Life to turn upside down post lockdown?

There is no escaping the fact that within a few weeks, the global health emergency, Covid-19 has fundamentally changed how the world and India will do business. This is an unprecedented situation and adaption to the new situation at workplace is going to be key across all companies.

While all the governments as well as private establishments need to work out certain degree of preparedness in the post lockdown scenario, the big question now is: Will things change once lockdown is lifted? If the behaviour of the people on roads ever since certain relaxations have been given is any indication, it appears people are slowly getting back to their old habits. Analysts, be it in debates in electronic media or tons of articles that have been flooding various newspapers, say that the life will be no longer the same during the post lockdown period. They assert that a big change would be seen in lifestyle and habits. But if what is being witnessed across the country during the period when relaxations are being announced is any indication, it appears that we refuse to change, come what may.

Slowly things are reverting to earlier positions. Even during the lockdown period, one had seen how the protocols were being violated. For example, one can see a long queue of people outside banks and liquor vends who do not follow the social distancing and other norms. Even the lawmakers do not show respect towards the protocols and gather huge crowds in the name of helping the poor.

The traffic snarls have already become the order of the day. Even during the so-called curfew period between 7 pm to 7 am vehicles continue to be on the road though less in number compared to daytime. The police too, who had shown exemplary performance during lockdown one and two, now seem to have got tired of the new responsibility.

The clean air we enjoyed all these days is fast being replaced by pollution. People would tend to behave in the same way as they would before the lockdown. Factories are resuming and soon belching out toxic smoke and discharging poisonous effluents into drains and rivulets will become the order of the day. As usual, stubble-burning will take place in some States, resulting in smog and haze in the atmosphere. Road rage and accidents are back. Crime graph is also on rise. Murders, suicides seem to have begun.

A certain degree of preparedness is being witnessed from the local governments and private establishments in the post-lockdown scenario for ensuring the safe movement of people. But individually, we Indians will remain what we are, corona or no corona. The biggest challenge before the government now is regarding maintaining social distance in public transport. It just cannot operate public transport as it used to do in the past at least till an effective Covid-19 vaccine is in place. This would mean that there could be a shift towards individual motorised transport which would again have its own negative impact like pollution - both air and sound.

The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) has put forth a series of solutions and recommendations. According to Sri Prakash, Distinguished Fellow, TERI, "One of the critical segments that need an increased focus of the government's is public transport, especially the bus-based transit systems. At the same time, the gains of improved air quality during the lockdown period should be sustained by reducing traffic congestion caused by the proliferation of private vehicles particularly scooters and motorbikes, as well as shifting to cleaner technology for urban freight transportation."

TERI suggested that the government and offices could devise 'Work from Home' strategies and explore staggered working hours, citizens could opt for car sharing. The other measures that the government could implement are the number plate restrictions or the Odd-Even scheme in cities across the country, bus/Independent Public Transport priority lanes, real-time passenger information, travel guidelines for passengers to ensure the safety of all (use of masks, specifying entry and exit gates, reduced occupancy, etc.), parking pricing, pollution under control (PUC)-based taxation and parking standards.

According to the recommendations, critical focus should be towards the promotion and adoption of non-motorised transport - cycling and pedestrian mobility - at the city level. People could prefer non-motorised transport (NMT) to help maintain the benefits of lockdown on air quality and prevent congestion on roads.

Likewise, it also recommended sustainable solutions for transportation of goods for Light Commercial Vehicles and Heavy-Duty Vehicles include guidelines to ensure the health and safety of drivers, helpers, and loaders as a low-cost measure. Similarly lorry parks at city borders and development of logistics hub would also go a long way though it is high cost investment proposal. The governments should treat such investments as part of healthcare investments in the wake of the changed situation.

TERI has suggested that these measures will have a considerable bearing on the health and safety, accessibility, economy and environment. They will ensure safe distancing from each other during travel, contain the spread of Covid-19 virus and road accidents, facilitate improved, efficient and clean mobility, minimize the costs of mobility and reduce the impact of mobility on air quality.

Emphasis on hygiene in a densely populated country is going to be a big challenge. People here refuse to accept even corona-like crisis as testing time beyond a point. There was time when people feared HIV. There was stigma attached to it. Similarly there was a scar of carcinogenic material in noodles and chemical residue in soft drinks but then all that passed and today even during lockdown period, people were seen stocking large number of soft drink bottles and other such junk food. Similarly soon after the lockdown is lifted and people are back to business, they will forget the concept of social distancing and wearing of face masks. Even now most of them are using hand kerchiefs and that too is seen mostly hanging around neck.

Once autorickshaws are back on roads, it would be impossible to ensure that only two people travel in it. Neither the autorickshaw drivers nor the passengers would be adhering the protocols. Preventing passengers in groups to travel would be a real challenge for the authorities.

However, there are certain areas where the administration will have to take extra care. This includes educational institutions where practicing social distancing is must at any cost. Already there is fear among the parents about safety of children who go to schools and colleges. The Education Department needs to come up with a new matrix for classrooms as well as staggered schedules. Avoiding touching, sharing of food protecting from coughs and sneezes is going to be a real major challenge.

The film industry seems to be facing a different kind of problem now. This is one area where nothing can happen if there is social distancing. No shooting can take place and no acting can take place. There can be no fight scene without direct personal contact. There can be no love scene without hero and heroine coming close. There can be no embrace between the hero and heroine or for that matter between any of the characters in the film.

Things during pre-lockdown were different. Situation during lockdown was entirely opposite to our known lifestyle but what is in store post lockdown is something which really causes worry.

Amidst this scenario, immunologists have come with another new angle. They say that the way we have been cleaning our hands with soap and water and sanitisers almost every half an hour during the last 52 day or so can reduce the immunity levels. They say that there are several viruses and bacteria that enters our body due to our living habits all these years and they increase immunity levels in our body. Immunologists say that when a child crawls on floor and puts fingers in his mouth, certain viruses and bacteria enters the body but in most of the cases it helps in building immunity level in body.

They say that the way we have been cleaning our hands and have become highly conscious of using sanitisers after touching anything could have negative impact and reduce immunity levels. So what should we do? Should we follow the protocols or not. Well, the scientific community needs to answer this question.