Is Lockdown the solution ? !

Jr Amo *

Imphal West District Police enforcing curfew in Imphal on 18th July 2021 :: Pix - Shankar Khangembam

The western countries have begun their relaxation of lockdowns, mask-less gatherings. Singapore has vowed to discontinue counting of Covid cases, while India is still coping with the impact of the virus and the vaccination drives and lockdown.

It is time the Govt. and all stakeholders learns that Covid-19 is not going away anytime soon, so is lockdown the solution in fighting the pandemic?! People need to work, earn for a living. We can't keep on locking ourselves up. There are hundreds who are working, living hand to mouth.

If lockdown is imposed every time there's a surge in Covid case, what will happen to the masses unless we are provided adequate essential items for living which seems to be still a distant dream in rural areas.

As the saying goes, we need to learn living with the virus. But when are we going to learn? Scale up vaccinations, set up more isolation centres. Lockdown, lockdown and more lockdown is not protecting us from the virus. If this lockdown trend continues in future, we are going to die both way - either by the virus or lockdown which has already caused immense hardship to the especially to the working class.

We have seen in foreign countries, people out without mask, public gatherings, stadiums packed. The UK has opened its night clubs. Have they defeated the virus? No! People are free because vaccinations are scaled up, with almost majority already getting vaccinated.

Recently, in the Wimbledon final that Novak Djokovic won on Sunday, the Bombay High Court judges observed the stadium was jam packed with mask-less spectators:

"The Wimbledon final were the sight of the year. We don't know if you saw it, but not a single person was wearing a mask," said Justice Kulkarni. He continued, "The real sight to behold was a stadium full of spectators without masks. All those hours we kept looking for a spectator with a mask and there was only one woman who was wearing a mask."

While Justice Kulkarni further wondered, "When will we see this here (India)," advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni chirped, "vaccination of all".

The message here is clear, not Lockdown but Vaccination for all.

Experts have told us, the virus which we have been fighting these whole time is now airborne. The WHO has also supported the findings too. Now, if the virus is airborne will strict lockdowns do? I guess not. You can't stop a virus that is transmitted via air, we need to be clear about what we are fighting with. We are not fighting against the people, our big concern and focus should be the virus, and not the PEOPLE.

To make the matter a little more complicated, there are some locality and villages which still imposes strict lockdown in line with the government's total lockdown order. Blocking entry/exit of village in fear and with high hopes to stop the transmission of the virus.

Meanwhile, the CCPur DC on the 31st May 2021 had issued an order, that illegal blockade and barricade set up without the approval of the district administration which is causing hindrance in public movement & service delivery - inhibiting movements of officials and pass holder are to be removed immediately.

It is the writer's desire that this order is implemented effectively by the concern authority , particularly in Churachandpur, as cases ceases to decline, the CMO on July 16 issued a memorandum that Home isolation cases are adding up and safety of individuals are highly at stake.

In this regard the CMO proposed that staffs of Home Isolation managements to persuade all new detected positive cases to be transferred to the nearest CHIC in consultation with the concerned Village Level Task Forces defying all excuses the clients may propose, according to the memo issued. The CMO focuses more on how to utilize the vacant isolation centres in the district rather than lockdown.

The focus have to shift from lockdown to vaccination drive or isolation centres.

It is everyone's wish that the pandemic ends soon. But unless we are responsible citizens, and support the initiatives of the governments and administrations, it is not going to end soon. We can't let our guards down yet, mask on, wash hands and avoid gatherings.

It will also be a beautiful sight to witness if politicians, government officials do follow Covid-19 guidelines and protocols, they must know they aren't immortal and they can spread the virus too. So, while the preaching is on, one must follow protocols too.

Note it - lockdown is not the solution. We need to find an alternative or strengthen up the measures already in place. If lockdown is the solution, India would already be a virus free nation now.

This too shall pass... Hang in there, andrà tutto bene!