ISLAMABAD - Things are moving from surreal to downright fiction-y. Yes, I invented that word. Only because I feel like I am watching an Armageddon-style Hollywood movie without a large tub of popcorn in my lap.

The social isolation policy really hit home last week. VOA ordered all its overseas staff to start working from home. Until then, we had kept the Islamabad bureau open, albeit with reduced numbers and strict SOPs. People were coming in on alternate days and in shifts to minimize interaction and optimize social distancing. We were disinfecting all surfaces and particularly doorknobs three times a day. Everyone had masks, gloves, and hand sanitizers on their tables. No one was going to press briefings or gatherings.