Almost all the countries are affected by the current health crisis caused by the novel coronavirus (Covid-19). Thousands of precious lives have succumbed to the virus across the world and the lockdown being imposed to contain its transmission has put all economic activities to a grinding halt and disrupted normal life of humankind. But life has to go on, coronavirus or no coronavirus, which is why most countries have slowly started opening up business activities despite the risk of contracting Covid-19. India too has started relaxing restrictions amid increase in positive cases. It is a crucial move that could invite criticism either way but it is still needed and has to be taken. While complete lockdown is the best way to contain the spread of this highly contagious disease, it will also be dangerous to overlook the economic life of the people. The world is also staring at a grim future with experts saying that it could take more than a year to come up with a coronavirus vaccine. Several agencies have started human clinical trial of the vaccine and Italian scientists have claimed that they have found the possible vaccine for the virus but nothing is concrete at the moment. In worst case scenario, vaccine may not be developed at all, which means human beings will have to adapt and live with it. But the best option before us is for scientists across the world to share knowledge and develop a vaccine as soon as possible because that’s the only way to get back to normalcy.
For the moment, various governments should work on striking a balance between containing the spread of the deadly disease and ensuring economic stability. Whether or not a vaccine for the disease is developed, untold damage has already been made with economic activities across the world plummeting. One thing is very clear now- the road to recovery is going to be long and tough. Countries and communities that stand together and support each other in the process will recover sooner than others. It is also necessary for governments, especially states like Nagaland that rely heavily on the Central government’s funds to take austerity measures. The Covid-19 pandemic has already caused so much strain on the economic health of the state and budget gap is bound to widen. To revive the economy, the state should reduce unnecessary spending; invest on entrepreneurs and farmers besides adopting some bold financial policies. During crisis like this, sacrifices are needed from both the government and the citizens to get back to normalcy. No pain, no gain.
