S KAMAT, ALTO ST CRUZ
One has been writing ad nauseam that priority should be given to individual protection against coronavirus and it should be the first line of defence to curb the galloping spread. India, over the last week, had new cases averaging 60,000-70,000 per day and with that, has crossed the 3-million mark, with the last million coming in just 16 days. These numbers do not seem to have drilled any sense into our administrators, who continue to unlock the economy. A couple of days ago, shooting of TV serials and films was approved to commence. While shooting indoors is OK, outdoor shooting should not be allowed since you have members of the public throng these shoots with the crowd varying in number depending on how big the stars are. Social distancing goes for a toss in these instances. Even with indoor shoots, we have reports coming in of seven persons testing positive for COVID on the sets of a popular Hindi TV serial. In the Unlock 4 guidelines, the Metro is proposed to be opened, which is another no-no since large numbers of the public in confined spaces is the ideal ground for the virus to multiply. The government has also given guidelines that inter-state movement of goods and people should not be hindered or curbed. Actually there is no problem in opening up of all this but at the same time balance it by increasing the protective measures of the individual. Since it is obvious that the economy cannot be allowed to slide into a depression progressively but at the same time we need to make it mandatory for the public to wear masks/face shields, gloves, stripped down PPEs or burqa-style shrouds, which cover you from head to toe and overshoes (optional). With such levels of protection, even schools and colleges can be reopened and all activities can return to normal. This does not mean we slacken on any of the other measures like testing, containment etc. They can continue to remain in place but what the higher level of individual protection will do is bring down the rate of new infections to more manageable levels and not be runaway as it is now. At the same time, the collateral damaage in terms of deaths from the virus will dramatically reduce. Thus, if we unlock without counterbalances, we will continue to remain in the throes of the virus for eternity.