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By Muna Al-Fuzai
Kuwait imposed a partial curfew starting Sunday night and extended the suspension of work in all government institutions for an additional two weeks. The number of people that were found to be infected with the virus has increased to 188 after 12 new cases were confirmed on Sunday.
The partial curfew starts from Sunday evening at 5:00 pm until 4:00 am daily until further notice. The Ministry of Interior will apply the law to anyone who violates the curfew with a punishment up to KD 10,000 or three years in prison or deportation (for expatriates).
We are facing difficult circumstances. Some of us will remember the challenges and curfew of life in Kuwait during the Iraqi invasion and occupation. But most of our youth and many expatriates never experienced such conditions and it is easy to understand their fear, confusion and mixed feelings over the issue. I hope it will be temporary. I personally think this nightmare may last few months. We need patience and to deal with the matter day-by-day, as it comes, without panic.
Many countries around the globe have imposed a curfew and it seems that each state has its own rituals in killing the long hours of staying at home without work or schools. We have seen many videos from people in cities across Italy and Spain, where neighbors singing and play musical instruments from the balconies of their flats. Other neighbors were either clapping or cheering or singing or dancing along to the music.
Another video was circulated of a family in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, who played recorded prayers. These videos show us all how to find a way through this circumstance. With time, people will accommodate their daily routine to make life enjoyable even as they cannot go outdoors or socialize like before. In even the worst of times, we are able to lift each other up and give hope for the future.
Now everyone awaits the return home of Kuwaiti students and citizens from abroad. Once they arrive they will be examined and those who are infected will be quarantined and treated. I think that after the completion of this matter, the true and correct figures of infected people will be counted. I hope that everyone will consider the situation an open vacation and enjoy the high-speed internet at all times and it may be an opportunity for more reading while doing nothing but, wait for this nightmare to end.
