Covid-19, Lockdown and the Prevailing Situation

      The first half of the year is almost over now. But our experience during this time is very bad even you may say it is the worst until our lifetime. This year, we are hearing the news of the pandemic corona virus disease or COVID-19. First, it affected Wuhan Province of China, then spreads to Italy, Spain, and other European nations. Then it took the shape of Goliath in US, Brazil and Russia. After that, it started spreading in India and other South Asian nations.

      Amidst the fear of the spread of corona virus to every nook and corner of the country, as a precautionary measure, our government decided to lock down the entire country. Our PM announced it at 8 p.m. on 24th March 2020. First, it was announced from 25th March to 14th April i.e. for 21 days. Then again it was extended up to 19 more days as Lockdown 2.0. Then the Lockdown 3.0 and Lockdown 4.0 were also announced with the loosening of a few restrictions. Then unlocking was started from 1st June.

      The COVID-19 or corona disease has changed the way of our life a lot. Now maintaining social distance, washing hands frequently, using hand sanitizer, and wearing masks are not only normal but essential. The people are bound to stay at their homes if there is no essential work outside. The people have started working from home wherever possible. The methods like Video calls, Video conferences, online classes, webinars, etc have become very popular now.

      Due to sudden lockdown all educational institutes (schools, colleges, universities, etc), tourism activities, cinema halls, gym, etc are closed to date from the beginning. The hotels, restaurants, café, transport (roads, rail, and airlines), industries are also completely closed during Lockdown 1.0 and Lockdown 2.0 (from 24th March to 3rd May 2020). It has almost shattered the economy of the entire nation and its people. The poor and middle-class people are badly affected by the lockdown.

      The most affected of this lockdown is the migrant labourers. They lost their job and in the meantime, the government also didn’t avail any time to them to go back to their villages in the home states. So during this time many of them started their journey to their villages in home states by walking, cycling, etc. Many of them even died due to starvation. Then only after 3rd May when the special trains are arranged so that they can go to their villages in the home states. There are almost 2-3 crores of migrants labourers affected by lockdown.  

       

      Even after this strict lockdown also the numbers of the patient of COVID-19 are increasing day by day. Now India stood at 4th position in the world with around 5.8 lakhs COVID patients. We can only hope that the vaccine of the disease to come out soon. In the meantime we need to maintain the new norms of wearing masks, washing hands frequently, and maintaining social distance.