Lockdown: the only option

All over the globe the coronavirus pandemic is on an explosive trajectory, and in the process is dictating a new guidebook on inter-state and intra-state socio-political and economic relationships. It has vandalized world economies, degraded inter-state tensions and forced political rivals to share the table. One such instance took place this past Sunday in Karachi when all political parties, religious leaders and people from different walks of life met at the behest of the Sindh Chief Minister and jointly decided that a lockdown should be imposed in the province of Sindh to contain the rising threat of Covid-19. "The local transmission cases of coronavirus are spreading and we have to contain them, otherwise everything will go out of our control," said Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah. Accordingly, it was decided that from Sunday midnight all the offices, gathering places, public transport and bus-stands would remain shut for 15 days. And nobody would be allowed to come out of his or her home unnecessarily. The exceptions to the restrictions would be dictated by hard needs to visit hospitals, grocery shops and vegetable stalls. In Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, too, where the second fatality is a young doctor assigned to treat infected patients, the authorities imposed lockdown. In Punjab, a lockdown was imposed Monday, but without conceding it is a lockdown. The other two provinces and federal capital have announced shutdowns, but at the end of day they don't seem to be having any other option over the coming days and weeks. Their reluctance stems essentially from the thinking of the prime minister that in the wake of a countrywide lockdown about 25 percent of population would suffer extreme hunger. On the other hand, to lockdown or not to lockdown the entire country the infection statistics over the coming few days would make the choice. Hopefully, the residents of Sindh, particularly of the mega city of Karachi, put up with lockdown rigours by confining themselves within their homes - because as of now there is no other option with them to fight the rampaging virus pandemic.
The only country that has so far successfully checkmated the coronavirus is China. In that fight its weapon was a two-pronged strategy - social-distancing and personal hygiene. As the coronavirus began raising its ugly head in Wuhan the Chinese government imposed a stern lockdown on the city of 11 million people and then rest of Hubei province putting some 50 million people in mass isolation. And across the country people were strongly encouraged to stay at home. The World Health Organisation (WHO) chief has therefore concluded that "China's success story provides hope for the rest of the world". Of course, hectic efforts are afoot in all developed countries to produce anti-coronavirus vaccine, but as of now there is no breakthrough and deadly virus keeps walking tall all over the world. As of now, the only option available to people is to bide for time and protect themselves by observing social-distancing and maintaining high levels of personal hygiene.