For the well-being of all, Team Viva analyses how social distancing norms can be maintained even while meeting friends and family
A few friends laughed over the video call and wished to hug each other soon, sisters celebrated their parents’ anniversary by singing songs online and colleagues recalled their chats in the office canteen over a Zoom meeting during the lockdown period. People are excited to meet and celebrate their belated occasions now as the lockdown has been relaxed but not only do they need to slow down a bit, they need to be extremely mindful. The recent example of the popular eating joint of West Delhi — Qubitos — where 38 people were found celebrating a birthday party without abiding by social distancing norms shows how we will never learn despite the unprecedented scale of human tragedy around us.
Life post-lockdown is not the same as it used to be earlier. The world has welcomed the ‘new normal’ and people need to act according to that. For now, we don’t have treatment or vaccines, all we’ve got is using our social behaviour and codes as a preventive. There are various social distancing norms that we need to maintain while meeting people — not just strangers but familiar ones as well. We usually don’t take precautions while meeting friends and family as it is all about that one hug in that very moment but in order to stay safe, it’s crucial to adapt ourselves to new ways of life. Other nations are doing that.
Initially in France, it was announced that gatherings of more than 10 people in public or private places would be prohibited during the first phase of deconfinement. But later, it was said that the ban only concerns public places and does not apply to homes. In all situations for any gathering of people, even just two, social distancing measures and barrier gestures should be respected. This involves keeping a distance of one metre between each other, coughing and sneezing into your elbow and no kissing or shaking hands.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson shared how the rules on social distancing are being relaxed gradually. He announced that adults who live alone or with children under the age of 18 but no other adult can form a ‘support bubble’ with one other household. People within this bubble will be permitted to spend time together inside each others’ homes. That includes overnight stays while staying two metres apart. You shouldn’t change or add to your support bubble once it is formed.
“Groups of up to six people from different households can meet outdoors, or in a garden, while continuing to practise social distancing with those who do not live in the same household. These measures should allow people to reunite with their parents or grandparents, provided that they are not shielding or to see multiple friends from different households, while keeping a safe physical distance,” said he. It is still against the law to visit friends and family inside their homes or spend time indoors with anyone you do not live with in most circumstances. The exceptions include where two households are part of a support bubble or where this is necessary for work, emergency assistance or caring for the vulnerable. You are not allowed to stay overnight anywhere that you do not live without a “reasonable excuse.”
Though we don’t have a specific law regarding meeting our closed ones here, but it is upon us to lead these tough times carefully, with our behaviour. And there is evidence that the behaviour works, if we’re diligent about it. The easing of lockdown and allowing of e-commerce operations, industries in rural areas, manufacturing in special economic zones and transport of goods, among others, are only to revive a battered economy. The virus is still lurking even more dangerously. And people need to understand that.
A video was making rounds on the internet where an old woman and a man wrapped in plastic hugged each other. Certainly, giving a glimpse of the world none of us had ever imagined.
Experts suggest that we shouldn’t enter anybody else’s home, unless urgent and that too, after proper sanitisation. The idea is only to distance ourselves physically and not emotionally. Use social media to engage with your loved ones for a few more months. Plan things for the future as it will give you something to look forward to. The world will no more be surprised at solo wine nights and movie marathons.
