Lockdown: A boon and bane

Corona virus or COVID-19 pandemic shook the world completely by creating health and economic crisis. As we all are aware, it is a contagious virus and is also regarded deadly to some extent. To combat this pandemic, governments throughout the world have announced for a global lockdown. Scientists, medical practitioners and other renowned people have been conducting lot of research to come up with the probable drugs and vaccine.

Now, a question arises whether this lockdown can be regarded as a boon or a bane? While some people consider lockdown as the best way to contain the pandemic, a few people also consider it as a futile effort. However, the lockdown has its own merits and demerits.

Merits

• Firstly, the containment helped in reduction of COVID cases in our country. Government has imposed strict rules and regulations to reduce the spread or transmission of this deadly virus from one person to another. Death rate in India is 2.8% whereas global death rate is 6.5%.

• The second advantage is reduction in pollution due to the decrease in usage of vehicles. Satellite images and other data collected by various countries prove this. There is reduction in air traffic making the sky clearer.

• Animals are freely moving on the roads due to minor traffic and also due to peaceful climatic conditions. We can also hear the birds chirping early in the mornings which takes us back in time.

• There is also reduction in accidents and loss of lives during this lockdown period.

• Crimes like murders, rapes, robbery, theft etc have also come down due to the less chances of people coming onto the roads.

Demerits

• Economic crisis would be the first and foremost disadvantage post lockdown. The economy of our country will go for a toss as revenue is not being generated fully and this would largely affect the daily wage labourers and middle-class people. Unemployment is very much prevalent in our country during the corona pandemic crisis.

• The cases of domestic violence have also reportedly increased as the women children and also elders are being subjected to domestic abuse at their homes. Not only women but also men, elders, children and LGBT people are being constantly harassed at homes by their own family members.

• There are also chances of adverse effects on mental health due to stress with regard to health, career and survival in general. This might lead to occurrence of hypertension or any such disorders in the people.

I consider that this lockdown is neither a boon nor a bane, but it has taught the humanity a little bit of tolerance and resilience.

Mihira Mandapaka 2nd Year Law student, Symbiosis Law School, Hyderabad