Caught in a web

These unforeseen times of lockdown are teaching us to handle ourselves and the world around us better, writes Sudha Madhavan

People have stopped coughing and sneezing in public nowadays for fear of being suspected of the you-know-what. They are running behind doors or dashing to the closest washroom to give vent to that long-held cough/sneeze that they’ve been stifling till they are ready to explode. Everyone is running scared of that accusing ‘oh no it’s Coronavirus’ (CV) look. It’s better to be accused of murder than the CV!

We are standing in queues at various pharmacies and shops selling hand sanitisers and masks. Everyone and his uncle is wearing the protective shield, the mask. The prices of masks and hand sanitisers have gone through the roof... that is if they are still available. New and highly evolved masks with several layers of filters have come into the market I hear... and going off the shelves in the blink of an eye.
For once, Indians are learning to wash hands. Regularly. And no ordinary wash that, mind you. You learn a proper one from a video. The only thing is you wash hands several times a day, a la Lady Macbeth. Those who used to hate bathing love it now. Their life depends on it. Unlike earlier, Indians have become deeply conscious of coughing into people’s faces. The most innocent of coughs are looked at with heavy
suspicion and frowned upon.

Shopping malls wear deserted looks. So do cinema halls. Husbands are keeping their money where they feel it belongs... wallets. Women are working from home more and the kids are happy. Mothers of boxed-in-at-home teenagers are getting to hear shocking things like ‘ok now mom! I think I want to sweep the house, I’m sick of FB...’ Families are growing healthier. Much against their will. They are forced to have home-cooked food you see. TV channels and service providers are laughing all the way to the bank. Pollution graphs have plummeted like the markets, what with more than half the vehicles off the roads. The air has a new scent to it. The birds have a new lilt to their morning song. Everyone is so scared of the CV that they are doing things right. On a more serious note, in these unforeseen times of lockdown, we are learning to handle ourselves and the world around us better. The country is still grappling with the short, mid and long-term challenges thrown up by the Covid-19 situation. It is going to be a long haul indeed.