The first thing I did on Thursday evening was go out and withdraw the maximum cash I could from the ATM. Then, I sat anxiously before the TV. A national address by the PM, could only mean something drastic or grave. Anxiety status at the end: Status quo, yaniki medium to high.

Given how blasé, yaniki fatalistic, most Indians (self included) are about risk, there was much worth in the PM telling citizens to practice social distance, maintain safe hygiene practices, work from home, give domestic help paid leave, not to panic and hoard, be considerate to others and so on. We know that people need to be taking this far more seriously.