India need not panic

Sir,
A clear picture on the ramifications of the extraordinary coronavirus outbreak is yet to emerge. Till two weeks ago the virus was just a news story, but now it has touched the life of every ordinary citizen. From work to play to ‘what is for dinner today’, every aspect of the common man’s life has been affected. It has changed the normal routine as many are now working from home, give up socializing and stop going to restaurants or cinemas. It has resulted in focus on health to hygiene and public health ‘dos and don’ts.’ Right now, the situation seems to be spiralling, as no “bottom” is in sight.
But this should not result in panic. It is indeed a good thing that the government has declared it as a national calamity and the States and the Centre are working in tandem to check the virus. The number of cases has risen to over a hundred according to the health ministry data.
The virus has affected the everyday life with school closures, educational institutions shutting their doors, business closures, cinema halls shut, the mayhem in stock market, hospitals overflowing with patients and even the movie industry postponing new film releases and closing down the movie halls. It will certainly take a long time for the country to recover.
Interestingly, the coronavirus has pushed back almost all other burning issues to the background. Politically, other important issues like economy, anti CAA protest etc. have been pushed to the backburner. Even in Parliament the debate on the anti-CAA protests was not as stormy as expected. The government got away with muted attacks though the former Congress President Rahul Gandhi continues his tirade against the Modi government on the sliding economy.
Fear of the unknown is powerful and the virus still remains unknown. There are uncertainties about the extent to which the epidemic might spread or intensify and also its mathematical pattern. A previous pandemic, SARS, took about six months to stop, largely through public health measures. Being the second most populous country in the world, India has cause to worry but there should be no panic. Coronavirus is an evolving disease and we have no other option than to wait. Overall, India’s response and surveillance has been quite robust and it should not become lax until the epidemic danger is over. The citizens too have a responsibility to adhere to the health restrictions.
Kalyani Shankar

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