What Should Be The Parameters for India's Lockdown 2.0?

The Globe is undoubtedly witnessing history unfold before its very eyes. The Global Coronavirus Pandemic followed by the lockdown and national emergency declared by almost 95 per cent of the countries and humanity is an event which perhaps doesn’t happen even once in a millennium. For India, managing lockdown 2.0 will be a crucial test of the government. In India, thanks to the timely and wise decision by the government, COVID-19 cases till date have been contained till 5,500-6,000 with slightly over 200 fatalities. But this containment of the COVID-19 spread has come at a humongous cost in terms of confinement at home, restricted movement only for essential activity, severe drop in economic activity and a massive toll on the freedom of the human mind and spirit.


Indians as a nation react and respond very well and in tandem when faced with a national calamity. By far, most Indians have subjected themselves to the rigors of a lockdown well. Tens of thousands have come out with donations to charity, are distributing food packets and essential goods to the needy. Employers by the lakhs have extended leave by absentia to employees and have pledged some percentage of their monthly salary at least for a couple of months. The upside is that many companies are reinventing and restructuring their business models and engaging remote workers in a more aggressive way. Video chats, video meetings and online webinars are the new workplace norms. But how long can charity last? Ultimately people will have to earn their living.

That is why the government must tread this path cautiously. Due to want of sufficient work and extreme restrictions on movement, in homes there is pent up frustration, tantrums are flying, children are becoming irritable and there is a general feeling of solitary confinement in a prison. For the next three weeks, the government, media and e-learning companies can come up with innovative solutions to these problems. The government can sponsor counselling sessions by clinical psychologists, subsidise e-learning courses by universities and autonomous professional bodies, the media can host learn-a-skill/hobby shows by professionals and many more such initiatives.  The goal through all these activities should be to maintain mental and physical equilibrium of the masses.


How to manage lockdown 2.0 is a million dollar question? Complete lockdown is not advisable given the experience of the last 2 weeks. The government would do best to identify hotspots and clusters where COVID-19 cases are high or on the rise. Such areas should be quarantined or contained and a complete lockdown could be enforced in such areas. In areas where limited or moderate number of infected cases are reported, limited movement and economic activity should be allowed. In areas where no cases are reported, people should be allowed to go about their daily tasks in a defined geographical area while implementing the advisory/guidelines set out by the government: compulsory social distancing, wearing masks/gloves, carrying hand sanitisers, etc.

Best practices from India and abroad should be implemented. The Bhilwara and Agra models of containment and the south Korea model of testing, tracing and treatment should be done with. In lockdown 2.0. it should be implemented in letter and spirit in affected areas. It should be like a curfew-like situation but with 2 hours of relaxation in the early mornings and evenings to buy essential goods. In residential areas, people should be given one gate pass and only allowed out during relaxation hours. Those found loitering in the streets should be reprimanded or warned of imposing a fine. In unaffected areas, local neighbourhood transport should be opened up and people should be allowed to come out of their homes during pre-defined hours.


At a broader level, economic or industrial activity which involves social congestion or labour intensive work should not be allowed for a few more weeks. Industries which are modernised and depend on assembly lines, robotic lines or have a high degree of machines should be allowed to resume. This being the harvesting season, agriculture activity should be allowed to be resumed. Clothing companies manufacturing PPE, masks, gloves, foot covers should be allowed to function. Similarly, movement of goods trains, trucking industry and cargo planes should be allowed to ply and fly. Within metros or cities, limited metro services, buses and cab services should similarly be allowed. However, high density workplaces, schools etc should not be allowed to open right now.