A new normal

Jr Amo *

Since the beginning of the 21 days nationwide lockdown on 24th March 2020 and the continuation of Lockdown 2.0 was enforced, due to fear of the virus and observing the government's guidelines, millions of Indians are still locked up inside their homes. It is hard to tell when this humanitarian crisis will come to an end; no doubt, this too shall pass sooner or later.

As we are facing this unprecedented global crisis, we all know it is a very difficult fight. Despite the rising cases and death rates the WHO and nations are trying their best to flatten the curve. Right now the whole world is fighting a common enemy COVID-19, countries taking every possible measure to curb the spread of the contagious virus.

Scientists and experts all around the globe working day and night, making full use of resources to find vaccination for this dreadful virus. But, an anti-Covid19 or a vaccine for the said virus is far from discovery.

Preparations and precautions taken at every stage, half of the world's population is on Lockdown for the first time in history. Making it more stringent, curfew is also imposed in some countries and President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte have ordered "shoot at sight" of lockdown violators in his country.

Most of these measures taken are distressing but are essential, to save lives, to avoid further spread of Covid-19 and particularly to stop the chain of transmission until a vaccine is found and medicines made to treat infected patients.

While all the rest of the world and people of all walks of life lock themselves up, except those working in the frontlines and essential service providers, I myself have also been working day and night at the heart of the town for the past few weeks.

Passing through the main road, I had been witnessing many new developments along CCPur Tiddim road, including Security personnel enforcing the lockdowns, guarding the roads and open spaces.

I see people who aren't abiding by the guidelines of the lockdown, and I think to myself, ‘Why they are risking their lives at this time?’ I wondered, ‘What are they coming out for? It might cost them their life?’ But, all I could do was just put more thought on to it.

Then, just opposite from where I was walking was an SBI ATM Booth which most of the time is usually out of cash. I witnessed something, the one thing that really caught my eye during these events - people queuing up for their turn to withdraw some cash out of the ATM without maintaining any social distancing at all.

Likewise, if one among the many who are queuing up for withdrawal of money at the ATM was infected with the contagious Covid-19, it could have spread to others and this whole thing would have been a lot different by now. I can't ignore that it was important, but, can we at least practice the priceless social distancing at public places for the time being and for the days to come?

Moreover, I would just like to add that in the past, even before this pandemic was looming ATMs in the state have always been crowded, in a sense that people are defying the norms and more than one person used to enter the booth, compromising the privacy of others at large.

This is a very bad and ignorant practice that everyone should stay away from and adapt to the formal ways of the guidelines.

So, I would end it here and echo Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong words - "I wish everyone strength & wisdom as we deliberate and forge a way forward to good health and a new normal".