India bought 137 tonnes of gold in first quarter of 2024

With the second wave of Covid-19 cases rising sharply, another lockdown seems inevitable. Lockdowns are expensive. They will cost India’s future dear. But citizens not adhering to Covid protocols of wearing masks and maintaining social distance will leave the government with little choice.

People must realise that another halt in economic activity will hit them hard. Safety of self and others needs to be the top priority for Indians moving about casually in malls and crowded streets.

India recorded 43,846 new coronavirus cases in a day, the highest single-day rise so far this year, taking the nationwide COVID-19 tally to 1,15,99,130, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on March 21.

In the last year, India managed to curb the number of cases and the world looked up to the country’s capability to arrest the spread of cases. However, the spike in daily cases has brought the question of a second lockdown to the fore.

This spike in cases comes amid a massive vaccine drive. In fact, India’s vaccination drive is now the second largest after the US. India has become one of the vaccine manufacturing hubs and has been supplying vaccines to the world in the fight against coronavirus. The government, however, needs to find a balance between ‘Vaccine Diplomacy’ and ‘Vaccine Nationalism’. The Centre must consider getting the local population vaccinated first, given the surge in cases at home.

So, why are cases rising? There are a few factors at play here starting with people not adhering to Covid appropriate behaviour. A spike in cases was expected after lockdown restrictions were eased and people started travelling. Have we become careless as a country?

Many believe that the country won’t be able to stand a second lockdown, given its social and economic downsides. We saw the effects of the first lockdown and the impact it had on the job market and the economy.

So, what is the solution here?

First, the government needs to increase the speed at which people are vaccinated. Second, make the vaccine available to everyone instead of limiting it to people above 60 years or those above 45 years and with co-morbidities. Last but not the least, we as citizens must adhere to practices we seem to have forgotten. Wash your hands, were masks when stepping out, and maintain social distancing.

It won’t be completely right to blame the government. The accountability lies with citizens who should follow Covid appropriate behaviour. These will ensure your safety and others too. We as citizens must make sure our surroundings are safe. And these small clusters of safe zones could be the best way to avoid a second lockdown.