Tomorrow’s Good Friday. Christians all over the world, however, will not be going to church. Church will come to them online. Churches will either live stream Good Friday services or upload pre-recorded services.

So, there’s no excuse not “attending” a Good Friday or Easter Sunday service. They are available to you at your fingertips! Churches are doing the responsible thing in not having live services. They are adapting to the restrictions placed as a result of covid-19 by using technology to make sure their congregations can continue with the practices of their faith.

Life must go on with or without covid-19. Just as religious practices are continued albeit with some adjustments with the help of IT, other aspects of life need to carry on, especially if the Movement Control Order (MCO) is extended.

Repairs need to be attended to, household items and personal products need to be replenished, hair needs to be done, hobbies need to be developed, online studies will carry on and items for class projects need to be bought, hospital appointments need to be met, vehicles need to be maintained.

As we adjust to the MCO, we can’t hold off on living. We have to go on living because we have no idea for how long we need to have the MCO. We could have held our breath and confined ourselves indoors for a short while but if the MCO is extended, some flexibility needs to be offered to the public so that they can carry on with life under the MCO. But, such flexibilities must be strictly and efficiently managed.

More shops need to reopen so that bored people can buy stuff to take home and enjoy for a change. Some sectors may need to reopen and people reemployed so that they earn incomes and the economy doesn’t grind to a halt. More thought needs to be given to how much flexibility can be managed without giving openings for the spread of covid-19.

Perhaps specific hours must be given for such businesses to stay open. At the same time, the current practices of wearing masks, sanitizing hands and trolley carts and maintaining social distances are strictly maintained.

Some flexibility must be allowed, otherwise we will go mad confined indoors! I try to spend at least 15 minutes every day out in the open on my porch every day but I am the only one who is out! There isn’t anyone to even shout across the front gates! If you are living alone, do find someone to chat with even if it means shouting over your porch to your neighbours! And, use the phone to call and chat with people.

I’m grateful to family members and friends who call me often to see if I am ok. I’ve started doing the same calling friends and relatives and chatting over the phone. It helps a great deal to maintain one’s sanity!