Q.B. Write a letter to your friend describing the problems, you faced during lock down period of corona epidemic.
Answers
Answer:
Dear Tom,
Nice hearing from you, I'm glad to hear you're getting by okay in these grim times. You asked how’s it going for us back here in India. You would have heard that the whole country is locked down and with breaks for exercise and shopping, we’re all living under a sort of voluntary house arrest.
Then, as days passed, bills came and arguments at home increased anxiety. Today we’re not in a strike or a war but confronted with the international spread of a frightening virus with no known antidote.
Yes, hunger, wars, alcohol, tobacco and existing influenza kill millions more than this virus every year, that’s still no reason to take Coronavirus lightly. The disease spreads quickly from carriers before they show symptoms, it's incapacitated and killed many people. It’s devastating major cities worldwide. So the authorities here have chosen to impose a lockdown, to try and break the chain, a strategy which so far seems to make sense. It’s been quite a ride and we’ve found out some interesting things, even after just three days.
It’s possible to get by without organised sports, Friday drinks, Sunday drives, restaurant dinners trips to the Op shop. We are apparently quite able to live without the TAB, without McDonald's, without the prostitution.
Some of us are much better placed than others. Despite government relief measures, thousands of workers will be struggling desperately. Some will lose their homes, many workers won’t get their jobs back.
The more conscientious union organisers are working harder than usual, from home, fielding calls for help. Hotlines for domestic violence calls are also on the up. The situation in some deprived overcrowded Indian homes right now doesn’t bear thinking about and its still just early days under lockdown. In the new circumstances, there’s a sudden social awareness of low paid workers vital importance. Society's dependance on rubbish collectors, drivers, cleaners, hospital workers and, not least, checkout operators.
Today the working class is in from the margins, it’s value strongly apparent. When we get through the present stage of the drama, will these realisations translate into a revived socialist current? During the last few weeks, the capitalist class has shown they can make radical decisions. I’m hopeful that our side can too.
From your best friend,
Prabhleen.