The Covid news started shaking China in the month of January. 50 million people in Hubei Province were kept in history's biggest quarantine starting from January 23. 750 million people were strictly kept in lockdown.
Finally, as the cases started subsiding both in Hubei, the epicenter of Covid as well as in other Provinces, the lockdown was lifted after 77 days on April 8th.
Does that mean, China is back to normal? Are the people really leading the life they wish?
The people in China are engulfed in fear. Though the restaurants, trains and public transport have resumed services, the fear of the possibility of second wave of infection is seen everywhere and that is reflecting on the business sector on a whole.
Government authorities are still continuing the strict social distancing measures. Offices are running with novel modus operandi.
Departments in offices are further divided into clusters and working in respective isolation chambers. Each chamber comprises not more than 5 to 10 employees. Majority of the companies are encouraging work from home scenario wherever possible.
Personal health is no more a personal matter and it's being considered as something that can potentially lead to a national calamity.
A QR Code is tagged to every individual in China now where if it indicates Green, he can move on freely maintaining social distancing norms and wearing masks, but if he gets either Orange or Red, he will not be allowed into malls or restaurants.
The color appears based on travel and contact history and where the individuals moved in past 10 days. Thermal screening is mandatory now along with general secular frisking at the entrance gates of malls, stations and restaurants.
People in China now are seen completely with masks and sanitizers. Their schools are not yet open but entire schooling is happening online. Parents are still not ready to send their children to schools in many areas.
So, can the world that has seen pre covid times, accept this as 'normal'? Then when can the expecting normalcy be seen? Well, only when the Vaccine arrives.
So, until then, even when the lockdowns are lifted or eased, India also will have to live with the above paraphernalia. What China is seeing now may be seen by Indians in a month or two.