in power, and work closely with the Centre. If you disagree, initiate a process to make changes; to make the Laws better. Avoid the chafing, belligerent fighting and endless wild opposition stance. It gets one nowhere!

This pandemic has taught us many things, lighted-up previously hidden dark areas of our resolve, and the AIADMK has gained a never-before wealth of experience, which they should not throw away. Focus on Education, Health and good governance delivering services with mindful efficiency. Give the talented people in the Party, opportunities to become Party Leaders, Ministers, Chief Ministers. Show them the way, by example. And for God’s sake drop the constant reference to ‘Amma’. We have had enough. Come on your new own. Strengthen the stem and the roots, and the two leaves with be able to use the sun to photosynthesise their food with ease. Think it over. The AIADMK has nothing to lose.

Postscript: Meanwhile, I hope to see the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) make a brave decision such as announcing a CM Candidate, say Annamalai IPS, and forming a terrific cabinet around him with able-minded people-even before the Elections, to signal intent, in the event they come to power (probably in an alliance with another Poes Garden Actor-living down the lane, or in a dream, I dream). Hope is never hoping too much!

This year, 2020, started with wild bush fires in Australia and people living down under hopped-skipped-and jumped like kangaroos to get themselves in to a pouch of fire-safe water. It is believed that about 500 million animals had perished and about 15 million acres of forest was lost due to the raging fires! This was just an introduction to Global Disasters, which grew-up quickly and relentlessly to become the signature tune for the year. And then, a never before seen infectious disease, COVID-19, spiked-in and spread faster than wild fires, across Continents, liberally using one of humankind’s best known inventions – the aeroplane. Now the planes are grounded, the wings of flight are almost broken, and the virus is freely wheeling around the world using the drift of human fault lines.

I wish a nano Spiderman would sling a web around each Sars-Cov-2, jailing it inside – rendering the deadly latching spikes inactive. I wish Superman could reverse-rotate Planet Earth – like he did to bring back his dead girl friend to life – to when the Coronavirus first showed up, so that the World Health Organization discovered it had a brain, and walled China into preventing people flying the virus in and out of China’s Wuhan . I wish Batman had kept the virus contained and spread all over himself – they do nothing to Bats – rather than using an intermediary Joker in trying to save the world. Batman’s best intentions apart, I wish many more superheroes appeared on the scene, like a stealth Black Panther, Wonder Woman, or Iron Man, and saved the World from the pandemic. It has put all of us in masks and made us wash our hands to the bone while pushing us physically apart. Nobody to kiss? Nobody to Hug? In a first, the good guys are locked-up, for their own safety, while the enemy prowls round.

Earlier, the President of the United States of America escaped impeachment to carry on with his kind of mangled, divisive politics. Sporting legend, Basket Ball great, Kobe Byrant died in an unexpected Helicopter crash. He was up in the air, but the basket couldn’t hold the weight of his achievements. It had to let go. It did.

Talking about going, the forever dishevelled Boris Johnson levelled the European Union to ‘Get Brexit Done’ in late January, and then went on to have a baby, outside marriage, and successfully tackled the virus, inside his body, as well. Last heard, Boris was counting the number of his children!

At the Oscars, was it a coincidence that ‘Parasite’ infected all of us with its brilliance and walked away with lots of golden statues? South Korea got an inkling of things to come and acted with grace and speed – we’ve all seen that, to wide acclaim. They taught the World a lesson, or two.

When Nissan’s disgraced Boss escaped from Japan and landed in Lebanon little did we know the chemistry that was in store for Beirut. Stored Ammonium Nitrate chemical it was for over five years until it blasted the living daylights out of an already multi-dimensionally suffering Beirut. Meanwhile, James Bond’s ‘No Time to Die’ is yet to be born. I wish Bond was around, with all those beautiful girls ‘unmasked’ frolicking around him, to tell us to ‘Die Another Day’. We lost count, after Easter. This silly thing was supposed to be trumped by then, wasn’t it? Did it? New comers Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are supposed to have the answers. And ‘Comma-la’ (should be Kama -la) is already walking Chennai’s Besant Nagar Beach with her Grandfather – in flashback, while she asks her Chithis (Aunts), sprawled over India, to break good-luck coconuts.

The superb logo of the Tokyo Olympics 2020 showing the emblem sun at zero, physically distanced the five-Continent rings for a while and counted itself to the year 2021. The sun sets to rise again in the Land of the Rising Sun. Nevertheless, the fireworks of the Opening Ceremony was conducted, to spend the crackers, and to rave e-You-Tube views!

I read that a studious girl, Ashanti Palmer, not only graduated from a New York High School as Class Valedictorian but also with perfect attendance, never missing a day of school from pre-kindergarten to High School. Could she have done it now? Maybe, her aggressive going-to-school was a bellwether – gulping down precious school time by the ton, in case there was no going at all. Children are beginning to forget how a School looked like; and believe that everything comes out of a small hand-held screen. What else? Babies?

Talking about New York, I was mighty impressed with Governor Andrew Cuomo’s slick, no-nonsense, apolitical handling of the pandemic, with his daughters, one of the girl’s boy-friend, the House Dog, and his awesome Secretary, to show up every day and drive away the bad spirits. I was inspired by his leadership and felt that there was nothing much to look up to the White House in Washington. I watched his daily, science based, data driven, Press Briefings in the USA, to learn and understand ‘what’s happening in India’ (My! India’s Press briefings were a disaster in itself), and that thing called the ‘new normal’.

While all this was happening, India showed its might in superior, weaponless combat on high cliffs and cold ice, over an invisible Line that China tried to mentally shift. Imagine if we had weapons in hand? The Rafale Fighter Planes that India had ordered from France flew-in to be around, should we change the rules of combat. Enter the Dragon’s Den? Meanwhile, the prince of the Congress Party complained that the Prime Minister stole the Air Hostesses (Remember, his father always flew well-attended flights with them) who could not be found on the planes, when they were delivered. And that was worth an act of stealing. Chor hai? Some thought that every Indian deserved an Air Hostess landing in his Bank Account!

With such action and drama could Bollywood be left behind? A talented upcoming Actor who played the cricket innings of India’s Ticket Collector-turned-Ball Collector & Keeper, Captain Cool, could not manage the web of deceit that overwhelmed his acting skills and gave it all up for an everlasting act in Heaven. He became more well-known after death than during a clueless life in this World. Was it spin bowling, or the fast in-swingers that did him in? Hope the CBI has the balls to find that out!

2020 is not over as yet. There is hope out there. We look up to the skies when confronted with the vicissitudes for life. We can learn a lot from Birds. India’s Nagaland State is called the Falcon Capital of world. Yearly, around one million Amur Falcons storm the State for roosting and breeding their kind, from Mongolia en-route to the final destination­­­­ of South Africa. They travel up to 22,000 km, one of the longest in world, on their own without booking precious tickets on Air India’s Vande Bharat Mission Flights. And they don’t have Air Hostesses to serve them. The Prince will hopefully learn and come to roost in a New Delhi Bungalow probably vacated by his gone-girl Sister.

Here’s wishing that the flight through the rest of the murky, dangerous 2020 is smooth, after all. This year is one helluva fight to stay alive. Hang On. The next number is the series is, ‘One’. Tomorrow is another Day, is my favourite ‘gone with the wind’ saying.

Over the past weeks we have been tormented by police brutality in the Southern State of Tamilnadu, India, where a Father-Son duo were apparently tortured and done to death while in police custody. It was the culmination of a series of missteps and over-reach by the Police while enforcing the Close-Shop Rules of the Coronavirus Pandemic Lockdown. Obviously, they were arrested for breaking down-shutter rules, failing to close their Shop strictly at 8pm – the ordered time. While an investigation is underway on what actually happened, and the sequence of events is being constructed, there is an outpouring of rage by the community at the local level, and society at large. It’s always difficult to prove a thing, after it has happened – with conclusive evidence – even when it’s absolutely clear on how it occurred. What did they do to deserve such maximum punishment, passed off as death due to inherent conditions over an iron-load of untruths? Why couldn’t the Police simply seal the Shop, after a couple of warnings, if indeed there was a violation? Many questions linger. Meanwhile, there is fire of injustice burning, and can probably be doused only when those responsible are punished and brought to heel, in kind. Will they?

I take a step forward and say, ‘should not we throw out the present British Colonial Era Policing System, where the Police have taken it upon themselves – and we have allowed them – to wield fearsome, unimaginable powers. Is it not time to bring in change and reform? And should not we usher in a practical, citizen-friendly policing system? The same Police who stand like lamp-posts, every metre on a dry, never-ending Highway, while a Chief Minister passes, saluting, bending and bowing as they would do to the Queen of England, transform the very next moment, to throw a booted kick or land a lathi punch on someone brought to the Police Station for questioning. The spring-back anger of servile bending gets unleashed on a poor petty criminal. Servants of the people? My foot!

The British had developed the policing system in India to keep dissent under check, to arrest and punish people fighting for freedom and independence from their rule, in addition to the normal crime prevention and detection duties. When they left, and we got our hard-earned freedom, they passed-on the System, which we have have diligently watered and grown – used by the Government and Politicians to freely demonstrate their hold, power and authority. Is this that the Police are for? When was the last time we overhauled the Police System? In simple words, the purpose of the Police is to enforce Public Order based on the foundation of the Rules of the Land, prevent crime and civil disorder; ensure safety of possessions of citizens and public property, and assist people in many ways, such as way-finding on the streets of the Cities and Towns.

In today’s India no one would wish to walk into a Police Station, unless called or asked to do so. And if called, it’s with fear and trepidation that the move is made.

We need to redesign and reinvent the Policing System to make it relevant to the present-day requirements. It should be such that it is a ‘social’ participation between the Police and the Local community, nurtures trust and a sense of obligation in the community and breeds an unspoken arrangement where people help each other, and ultimately form a strong glue to hold everyone together.

Should not the Police System be designed ‘keeping in the cross-hairs’ that crime can be deterred by increasing the perception that criminals will be caught and punished – with convincing evidence? The certainty of being caught is a vastly more powerful deterrent than the punishment itself. This should act as a Crime Stopper.

Let’s look at the Japanese Kobon System, practiced in one of the safest cities in the World, Tokyo, Japan, as an example. The Japanese believe that criminal behaviour is an illness that needs to be cured and this influences the structure of their Policing.

Policing should be done at a local or even an individual and family level and integrated towards developing a Community Watch System. On similar lines, of the Kobon System, we should set-up small Police Boxes in every Ward / Block (Tehsils)/ Village (Gram Panchayat) consisting of a simple office (without a lock-up) and manned round-the-clock by say, six to ten officers working in shifts. These Police Officers shall not wield the great Indian lathi, or any weapons. However they should be well-versed in smart hand-combat (remember the valiant heroes of the recent Ladakh Indo-China Conflict) disarming techniques and negotiation skills. They should be super cool, smooth operators. These are separate from the regular Police Stations in the locality where sit the Officers with the lathis, guns, the weaponry and the firepower. A certain number of Police Boxes may be under the control of a regular Police Station in the area, which should be a visible reminder of Police presence. The Officers posted at the Police Box should serve a period of at least five years in the Box so that they get familiar with the neighbourhood.

It is the job of the Officers in the Police Box to know what’s happening in their area of control-with a public order controlling perspective, keep a record of people coming in and leaving as often as a couple of times a year; events and activities happening; be informed on the old, the disabled and those suffering from transmittable diseases; besides convicted and released criminals. They also promote safety measures and advise people on ‘target hardening’ – making it harder for an offender to access means of committing a crime. With modern surveillance systems it should be easy for a Police Station at the local level, and the Higher Officers sitting at the various Headquarters, to keep track of citizens in an unobtrusive manner.

The Police Boxes act as a first level of continuous surveillance and monitoring means, keeping the Police Station updated on any changes and reporting crime and calling for action to be taken. In the event of a crime or an unrest, they quickly move to the scene only after informing the Police Station of the locality, should back-up be required, to calmly take stock of the situation and investigate. They should be assisted by Detective(s) – specialised in investigation and reading of crime signs – who is either placed at every Police Box or shared among a few Police Boxes in the area. The Detectives recruited should be specially trained in close collaboration with the Police and deployed in the Police Stations and Police Boxes across the Country. Almost all criminals in India get away and beat the system due to ‘lack of sufficient evidence’. This hole should be plugged.

In the event of a theft or crime, a citizen approaches his area Police Box to make a Complaint and any First Information Report (FIR) is made at the Police Box based on the statements of the affected. A separate report on the investigations conducted by the Detective is sent to the main Police Station for further action. All arrests are made by the Officers of the Police Station in collaboration with the Police Boxes.

Detectives, who should be in plain clothes, and when necessary wear uniforms, go about the job of investigation much like Sherlock Holmes in coordination with the Police Station or Police Box. It may be worthwhile for Detectives to carry licensed guns, mostly for self-defence (shoot below the knees, mind it).

The Police should publish relevant data on the Police Officers manning the Policing Stations and the Police Boxes so that the citizen knows the background of the Officers they are dealing with. The methodology of police action and arrest procedures for various kinds of offences should be published and made absolutely transparent; it should be ensured that citizens are fully aware of their rights, especially when it pertains to arrest and being put in a Police Station lock-up. The Police Boxes will serve this function well.

The Police should clearly define use-of-force, and what constitutes an ‘excessive use of force’, educate the people, and apply it commonly across the Country.

The Police should be independent of Political interference, receiving Orders only from the Head of Police who is turn is advised by the District Collector or Minister  Incharge of the Police, or maybe even the Governor of the State.  The Police – Political – Lawyer nexus, presently on tacit display, should be broken.

Getting the police and community together regularly is a sine quo non of the new System. Hold round-tables with Police Stations and residents, and have neighbourhood Police Boxes participate; hold a community meeting to get inputs on the changes to ensure they are in fact helpful to the community in a continuous improvement mind-set. The Police Box can also organise and train, what we can call, ‘Citizen Police’. They are residents who agree to take classes on public safety and conflict prevention, who are then called to assist in volatile situations. They may help to ensure that the area’s protests say, against any police brutality remains peaceful.

I’m not a trained Police Officer to suggest a detailed road-map on how to structure the new system, but as a Citizen, a member of the Local Community this is what I would like the Police System to be. Town Hall meetings may be organised to garner more thoughts and opinions. The experts should debate, weigh-in and ensure we have a brand new Indian Police in place before 31 March 2021, or at worst, before the first Anniversary of the Tuticorin Father-Son death.

Let’s shake up the Indian Police System, like never before; before using it again.

Over the past few weeks I’ve read so much about the disease COVID-19, and the Virus causing it, that ever so often I involuntarily run my hand through my hair, ploughing the surface of my head, to see if any spikes are beginning to protrude: if at all, they probably need to lock on to others, to spread the word. This is an attempt in trying to bring together all that I know, to grip the tiny nano fellow, and measure it up for a better understanding of the invisible enemy around us, in these pandemic times.

Throughout life on Planet Earth, Human Kingdoms face constant attacks from various villainous tribes of the Kingdom of the Bacteria and the Kingdom of the Virus for gaining precious territory within our skin-walled bodies, which are full of rivers of water, nutritious life-giving minerals and bountiful resources. Against these attackers we have a two-layer defence system integral to the Fort of our body. We also face life-threatening attacks from the external Kingdom of Animals, and our own human kind too, against which we have developed complex tools and an array of mechanisms, which we skilfully deploy on sight. That’s altogether another big story.

Coming back to the wonder that is our bodies, in the first layer of defence we have physical barriers: our skin, nasal hair, cilia; mechanism of clotting – a clot traps entry of pathogenic Bacteria & Viruses; the acid in our stomachs dissolves invaders who dare get that far inside; sweat glands – produce chemicals that kill Bacteria, etc.

If the enemy overcomes the first line of physical barriers, our second line of defence, the great Human Immune System, kicks-in. And the most common fearless man-hunting tribes appearing at the gates of our Immune System are, Bacteria and Viruses. There is nothing more fascinating than the Human Immune System, which has a stockpile of clever arsenal to recognise and outwit any stealthy trickster, getting past our quite versatile defences.

Bacteria are microscopic, simple, single-celled organisms having a cell wall and all the components necessary to survive and reproduce on their own, without much of outside help. Bacteria are one of the oldest living things on Earth, having been in existence for over 3.5 billion years. Less than 1% of bacteria cause disease. Take a deep breath and slowly move your hand to your belly-button: there are over 2,000 species of bacteria quietly living in that region. Say hello to them? Most are beneficial for our health: we might just call them FRIENDS, with some benefits.

Viruses are not considered to be living, in the true sense, because they require a host cell, a factory of machinery, stores of raw material supplies, and energy, to survive and to reproduce, which they cannot do on their own. Viruses typically consist of three key building blocks: RNA (Ribonucleic Acid), Proteins, and Lipids – which acts as a membrane, holding the various elements together. They have only one piece/strand of genetic material, either RNA or DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid), but not both. Viruses lack the capacity to independently read and act upon the information contained within the cells of our body – they simply hijack them. Most Viruses cause disease, that impairs our capabilities or, in some rare circumstances, knocks us out plain dead.

The Virus that causes COVID-19 is called the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-COV-2) and was first detected in humans about five months ago. This particular coronavirus has never before appeared in the Human Kingdom, hence the term ‘novel coronavirus’.

The coronavirus are a large group of viruses with RNA strands, and Scientists have identified hundreds of Viruses to date. They are mainly responsible for respiratory related illnesses. They are zoonotic, meaning they can spread from animals to humans, often through an intermediary animal, which they use as a kind of ladder, or a bridge to conquer a wealthy Kingdom. In the past 20 years there have been two coronavirus outbreaks in the World emanating from the animal (in these cases, Bats)-to-human transmission path: 1). SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) in 2002, and 2). MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) in 2012. In the case of SARS is it believed that the virus passed from bats to an intermediate animal host, the Civet Cat, before jumping to humans. In the case of MERS it is believed that the virus must have originated in bats and travelled through Camels before climbing on to humans. Studies have shown that bats are a natural reservoir for a wide range of coronaviruses (COVs): they are immune to them and remain unaffected. The COVID-19 disease causing coronavirus in believed to have made a leap-of-faith from bats to humans through an intermediary animal, a Pangolin, or perhaps even a Snake. Studies say that the Virus could not have latched itself on to a human cell protein, directly from the bats, hence the devious route. The investigation is still on and we should be knowing once Scientists have credible information.

The SARS-COV-2 Virus is a tiny-nano size (90 nanometers particle, billionths of a metre), technically called a Virion. It contains four different proteins and a strand of RNA, a molecule which, like DNA, can store genetic information as a sequence of chemical letters called Nucleotides. In this case, the stored information, the Virus Genome – the written code, is simply how to make proteins that the Virus needs in order to replicate or make ‘photo-copies’ of itself. (The Virus genome is less that 30,000 genetic letters long. Ours is over 3 billion).

The RNA is enclosed within a bilayer lipid (a kind of fat) coat which anchors the four proteins: the Spike Protein, the Envelope Protein, the Membrane Protein, and the Nucleocapsid Protein guarding the RNA. The frontline attacker – the cell gate battering ram – the Spike Protein, is like a crown (corona, in Latin, means crown) protruding from the lipid layer. These spikes help the virus to easily engage, hook-up and attach itself to target cells, as if on a blind date. The bilayer lipid coat breaks down easily (the chink in the armour) when it comes into sufficient contact with a solution of soap and water, which is why hand-washing is simple and effective in destroying the Virus – spilling its RNA contents into the drain, to be washed away. The Virus just falls apart. Soaps contain fat-like substances known as Amphiphiles, structurally similar to the lipids of the Virus. The soap molecule competes with the lipids in the Virus’s coat to replace, and to ultimately destroy them. The lipid layer is also soluble in alcohol, ether and chloroform, which is why hand-santizers can dissolve them too. Wow, that’s cool. Why worry about a cure when you can keep them out so easily?

Once attached to a target cell, the Virus fuses with the cell, shedding its lipid coat, and vomiting its RNA, which then releases a shopping list of instructions on how to build and assemble new Viruses. The Virus commandeers the body cell and uses the factory machinery and stores supply to manufacture more Viruses, before the body’s immune cells detect the intruders and raise an alarm. The smart Human Immune System is capable of producing neutralising Antibody proteins that are able to stick to the Virus-spike proteins, and prevent attachment to the target cells. Generating these antibodies – to spike the Spike Proteins of the coronavirus, is often the goal of protective vaccination.

Once infected, human body cells make the ultimate sacrifice, lay down their lives, and deliberately invite their own destruction by sending SOS signals for the Immune Response System’s ‘Rapid Action Commando Forces’, called T-Cells, to be deployed. T-cells are a type of Lymphocyte cell produced in the Thymus Gland (hence T-Cell), that can recognise fragments of the virus displayed on infected cell surfaces. When the T-Cells arrive they start firing with all guns drawn, releasing a payload of toxic enzymes that kill the infected cell. This strategic martyrdom is organised by the Immune System to deprive the Virus of its replication factories and can lead to the reduction of viral load in the patient. It takes several days for antiviral T-cells to expand and antibodies to be generated. Here’s the silver lining: memory cells ensure that if we encounter the same Virus again, we can react immediately with pre-existing defences, and lots of wisdom. Once bitten, twice shy? Sars-Cov-2 being new to humanity so we have no protective immunological memory, at the moment. Vaccines prepared, using harmless parts of the Virus can help us build protective memory.

Now, going back to where the invasion starts. How does the Virus enter the human body? Importantly, the Virus cannot gain entry in to our bodies by itself – we have to let it in. Welcome coronavirus? Oh, No! The Virus enters the body through the nose, the mouth, or the eyes, spreads to the back of the nasal passage and to mucous membranes in the throat, attaching to the body cells that produce a protein called ACE-2 (Angiotensin Converting Enzyme). Bats have a similar protein, hence it maybe a familiar hunting ground for the coronavirus. A home away from home?

The Virus circulates through droplets in the air, spread by coughing or sneezing by an infected person, or the by droplets landing on surfaces, which then by our touch of hand gets into our mouth, nose or eyes. The Virus borne in the droplets can lie on surfaces, depending on the type, from a few hours to several days. Hence, masks can do a lot, prevent our hands from ourselves, and if unknowingly infected, curtail the throw of sneeze or cough from affecting others. Virus ridden particles are inhaled and come in contact with cells lining the throat and larynx. These cells of the body have large ACE-2 receptors on their surfaces.

Many people, called the Asymptomatics, don’t even notice they have got an infection and so go about their work, to their homes and public places, infecting others. Early symptoms are usually cough, fever shortness of breath, and look to be like Flu or Common Cold. Symptoms typically appear between 2 and 14 days after exposure.

Occasionally, the Virus can cause severe problems, when it is hungry for more space. This happens when it moves down the respiratory tract and infects the lungs, which are even richer in cells with ACE-2 receptors. Many of these cells are destroyed, and the lungs become congested with bits of broken cell. In such cases, patients will require treatment in the Intensive Care Unit of a Hospital. Even worse, in some cases, a person’s immune system goes into overdrive, attracting cells to the lungs in order to attack the virus, resulting in inflammation. And this inflammation prevents the lungs from being able to oxygenate the blood and remove carbon dioxide, which culminates with the patient gasping for air and suffering more serious illness. This process can run out of control, more immune cells pour in, and the inflammation gets worse. This is known as a ‘Cytokine Storm’. In some instances, this can kill the patient.

How do we detect the coronavirus in our bodies? Typically, a swab is taken from the nose or throat of a person as a sample and tested using a diagnostic test called The real-time RT-PCR (Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction) Test, which is highly sensitive and can deliver a reliable diagnosis as fast as, in about three hours time, though Laboratories generally take between 8 and 12 hours, even days, to deliver a result. This is one of the most accurate methods available for detection of a coronavirus, and has a lower potential for contamination or errors as the entire process is done within a closed tube.

In order for the coronavirus to be detected early, Scientists convert the Virus RNA into DNA by a process called ‘Reverse Transcription’ (RT). They do this because the RNA is too fragile and difficult to study, and only DNA can be copied or amplified by an already well established process called, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), for easy detection. Once the RNA is converted in to DNA numerous copies can be made quickly and accurately for a thorough analysis.

The other test is called the Rapid Antibody Test, which is a Sereology Test – where a blood sample is taken from a person and tested for any antibodies, created by the body to fight off the virus when it last visited, without a Visiting Card. Antibodies are brand new proteins, ‘Y’ shaped, manufactured by the body to out-wit and kill an intruder, it recognizes.

The Antibody Test measures the amount of Immunoglobulins (Ig), also know as antibodies, in the blood, actually three specific types called, IgG, IgM, and IgA. Briefly, IgG can enter tissues and fight infections and protects against long term infection, IgM, is the first to be made by the Immune System to fight a new infection, and IgA protects against infection of mucous membranes.

In the case of COVID-19, Doctors mainly look for IgM, which develops early in the infection stage and IgG which shows up after you have recovered. So, if you has lots of IgG you would be having some kind of an immunity from the new Virus. For how long? That’s yet to be determined.

The Antibody Test results can be made available in seconds, by the addition of a Reagent solution to the blood sample. A positive result means that a person has had been infected by the Virus in the past, and probably has the fire-power to prevent a repeat attack. This so-called immunity varies from Virus to Virus and may last from a few months to several years. That’s the wisdom of our bodies.

In summary, the RT-PCR Test can tell you whether YOU HAVE THE CORONAVIRUS and the Antibody Test can tell you whether YOU HAD THE CORONAVIRUS.

Finally, we have a fantastic Immune System, within a body of unbelievable powers, which should be treated with enormous respect and allowed to do its work. We should feed it well with a balanced diet of food, water and exercise, and a strong positive mind, so that when there is a clear and present danger, the chemicals of the body trigger hidden weapons and generate new ones to match the onslaught of new resourceful inside invaders.

Are we The Last Kingdom? Time will tell. Tomorrow is another day.

Disclaimer: The source of the information in this article is ‘hunted and gathered’ from various publications available in the public domain. And the sole purpose it to educate and provide a better understanding of the coronavirus, if not already. At the time of  publication it is known that the novel coronavirus first emerged in Wuhan, in China, late last year and has since infected more than 4.4 million people and killed nearly 302,000 worldwide.