Amidst the hushed Ganpati Visarjans across Mumbai and the virtual exchange of rakhis between distanced siblings, the city which once breathed vicariously through the lungs of its bustling residents is gasping for a whiff of its pre-COVID days. Finding it difficult to not pledge their allegiance to the beloved Mumbai meri jaan sentiment – its locals are gladly complying by flocking outdoors in an attempt to return to normalcy.
Despite being the country to adopt the most stringent of lockdowns when the pandemic spread was in its initial stages, India’s storyline is continuing to struggle for an upward arch in the COVID-19 battle. The meager count of 600 initial cases towards the end of March has surged to nearly 40 lakh cases today. Why, then, are its loyal locals who pride themselves in being street-smart getting carried away by the relaxed restrictions of the latest Unlock 4 guidelines?
The government’s decision to relax the lockdown in an attempt to juggle public health and the economy has led to people mistakenly believing the worst of the pandemic is over. Juhu Beach, Bandra’s Carter Road, Worli, and Colaba are among the jam-packed areas that still attract their pre-COVID share of casual crowding every evening; with mask-wearers who suffer from selective memory for being unable to remember the second half of the precautionary measure: social distancing.
This spread of the pandemic also seems to have brought with it the spread of contradictory behaviors in people’s minds – an example of cognitive dissonance classic enough to satisfy any psychology student. As absurd as this phenomenon is, it has managed to cast millennials to play the double role of the Judge as well as the Offender; as the same people who take to the road for spontaneous road trips out of boredom, are the ones who later comment under their friends’ posts for stepping outdoors on similar outings.
The aftereffects of this lockdown fatigue have reared its ugly head in the form of more than mere informal get-togethers between a few people. As much as praises must be sung for community members that have postponed their events to prevent initiating a large crowd gathering, the grave flip-side has not ceased to exist yet. There is no end in sight for the less-big versions of ‘The Big Fat Indian Wedding’ and other festival celebrations which are so deeply rooted in cultural traditions, that partaking in them, for some, is a matter of Do or Die. This mentality chooses to turn a blind eye to the possible sequel of such celebrations brought along by the new normal – of having to Do and Die – which has been the unfortunate aftermath of many recent cases.
Despite the former lockdown restrictions and PSAs relentlessly broadcasting overall available media, to expect each Indian to obediently remain indoors was naive – more akin to idealism than practicality. In the Indian context where 40% of homes consist of a single room, which is then expected to house an average family unit of five members, following social distancing is impossible to achieve. For the rest of the population, however, who have the privilege of comfortably residing within their homes, not caving in to hit the skip-to-normalcy button right away might be the deciding factor for India’s future in this battle.
well written