The COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown induced by it a year ago adversely affected every individual of society. People were forced to stay indoors without any preparation and had to continue for months in an unprecedented situation.
With businesses shut and organisations closed many employees in the private sector lost their jobs and small-time businessmen ran into huge losses. As the lockdown imposed to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus was lifted in phases after 70 days, many were able to recover gradually.
However, certain sections of people, including organisers of micro and small business establishments, daily wage labourers, workers in unorganised sectors and private employees among others are still facing the consequences and carrying the burden they had incurred last year.
"Before the pandemic hit us, I was working in a firm in Chennai. I was fired during the lockdown and had struggled to live there without income before coming back to the city. I am still unable to find a job here in a relevant field and couldn’t dare going back to other cities in these uncertain times," says R. Suraj, who worked for a logistics management firm.
Families dislocated
"Weeks before the lockdown I was selected for the post of Mid-Level Health Provider by the health department. As the need for healthcare workers increased the government posted me along with many others in the agency areas of the neighbouring district without any counselling and we took up the job hundreds of kilometres away from home as our services were required," narrates A. Sindu, a nurse and MLHP.
"We risked everything and moved to the agency areas even though we are supposed to get a posting in the home district. However, later the government refused to post us in home districts. This has not only dashed our hopes but also impacted my children’s education," she laments.
Many private employees who lost their jobs during the pandemic are either still looking for a job or had to settle for lesser pay and most of the companies which also faced losses are not recruiting to their full capacity.
Small-time businessmen were the most hit due to COVID-19. Having to pay rents for months without business, interest payments, loss of inventory and other factors brought them huge losses.
The frontline staff who braved the pandemic and served during the lockdown also had their share of woes. Most of them and their family members were infected by the coronavirus and many succumbed to it.
The COVID scare and the need for maintaining cleanliness have also caused many to develop obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
Hope dashed
Meanwhile, the hope that the pandemic would subside soon following the arrival of the vaccine and the decrease in the number of cases until recently was dashed as the second wave is looming on the horizon.
The State which saw only 2,080 infections in February, the lowest monthly tally since May, has been witnessing a surge again.
In March so far, over 6,000 cases were reported, more than half of them in the past week.
The number of deaths and the positivity rate of the tests are also on the rise, indicating a surge in infections.
This has led to speculation of the lockdown being reimposed in the coming weeks to contain the spread of the virus. For many businessmen, a second lockdown will be a death blow.
"If there is a lockdown again, it’s going to be the end of our business. We are yet to recover and cannot bear any more financial burden. We have just started the store before the lockdown and managed to keep it afloat till now," says S. Ravindra, a bakery owner in the city.
So far, the government has made no indication of a lockdown. The education department has made it clear that educational institutions will continue classwork at a time when most of the new infections are being reported in schools. Theatres, function halls and eateries are open for full capacity and even the public are not hesitating to visit crowded places.
The Krishna district administration has recently stepped up vigil to ensure social distancing and COVID safety measures at public places.
