Extended lockdown worries students, senior citizens alike

Chennai

Students hoping to study abroad fret the rise in COVID cases amid confusing signals about community spread.

With Chennai accounting for 65 per cent of the State’s total cases, many fear this could bode ill for their travel plans, given the entry ban people from certain states are facing elsewhere.

"The situation here is getting worse every day. The fault lies partly with the people and partly with the government. Some people are flouting the rules, while the government is in a haste to reopen businesses to revive the economy,” said a resident of Velachery who has applied to a UK university.

Large gatherings continue to be discouraged, leaving an impact on certain occupations. Performers and live artists rue that they would not be able to pursue their profession in the same manner as before, despite the arrival of online and virtual shows.

“It is not about established performers alone. The newcomers in the field will be the worst hit. These are the people who used to sustain themselves from gig-to-gig. Adapting is important, but many of these guys don’t have the resources,” said Vinod, a local DJ.

Senior citizens, especially those with health issues and those living alone, lament that last two months have been difficult in availing medication and medical attention.

“Here in Besant Nagar, there are two large slums where people live in crowded conditions. Given such scenarios, the claim that there is no community spread is impossible to make. Life has been so tough the past couple of months that sometimes I wished if I were dead,” said professor V Chandra Shekar, president of the Senior Citizens Group of Besant Nagar.

For those residing in Royapuram, a COVID-19 hotspot in the city, locals feel that despite the rising cases and the behaviour patterns, there is no community transmission.

A Chandrashekaran, a resident of Grace Garden, said, "Half of the people are not wearing masks properly. Some just leave it hanging by their chin."