Speed Post News Network
New Delhi : Vice President of India M Venkaiah Naidu on May 18, 2020, underlined the need to adopt new ways of living in corona times and suggested a 12- point framework for this new normal to deal with the virus, learning from the lessons so far taught by the corona pandemic. He stressed on the need for new attitudes towards life and humanity amidst indications of the virus likely to stay for longer than expected earlier.
Soon after the announcement on May 17, 2020, night, regarding lockdown 4.0 with restrictions substantially relaxed, Naidu wrote on Facebook, a 1,539 word article dealing at length the philosophical and moral issues thrown by the COVID-19 pandemic and the way life needs to be lived henceforth. The main thrust of Naidu was that life can’t be lived in isolation and the virus outbreak highlighted the inter-connectedness of lives.
On the life ‘After Corona’, Naidu noted that it has shaken the fundamentals of living by oneself and highlighted the need for living in harmony with nature and fellow humans, according to a PIB release.
The Vice President felt that the pandemic raised questions about the meaning and purpose of life including the nature of relationships with fellow beings and moral issues connected with the current pathways of development given their impacts on nature and equity. He said; “The virus has highlighted the consequences of economic fault lines in societies created by development pathways in terms of the impacts. Uncertainty continues to haunt the people. Uncertainty is the known source of anxiety which can lead to psychological issues. How to deal with this problem? To stay calm and be confident and adopt a new normal of life.”
Naidu stressed that the corona challenge is more a civilizational issue than that of individual lives and new norms and ethos of living should be evolved to save the present civilization. Noting that life can’t be lived for long in confinement, Naidu welcomed the new relaxations for lockdown 4.0 announced on May 17 night.
Referring to the people living with HIV virus that had no vaccine for long time by changing habits, Naidu urged the people to learn to cope with corona virus by changing the habits and attitudes towards life and fellow humans, if the virus stays with the people for longer than expected.
Naidu suggested a 12-point new normal of living during corona times. This include Living in harmony with the nature and fellow beings, Knowing that safety and security of lives are interconnected, Rationally analysing the impact of every movement or action on the spread of virus, Not responding impulsively to the situation and instead living in confidence keeping faith in science which can come up with a solution to the problem, Strict adherence to the behavioural changes ushered in so far like wearing mask, maintaining physical distance and ensuring hygiene, Preventing stigmatisation, Checking disinformation and prejudices against fellow citizens as carriers of the virus and Replacing the sense of collective helplessness by the spirit of the virtue of living interconnected with shared destiny.
Naidu called upon the people to “Live differently and live safe”.