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SAVE LIVES

2

M U T

S P I R I T

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S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 0

A snapshot of 2020

The year 2019 ended like any other. We welcomed 2020 with open arms and hearts full

of hope, anticipation and all the other usual emotions the world has experienced for

millennia. There was absolutely no need to worry; everything was under control, or so we

thought. Except for over a billion people in China, the whole world thought so too.

As we eased into 2020, we were bombarded by news

that the coronavirus that had originated in China’s

Wuhan province was spreading to other parts of

the world, and that people were dying in increasing

numbers. Soon the focus shifted to Italy as the second

epicentre of the outbreak. Panic started to set in, and

when COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, all eyes

turned to the governments of the world – what were

they to do?

At the same time the World Health Organisation

(WHO) and other organisations continued to give the

information they believed would save the world. Much

of this information was about the way the virus was

spreading – namely, that it was mainly transmitted by

humans via droplets like saliva and mucus – and the

need for people to keep a distance from each other.

Like most governments of the world, our government

also had to consider all this information and, working

with scientists, to make decisions that were aimed

at shielding everyone within the country from the

scourge. Towards the end of March, the President of

the country announced the unthinkable: the country

would be under lockdown in less than 10 days. This

was a difficult decision that would bring much of the

economy to a halt.

At MUT we also closed down and hoped that the

three weeks set by the government would be enough

to ready our defences. However the situation became

worse, and we knew we were approaching the cold

winter months when the virus appeared to thrive.

Working from our homes, we quickly formed a team

that would steer staff and students from this nightmare

of biblical proportions. This issue is dedicated to the

extraordinary efforts of our people to “save lives and

save the academic year” throughout the pandemic.

We hope that, despite the heaviness of the scourge we

have faced – and continue to face, both from a human

and economic point of view – that your spirits will be

lightened by the stories of hope and encouragement

in its pages.

From the MarComms (Marketing and Communications)

Editorial Team