Lockdowns again: Migrant crisis to job cuts, fear has come back too soon

The lockdown will hurt urban employment in April or beyond

A  tragedy seems to be unfolding again. As Covid infections have risen and vaccines have run into shortages, governments have started implementing selective lockdowns and are talking of greater lockdowns. As a result, sections of labour have once again started getting anxious about the security of their livelihoods. Although science has delivered vaccines, the informally employed labour seems almost as vulnerable to loss of livelihood as it was a year ago. The difference, if any, is a much reduced fear of the virus and, therefore, a significant dropping of guard against it. But the fear of loss of livelihood is