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A personal reflection of risking and protecting lives during the third wave of the coronavirus pandemic

In this paper, I engage with my personal experiences and reflections regarding my fear of exposure to coronavirus in a collective and physically demonstrative society. I reflect on my ongoing struggle of coping with social and cultural pressures, for example, the avoidance of ‘touch’ that demonstrates care and affection irrespective of whether someone is ill with the virus. Developed during the third wave of the pandemic, this paper reveals the ambivalence and the emotional challenges involved therein as I tried to (re)negotiate social interactions. It reflects the resistance and denial of the people that coronavirus even exists as they tried to justify their illness by linking it with other known diseases. Hence, the majority disapproved of social distancing to avoid stigmatization and being distanced from others. I believe that expressions of ‘care’ and ‘affection’ requires reconsideration in such circumstances as an act of care itself to protect lives. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Gender, Work & Organization is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)