New Delhi: As the nation is nearing the closure of second spell of lockdown 2.0 on May 3, 2020, there awaits a dubiety as what will be the fallout beyond lockdown and what is there in the offing.

 With over quarter a million affected cases of Coronavirus disease and around 750 deaths, the country is reeling severely under deep angst and pain. The government took a number of measures to contain the outbreak. With lockdown till May 3, it is expected that there can be dampening of the curve. However, the trajectory after May would depend on the swiftness of lockdown de-escalation. The de-escalation of lockdown is potentially an opportunity for the virus to resurface and spread and this is expected to happen to an extent.

 Describing the severity of further spread post-lockdown, Dr VK Paul, NITI Aayog member explains, “There could be new clusters when life and activities become more normal. The enormity of such proliferation is inversely proportional to the collective compliance with the best practices.”

 Some senior officials of Ministry of Health believe that the country cannot afford to fritter away the lockdown gains made at a phenomenal economic cost and hardship.

“We need to keep the transmission in check and ensure that no new peaks appear. June and July will test the government and authorities resolve,” expresses Paul.   

 The nation has already been afflicted in terms of a number of hardships to the general public as well as economy being at the standstill. A further extension of lockdown is certainly a challenge in abundance. A section of government officials also believe that the country cannot afford to further have more rounds of lockdown as the economy is at the standstill, where all industries are closed and there is no manufacturing or any sort of industrial activity in the country.

 According to an additional director general with CRPF, “With around 40 days of lockdown people have become impatient and are averse to any further extension of lockdown. In fact, it will be an additional challenge to civil police and paramilitary to keep inside and hold back masses in major parts of the nation, in case of further extension of lockdown.”

 However, ascertaining the real nature of the crisis, the country has prepared itself towards a graded response. The accumulated well-being and benefits of the lockdown till now cannot be further be diluted in one go.

 Experts believe that there are two scenarios: First, promptly announcing further extension of lockdown. And, second, letting the different segments and people come out in graded way as per the norms and following all the protocols.   

 According to senior officials who are close to developments, the Prime Minister Office will take the final call. “It is expected that an initial easing off of the clamp down will be provided based on the graded slackening. However, a swift decision will be made immediately incase if there is deterioration in any form.”

 “There is a probability of a fresh round of lockdown starting from May 7-8 to further check the spread of COVID19 at the community level. This further extension may go up to May 22 to May 26 to have a comprehensive check on the spread afresh,” informs the official who is close to the decision-making team.

 This is for sure that the forty-day lockdown in two parts have trained the nation towards a new regime of lifestyle.

 In a meeting held on Thursday April 23 at the Sena Bhawan which was attended by senior officials of the Defence Ministry, Ministry of Home Affairs and the PMO, status check was done on the preparedness of Army in case of further exigency and how to contain it in all possible way.

 In the meanwhile in terms of medical preparedness, during the period of lockdown, on the directions of Union Government, automobile companies like Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra, Maruti Suzuki, Honda Cars India, and Hyundai Motor India under the guidance of Defence Research and Development Organisation, an undertaking, which is part of Ministry of Defence, have been developing multi-patient ventilators. Bharat Electrical, a PSU under the Ministry of Defence, is expected to append at least 30,000 more ventilators.

The Union Government has also earmarked additional allocation of funds to fight the COVID19 pandemic. Under the India COVID19 Emergency Response and Health System Preparedness Package, a fund to be utilised to be used in three phases with Rs 7774 Crore has been sanctioned for COVID19 emergency response. The remaining fund is to be utilized for support over the next one to four years “to be provided under mission mode approach”.

The package is aimed at slowing and containing the spread of coronovirus in the country by developing diagonistic and Covid-dedicated treatment facilities. It is also expected to be utilised for centralised procurement of essential medical equipment and drugs needed to treat patient. The fund will be used to prop up resilient national and state health systems to support prevention and preparedness for further disease outbreaks, setting up of laboratories and bolster surveillance activities, bio-security preparedness, pandemic research and proactively engage communities and conduct risk communication activities.

The preparedness is in terms of having diagnostic kit and safety equipment. The virus doesn’t have any specific treatment or vaccine. Also, because of desultory genetic mutation, the virus is dangerous and not easily be detected. Witnessing Western countries and United States, India has got a number of lessons to keep in mind in order to fight out the pandemic. Till the time any effective vaccine is developed, the battle against COVID19 will be fought through collective efforts, which is what the government is trying to make the masses realise.