The news channels are flooded with the Coronavirus (COVID-19) news. Social media is loaded with Coronavirus tweets. Everyone in the neighbourhood, at the workspace, in social and religious gatherings is talking about Coronavirus. It is apparent that Coronavirus has captured our lives and left us in a panic and confused state. Moreover, major parts of the world are facing lockdown due to this deadly virus, which is happening for the first time post the World War-II. I wouldn’t be wrong if I say that COVID-19 has put the world on standstill including our country.
We are living in unprecedented time and as this COVID-19 pandemic deepens and more and more restrictions are put in place – the impact of which would be catastrophic. So, it is necessary to obey the advisories issued by the government and local authorities to ensure that we unknowingly don’t become the culprit of spreading this life-threatening virus. And this eventually will help us to combat the virus and remain active during the lockdown.
There must be many questions popping in your mind like – what Coronavirus actually is? How does it spread? What all necessary measures we need to take to prevent ourselves? Why is social distancing important? What is the need to lockdown? What is Janta Curfew? Let me clear the fog of questions from your minds so there wouldn’t remain space for any ambiguity.
The COVID-19 is actually not one type of virus; it is a large family of viruses that primarily spreads between people in a similar way to influenza, via respiratory droplets produced during coughing or sneezing. The time between exposure and symptom may vary between two to fourteen days. Symptoms may include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. People could catch COVID-19 by touching contaminated surfaces or objects – and then touching their eyes, nose or mouth. If they are standing within 1 or 2 meters of a person with COVID-19, they can catch the infection by breathing in droplets coughed out or exhaled by them. But, by taking below preventive measures we can save self and others from getting infected:
- Regularly and thoroughly clean your hands.
- Maintain at least 1 metre (3 feet) distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing.
- Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth.
- Practice respiratory hygiene by covering your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze.
- Avoid the traditional ‘modern Indian’ chalta hai attitude. You might think ‘main majboot hun,’ ‘mujhe nahin hoga,’ ‘main gym jata hun,’ ‘main corona se nahin darta,’… these thoughts may look fancy but can be fatal. Don’t be a fool.
However, in this epidemic scenario, when the number of infected people is constantly rising, it has become essential to take big steps like social distancing and lock-down to reduce the unprecedented pressure on health services, to stop the spread of COVID-19, and to save the country at large. Social distancing and lock-down are nothing but to keep oneself in self-quarantine or isolation mode to control the community spread of the virus. And in this direction, the Modi-government has taken a big step. Narendra Modi, in his address to the nation, appealed the country to impose a Janta Curfew. Janta Curfew – the situation in which people are confined to their homes, on the 22nd of March, 2020, from morning 7 am to evening 9 pm, as this is the only one way to avoid the virus as of now. However, as the name suggests, the government has only made an appeal from the citizens of the nation. This is not a compulsory or imposed curfew; this is a voluntary curfew that we MUST impose upon ourselves with a hope that we can break the chain.
I am ready to take the challenge of Janta Curfew. Are you guys ready?
by Nidhi Parikh for India Latest News
