BENGALURU: The ongoing lockdown due to the pandemic that is sweeping through the country is a necessary precaution to protect citizens. The Indian government is facing the Hobson’s Choice of whether a strict lockdown should be enforced at the cost of livelihoods, or should a relaxation be allowed at the cost of lives? It is a tough choice but one way to look at it using first principles is that the solution (lockdown) should not be worse than the problem (infections).
The lockdown should definitely be eased (not lifted) on May 3, but with very strict guidelines. All offices which can operate remotely should allow people to continue working from home; e-commerce should be the predominant mode of retail; all public gathering spaces such as malls, gyms, cinemas and wedding halls should continue to be shut; and more importantly, all citizens moving out of the house should mandatorily use masks, practise social distancing and sanitise hands regularly.
Small businesses can be allowed to operate in smaller towns, but with use of masks. Any necessary commodities or groceries that can be home delivered should be allowed to do so, in order to reduce touch points. But in crowded cities, movement to e-commerce is a significant factor in reducing crowds.
The only permanent solution is the discovery and mass-production of either a vaccine or a sustainable treatment plan with a drug cocktail. Both are anywhere from 12 to 18 months away. Until then, we need to be mentally prepared to be in and out of partial lockdowns.