There comes a time to draw the line between politics and policy, and it seems leaders around the world have failed to do the same when it came to the novel Coronavirus pandemic. Especially at the onset of the spread of the virus, leaders and parties looked to twist the situation to their political advantage rather than addressing it as the public health emergency it was and continues to be. From Trump’s refusal to wear a mask until it was too late to Bolsonaro’s flat-out rejections of the impact of the virus and violations of all social distancing norms in public, leaders seem to have taken stances on an issue that should ideally have only one - protect the people.
Bringing this home, this is a phenomenon that hasn’t escaped the Indian political sphere as well. Initial stages of the lockdown saw more focus on optics over protecting real lives and while it seemed to have been better drafted and implemented as compared to the aforementioned countries i.e. Brazil and the United States, an effective policy was lacking and we saw no real long-term strategies come from the top. Simple instructions that seem almost rudimentary failed to reach into the depths of society, and superficial moves like clapping and banging plates together were done at the cost of some violating social distancing. While it is important to commend our healthcare and emergency workers, because the basics weren’t drilled in, it resulted in more social interaction and subsequently a laxer outlook towards the emergency.
It also came at the state level as each state was charged with the task of the first unlocks on social restrictions. Many states, especially Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra etc. jumped the gun in an effort to return normalcy to the lives of their citizens and once again proved costly as lockdowns were reinstated in these states after a hike in the number of positive cases. Focus shifted too early towards economic and social recovery rather than treating it as the public healthcare crisis it still is, and this is indicative of poor planning of long-term policy both from the Centre and the states. The Centre should’ve remained more vigilant towards the autonomy afforded to states and issued more specific guidelines towards unlocks and instead shifted the political toll that any mishap at this level would bring onto state governments. Electoral politics was pushed to the front rather than the back and this resulted in too much fragmentation in policy-making and implementation. States, in turn, should’ve put in further effort towards research and policy-making to ensure a safe return to normalcy over prioritizing appeasement through a rushed move towards recovery.
A tangential stakeholder here is also the media and its often-followed sensationalist approach to reporting. While facts and figures continue to be thrown at the public, the limelight has shifted away from the more recent impacts of the pandemic that would’ve been covered at the start of the crisis. This has resulted in reducing the gravity of the situation in the eyes of the public, which is seeing more interesting and seemingly important issues rise to the fore. Since news about the pandemic reduced, the accountability that media enforces on governments subsequently did so as well and more dangerously it failed to highlight to citizens the continued importance of analyzing news, facts and policies regarding the coronavirus pandemic. The initial buzz surrounding the WHO, lockdown measures, social distancing and emergency protocols that were once the undercurrent of reporting has been replaced by superficial updates on cases and the death toll, and the politicization current seems to have swept the media as well. While such reporting is just as essential, it came at the cost of keeping the public educated on the latest policies and steps to be taken rather placing them on an equal pedestal.
This phenomenon of politicization of the Coronavirus crisis we find ourselves in could have long-term ramifications and India finding itself third in the world on the number of cases could be a result of the same. As citizens, we now have to take it upon ourselves to continually follow the government’s actions, policies and steps, continue to remind ourselves of the severity of the crisis we are living through, and follow all the required steps to keep ourselves safe as well. Rather than be alarmed of the state of our country, especially with recent reports of overcrowding at hospitals etc., we should map out preventive measures as well as proactively plan ahead to worst-case scenarios, and rely on our own research and analysis of the latest policies designed to keep us safe. Read up on what your state has put in place to safely reopen from lockdown, what healthcare policy is now being followed at state-run hospitals, what measures do you have to or want to continue to follow throughout this process, and stay informed about your local surroundings, number of cases and actions at the municipal level in your area. Stay safe.
Comments