The sages say that in ages gone by when caravan riders ran out of water in the desert and faced certain death, they released one camel and watched it go in search of water, knowing camels were wired to always pick in the vast desert the smell of water. The Arabs kept their eyes closely on the camel as it meandered its way in the maze and overwhelming spread called the desert. Just before disappearing into the horizon, an Arab began to track the camel with the rest of the caravan keenly watching proceedings. Just before the first Arab disappears into the horizon, a second Arab follows suit, his eyes riveted on the almost disappearing figure in his view. Eventually, the camel finds water, and the ingenious network that had been designed by the Arabs to keep everyone in touch with the other, leads the rest of the group to the place of refreshing.

Like the rest of the desert can be unsparing and brutal in its engagements with those who plumb its bowels, so has Covid-19 been unsparing and brutal in its engagement with the rest of humanity.

But whereas caravan riders in those days did not compete with camels to nose for water, almost everyone today is an expert on the cure for Covid-19.

And whereas the camel’s search was not motivated by any other thing apart from survival, the search for a cure for Covid-19 is motivated by all kinds of interests apart from survival. No wonder the many conspiracies and cure claims flying around.