Arjun Singh Rathore
We could perceive, through observation, that nature does not hurry. It is never in haste, everything happens in due course. Look at the Sun, it religiously rises in the morning and sets in the evening. This has gone on for centuries, and it will continue to do so for centuries to come but I doubt if we kept on fiddling with the nature like we did in case of creation of Corona virus, the Sun might stop shinning and plunge the mother earth in darkness forever.
India suffered at the hands of Covid during the three month long Lockdown, and now the country is limping back to normalcy, the unlocking of the lockdown will never be an easy and smooth ride but as the whole world is looking at us to show them the path to come out of this pandemic, as to fight with such a disease one needs more of a courage than a meditation. And the whole world is so surprised to see the way India celebrated this pandemic.
During Lockdown we followed the standard operating procedures announced by the Ministry of Health Affairs from time to time and being a poor country with no big educational awareness among the general masses and a very highly density of population, we are so lucky not to be in community transmission stage.
Now gradually India prepares to return to business as usual and workers prepare to trickle back into offices, moving from the Lockdown to Unlockdown, the SOP is same but the fear of Corona which was there in the last week of March has evaporated. And we have to keep this in mind, especially the people like me who work in banks or any other public sector, dealing with general public, where most of the times it is not possible to follow the basic advisories announced by the government from time to time. Coronavirus is a very tricky customer and it can spread through unsuspecting carriers and lurk on surfaces from where it can jump to its next host. But the strategies carefully applied can go a long way towards keeping the disease at bay.
Hospitals are a good place to learn about workplace safety protocol given that medical workers have been in the thick of the pandemic, followed by the rural area Banks, and the measures used by them to prevent transmission hold crucial pointers for others. Here we have to stick to the basics, the same principals followed during Lockdown have to be repeated and adopted in our daily life as the Five Pillars, to support return to normalcy as a “Combination Therapy” and they will not return us to normal life, but, when signs indicate that the virus is under control, they could get people out of their homes and moving again.
DISTANCING
The novel coronavirus spreads primarily through respiratory droplets released when people cough, sneeze, talk, or even just breathe. This is why the physical distancing norms now in place of at least one meter gap between people outside if not more, should be followed religiously. Not more than four customers be entertained at one point of time in a Bank where in normal course we could accommodate around twenty customers. The alternate delivery channels like inter-net banking, mobile banking, banking apps, debit & credit card transactions have to be adopted to keep the consumer and service provider at a safe distance.
HYGIENE
Advisories on handwashing tell us that each time it has to be for at least twenty seconds and involve a thorough scrubbing of fingers, palms, wrists and nails. But the stress must be on frequency and hand-washing must be at least five times a day to cut medical visits for respiratory infections by around 45%. One should wash hands every time they enter and exit a group setting, and every couple of hours while in it. Alcohol based Hand Sanitizers are a substitute but we must feel convenient with repeated hand wash.
Disinfecting the high-touch surfaces like doorknobs, key-boards of ATMs, sitting arrangements should be done on regular intervals. The practice of dealing in cash must be replaced with eChannels, as studies suggest that the currency is the biggest carrier of the infection.
SCREENING
Screening measures before entering a building or public spaces have begun in many parts of the country, but this practice needs to be adopted vigorously and all employees, customers and visitors must be screened at the entrance doors. In particular employees have to confirm, in an online form before entering, that they have not developed any symptoms. Aarogya Setu App is the best available option for self-screening but yes it can’t be relied upon as a foolproof option as people can lie, but such daily check-ins have encouraged employees to report symptoms to not only begin receiving treatment but also to protect their families and colleagues.
MASKS
Wearing a Mask is “I protect you; You protect me”. Asymptomatic transmission, given the danger it poses, means the three pillars above alone aren’t enough. Wearing a mask acts as a “Source Control” by preventing respiratory droplets spreading infection without the person’s knowledge. A study published in Nature says a surgical mask, if worn properly, can block 99% of respiratory droplets released by people with coronaviruses. Homemade cloth masks, too, were found to be effective, preventing about 60% of viral transmission from the wearer. Masks are intended to help protect others, not the wearers.
CULTURE
“People tend to focus on two desires: Safety and Freedom; keep me safe and leave me alone,” but now, people need to become increasingly concerned with keeping others safe too. It means taking the risks of Covid-19 seriously- that means choosing to stay at home even for a runny nose or a sore throat. Workplace needs to encourage this behaviour.
Being a Bank employee I suggest and request to my fellow colleagues to unlock the lockdown by following these five pillars as safety protocol, for yourself, for your customers and your family & friends as #SabKiJaanEkSamaan.
(The author is an Executive Manager & Branch Head at JK Bank Marble Market, Jammu)
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