We are at the most crucial stage of the COVID-19 pandemic. The cases have reduced drastically in Maharashtra. The wheels of the economy have started rolling as the people go to work despite facing hardships, and working from home if their trade allows. Tax collections have increased. The process of unlocking will have schools and places of worship reopened after Diwali, and the suburban trains should start ferrying all commuters by end of November. But the fear is that once restored, the normalcy might be violated by the people, inviting the worst ever trouble in the form of a second wave. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray spoke about the fear at length on Sunday, explaining to the citizens why they should adopt the new normal to avoid a second wave that has the European curve peaked like never before. Several countries have been put under a strict lockdown again, he said.

Within India, we have Delhi which basked in the glory of controlling the pandemic a few months ago, but now is fighting a tremendous spike. Careless super-spreaders who misused the relaxed restrictions are said to be the main culprits. The polluted winter air might add to the health crisis up north, says the experts. Delhi was on the forefront in unlocking whereas Maharashtra thought twice before relaxing restrictions, some of which are still in place despite a barrage of criticism. As the curve is flattening and the period of doubling increased manifold, Maharashtra's healthcare system and allied forces that worked together since March are a bit relaxed. But the recurrence in Delhi and Europe has given a reason to worry about the future Appealing to the people to cooperate to prevent a second wave, the CM said, "If it comes, it will be a tsunami, not just a wave. We faced a similar crisis 100 years ago when Spanish flu hit us. Then we didn't have a vaccine and now also we don't have one. Some one crore people died 100 years ago. What will be the death toll if we don't wear masks now and follow social distancing?"