There is no alternative to avoid Covid-19 in the current circumstances. People who are moving outside under inevitable circumstances are being extremely careful to avoid Covid. But, a few decisions taken by the Centre and the state governments are certain to accelerate the spread of deadly virus. While the Centre under its Unlock 4.0 gave a green signal to public meetings, the Andhra Pradesh government has allowed reopening of bars and Telangana is also expected to follow suit.
When Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy first made the statement that we have to live with the Coronavirus, he drew ridicule and derision. But he is not alone to come to such grim conclusion. Later, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and TS Chief Minister K Chandrasekara Rao too made such remarks. There seems to be no chance of the vaccine becoming available to a wider population for at least another year.
That said, it is foolish too to keep life under lockdown till then. It can be noted that there has been no opposition from people even though governments continue to unlock in phases. However, there is no need to open everything in the name of unlock. Only those activities that are related to everyday life and livelihoods of people can be resumed. Centre is moving on such lines. It kept sectors which are not connected with normal life still under lockdown.
But it is in dilemma over some, like schools. As a fleeting measure, it allowed children to go to schools to ‘clear doubts’ with the express consent of their parents. Through these precautions, it wants to wash its hands of the responsibility in case children are affected by the pandemic in schools. Some states, like Delhi and Odisha, have decided not to bring into effect such limited opening of schools. The Centre’s decision to allow public meetings will certainly lead to worsening of the pandemic situation.
In Andhra Pradesh, the state government’s latest decision to reopen bars has drawn criticism. We saw how crowds flocked to wine shops when they were reopened. It is true that the government is losing some revenue due to closure of bars, but it is earning a lot by reopening liquor shops where the booze is being sold at exorbitant prices. Opening bars at a time when the state is recording 10,000 Covid-19 cases daily is greeted with alarm and concern. It is impossible to maintain social distance in bars. Though mass transport like metro, bus and train services are opened, several measures like wearing masks, thermal screening and social distancing are strictly observed. That cannot be done in case of bars.
No one objects to the unlocking of sectors that are connected to livelihoods of people. But allowing bars where implementation of Covid protocol is impossible is a dangerous gamble involving lives of people. Permitting bars in the name of ‘co-habitation with Covid’ appears to be utterly irresponsible.
Telangana is likely to follow AP’s move in reopening bars. There has been no respite in the surge of Covid cases in Andhra Pradesh. On an average, 10,000 cases are detected daily with 70,000 tests. Unless testing is increased, new cases cannot be detected. There is an expectation that the vaccine will be available in four months, but no one is sure about it. Questions are being raised over the rush the governments are displaying in allowing activities that are sure to cause a massive spread of pandemic.
