The litmus test of preparedness, as the state government has been claiming for a while, will begin tomorrow, and with it the mindfulness and regard for the strict public protocol laid down by the authorities as per the recommendations of experts and the WHO. The large number of returnees is bound to create confusion and chaos, and the state government can brace itself for a string of reports of mismanaged, uncoordinated and disorderly functioning of the quarantine centres being prepared all over the state, hopefully only for the first few days.
For a population of more than 135 crores (UN World Population Prospects 2019) the recent claim of the Prime Minister of India of having the capacity to produce 2 lakh PPEs daily at present sounds rather like an afterthought and a feeble attempt of an excuse. The dismal lack of quantity of tests being carried out across the country should have been addressed at the outset, or should be given utmost priority at least. The issue of migrant labourers and daily wage earners walking hundreds of kilometers to their native homes from the cities they helped build could have been avoided had there been a coordinated plan of action. India cannot afford to make any more mistakes, but if the past developments regarding the formation of plans and policies and their implementations are anything to go by, the future prospects are should be of utmost concern. However, the time to dwell on the past mistakes has gone, and we don’t have to luxury of time to undo them at our leisure.
In light of the apprehensions and tensions that is bound to rise in the following days and weeks in the state, the public needs to take things in their hands and discharge their responsibility to the letter. It would be stupid and rather impractical for everyone of us to wait for the state government to act and perform its duties. Political rewards and punishments should wait. From anxious observers of the pandemic from a relatively safe distance all these days, the battle line will be drawn right outside our doorsteps from tomorrow and what we do or how we behave socially will determine our own future as well as for our near and dear ones. Lockdown protocols and government directives are just that- guidelines enforced to form habits with time. Relaxation of lockdowns does not mean that the virus is taking a break and that we can revert back to our old habits and modes of social interactions. We need to embrace the fact that a vaccine for the present Covid-19 pandemic might take months or even years, or never at all as some experts grudgingly opined. Some experts also suggests continuing with the present social protocols of social distancing, sanitization of hands and wearing masks at public places for at least a year in view of the unpredictable and elusive nature of the virus.
Bottomline is, we need to keep our guard guards up and be mindful of our social responsibilities and behaviors at all times. This is our new way of life and we need to accept and embrace the fact. The sooner we change and adapt, the higher chance we have of overcoming the crisis. This time, the ball is in our court and how we play our next move is all that counts.
