We all know about COVID-19 which needs no Introduction. Covid-19 has become a superstar in a span of a few months. But the superstar has been playing the villain’s role in the life of humankind. I am certainly not here to provide the Do’s and Don’ts nor to define how lethal the Covid-19 is. The major concern that has been penetrating in the mind of every human is “How long will it take to wrap up?”. Obviously, this is not an opera or any concert that terminates after a fixed time, so the question is a little vague. But let’s try to find real answers to the questions that have haunted us till now and are basically the smaller versions of the broader question above.
How Long the Lockdown will Continue?
Most of the affected countries are under a complete lockdown or Virtual lockdown. All of them are into different stages of lockdown to prevent further spread of the so-called Covid-19 aka Corona Virus. The name Corona is derived from its Crown shaped appearance.
But we hardly care about which planet it came from and all we want it to leave so that we can live a settled and peaceful life. Currently, 4 billion people are under lockdown and, very obvious, we all want to get out of this. However, we are unsure of how long this will continue. Sources suggest that Lockdown will not be lifted until the graph pattern for affected cases goes into steep decline.
The Government and health care system are working round the clock to bail the population out of the contagious Corona Virus. However, I personally feel, being an Indian, we lack the system and honesty in our country:
- Transparency of Detailed Data: Of the official sources that I know so far, ICMR and MoHFW, the data is more like a Cricket score card where you know what the total score and the score state wise is. This isn’t really expected of a nation that has immensely talented professionals across the globe, in vast numbers, in several sectors such as technology, health care, space scientists etc. I have a firm belief that paid govt servants lack honesty in their role and hardly honest in delivering to the best of their abilities. Hence, if detailed data is rolled out, there are very bright chances to have private professionals give their valuable inputs. After all, be it family or a nation, thorough analysis and planning is the need of the hour.
- Control over Public Gathering: During the lockdown period, there have been countless number of times, wherein the general public has gathered in hundreds and even thousands to buy grocery or to reach out to their family or to pay the obeisance in the temples. These instances, whenever happened, has taken us back to Day 1 of the lockdown. If this keeps continuing, the fate of the nation would inevitably be in doldrums.
- Failure in Identifying the Jamati Conspiracy: I have read about this and have also heard this on News channel several number of times, and I assume this can be a kind of conspiracy by an unknown mastermind. Things were planned well ahead of the lockdown and the risk is now looming on the nation. News channels have confirmed that majority of these people have been tracked and quarantined, but India is still grappling with the worst fear as many still might be hiding and planning ahead. The suicide bomb can explode any day and in any form.
- Lack of Speed in Testing and its Results: As of date 13 Apr’20, only one person is tested in every 7000 persons approx. in comparison to US who tests 1 person in every 150 persons. That’s an incredible difference in the pace we are testing and I certainly have the feeling that figures in India are deflated and there is incompetency over tracing the hotspots. Also, I came across few news where it was mentioned that test results aren’t made available to patient until a week and are kept in quarantine for unnecessary period. This puts patients at high risk of getting infected even though the test samples collected could have been negative. Such lapses should be completely avoided.
Above findings are just the tip of an iceberg and there can be many such areas which we need improvement in order to fight back and stand to win. But the fact is completely opposite and I have an impression that the graph will see no decline irrespective of the lockdown period unless the data is compromised. The truth is we have to Live with the Corona Virus until the vaccine is ready for public. The most vulnerable people will be older ones or with past medical history who are going to suffer. Else major of the population can still overcome the infection with their strong immune and develop the self-immunity over time.
And most important of all, the nation in itself doesn’t have the firepower in terms of wealth to sustain the lock down for a prolonged period. After all, the nation has scores of people who live below the poverty line and the expenses to feed them will deplete the Indian Vault. So, I doubt if it actually goes beyond mid of May. So, guys, cheer up yourself and count the days. But keep distance and stay safe and be a responsible citizen of the country.
Continue reading the next part to reveal the life post lockdown.