The COVID-19: The COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered virus called the Coronavirus. It was first found in China last December. In January 2020, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak of this new disease a public health emergency of international concern. It was in March 2020 that the WHO declared the Covid-19 outbreak a pandemic as there is no vaccine to cure the illness. There have been 512,701 confirmed cases (and still increasing) and more than 23, 500 deaths across more than 200 countries so far.
The Initial Stage in the Country: The first confirmed case of the COVID-19 was reported in China on 30 January 2020. As on 29 March 2020, we had 1049 confirmed positive cases, 78 recoveries, 1 migration, and 25 deaths in the country. Now India is at the stage of entering stage 3, that is, community transmission. As per the Indian Council of Medical Research, a few cases have already been reported where those found positive have no travel history.
Not only this but also the source of the infection has not been traced yet. Moreover, five policemen in Saharanpur also tested positive the same day when they were on duty following the lockdown.
Government Measures: Considering the ongoing condition and the rapid increase in the number of COVID-19 positive cases in the country, the government initially took a few preventive measures, such as screening at the airport (first on international flights, and then domestic as well). After 10 March 2020, the Government of India ensured the safe return of some Indians from the worst-affected countries, i.e. China, Iran and Italy, and put them into quarantine for 14 days and took decisive measures to contain community spread. The health department advised people to avoid mass gatherings and issued health line numbers for them. The media was continuously showing on TV how to prevent oneself from this virus and steps to be taken. But even after that, the situation worsened. Some states imposed the lockdown, and some in a few districts starting from 20th or 21st March till 31st March. However, it led to no decrease in the number. On the evening of 24 March 2020, the Prime Minister of India Sh. Narendra Modi announced a countrywide lockdown for 21 days and asked people not to panic as the government would take care of their basic amenities and ensured that the basic needs of people would be fulfilled smoothly and on time.
The lockdown has affected all the people of society, especially the poor. People from the lower socio-economic classes are dependent on their daily wages. They live in rented houses. Labourers, home helpers and cleaners who won’t get out of home for 21 days and won’t be paid will have to face the repercussion of the lockdown. So, almost all the state governments and the central government came up with multiple schemes and alternatives to supply basic amenities to these people. But when? That’s after the lockdown and people who don’t have the privilege to access media or news were unaware of it.
The government itself wasn’t prepared for it in terms of medical aids and it had no option other than the lockdown creating so much inconvenience for the people, talking in terms of medical facilities. A 2016 Reuters report noted that India needed more than 50,000 critical care specialists but has just 8,350.
During the Prime Minister’s two television broadcasts on the pandemic, he didn’t hold any press conferences, but a regular speech and asked the citizens to perform their duties. He shared his expectations from the people and their do’s and don’ts without talking about what the government was doing, and how they were planning to deal with the situation. He also asked the people to support financially by contributing to Prime Minister Care Fund to deal with the epidemic. It is called “PM Cares” but the money must come from public donations. Meanwhile, taxpayers’ money is splurged on statues, advertising, foreign trips and paying the bills of their security and electricity. When this is the time to fight against the COVID-19, this is also the time to question the government on why they have a handsome budget for defence and buy guns but such a small budget for healthcare.
The negative impact of the unplanned lockdown: After this lockdown, many questions arise on the Indian government. The first case of the COVID-19 in India was reported in January 2020, and the government took all the precautions by March and avoided the seriousness of the disease for more than 30 days. During those times all the confirmed cases have had a travel history on which the Indian government didn’t put any restrictions or screening where the unplanned lockdown doesn’t confirm the diminish of the virus but put the lives of many poor people at risk. It created an atmosphere of panic in the masses that many people were on roads to buy the needful supplies on the night when the lockdown was announced which confirm that lockdown isn’t helping in creating physical distance but risking the lives of many. The sudden elevation in the product charges after the lockdown also affected on the pocket of most of the people especially lower sector whose daily and monthly income is the bare minimum. Where the need of the hour was to provide or collect resources for the medical sector and healthcare, more isolation space and ventilators, hazmat gowns for doctors what they got is “taali and thaali” response from the Prime Minister himself where he asked the people of the country to praise the staff by clapping for them who are working in this time to save us. It does nothing to solve the country’s problem of safety but quarantined them in their homes as they have no plans and resources to spend on medical, healthcare and safety but for statues, Mandir and political advertisements.
After that when the lockdown came into force, and there was an outrage, the finance minister finally announced an aid package of $ 22 Billion. For the population of 130 crores, this amount is pitiful compared to what governments elsewhere provided. The government announced the relief package of 1500 crores for the country where Kerala just one state announced the financial aid of 2000 crore for the state. It also didn’t announce any help for day labourers and workers of unorganized sectors.
Suffering and plight of the poor: It is important to understand the reason for the lockdown. Lockdown means people won’t leave their houses for a certain period and maintain physical distance. To confirm the sudden lockdown and practise isolation are also a matter of privilege which more than 30% of the population of this country are deprived of. We have seen a lot of news, videos and statements of those poor people who just left for their homes on foot after hearing the news of the lockdown despite being there no transportation facilities available. They didn’t have any money to buy food or ration to survive on. Some of them had no place to stay as their owner or boss had fired them because there wasn’t any work. People didn’t have money to pay the rent. There are hundreds of stories like this. The lockdown puts responsibility for having the outburst of people on the road, instead of instituting a robust official support system. It seems to save the minority of the county the decision of lockdown is a punishment for the most vulnerable people of the society. It also shows the capitalism and classist regime of the nation where the state ensures the safe return of the people from different countries but not just that they didn’t think of these migrant workers before the lockdown. They surge their vulnerability with police brutality, lack of transparency, apathy and a lack of compassion and class distinction. People died in those four days, not because of the virus but because they had no food to eat, they walked kilometres to reach their homes and for government, It is not their matter of concern, and the death causality for them is just part of their statistics and nothing else. The gathering of people (in thousands or lakhs) at different bus stops in different states not just questions the impact of the lockdown but shows the failure of the government to deal with the pandemic in the country.
Impact on mental and financial stability: Again, this lockdown is affecting the population but is different for all. Some people have no food on their plates because they have no money. Some people are suffering from anxiety and panic because they don’t know how well they will manage for 21 days because they are away from their families. After all, inauthentic news is in the air that the lockdown will exceed for another 3 months. Financial implications are in the front race, but we cannot avoid its psychological and social impact. Where children are locked at home and have no schools for such a long time, they behave restless, irritated and caged as there is no peer interaction and outdoor space to play and channelize the energy. Where students of the private school have the resources to attend online classes students of govt. schools are missing their education which will affect their education and result as well. People who stay alone are suffering from stress and are at higher risk of having depression because they too have no space to have exposure. Geriatrics patients are at higher risk of being the victims of the COVID-19 creates fear, panic in them. Students are trapped in hostels, PGs and getting frustrated. Employees are at work from home or have no work and not sure whether they will get their salaries or not and we all know the plight of the daily labourers, migrant workers, and hand to mouth earners like rickshaw wala or a shop keeper of a small shop outside school. India was already dealing with unemployment and economic deployment and this will lead to recession and the country has no B plan. It will lead the country towards a state of crisis.
How to deal with the issue on a small scale: It is both the government and people’s duty for the deterrent of the pandemic. It is the government’s responsibility to be prepared for such a kind of pandemic in terms of health facilities and safety. The transmission would have been stopped if there had been the screening facility at the airports way before when we were on the second stage. It is transparent that the lockdown itself is biased and unfair to the marginalized and vulnerable as home quarantine or isolation is a privilege. Washing hand many times a day is a privilege, using hand sanitizer is a privilege as you have money to buy and access it. Maintaining physical distance is a privilege, working from home is a privilege using the internet is a privilege and the lockdown isn’t considerate of the slum where 5-6 people live in a 1 BHK or a hut. Unskilled labourers don’t have the privilege of work from home. The water crisis is real and people don’t have enough water let it be for hand washing and last but not the least sitting at home and doing nothing to earn money is itself a privilege. There should have been a proper implementation plan, the announcement of the benefits for each and everyone before or at the time of announcing the lockdown and especially being considerate about the lower-class people to maintain the equilibrium in the society. There should also be transparency of funds and donations. The state should coordinate with social development organizations to reach out to the last person to provide the benefit as they have on the ground experience and a rapport. Sensitizing and awareness amongst people is equally important. Making sure that people get authentic data and there should be FIRs on spreading fake, inauthentic data for spreading panic amongst people.
People should also follow the rules and take accountability of their health. It is also their responsibility to verify the information before believing it. Maintaining physical distance and being at home is for their safety. Wash hands, don’t touch the face, go to the doctor if you think you have symptoms, don’t hide your travel history, don’t take it as a shame or don’t be afraid to go to the doctor. People should think of the need rather than their wishes desires as in stay at home and not roam on roads just because they are getting bored or tired of sitting at home all day. Being empathetic and compassionate towards the needy people at the time of crisis is equally important as self-care and security. Keeping a check on your neighbours or people of nearby slum areas whether they have food or not, the landlord can give their tenants time to pay the rent in instalments after things will be better. The youth can spread awareness amongst masses and people from the marginalized community about the virus and maintain calm in the area. Aware people about the government’s scheme and stop them to migrate for their benefits. It is a global issue and every individual and organization has to work for it together and as per their capability to deal with it then only we can be successful in the fight against the COVID-19, then only we will develop ourselves as a community.
