Activity 2 [Lesson 2] ‘Lock your stories’

A historian in 2050 is writing about a history of the lockdown imposed in India in 2020-21. An
excerpt from the beginning, middle and end of the narrative is given below. Complete your
story…

On the evening of 24 March 2020, the Government of India ordered a nationwide lockdown for
21 days, limiting movement of the entire 1.38 billion (138 crores) population of India as a
preventive measure against the COVID-19 pandemic in India. I was a teenage student back then.
Let me first tell you what I went through. There was a sudden cloud of uncertainty when I first
heard the news. A feeling of bewilderment dawned upon me and I really didn’t understand where
the whole situation was going, for I didn’t know anything about the challenges that lay ahead.
The nation was sealed, everyone locked up inside for a period of time no one could predict. It
was a unique situation, everything happened so fast yet information pertaining to it was scarce.
Schools were closed and soon we were all learning virtually, in a seemingly artificial
environment. While it all seemed exciting and different at first, the excitement soon dwindled
away and the feeling of a return to normalcy only grew ever since.

What struck me during those times about Abdul, my neighbour who used to carry bricks in the
neighbourhood was how he was impacted by a financial crisis of sorts after being laid off by his
employers, while I, being a Hindu, doing the same work as him every single day, was still
employed. It continues to baffle me and shows how Muslims, such as Abdul, were blamed for
spreading the virus, regarded as super-spreaders when Hindus and individuals of other religions
were equally at fault, yet there were never the scapegoats. It led to them being harshly treated
and denied healthcare at hospitals, even costing them their jobs which were their only source of
income for day to day survival. It not only impacted Abdul but had an equally devastating
impact, as you may expect, on his family. His children were no longer going to school, for both
he and his wife were now unemployed. Other neighbours in the neighbourhood had built up false
impressions of Muslims like Abdul, they believed everything that was circulated in the media and
by people around them. Circulation of such false news and opinions led to disharmony and
hatred, when in reality, it was essential for the country and its citizens, regardless of their
religion, to maintain a sense of solidarity instead of pointing fingers at each other.

Also, Meena, my domestic worker, called to be assured that she would still be called upon and
employed. This came as no surprise considering the fact that a large percentage of domestic
workers had lost their jobs due to the risk caused by the pandemic. Being a widow, she was the
main earner of the family and losing her job would mean putting her family, consisting of her
three children under immense financial strain. Domestic workers such as Meena would use the
wages they earned to pay for their monthly house rents, food, and education for children yet all
of it had suddenly come to a halt. It meant that despite understanding her side of the story, it was
too much of a risk calling her to work, especially with the pandemic at its peak. In such a
situation, it was essential for all domestic workers such as Meena to receive relief from the local
government and authorities, yet they didn’t, something that pushed them further into turmoil.

Television was filled with concerning news of cases rising, the implications of lockdowns, and
the way forward for the nation. Panellists across various news channels presented their diverse
perspectives on the shift to a new normal and how the world should go about managing the
pandemic. In addition to that, the media industry took a huge hit with live events such as
sporting ones being cancelled or postponed for an indefinite period of time. Despite the
cancellation of various events, television viewership grew rapidly during the pandemic,
especially for news channels that acted as the primary source of information for a large section
of the population.

Newspaper headlines were all about how an unknown disease had grappled the world, officially
declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Initially, news stories and
papers were dominated with information about the necessary precautions to take to curb the
spread of the virus, including the need to practice social distancing and wear masks at all times
when in public spaces. These newspaper headlines gradually evolved into stories about the
timeline for a potential vaccine that would be accessible by citizens around the globe, with
experts believing that it may take much more than just a year to produce vaccines. As the
pandemic raged on, newspaper headlines evolved, reporting potentially more lethal and
infectious mutations of the virus that could lead to a sudden spike in cases, in other words, a
wave of cases.

I think some stories are still left unheard. These stories belonged to individuals called refugees.
Refugees in different parts of the world had been severely affected by the pandemic in multiple
ways. Many had to live in densely populated camps where they couldn’t practice basic
precautions such as social distancing while a lack of access to resources such as face masks only
made the situation worse. In addition to that, due to the movement restrictions and closure of
borders imposed by certain countries, making it difficult for them to migrate to other countries
or even move back to their own. Cultural and language differences also acted as barriers in
terms of communication for refugees in certain countries. More than that, many countries
excluded refugees from their national health policies, preventing them from obtaining adequate
healthcare in addition to other basic services such as shelter, food, water, and even sanitation.

Old Newspaper Headlines Used:

➔ “Maintain Social Distancing, Use of Face Masks to Avoid SECOND COVID-19 WAVE.”
Hindustan Times, 24 June 2020,
www.hindustantimes.com/health/maintain-social-distancing-use-of-face-masks-to-avoid-
second-covid-19-wave/story-SFPWbxW0qTSpeZQvU7MLVJ.html.
➔ Akpan, Nsikan. “Why a Coronavirus Vaccine Could Take Way Longer than a Year.”
Science, National Geographic, 4 May 2021,
www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/why-coronavirus-vaccine-could-take-way-l
onger-than-a-year.
➔ Radha-Udayakumar, Ganesh. “Coronavirus Pandemic: Here Is Your Complete Guide To
Covid-19.” India Today, 18 June 2020,
www.indiatoday.in/india/story/coronavirus-pandemic-covid-19-precautions-symptoms-gl
obal-impact-complete-guide-1657761-2020-03-20.
➔ Ducharme, Jamie. “The Who Just Declared Coronavirus Covid-19 a Pandemic.” Time,
Time, 11 Mar. 2020, time.com/5791661/who-coronavirus-pandemic-declaration/.
➔ Callaway, Ewen. “The Coronavirus Is Mutating - Does It Matter?” Nature News, Nature
Publishing Group, 8 Sept. 2020, www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02544-6.
➔ Jha, Lata. “Covid-19 Impact: TV News Viewership Grows 298%.” Mint, 2 Apr. 2020,
www.livemint.com/news/india/covid-19-impact-tv-news-viewership-grows-298-1158583
1965286.html.
➔ “Coronavirus Crisis: Why Television Industry Is Bleeding despite RECORD
CONSUMPTION.” Business Today,
www.businesstoday.in/opinion/columns/story/coronavirus-outbreak-covid-19-television-i
ndustry-bleeding-despite-record-consumption-257407-2020-05-05.