WORLD WAR 3 IS HERE AND THE ENEMY IS A VIRUS.

I watched the Bill Gates TedTalk in awe. It was like a prophetic word given 5 years ago about the pandemic we are facing today. We live in a world where a virus is making us sick and wiping out our families who are physically vulnerable. This is World War 3. It’s humanity against virus.

And here are some things that stand out in this war.

• The greatest warriors wear scrubs and cleaners’ uniforms. My family were at Universal Studios Sentosa - the kids were on school holidays and we didn’t want to leave the country, so we decided to visit tourist destinations within Singapore - most places were empty, there were massive discounts and we thought we’d help support the local tourism industry. 

There was a minimum number of staff and their main role was, apart from ensuring social distancing, to wipe down every single ride-seat with alcohol before the next person got on. I saw cleaners being extra vigilant in their tasks - elderly cleaners. It instilled in me, a new found respect for people whose seemingly menial jobs are keeping me and my family safe. 

Yes, I value medical personals who are doing their part to keep us safe and healthy but let’s not forget the folks we refuse to pay attention to as we go about our day. The folks who do their part with masks and cleaning gloves. Surely the more constant and frequent exposure to strong cleaning detergent is harmful to their bodies - they’re putting themselves at risk so we can be safe. It also makes me think, we don’t need more weapons of warfare or military advancements. We need more medical facilities, safety gear and definitely a higher salary for these folks we take for granted. 

• Mental Illness is killing people faster than the Covid-19. The worst symptoms of COVID-19 aren’t flu-like. They are the stress that comes from not having a job. The crushing burden of keeping your company afloat without laying off people when clients are bailing. The anger that burns inside you at the thought that you or your family might not have access to medical care if you fall sick because there’s not enough care facilities. There are people who have barely anything. And people who have more than enough. 

If the people who have more shared with those who lack, maybe we would all get by. Yes the governments are doing their bit - but that’s really not enough. We need to stop hoarding and think about delivering our abundance to families in need. We need to think about how we can show kindness, love and bring hope and joy to our families, neighbours and communities. Cos while we don’t have a cure for the virus, spreading messages of hope, healing and joy helps us thrive despite it. Share jokes. Spread positivity. Tell stories of triump so others can read them and be lifted out of their depressive states. 

• While the people are at home, our earth is thriving. Yes, there are good things coming out of Covid-19. While the world is on lockdown, the earth is thriving. The Ozone Layer is finally healing itself. The Venice canals have cleared up with dolphins returning there after a decade. With less flights, traffic on streets and lock downs, major cities are seeing a significant decline in air pollution. Carbon monoxide has decreased by 50% and the emission of our planet’s heating gas, CO2 has fallen sharply. This really goes to show that with drastic steps in the right places, governments can play a key role in helping to reverse climate change. Healing our planet quickly is a possibility.

Which brings me to our need to beat this virus. The only way we can do so, is if leaders of nations can work together, drop their egos and join their resources from finances and supplies, to strategy and intelligence to help each other. Because right now, the virus seems to be winning. But we are resilient, amazing, creative members of the human race. We have lived through nuclear destruction, flash floods, wild fires and are about to go to Mars. Surely together, we can overcome this too. 

?Uma Rudd Chia heads the creative department at Weber Shandwick. When she’s not playing creative director, she is a global keynote speaker on gender equality, female empowerment, creative inclusivity and the philosophy of future technology. Uma is a speaker with KeyNote Women Speakers Directory and a member of the Asia Professional Speakers Singapore (APSS). She’s a mum to two inquisitive and outspoken little makers and the wife of one amazing husband. Uma sings in a band, has sung in two acapella albums, authored two bestselling books, created her own best-selling phonics programme and hopes to be a pioneer on Mars.