Right now, the world as we used to know it, is turned upside down.  Many will want to return to the world as it was, but it is a new world that awaits you.  Some will find it harder to cope with, and some will take it in their stride, but we are all in it... TOGETHER.

       At this time… there is no perfect solution.  If you are finding it hard to cope or understand a/the way forward, or especially explaining it to younger and un-informed people, this may just be a great read-and-colouring project. 

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1  “I am what I am…”

       My name is “Her Royal Lowness Novelle Clovidia Wuhaa’an, and I am indeed not royal. I am powerful and I am a Dictator. You need not bow in front of me, but you need to remain very aware of me and my whereabouts.

I am not visible to the naked eye.  I am novel, relentless, and come from the Corona Virus family which have been around for hundreds if not thousands of years - but my ‘tribe’ and immeasurable subjects, growing by the second, has only been discovered in 2019 - in Wuhan, China's most central city.  It has an urban population of 7.9 million.

I scare people, mostly because I am a novel (new) virus, but also because people do not know me.  They do not read the truth about me, and have forgotten their own common values with regards respectful separation and fun-filled interaction - but I am here to remind and teach you.  For the foreseeable future, I am not going anywhere but indeed everywhere.  Take special note of me, learn* as much as you can about me, and you can still have a marvelous life.

2  “It is not where I come from, but where you go to…”

In the beginning, I may have lived in animals  and some suspect bats were my ‘gracious but despicable’ hosts.  Most scientists agree I do not have a long life if I am not inside a ‘host’ (a human like you) - but once I find a host or a home, I ask no permission to enter, grab hold of your breathing system, and if I am successful, I will cause you to stop breathing and you will die!  I could have been contained and/or held hostage since ‘the beginning’, but the first person handing me their lungs, did not know. 

Those who did, kept quiet.  Many the world over have begun to ask “who is to blame?”.  They could not believe their eyes - and others their ears – about my family’s magnanimous arrival on your planet, and voila: Here I Am!  I get/got to multiply, jump from host to host, person to person, town to town, country to country, and eventually continent to continent.  I am now the ruler of a pandemic, and there is not a person in the world who knows how to ‘handle’ me. 

3  “Knock before you enter…”

 I live on hard surfaces (metal, glass, marble) far longer than on soft surfaces (fabric, hair, plants), and am at my most vulnerable when sprayed with alcohol based disinfectants.  I may only be kept away when and/or if people wash their hands* with simple soap and water thoroughly for as long as it takes them to sing 'happy birthday' twice.  I jump, not further than maximum 2 m, but people have now learned to stay at least 1,6 m away from one another.  They call it #SocialDistancing*.  For you this is good, but for me this is very, very bad.  I die!

 If you suspect you are infected/infested by me or any of my loyal subjects, you better tell the doctor or stay home and/or even self-quarantine*.  When I am inside you, you will/may feel like you have the flu, and I promise you I will start having a party with your lungs.  I will make it extremely hard for you to breathe, and if you do not get help - or are not saved in time - YOU could die!

4   “Of all the ways to learn and prepare for life, school was the easy part…”

Once doctors, scientists  and specialists from all over the world realized this, they declared me the ruler of a modern time pandemic (‘pan’- worldwide), and declared war against me and my clan.  An imperceptible war.  This is now compared to the Flu pandemic from 1917, the first AND the 2^nd World War.  It has become known as The Invisible War (#TIW), but from where I party, there is nothing invisible. I see everything, everyone, rich, poor, pretty, ugly, intelligent or stupid.   “Lockdowns” were put in place.  For you, party venues are closed, schools and sport events are closed, weddings and funerals and all kinds of celebrations are cancelled.  Some with strong believe* still say it has been postponed till ‘they get me’, but truth is, life for you has changed as you know it.  You have no-where to run to, except, follow the rules I give.  Your only choice became:  stay home, stay safe, stay quarantined (#StayHomeStaySafe) and if necessary:  even do everything you do alone.  Where two or more people gather, there I may be - it is when you are seen as a group - and I love groups.  That is where I do my best(est).  You may jog daily, but best is to preferably* jog alone…

 5  “Those who want to sing, will always find a song with the right words…” 

Artists, entertainers, and masters of inspiration were shocked, became depressed …and became entrepreneurial.  They were the first to look at the universal languages (Music, Drawing, Sign language), so people could keep their spirit up.  First, familiar songs were re-written adding new lyrics.  Mocking me, inspiring you/others*.  Warning anyone who wanted to listen and could go on-line or use a telephone or connection about ‘this horrible thing that happened to people'.  Boo-hoo!  How sad their lives became - while the wealthy still become wealthier and the poor, poorer.  Songstresses and -stars of entertainment turned toward this way of communication to bring people (who felt too separated and alone) together.  People (who remained depressed and disillusioned) gathered in their 10’s, then 100’s and then 1000’s world-wide in spirit to stay strong - all the while believing this is the only way to stay strong.  E.g. at a certain hour, people would gather from their balconies and telephones and sing and applaud other* and each other, some simply because they lived to see another day. 

6  “Your job is to help the medical industry, and their job is to help you…”

There was (and is) no medicine to keep me at bay, nothing that will help you feel better, except if you were near dying, a respirator would do the trick… for some.  Some can survive after they are attached to it (on it) - some never get off it and die.  Respirators are extremely expensive, still scarce in many countries, but solidarity* arose between different hospitals, cities and countries costs for these machines are 'paid forward’ to save lives.  There still is no other help available and 1000’s of programs the world over are underway to find a cure.  The first ones to do so will of course immediately be unthinkably rich, but until a vaccine is found, I and my subjects will rule the world as it is.  Of course you can act*.  You can wear personal protective gear (#PPE) but existing items mostly belong to the medical personnel.  They are the people “on the forefront”.  They are the first responders, fight the battle on your behalf, and will continue to need all the help they can get.  You can wear a mask, gloves, scarves, (think classy, yet simple, sophisticated and elegant) and make your own - preferably from cotton …

Or you can simply stay away from everyone. 

7  “All dressed up, and nowhere (everywhere) to go…”

We quickly re-learned sneezing should be done in your own elbow folded, and greeting each other by hand or kissing will be 'a thing' of the past.  There are cultures who do not find this strange, but the majority struggles without hugging one another*.  They settle for a ‘fist-bump” or an ‘ankle-twist” and proceed from there.  No-one dresses up for now, some have designer gowns cancelled, and for a moment think looking like a tramp when you occasionally leave your house (your chosen jail-sell) is ok?  BUT IT IS NOT...

  I am HRL Clovidia.  I, and my subjects, always look the same.  There-in lies most of my power.  I do not take kindly to change.  Constant is* my change.  I jump here, jump there, I never know if I will land on the Prime Minister of London, Greta Thunberg from Sweden, or the homeless guy in Adderley Street in Cape Town who everyone now ignores.  I have no preference in culture, race, country nor social standing.  Everyone is equal and fair game.  B.C. (Before Covid-19), people used to do the same (they mostly looked good), and maybe soon P.C. (Post Covid) they will be neat* and clean* and smart* and uber stylish again – but for now they mostly look trashy.  I remain the only constant in everyone’s lives. I am like a parcel from ‘Amazon’.  You have nowhere to go, but I can go everywhere and anywhere!  

I bet you would want to change me, change my "look"? (Hint:  click on images to #ColourMeFab!)

8  “Wearing a mask is a ‘show of respect’ to those around you…”

Facial protection have been worn in some form or another for centuries anywhere in the world – be it a scarf or a mask. Arabian countries have this one down, The East (China) wore it as a sign of protest, as recent as in 2019, and the Middle East did so because the world became a filthy place to live in.  In the rest of the world, people in war would dabble in bandanna protective gear, and medical personnel would wear it to protect their patients from germs.  I am not a germ.  I am a virus.  I rule.  But not in clean air.  Clean air is a virus’ biggest enemy.  Only now, people the world over know how important masks are.  I can almost declare it has become fashionable.  It is not only to protect you from the sick, but to protect others* from becoming sick via what you exhale.  Psychologically, it helps people stay aware of how they should not be touching their faces after touching untreated surfaces.   Even if every surface around you is or has been disinfected (food, packaging) with alcohol based disinfectants, I still remain airborne for an unknown period of time.  Scientists the world over simply cannot pin this magic power I possess, down.

9  “Consideration of others’ need come before your own…”

Space planning* is what everyone is battling with now.  Not simply isolating or social distancing, but how far away from someone is ‘far enough”?  This will happen in schools, restaurants, sport stadiums and even churches, etc.  When people selfishly shop for the last toilet rolls they can find or stock their trolleys higher than the lowest mountain I have climbed, they use their trolleys to space.  This is not enough, but this works fine if people are in ‘lockdown’, ‘isolation’, or only leaving their houses once every three days and wearing self-made masks.  This does not work when human society have an instinctive desire* to return to normal life, normal socializing, to hugging and kissing and touching and babbling… They simply forgot about the ancient art of ‘personal space’.  A person’s aura.  It is that immediate space humans should have when in contact with the unknown (me, of course hint-hint).  Apparently these bad manners of humans to invade other’s space is so forgotten that they now made it a ‘new’ issue to co-exist*.  It is not new.  It is not ‘enough food’ and ‘overstocked pantries’ that will keep you healthy.  It is the century old classy demeanor of allowing space between people that will keep me away.  World-renowned scientists say so!

10  “The condition for unconditional love, is to look after your pet…”

When things become too hard to handle and we cannot stand for it, we kneel*.  And when we kneel to thank The Powers That Be, it is often our house-pets that come running to us. If they are dogs (not bats) of course.  They have a sense of wrongness, a natural sense of care and love*.  They have no idea what it is, but they know our lives right now, is not normal.  It is then that we realize the change in our lives is to their benefit, and should rightly be so.  Fortunately, pets have not been affected by this, but we should treat them like family.  To the contrary:  they get to share much more time with their "owners", and they have a way of communicating* why you need to get out of the house for some “walkies-time”.  This is also sanctioned because no-one have yet been able to prove if Covid-19 jumped from a bat, an animal, or from a lab, to a person - but what the virus wants, is for us to be outside – in parks where other people are.  The best practice would be to still keep your distance.  They jump for joy as they notice our 2020 signal for “walkies”:   we cover our faces and/or wear scarves.  The only difference now is:  the parks and streets are empty, none or less people are in sight because everyone still remain (like a loving dog their master) a little scared, a little cautious, a little obedient*.

11  “Groom to Zoom…”

'Applications' have wi-fi connections working in overload as all who want to connect is doing so in cyberspace.  Facebook has been around a while for gossip, Twitter is there for shorter snipes, and Instagram if you want to show off pictures of pictures… People have started to discover the magic of cyber-connection for more than 2 decades now and sadly sometimes value it more than human connection.  When ‘all this’ started, everyone had something to joke about, say about, cry about, debate about, and now ... negotiate about. People magically stopped confusing the initial physical isolation from social isolation.  They use TikTok and U-Tube, have meetings and group gatherings through one of the many new aps now available for connecting without touching - of which the most popular is called:   Zoom (basically a form of face-time or video-calling).  They call it an essential a part of #WFH (Work from home*).   Zoom is a place where up to 50, and with licensing, up to 100 people can “visit” or have a meeting.  People can sing together, attend school classes and learn a new skill.  Many predict that this is the ‘new normal’ and if so, people should still groom* before they engage visually in working from home.  YOU CAN NOT eat badly while on line, make many hand-gestures while talking, neglect personal hygiene and neatness, and/or have uncontrolled visual irritations while online.   

12  “Exercise is good for a healthy body AND a healthy mind….”

The fitness craze did not happen the 1^st,  the 2^nd day nor the first week after lockdown. People soon realized that they are picking up weight, are becoming lazy, have nothing else to do… That #WFH needs a break - and for some, depression took over.  Depression is never good, and it often leads to binging of the bad kind.  Doing the same thing over and over and if not getting new results, leads to insanity.  The world people live in right now borders on an insane world - so structure*, purpose*, and planning* is as important as ever.  Many 'old-world' qualities you already posses will help with this.  Exercise was/is one of the answers.  It can be done any time and anywhere: in the hallway of your apartment, on the steps in your house, on the lawn outside your house – and regardless where and why you do it, it helps the flow of blood.  The rush of happy endorphins finds a better body and a healthier mind.  Another answer is, you get to slowly lose the weight you have picked up, you get to breathe* - and healthy lungs is HRL Clovidia’s worst enemy.  She can get past the barriers you put up, get inside your beautiful lungs, but she cannot live there.  Scientists are already talking of "medicine to assist” and while this is not a vaccine or a cure, it shortens the period of illness.  It will make any attempt on your life less successful.

13  “Queuing is not just for the poor…”

Lockdown is now the new constant in many countries and cities.  Some are slowly looking at a return to “normal day-to-day” life.  Essential people have been working throughout, and they are  1) medical personnel - hospitals  2) essential services – groceries, petrol garages, pharmacies,   and lastly, but not the least:  3) the police.   They are responsible for law and order in any country, and every neighbourhood.  No unnecessary travelling is allowed:  no crossing of borders via flights or any public transport.  Covid-19 have brought parts of the world to varying degrees of standstill, leaving many without work and food – and hungry people are dangerous people!   Hungry people do not care about the Covid-19 Virus.  Almost overnight, the wealthiest people started donating money, products and services, and charities found extra reasons to spread some of their wealth and health to everyone in need of the above – but it is still not enough!  The police is needed to keep people in line, ask you where you are going, stop them from looting, stealing, and obeying the ‘new’ social- and lifestyle rules.  When you see them, you should be kind* to them, thank them for ‘their service’, and calmly proceed with whatever activity you deem necessary to combat this war against Covid-19. 

14  “Beauty knows no pain. Beauty only has purpose…”

Looking better can make you feel better.  Feeling better attracts success.  In the “old world” (#BC  – before Covid), the fastest makeover for anyone used to be smiling*, or putting on lipstick to brighten your day, or enhance your looks.  It is still smiling, but now it will be covered up.  Today, or from today, your best makeover is to put on a mask.  Any mask.  A designer mask, or one that you made yourself.  Find someone in your circle of friends or family who has a sewing machine or knows how to “design” this new, fast and efficient make-over for you, and put one on.  Many trends will have to change as our lifestyles really have changed for an un-imaginable time.  Make-up companies will set in motion medical and more practical reasons for new products.  We are already beginning to cut our own hair, and soon people will get married in a “new” traditional way and you will get to “Get up, Dress up, Show up”.   This is/was a famous #BC quote by journalist and Author, Regina Brett, but she lived in a world where there was no medical royalty acting as a dictator like HRL Clovidia.  If we are going to win this declared war on any terms (be it a war while looking your best), it will be to add "Mask up*" to her famous quote.   If you can’t beat them, join them… and then you beat them!

15  “To veil, or not to veil…”

It was when the worldly royal wedding of Princess Beatrice was cancelled and postponed and the official Head of the Common Wealth, Queen of England, Queen Elizabeth the 2nd was ‘sent’ into isolation at Windsor Castle in the UK, that the world went into acceleration of their current deceleration.  The Olympics, Disneyland, Soccer-, Rugby-, Golf-, Tennis tournaments (all major world events) were cancelled.  When Sport stars, Entertainment gurus and Presidents became infected it was to many people as if the world was abandoned.  Eventually all events were put on hold.  It was not only that the streets were empty:  The Churches were/are empty and held no services.  For the first time ever, the Pope had a lone mass in St Peter's square, Italy, and seeing lone preaching outside Notre Dame brought attention* to spiritual depravation.  Mass burials were/are taking place in many places all over the world and private funerals are attended by 3 or 4 people.  Right now, even brides are talking about changing and replacing one of the church’s most sacred rituals:  Do we replace the veil with the mask?  This is where a reminder of spiritual, religious and worldly values deserves mutual respectful mention:  The veil has always been a symbol or a throw-over to ‘protect’ the bride from all evil:   the kind of evil you cannot see (hint-hint) - and therefore these values WILL remain.

 16  “Too much is too much…”

The strangeness continued when South Africa announced that all sales of liquor and cigarettes are prohibited.  It did not only stop, it was completely outlawed.  People took to social media and almost broke the internet with complaints, jokes and misery.  They had become so dependent on these substances that they would sacrifice other worldly possessions as long as ‘their’ drink, and ‘their' smokes do not get held hostage.  It is understandable that people’s values* will celebrate towards the end, and that much needed food money would be spent by addicts on these as ‘wrong’ essentials.  Covid-19 is a major illness of the lungs, therefore cigarettes should understandably be banned.  It is predicted that suicide rates increase as people drink themselves into a stupor, but likewise it is also true that people are/could be driven towards suicide if this (their crutch in life) is not available.  It is a catch 22 for many people, but it remains important to remember, and support those suffering.  The soul of man sits not in the edge of nothingness.  It lies in the promise* what tomorrow can bring.  There WILL come a day filled with solitude, and while there are not many answers in the world about the future of this virus, wisdom comes from a famous quote from ‘the old world’:  “All will be fine in the end, and if things are not fine, it is not the end.” It is not fine to dine without a great tasting wine.

17  “Love and respect yourself, treasure that feeling, and share it with every single soul who passes you by…”

It is said that it is going to be a long time before there is a cure or a vaccine for Covid-19, but some kind of relief is already promised around the world.  The secret may ly in testing and containing, but how long you may ask?  Well, as long as it takes.  Long enough.  Long enough for us to become aware of the more and most important things in life:  Health and friendships* - Purpose and living* - To love and to be loved*.  Sporting events will return, churches will re-open and red carpets will come alive again.  Even the Metropolitan Museum’s Gala Event will celebrate victory, The Oscars will be awarded and we will dress up for the Cannes' Film Festival again.  OBE's will be bestowed, and heroes will be noted.  Choirs will get together and sing again, not only on Zoom, but live… in real life, and like singer Virginia Lee promised in a well known song produced after the second war.  “We will meet again.”  

We WILL meet again.  We will cut our own hair, keep washing our hands and practice safe social distance. We will wear our facial protections with pride, smile with our eyes, too.  We will put on our Saturday and Sunday bests, and celebrate life with those we care and respect and love.

18  “The proof of the pooding is in the eating…”

South Africa is mentioned by the WHO (World Health Organization) as one of the countries so far that is handling the Covid-19 pandemic the best.  It may be because we have the right leaders, and that we had a head start by seeing, watching and experiencing what other countries do.  It may also be that their winters are almost over and ours are merely starting.  But.  We happened to see (and still do) how they made/make mistakes and how they return to ‘normal life’.  We can see that it will be a new normal and a return to old world values*.  Many of us may like it, and some may not, but one thing is certain: 

       WE WILL BE TESTED.  Large gatherings like the Vodacom Durban July is just one of SA’s most overcrowded events annually.  Nothing stops you from dreaming up a gorgeous outfit or fantastic masked appearance, but rather prepare to stun on Zoom and not amoung 1000’s of people.  Our country’s return to economical fortitude is divided into stages:   a 25 day lockdown became a 32 day lockdown.   This was ‘phase 5’ and some parts of the country are already in phase 4 and phase 3 is looming.  It is an unknown the world over whether there will ever be a phase 1.

Selah!

19  “For only when one door closes, another can open…”

I, as a co-author of HRL Clovidia’s ‘short’ story, prefer to see future success as “the marvel at the centre of us as human beings”. The collective strength at the core of our thinking.  The power we already possess as a collective.  Our souls*.  Together in ‘that place’ where what-we-need and what-we-want is exactly the same.

We will be victorious - with or without minor changes to our lifestyles on earth - and that victory shall belong to everyone.  The way we meet, where we meet and how we meet shall be different, but it remains our choice if the differences we adapt are good ones. 

… IF we declare it so! 

 Afterword:

"Simon Rademan succeeds brilliantly in combining the material facts of Covid-19, with the fabric of his imagination, to create his latest masterpiece, the delightful, transforming character, HRL Clovidia.  One feels inspired to emerge from this enforced solitude, triumphantly."  - Aleta Michaletos, International Award Winning Artist) www.aletamichaletos.com

The Covid-19 virus - from the Corona family of viruses - is only powerful because we do not know enough about it.  Like anything else in life we fear, we should simply name our fear and face our fear.  HRL Novelle Clovidia Wuhaa’an, is a cartoon and fictional character of the current threat.  But the health threat is real.

• ... We should get to know it very well, and acknowledge it.

• ... We should understand what makes it powerful, brutal and fatal.

• ... We should respect it, and take the empowerment away from it! 

Untill then:  we shall learn to co-exist.

* Change is as hard as you make it 

• If it is health - this information may steer you towards choices for a safer NEW lifestyle. 

• It it is work - with minor adaption, there will be loads of new jobs out there.

• If it is money - you already possess most of the values no money in the world can buy.  This short story touched on many of them, but in case you missed it, here are some of them:   Inner beauty – Truth – Loyalty – Respect – Confidence – Wisdom – Love - Mindfulness – Manners – a Friendship –Purpose – Talent – Style - Happiness – and now we have to use time …

Her Royal Lowness, Novelle Clovidia Wuhaa'an meets Suhrinah from The Style Bible

After 140 days of 'partial lockdown', South Africa is downgraded to level 2, opening up liquor stores and making sales of sigarettes legal again - and schools re0open on the 150'th day.  The 3 w's become our only survival kit:  #WashingHands, #WaitingInLine, #WearingAMask.  It also became HRL Clovidia's demise: one we are completely in control of, and filling the human race with hope...

20.  "Being normal is not new..."

As the world slowly returns to “a new normal”, HRL Clovidia is continuing to fight the battle between good and evil.  Her reign as a supreme “royal” over Covid-19 affairs and NOT the Corona family in its entirety may soon come to an end.  The flu is also from the corona family of virusses, and we as a collective have adapted to the WWW rule:

     #WashingHands, #WaitingInLine, #WearingAMask,

With this in mind, even the flu will be lesser of a threat in following seasons around the world.

Due to HRL Clovidia’s nosiness on behalf of the Covid-19 part of the Corona Virus, this pandemic has infected and affected millions of lives, killed 100’s of thousands of lives, closed uncountable businesses, taken away the magic of the printed industry…  but while the only constant really is change, the future is yours to celebrate.

21.  "Death is never final..."

After 150 days of partial lockdown, South Africa opens its schools, Liquor stores, and sales of tobacco.

Public gatherings are limited to 50 people or less, and SKY news reports more than 170 000 weddings have been cancelled in England alone during the 5 month stretch of the Pandemic.

At the time of publish, great promise of treatments are looming and HRL Clovidia are running scared on behalf of the entire Covid-19 family:  “I may be the only one in the entire world who knows how I can be tamed or killed right now, but remember: Simon Rademan is merely speculating with regards to what the world has/has not found out yet.  The world is filled with #BetterKnowers, but while some have come close to a solution, it is up to you mere mortals to do everything you can to get me stopped….”

22.  "Out with the old, In with the new…"

More than 170 applications have been introduced by the WHO (world Health Organization) in the race for a possible vaccine.   Russia was the first to announce their ‘breakthrough’ sputnik V vaccine, with China, India and several other countries following.   On 9 November 2020, Pfizer-Biontech becomes the next company to confirm a 90% effective vaccine that may be ready for distribution by January 2021.  Also in the run was Moderna (announcing on November 16) with a "94 percent efficiency" promise.

Towards the end of 2020, HRL Clovidia still reigned supreme in especially Europe and the USA, South Africa anticipates the end of the pandemic by relaxing level 1 restrictions, and allows some essential international travel. While we trust that soon we will celebrate the ‘death’ and human control over yet another virus, the race for "who gets to get the vaccinations first" moves to the next phase.  On 8 December 2020, Maggie (Margaret) Keenan and Wialliam Shakespeare become the first persons (female), and first male in the UK to receive the Pfizer-Biontech vaccine jab.

NB. It remains important to emphasize it is not a vaccine that will kill the virus, it is "taking" the vaccine by every and all individuals that will kill it.

Only then can we successfully say:  R.I.P. HRL Clovidia

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