March 2020 marked the beginning of an unprecedented global shutdown as Covid-19 spread across the world. Five years later, the pandemic’s impact on healthcare, economies, and governance still lingers. From global cooperation to healthcare preparedness, the crisis exposed major weaknesses in our response systems. Here are five key lessons from the Covid lockdowns that the world must remember:
The Covid-19 pandemic highlighted the interconnected nature of modern challenges. Shutting borders was not a viable solution, just as it isn’t for other global threats like climate change. Strengthening international cooperation, rather than weakening institutions like the WHO is crucial for tackling future crises effectively.
While global coordination is vital, each country must have localised strategies suited to its unique challenges. India’s local vaccine production helped ensure supply, whereas nations without such capabilities struggled. Similarly, social distancing worked in some areas but was impossible in densely populated slums like Dharavi.
In emergencies, governments must make tough decisions. High public trust enabled the smooth implementation of lockdowns in India, with surveys showing strong support for the measures. However, trust is fragile and must be continuously nurtured through transparency and inclusive policymaking to ensure collective action in future crises.
The pandemic exposed severe shortcomings in healthcare systems worldwide. Many hospitals ran out of oxygen, ICU beds and essential medicines at critical moments. Investing in healthcare infrastructure, increasing medical workforce capacity, and ensuring the availability of life-saving equipment are essential to avoid similar collapses in future.
The success of India’s public distribution system in preventing mass starvation during lockdowns shows the importance of pre-existing infrastructure. However, gaps in medical preparedness, such as the lack of a coordinated oxygen supply, exposed the need for better disaster planning in governance.