Restrictions are back

The fear of catching infection plays a bigger role than lockdown orders in making people stay at home and avoid high-risk locations, a US research paper has summarised. Neither the fear factor nor the restrictions seem to be working — be it the Americas, or India. The exponential spike in virus cases is worrisome, but the situation is not out of control. The plain and simple list of what is required of citizens is as valid and vital today as it was yesterday. What is becoming difficult to deal with is the flagrant carelessness and resistance. Fines for not wearing masks far outnumber any other penal collection. Those being unmindful need to remind themselves that they may have forgotten about the virus, it certainly has not.

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As a last resort, various states and UTs have cracked the whip. Strict curbs are back in most parts of the Kashmir valley. Himachal Pradesh has added 10 high-load Covid cities to the compulsory institutional or paid quarantine list, combined with additional formalities for all outsiders. A lockdown is in place in Bengaluru and Pune. Uttar Pradesh has decided to enforce stringent restrictions during weekends. The Punjab government has barred all public gatherings, while restricting social gatherings to five persons and wedding functions to 30 guests instead of 50. Those found violating the curbs shall face mandatory FIRs. A test case would be that of the political leaders. Their capacity to do as they wish, when they wish is without limits. How they are dealt with and how they conduct themselves would send a strong message.

The pandemic is here to stay, for now, and living in denial defies logic. The process has been difficult, anxiety-prone and stressful, and not much is expected to change soon. Defiance is not the answer, compliance is. When the whole of humanity is affected, taking care of oneself means taking care of the other. This is a time of personal sacrifice for public good.