This crisis is not going to go away anytime soon – we all know. The bundle of experiences from the last year is with us. We know much about this disease now than before. We know more about the problems that come in the aftermath of lockdowns than earlier. It means that we need to find what went wrong in the previous handling of the crisis, and what can now be done in more efficient ways. Since it is a long term crisis, and the accompanied effects may even stay longer, we also need to think long term. The first thing applies to us all. We, individually and at the level of family, need to understand that we have to change our life style for some time. It can be months, or may be years. We need to get now used to wearing masks, washing hands, and keeping safe distance from each other. We need to curtail the gatherings, and impose a discipline on ourselves. Be it an occasion of joy, or sadness, we must not allow people to gather. We should also limit our visits to our friends, and relatives for the time being. At the same time we need to keep the atmosphere at home very relaxed and fill our routine with some uplifting activities. For the government it is time to reconfigure priorities. Healthcare must be placed on top of everything. This crisis has exposed the limits of our systems, and now is the time to fix the problems. God forbid, there is a danger of a third wave and experts warn us that it could be even more disastrous. So it is better we prepare ourselves for that, and disallow this virus to upset everything. If we think and act now, we will be better equipped in case another covid strike happens. At the same time government must not rush to get students, teachers, and employees back to their places, once the curve flattens. We must give ourselves time, and allow things to work online, till the virus is actually contained. The focus should be on reviving market activities, and restoring livelihoods; offices and schools can wait. We are fighting a war against virus, not just a battle.
Think long-term
