Let’s be careful out there

Veroli Zhimo

Back in the 90s, Star TV would show reruns of an American cop show called, ‘Hill Street Blues.’ 

At the beginning of each episode, the duty sergeant would read out a list of cases that his officers might face in the coming day and the fugitives to look out for or related stuff. 

Then as he wrapped up the meeting and all the officers started scuffling out of their chairs and heading for the dangerous streets of the dirty urban metropolis, he would shout over the din, “Hey! Let’s be careful out there.”

We should keep that in mind today as Nagaland tepidly ventures out into the new post-coronavirus quarantine world with Unlock 4.0 reopening.

Some businesses shuttered or curtailed for the past 5 months or so, are being allowed to reopen, under strict protocols. More would be allowed to open in the coming months.

It would be easy for us to treat this moment in time as if we’re the first people in line at a carnival. To rush out in frenzy, scattering mindlessly to all corners, seeking the adventures of which we’ve long been deprived.

But this isn’t that.

The world ‘out there’ is still the dangerous as the one we’ve been encountering since March. 

The one in which we could all be exposed to a potentially deadly disease; one that’s infected more than 4000 in Nagaland and killed at least 8 so far; and one that’s struck 3.77 million Indians and killed nearly 66,333 and counting.

One of the primary reasons behind the current easing of some restrictions is due to the caution we employed to help reduce the number of new cases.

We used the time to adopt new practices of cleanliness and hygiene.

We now wear masks over our faces to help us keep others from catching the disease from us. Many of our stores have markers on the floor to remind us how far to stay apart.

Whereas it was sufficient to mop the floor once, now every surface of virtually every public space has to be scrubbed and sanitised regularly.

But as we open up the economy, the danger will be even greater, because there will be more of us gathering together, working, talking, touching the same surfaces, breathing the same air.

If we act like the crisis is over and that we are returning to ‘normal,’ we could see - as many health professionals have warned about and as evidence in other states has shown - a resurgence of the disease. Perhaps worse than when it started!

We cannot put ourselves at that kind of risk.

We cannot endanger our children, our elderly and other vulnerable populations again by being sloppy and careless.

We cannot put that heavy burden back on the backs of our medical professionals, who bravely stood up against the first wave of the outbreak.

If businesses are not ready to take on this new burden, they should wait to open until they are better prepared.

We need to continue to treat this outbreak seriously and double down on the precautions we have been taking.

If we do not do what we need to do now, we’ll be right back where we were. And it will not be as easy to get back to this place.

Let us be aware of what we are getting into and act accordingly.

And, hey! Let’s be careful out there.

Feedback and comments can be send to vzhimolimi@gmail.com