AFTER 6 MONTHS...
It was Saturday in the afternoon, and the places that were usually bustling with people, especially on weekends, now appeared to be haunted and eerily quiet.
Due to unanticipated circumstances, public institutions such as theaters, arcades, pubs, and other gathering places have been forced to shut down one after another due to poor sales as the epidemic advanced.
In the empty region where the cafés and restaurants are situated, you can hear nothing but the chirping lullabies of birds, the rustling caused by the movement of dry leaves, and the Aeolian sound produced by the cold breeze of air.
The vast majority of people made the decision to stay at home unless it was indispensable to leave their houses. The number of cases afflicted with the virus has surged threefold in the last several months, and it is spreading at an alarming rate from one person to another.
As a result, humans were terrified of becoming infected with the virus, which has a fatality rate of sixty to eighty percent once infected and is particularly deadly in persons with compromised immune systems.
As a means of assuaging people’s anxieties, the government has proposed that a new method be implemented to assist in reducing the number of crowds lurking outside their homes to acquire food, medications, and other needs.
The authorities also gave every household a timetable of when they could go outdoors and do the things they needed to do, such as walk their dogs, exercise, and get some fresh air without being fearful of their surroundings.
The rules weren’t very restrictive. It was merely implemented to ensure that people would no longer be terrified whenever they leave their houses and would be able to return home to their families and loved ones, safe and sound.
Even if it is not their scheduled day, people are still permitted to go outside. Still, the authorities will keep an eye on them to ensure that the mob does not go out of control if it is seen that social distancing is no longer observed and has been violated.
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Mira was sitting on a couch in front of the television while playing fetch with her dog when the news suddenly interrupted her favorite morning show.
“Breaking News! A new vaccine named ‘Devaxx’ was launched this morning by MNV Laboratories, Inc., a well-known vaccine manufacturer in town. A frail young woman in her late twenties was given the first injection of the said vaccine, which took place six months ago. The vaccination she received was the very first one ever given, and it was manufactured using the very first formula ever developed. Experts continued to monitor the situation for any evidence of responses or negative consequences day after day. It has not been seen that any signs, symptoms, or changes in vital signs have occurred in the last few months. Although the efficacy of the said vaccine has been proven to be effective in preventing humans from acquiring the virus, it has not been confirmed to be completely safe. Scientists indicated that they had done further research and additional testing on the said vaccine but stated that they still needed a little more time to study the drug and are doing everything to speed up the process. Despite this, authorities have declared ‘Devaxx’ as an emergency vaccine to combat the virus as many cases continue to rise. Due to the decision by the higher-ups to lift the scheduling system, hundreds of people are already lining up to get the shot, as this new vaccine only requires a single dose and has no adverse effects at all.”
Mira dashed to the window when she heard noises outside their house for a long time. She raised the blinds and placed her eyes in between her hands on the windowpane, revealing many people leaving their residences.
The weather isn’t cold, but the people leaving their homes were wearing full-covered clothes, trying to hide their skin and avoiding contact with the others.
They were all glancing around nervously at the people they were surrounded by. One woman pulled her child closer to her while avoiding a man who had recently passed by them. She gave him a sidelong glance, but the man didn’t seem to care as he was in a rush.
Everyone was too busy and in a hurry.
Another woman called his husband, who was skipping on the tip of his toe as he properly donned his shoe.
A man was fixing his mask when a woman across the street noticed she wasn’t wearing one and immediately ran back inside her house to grab one.
The street that seemed like a deserted town a while ago was now a hubbub.
“Mira! Mirabella!” called a woman inside their house.
A Rottweiler dog named Mirabella went to chase the ball Mira threw and scooped it up in her mouth, but immediately let go of it when she heard someone calling her name. One of her ears is pointing upward, while the other has flopped down. She excitedly raced back to Mira after recognizing the voice, leaving the ball, and circled in place behind Mira.
Mira was too distracted by the event happening outside. Many of her neighbors leave their houses to get their vaccination shot, while others remain inside their homes.
Mirabella tugged at Mira’s dress, but she refused to budge.
“Okay, okay,” Mira responded to her dog, Mirabella, when it continued to bark to call her attention.
She switched the television off when her mother, Anastasia, called them once more, asking them to join her at the table for breakfast.
“Mom, should we take the new vaccine instead?” asked Anastasia’s twelve-year-old daughter, Mira, as she walked her way to her seat. The dog behind her was following her footsteps before sprinting to her food bowl when she saw Anastasia fill hers with loads of meat and a bone.
“Honey, that virus is not a threat to you young people anyway. Plus, it’s also new, and not much testing has been done on it,” uttered Anastasia.
“But a lot of people are getting their shots already. Shouldn’t we get ours, too?” asked Mira.
“Allow them to do so. Listen, we all have our points of view. Whether a person takes it or not, it’s up to them. We, on the other hand, will wait for the hundred percent approval of its safe use,” Anastasia replied while she piled food on her daughter’s plate.
“What we need to do is to wear our mask, wash our hands frequently, and—”
“Keep our distance from others,” Mira finished for her. “Got it,” she added and smiled at her mom for being able to comprehend what her mother was trying to tell.
Anastasia smiled back and added, “Remember, you can’t get unvaxxed if it doesn’t go well.”