Contributor,
Shubhankar C
Advocate
Chairperson Adi Shankara
Foundation
Shubhankar C
Advocate
Chairperson Adi Shankara
Foundation
As reports of rising COVID-19 cases resurface in Karnataka, especially in Bengaluru, the public finds itself once again looking towards the government for direction. News channels are abuzz, and press statements from state officials, including the Primary Education Minister, have downplayed the urgency, stating that the current situation doesn’t warrant the issuance of new guidelines for schools. But this approach—waiting for formal directives before acting—raises a troubling question: Should precaution be reactive or proactive?
The COVID-19 pandemic that devastated the world in 2020 taught us painful lessons about preparedness and the cost of complacency. It was only after immense suffering that vaccination efforts and public awareness helped control the spread. Yet today, despite having the knowledge and tools, society seems to be falling back into the same trap—depending solely on government advisories to determine basic hygiene and safety behavior.
The truth is simple. One doesn’t need an official mandate to wear a mask, use hand sanitizer, or wash hands frequently. These are not mere preventive steps during a health crisis; they are common sense practices, especially in a heavily polluted urban setting like Bengaluru. Whether COVID-19 is present or not, wearing a mask in crowded public spaces offers protection not just from viruses, but from pollution and airborne illnesses as well.
It is disheartening to witness both media and the public locked in a cycle of waiting—for rising death tolls, for government circulars, and for warnings to sound before acting. Equally concerning is the government’s passive stance, hesitating to act swiftly in the name of technical definitions, while prioritizing political populism and freebie culture over robust public health policy.
The time has come to shift our mindset from dependency to responsibility. Instead of passively awaiting instructions, let us internalize the importance of hygiene, caution, and civic duty. As citizens, our safety lies not in rules alone but in a culture of awareness, accountability, and early action. Let us not repeat the mistakes of the past by waiting too long to act on what we already know.
The COVID-19 pandemic that devastated the world in 2020 taught us painful lessons about preparedness and the cost of complacency. It was only after immense suffering that vaccination efforts and public awareness helped control the spread. Yet today, despite having the knowledge and tools, society seems to be falling back into the same trap—depending solely on government advisories to determine basic hygiene and safety behavior.
The truth is simple. One doesn’t need an official mandate to wear a mask, use hand sanitizer, or wash hands frequently. These are not mere preventive steps during a health crisis; they are common sense practices, especially in a heavily polluted urban setting like Bengaluru. Whether COVID-19 is present or not, wearing a mask in crowded public spaces offers protection not just from viruses, but from pollution and airborne illnesses as well.
It is disheartening to witness both media and the public locked in a cycle of waiting—for rising death tolls, for government circulars, and for warnings to sound before acting. Equally concerning is the government’s passive stance, hesitating to act swiftly in the name of technical definitions, while prioritizing political populism and freebie culture over robust public health policy.
The time has come to shift our mindset from dependency to responsibility. Instead of passively awaiting instructions, let us internalize the importance of hygiene, caution, and civic duty. As citizens, our safety lies not in rules alone but in a culture of awareness, accountability, and early action. Let us not repeat the mistakes of the past by waiting too long to act on what we already know.
