Lockdown and Quarantine during Coronavirus Pandemic in India: Untangling a Tangle of Socio-Economic and Legal Concerns

Abstract

Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak with very little initial information about its origin, symptoms, transmission, incubation and longer term effects has created a population health crisis in the World. Sudden occurrence of this deadly virus, has forced governments across the World to put in action several public health interventions to contain it. In India too, the governments used quarantine, national lockdowns, curfews, isolation, social distancing, and massive screenings at various places, health declarations and wearing mask in public as main public health interventions to prevent spreading of the virus. However, in absence of vaccine and antibiotics to avert this virus, the national lockdowns and quarantine have been important component of infection control preparedness in India. But, forcible quarantine and prolonged lockdowns raised several socio-economic and legal concerns which remained unnoticed and unaddressed while dealing with COVID-19. Having this background in mind, the present paper aims to understand the meaning and concept of lockdown and quarantine. The study further throws light on social, economic and legal concerns associated with quarantine and lockdowns strategies used to mitigate corona virus pandemic. Attempts have been made to untangle a tangle of social, economic and legal concerns, which were needed sufficient attention in COVID- 19 preparedness, planning and response. The last part of the paper deals with conclusion. The study is purely theoretical in nature hence secondary data like books, news clippings, law journals and reports have been trusted for the completion of the study.