‘We can learn from Taiwan and South Korea’

BENGALURU: While the lockdown is being gradually relaxed, we must ensure that adequate safety measures are in place while also constantly monitoring all zones to mitigate against a spike in cases. During this transition, social distancing should be followed and wearing a mask in public should be made mandatory. 

As a collective, we face a set of unique challenges and one such problem, and a major one at that, would be to ask ourselves, ‘How do we help our huge workforce get back in their offices?’ In this regard, the first and most crucial step should be to ensure the safety and wellbeing of employees. For a workspace to be operational, we will need a set of guidelines to follow. 

The emphasis must also be on maintaining high standards of hygiene and sanitation in high interaction zones like restaurants, bars, movie halls, and parks. Helping facilitate safe interaction amongst individuals is critical, but how do we get over the initial trepidation? Here, we can learn from models adopted in South Korea and Taiwan where they have taken measures to ensure that access to reliable information is made available to all. This has reassured the public, who, in turn, have reinforced more trust in their government. 

Taking a cue, identification of high-risk locations and constant communication about necessary safety measures must be shared to educate the populace. As individuals, we can curb misinformation by only referring to verified and credible sources. These measures would help enhance awareness and safety, and allow us to go back to ‘embracing’ the city we know and love.