Corona Fatigue

Corona Virus is perhaps the worst calamity earthlings have suffered since their entry to this planet. It has hit all countries, with different severity. Some have almost come out of its impact, some are still struggling to come out and some are still in the thick of it. Difference in impact is due to four reasons : (i) Government’s effective or lukewarm intervention (ii) Intensity or otherwise of public awareness program (iii) Seriousness or indifference of public to such program (iv) Age and immunity profile of the community

On the whole India has done well. But public has not been so responsive to awareness program in some parts of the country. Hence, corona is yet to be brought under control in some pockets of some states in the country.

Despite this constraint, by and large, country is fairly able to manage the prevention, spread and treatment of corona virus. Consequently, government is shifting its policy focus from ‘save lives’ to ‘save livelihoods’. Restrictions on movements of people, travel, visit to public places, attendance in private functions, opening up of malls and cinema halls, functioning of schools, offices and so on are being gradually loosened to restart the economic activity. This is in the right direction.

This gradual withdrawal of restrictions on people’s movement after over an year seems to have liberated us from bondage. We feel we are free again to do whatever we did earlier without any fear or apprehension. Airports are becoming crowded as before with absence of social distance or in some cases even masks. Roads are again buzzing with traffic and traffic jams, Malls are again zooming with customers. Cinema Halls will restart very soon. Private non-corona hospitals have started getting patients waiting for a long time. Places of worship are getting re-ignited. People flock the street-side vendors, dhabas, vegetable and fruit sellers and restaurants. These reflects a wishful thinking of the masses that corona has disappeared and would not return.

we were tired of a shackled living, like prisoners in our own homes with no freedom to visit friends and relatives, visit our own work place or other offices. Normal life had, as it were, come to a stand-still. Corona fatigue had set in. People are let loose for re-living their normal lives forgetting corona for the time being.

Surely, economy has started getting recharged. Demand is picking up. Supply side has started responding by increasing production of consumables, durables, luxuries etc . GDP has started rising. Employment will increase in due course. Livelihoods will gradually be reinstated.

But this shift in the focus of government policy has some obvious implications. We cannot lower our guard on the basic Corona Protocols : (i) wearing a mask when you go out (ii) Keep a safe distance (iii) Frequently wash or sanitize hands (iv) Sanitize sensitive nobs etc (v) Steam-respiration after visiting a public place or function. Otherwise we will be thrown back to square one of intense corona infection and there will have to be more severe lock-downs like complete ‘sealing of of some residential flats in Mumbai’

Now, government at the center and state level do keep an eye and monitor. But their role is of an ‘enabler’ or ‘facilitator’. The real responsibility rests on the citizenry to make sure that their carelessness does not endanger the lives of others. Let us remember the advisory that the battle of corona is still not over and that we can win only by a united unending efforts of all.