There is no fast way back to normal

Almost all businesses, souqs and offices have opened and roads have swelled with vehicles. Yet, all these do not mean that life is returning to pre-pandemic normality. And there is now no way left to ensure zero risk of infection from the coronavirus. Easing the lockdown does not mean that people are getting more freedom to engage in social and economic activities. Instead they must take good care to keep a safe distance from others. And with the extra freedom comes risk as people suddenly get more opportunities to get close to others. So it is high time people understand about the potential perils and refrain from gatherings and adopt all types of preventive measures to protect themselves from the contagion. The more freedom people get to socialise, the more likely they will do so. This means social distancing which has been the key tool in combating the spread of the pandemic will not be followed as strictly as before. During the lockdown, people had very limited freedom to meet friends and relatives, and that kept them safely apart. But now after the lifting of the lockdown people are leaving their homes along with the elderly and children for shopping. There are also other groups who roam around like how it was before the outbreak of the pandemic. Some even don’t realise that it’s in everyone’s interest to keep social or physical distancing. My personal experience at a hypermarket last evening drives home the point that it is hard to convince some people, who are averse to solutions, to change their behavior. Whether it is at the food court or vegetable counter, they come physically very close while choosing their items. Adding fuel to fire is the ‘easy-going’ by the management on the mandatory thermal scanning or use of sanitizers etc. Are people still underrating the gravity of the pandemic or mistrust the fatality numbers? Or people will simply not follow the measure, no matter how many loving or serious appeals you make to them? A recent study in the United Kingdom found different variables having significant impact on people for not complying with the measures against COVID-19. “We found that compliance was higher when people were practically able to follow the measures and could work from home and stay away from others. On the other hand, we found that there was a significant relationship between people's opportunity to meet people outside of their own household and their likelihood of violating the social distancing measures,” the authors of the study say. The survey did show that people's intrinsic motivation played an important role in their compliance. If people felt a greater general duty to obey the law, they were more likely to comply. So it is crucial that authorities do all they can to maintain such sense of civic obedience. Health experts caution that life will not return to normal just yet. Relaxing lockdown means we will come into contact with more people and that increases the opportunity for the virus to spread. Hans Kluge, the director for the World Health Organization’s European region, at a press conference recently said. “It is imperative that we do not let down our guard. There is no fast way back to normal.” We all wish we could return to normal. The easing of restrictions helps us return to work, go for shopping at ease and most importantly, it leads to the path of economic recovery and social healing. But do not forget that it is a path filled with extra behavioural challenges and risks.