Maybe the gates have another purpose
If our primary school knowledge is right, we were taught that gates act as barriers against physical bodied intruders. It helps in security but only in the physical security of our belongings and ourselves. It is absurd to equate the use of a physical gate to a barrier against a biological enemy or intruder. Biological enemies are fought against using aseptic techniques. It isn’t really logical to say that the shutting of gates at particular hours is a measure against preventing the entry of the most prominent and virulent biological enemy of our time; the Covid-19.
Considering the fact that the virus is not visible or handy, wherein we would see the virus in the hand of a person and do justly in turning the individual away, there is a fault in the thinking that if we lock our gates at a particular time, there would be safety from the virus. How do we explain the fact that a Covid-19 carrier can gain entrance into a place because he or she came before the time the gates were shut but a non carrier of the Covid-19 virus would be denied access because he or she came after the gates were shut? How do we settle for the logic that says that a late comer is a likely Covid-19 patient but the early birds are not? When did the test for Covid-19 become based on timekeeping? Does this mean that if you’re early, you are Covid-19 negative but if you’re late, you’re most likely Covid-19 positive?. The actual role and definition of logic fails to explain these. Consensus has stated that the act of washing hands with soap and water, using nose masks and hand sanitizers, maintaining social distance are measures that prevent the spread of the corona virus. Consensus has failed to mention the locking of gates as one of those measures.
If the gate of our hall is locked by 10:00pm, it should be for other reasons and not from the intrusion of the corona virus. If the sole aim of locking the gates at this time is to fight against the virus, probably another time should be fixed for the closure of the gate so as to fight against the virus properly, let’s say an earlier time of 7:00pm should do or we shouldn’t open the gates at all. Should we think that those that are inside the hall before 10:00pm are immunized against Corona? Does Corona Virus spread more at night? If yes, is this the reason why students get to the gate at past 10:00pm and they knock so much sometimes wait outside for others that might be coming so the gate is opened for all of them at once? Why are we hiding behind a finger of Covid? A porter who delays a student outside because she forgot her nose mask and nobody is offering her one, would it not have been better to let her in so she get to use it? Why should she be delayed to get exposed to viruses and infection?
If corona virus is going to walk into an hostel, it most likely won’t wait for 10:10pm before it comes. No scientific research has confirmed that the corona virus is a nocturnal virus. It doesn’t only strike at night, it strikes during the day as well. We should actually be focused on doing things right in terms of enforcing obedience of all the health guidelines we are to follow. Setting our priorities right is the only way to instill discipline and achieve the order we want. A slack in the enforcement of safety protocols and a strict adherence to a time for shutting gates would fall short because there has been a misplacement of priorities. Recently, queenites have been entering the hostel without using their nose masks and without washing their hands at the gate but we are shutting our gates at 10:00pm to ward off the virus. There are alternatives in cases where the main solution doesn’t work out as expected but this is an inadequate alternative.
Let the things that are supposed to be done be done efficiently. For every action taken, let there be an appropriate reason. It beats logical reasoning when the reason for an action doesn’t correlate with the action. For every decision you make, there are critics around you.
Quote for the week:
Efficiency is doing things right, effectiveness is doing the right things.
Peter Drucker.
REAL 