Contributed by – Healthians team
What will life be like after lockdown? Will it go back to normal? Will we be able to hug our friends, and stand shoulder to shoulder while traveling in Delhi metro; or all of us will look at each other with fear in eyes and run towards the opposite direction if someone without a mask would approach? Will we be able to eat at our favorite restaurants; or would it just be ordering in from now on?
Everyone one of us is wondering about how life after this lockdown is going to be. The one certain thing in midst of this is that a vaccine for Coronavirus is still to be found and till then, like with HIV and dengue, we will have to learn to live with coronavirus.
Wuhan, the first city to face the terror of the coronavirus, is now open. The Government of China, which was both criticized and praised for its ability to contain the virus, lifted the Wuhan lockdown last month. However, post lockdown life in the city seems far from normal.
Citizens of China are required to produce their health documents and a card stating that they are coronavirus free each time they go anywhere, be it entering and exiting their communities, hiring a taxi, entering a cafe, or going to a hospital. Showing their cards, health records and getting the body temperatures checked has become a new ritual and face masks a part of their outfits.
In India, we have had a lockdown for almost 6 weeks now and it has been extended a couple of weeks further, albeit with relaxations dependent upon severity and spread in every area. Hence, the post lockdown life in India is yet to start. Nevertheless, it’s always good to prepare ourselves.
It’s safe to assume that the lockdown is not likely to be lifted in one-go, considering that new cases are coming every day and there is no specific successful treatment plan or a vaccine yet. A graded approach which most of the countries are following seems to be the best.
Even once lockdown is lifted fully, life should not go back to pre-coronavirus normal. Until we have substantial immunity or the vaccine, all the precautions must be followed religiously. More and more recommendations are coming in every day to protect the lives post lockdown.
Unless we continue to follow the social distancing norms, wash our hands regularly, wear a mask every time we step out and seal and shutdown the hotspots, there are higher chances that we may witness the second coronavirus wave in India. Regular temperature check in public places, keeping every other seat in theaters and middle seats on flights empty may become the new normal.
The lockdown life has taught us a minimalist life. We adjusted to the lockdown fairly quickly and took to technology to stay connected with friends and family and adopted work from Home. Students received their education online and entertainment came from online streaming platforms.
Hence, we can continue to live a similar life even after the lockdown is lifted, at least till the time we have the vaccine.
While we are in the lockdown currently we still need to understand the rules we should apply:
- Every public place should be fumigated, including the plants in those places.
- Face masks should be mandatory for everyone.
- A thermal temperature check for staff and visitors should be done at the entrance.
- Biometric attendance should be stopped at workplaces.
- Personal protective equipment should be distributed by organizations.
- Social distancing should be enforced, especially in common areas like lifts, stairs and canteen.
- Proper hygiene should be maintained at all times by each one of us.
- No physical contact should be made.
- In schools, students should not share a desk.
- Public transport should be avoided, if possible.
- Any packets bought should be wiped with a disinfectant.
- Everyone should carry a first-aid box containing an extra pair of masks and gloves and hand sanitizer.
