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Business News/ Opinion / Columns/  The Covid-19 ball is now in the common man’s court
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The Covid-19 ball is now in the common man’s court

How long can one lock down a population of 1.3 bn? We have to adjust to the ‘new normal’

The rapidly changing situation is telling us that we Indians have to change our style and behaviour one way or the otherPremium
The rapidly changing situation is telling us that we Indians have to change our style and behaviour one way or the other

This piece of news is from Bihar. In some of the villages there, people have begun to worship “Corona Mai" (Goddess Corona). Both Hindu and Muslim women are involved in this ritual with total reverence. But no one asked the question: Is it the right way to get rid of coronavirus?

The rapidly changing situation is telling us that we Indians have to change our style and behaviour one way or the other. This is the only way to overcome the pandemic, and for this, we will have to discipline ourselves and completely change our work culture. Let me give some examples here, which are being discussed often, in the corona era.

The first example is Japan. Japan declared an emergency, but resisted the pressure of a long lockdown. People were already aware of the mortality rate of epidemics like SARS and swine flu. They locked themselves up in their house, without any official diktat. Everyone began to follow social distancing rules and wore masks. Even speaking loudly was avoided. All this resulted in a limited spread of the infection, and now the emergency has already been withdrawn.

It’s to be noted that India has the largest young population in the world, whereas in Japan, the ratio of senior citizens is the largest. As we know, coronavirus is more deadly for elders. But with self-discipline, the Japanese have saved not only themselves, but also their economy. The Japanese never blame the system, they see themselves as a part of it. It is their way to conquer calamities. Japan is the only country in the world to have been attacked by a nuclear bomb. That was the time when radiation crippled Hiroshima, Nagasaki and adjoining areas with cancer, and other diseases and disabilities. Despite being devastated in World War II, Japan succeeded in becoming a superpower within a few years.

Almost similar is the example of Sweden. Despite harsh criticism, PM Stefan Löfven was adamant not to implement a nationwide lockdown. Sweden is a very cold country, and the flu virus is supposed to be more dangerous in such a climate. Even when coronavirus cases crossed 40,000 and deaths reached 4,542 the Prime Minister stuck to his position. He repeatedly said that this battle could not be won by restrictions, but by awareness. With larger public support, Löfven succeeded in limiting the loss of life and economy.

In India, while criticizing the government, Opposition says that the long lockdown has neither saved lives nor the economy. Such people wilfully forget the scenes of the overcrowded metros, buses and passenger trains that they have seen since their childhood. And, there are densely populated localities with houses the size of match boxes, where this infection could spread like wildfire. Dharavi, the famous Mumbai slum, is the best example. Forget about social distancing—there is no alternative to a lockdown in a nation without any tradition of disciplined queues. Sweden ranks among the most civilized countries in the world. There, one would never find any scrimmage in a queue. The social distancing of 2-3 feet is a way of life there. It was not difficult to enhance it to 4-6 feet.

Whereas in India, a small relaxation resulted in a locust-like attack on wine shops. The way the pandemic is reaching the villages, after a little relaxation, also emphasized the fact that it was necessary to impose restrictions for a few weeks.

It’s also true that longer restrictions lose their effectiveness. For how long can one lock down a population of 1.3 billion? Now, we would have to adjust to a “new normal". Masks, hygiene and social distancing are the biggest need of the hour. Now, our behaviour must be like that of the citizens of Japan and Sweden.

We can learn a few things from government slogans and jargons. I have been a fierce opponent of the Emergency, but during that time there was a slogan—Hum do, hamare do (we two, ours two). Millions of people realized its importance and, soon, family planning became a part of their lives. Today, there are no questions over its acceptance among educated people. Abolition of the Sati tradition was also an outcome of such efforts. Later on, the Sarda Act curbed child marriage. We have not succeeded in abolishing dowery, but anti dowery acts established dowry as a social evil. One thing is clear—the ball is now in the court of the common man. We have no other option but to become self-reliant for our safety. This is the biggest need of the hour.

Shashi Shekhar is editor-in-chief, Hindustan. His Twitter handle is @shekarkahin

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Published: 09 Jun 2020, 12:10 AM IST
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