Covid - A Recap

Date : 30th January 2020 

First case confirmed in Kerala

Date : 27th February, 2020

Final airlift from Wuhan

Date : 12th March, 2020 

First death confirmed 

Date : 15th March,2020

100 cases confirmed 

Date : 25th March, 2020

Nation-wide lock-down imposed 

Familiar with this timeline? Are you?  

The last week of March marked the onset of lock-down in India. Covid 19 was at the plunge and the mankind was made to retreat. 

It is said that the coronavirus transmits through droplets produced as a result of coughing or sneezing. This meant that any contact between humans, and the reach of the virus would extend even further. 

To prevent this, norms like quarantine and social-distancing were introduced. Both these terms, though require individuals to not be together, are different and cannot be used interchangeably. 

Social-distancing is imposed so as to prevent the virus from transferring whereas quarantine is when an already infected patient is kept in isolation until he is tested negative. 

The first stage of the lock-down was to be in action till the 14th of April. During the course, offices, schools, colleges, any other public place or where there were possibilities of large crowds forming, were devoid of any gatherings. Markets were kept shut and no movement was permitted outside. 

The announcement of a complete lock-down was taken well by the public until they grew restless again. 

The escalation in the number of cases and deaths was uncontrollable. Looking at the scenario, the lock-down was extended, not once, not twice, but three times, such that the country had to enter lock-down 4.0 with a change of vision, implementing new and refined rules. 

Though, this was one aspect of the pandemic, social-distancing forms the second. 

Buying of essentials is necessary and thus, people had to come out of their safe places once in a while. Social-distancing in a city like Mumbai is quite difficult to adhere to, but we had no other option here either. 

Markings were made outside shops for people to stand away. Many retail stores worked at intervals so as to cater to smaller groups at a time. A systematic approach towards buying, selling, travelling and living was adopted. 

A question may arise - why was social-distancing necessary when already the lock-down had been imposed?

Like I said earlier, social-distancing is to prevent transmission, any close contact would act as a medium for covid 19 to advance. Just distance wouldn't have sufficed, therefore masks and sanitizers gained significance. 

Patients who were tested positive for the virus were kept in quarantine for about 14 days before they were shown the green flag to step out. The pandemic definitely caused chaos among the citizens, not only were they frightened of getting infected, but also staying indoors was beginning to haunt them a little. 

Evidently, 2020 has marked the onset of an entirely different era. The old-school methods of everyone's lifestyle, is fortunately-unfortunately, changing for the better. The world is getting digitalized and a fresh advent of industries is being formed. The mystery of why this year had to walk into such a catastrophe, will always remain under question but what revealed was that times are unpredictable and plans can hit the rock.