Bumpy unlocking

The ongoing Unlock 1.0, which began on June 1 after a stringent lockdown that lasted over two months, is aimed at restoring normalcy in daily life and bringing the economy back on track. During a videoconference with Chief Ministers on Wednesday, PM Narendra Modi stressed upon the need to speed up economic activities with adequate safety measures in place, while virtually ruling out another lockdown. The unlocking process, however, has been far from smooth so far. The twin objectives of saving lives as well as livelihoods remain elusive. Punjab’s stuttering private bus service, for long a happy hunting ground for politicians across party lines, sums up the worrisome situation on the ground. Even though the restrictions on movement have been relaxed considerably, about 15,000 bus drivers and conductors in the state have lost their jobs. Justifying the extreme step, the private operators have blamed it on Covid guidelines such as physical distancing and running the vehicles half-empty.

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The alarming spike in coronavirus cases in recent weeks partially explains people’s reluctance to use public transport. The unlocking can’t be a success unless the authorities come up with confidence-building measures. Strict adherence to the safety protocol — thorough sanitisation of the vehicles, thermal screening of the passengers and ensuring that they wear masks and use sanitisers — can facilitate hassle-free and hazard-free travel.

The stigma associated with the pandemic continues to fuel mistrust and impede free movement of the public. The suicide by a Gurugram resident, hours after his wife tested positive for Covid-19, shows how paranoia is pushing people to the brink — and beyond. Such incidents underline the inadequacy of awareness campaigns being conducted to dispel fears and misconceptions about the novel coronavirus. The high recovery rate of over 50 per cent ought to be reason enough to avoid panic. Even as the PM has asked the CMs to start planning for Unlock 2.0, it is imperative to lift all travel curbs, besides enhancing the testing capacity and ramping up healthcare infrastructure. Enforced immobility won’t serve any purpose any more as the virus has already spread widely in the country and simply can’t be wished away.