Public ignorance to its very core

The past week, my news scripts include updates of H1N1 cases in Brunei, which is rapidly rising. Due to such, the authorities have decided to extend school holidays; this is so that teenagers would avoid crowded places and socialising with their peers; given the fact that most of them might be at risk as most went overseas for the holidays.

But hey, why don't I find it surprising that Gadong is FULL of cars and people at 3pm on a monday?

And why am I not surprised to know that there are parents who bring their toddlers out to overly crowded places like last weekend's consumer fair at the ICC?

WHY am I not surprised to see parents dropping off their kids to Gadong when they are AWARE of the rising cases of H1N1?

Is it because our country is known to be "peaceful" that these parents.. these kids.. choose to completely ignore the risk that they might be taking?

It pisses me off to see parents bring out their young children.. their babies.. out when the authorities clearly advised them to lessen social interactions and to avoid crowded places.

and reading this, fuel my anger even more. Here're some quotes from the article;

A mother of six, who wished to be named Salmah, said: "I brought my
daughter here today because I feel that The Mall is a safe place and that it's
clean."

When asked whether she was afraid of contracting H1N1 at a crowded
place like The Mall, she said: As we are in Brunei, I am more confident taking
my children out, rather than in a foreign country."

Another parent, Zulkifli Hj Tengah, whose three children are in primary schools, echoed the same sentiments. "Although I am aware of the advisory by MoE, I do not feel scared bringing all my children here because it's a safe place to me."

A number of students met by The Brunei Times said that they choose not to heed the advisory simply because it is a better alternative to being bored at home, such as in the case of Ak Mohd Hafiz, 16, who said that he was not scared at all of contracting H1N1. "I am still going to come out everyday, whether it be at The Mall or other places. It is just boring to stay at home," he explained.

A 13-year-old student, Nadheerah Affandy also said that the reason she was at The Mall was because she had nothing to do at home. "I am scared of contracting the virus here, but I would rather come out because there is nothing to do at home," she said, adding that she might think about staying at home for the rest of the week.

--- WTH??!

Are these people crazy?

So I get it, you rather contract a deadly virus than be bored at home... very wise indeed.

On another note, I'm quarantined for a week, sister's colleague tested positive for A (H1N1), and thus everyone in her office and those who are in close contact of them are being quarantined.

Be safe, stay clean.
Muaz Al Rashid