Interesting Observations Witnessed During National Lockdown Period

India followed the first of its kind of curfew known as ‘Janta Curfew’ on 22^nd March 2020 in response to the Indian Government urge to works towards the prevention of Coronavirus. However, on 24^th March 2020, as per India’s honorable Prime Minister’s decision and directions, the entire country has been observing ‘National Lockdown’ for the period of the next 3 weeks.

Even though, initially, it might have seemed to be difficult for us to follow it. But, gradually, as the first week came to an end, it was quite surprising to learn that ‘Yes. Nothing is Impossible.’, and things can be managed otherwise too. Also, it had some added benefits. Let’s have look at various important aspects we experienced during the lockdown.

10 Important Aspects We Experienced During Lockdown Period:

• Work from Home is Effective: Most of the population started carrying out their regular work from home and delivering expected outputs even in such crucial and challenging times. People majorly from the IT sector were on-call meetings worldwide, and several businesses, such as E-commerce, were operated by professionals without stepping out of their homes. Various healthcare professionals like us did their job of attending patients and the cases from home via tele-consultation, Skype consultation, and other effective ways.
• We and Our Kids Can Survive Without Junk Food: With limited food options, no home delivery services available, and hotels and restaurants being shut, people had no choice but to relish healthy and delicious homemade foods. Kids, who usually throw tantrums demanding junk foods, are now behaving well with the limited food options and eat healthy, home-cooked foods. This is something which makes us think over whether junk food options are essentially required in our culture, where there are other better and healthier options available too.
• Family System is Still Intact: Earlier our hectic work and domestic schedule hardly left us with any spare time to interact with our family members. However, today during the lockdown, several of them are using this as an opportunity to understand their family members in a much better manner. Many of us may be glad to learn that there were many untold stories to learn and various issues that you need to resolve together as a family.

• We Can Survive Vacations Without Trips to Europe and the USA: Yes, it has been proven wrong that we need to have exotic international or long-distance family holidays to revive ourselves. Just a few days off from the work and remaining indoors with our loving family can help us improve the bond with our family, relax, and feel refreshed.
• Rich is Weaker Than the Poor: Poor individuals are known for being always prepared for the worst even with basic things required for survival, such as food, shelter, and health. With limited money in their hand and a few options, poor and middle-class individuals are mentally and more prepared to face various challenges as compared to the higher sections of our society. Certain wealthy people, on another hand, feel that it’s easy to overcome any challenges with money. In such scary situations, an invisible virus that has no life has confined everyone at home, thereby leaving out several high society individuals with limited choices.
• Developed Nations are Equally Vulnerable as Any Underdeveloped Nation: Various developed countries on the globe, who are known to have better healthcare facilities and eminent healthcare staff, have been known to get badly affected with the COVID-19, probably due to the learning necessary fact late and delay in the Lockdown activities, where the transmission of virus routes was still active. Other underdeveloped nations still need to be proactive and work on vital factors, such as sanitation, people’s awareness, hygiene, and eliminating malnourishment.
• Money is Abundant if We Use it Wisely: It is true. Within the first quarter of the year, globally, a huge economic crisis and recession have hit hard all across the world. Every individual and every country as a whole should understand their economy and do the correct planning and usage of the wealth in the proper direction. The judicious planning of the economy and its expenditure will go a long way and will help us in overcoming the economic crisis in a better way.
• Petrol Consumption Which is Not Required Burdens Our Economy: Being indoors for more than 10 days and improving the efficiency of working from home and other activities has raised a query in everyone’s mind that – If things can be highly simplified in such a way, what is the need to use our vehicles and the petrol for unwanted trips?. Within just 10 days, a huge amount of petrol consumption has been cut down, and it has directly has relaxed the unnecessary burden on our economy. This is an important fact to consider if we need to choose wisely.
• Reduced Pollution on Roads: Road transport has been tremendously reduced. There has been such a positive change, wherein the pollution levels have reduced. This has resulted in an increase in oxygen levels and a reduction in toxic gases. Let’s have some fresh natural air.
• Nature is Rejuvenating: A few weeks of lockdown in various parts of the world has revealed some interesting facts, such as dolphins returning to the coastline of Italy and the beautiful canals of Venice, peacocks running across the lanes in India, better visibility of the country’s map in the satellite view, and, most importantly, the healing of the ozone layer. This makes us think about how we have affected Mother Earth all these years.

Overall, there has been mixed observation so far – some positives and some negatives.  We must learn from the positive ones and implement further measures to retain the positivity, while we need to work on the negative ones and check out for some better options.

• Written by Dr. Samreen S., Associate doctor to Dr. Rajesh Shah