5 things NOT to do immediately after COVID-19 lockdown ends

Guwahati: With the nationwide lockdown nearing its end and the summer with its monsoon rains starting in most parts of the country, most of us are vehemently waiting to walk down the merry lanes and do whatever we want. Whether it’s summer shopping, outdoor adventure or house parties, it’s quite normal for everyone to expect to do things.

However, one needs to keep in mind that just because the lockdown is over does not mean the virus is. Here are a few things that should not be done immediately after the lockdown ends:

Don’t cast away the trusty face mask

Prevention is always better than a cure. We can never be certain when the monster called COVID-19 rears its ugly head again. So it is best to keep those face masks safe and, better, use them whenever possible (preferably whenever one is out of the safety of their house). Remaining realistically grounded, as we do not know what the future holds, and being cautiously optimistic about our freedom to move is the best possible option. Hence DO NOT cast away those face masks yet.

Do not throw a party or attend parties of others

Just because lockdown is over does not mean that physical distancing is. Yes, we get it that all of us just want to hit the bar, get those sparkly drinks, mingle, party, meet with friends, dance in a club, and have fun, but please don’t do it immediately. Visiting crowded places is a clear invitation to get infected as there are chances of the asymptotic person spreading the infection to the others.

Do not panic shop

Many of us were totally underprepared for the lockdown, hence there would be a clear tendency to shop till you drop after the lockdown ends. Being prepared is not a wrong thing to do but do keep in mind that we live in a community; hence one must always try to think of others as well.

Do not plan a vacation so soon

Just to give a clear perspective, it was the movement of people from one country to another or one state to the other that actually resulted in the worldwide spread of the deadly virus. Hence even after the lockdown rules are relaxed, do not plan for a family or a friend vacation at all. We do expect that the travel fares and hotel prices will drop, which might sound enticing for a vacation, but stay safe at home to reduce any and every chance of infection.

Do not forget to follow the proper sanitization routine

There are economic reasons due to which schools, colleges, offices, transportation are reopening but that surely does not mean that one should forget the sanitization routines. Who knows, it might be those extensive hand cleaning and sanitization routine that we remained unaffected. Unless a proper vaccine is available it, is always good to keep the sanitization routine in full play.