Combating Covid-19

EDITORIAL: Prime minister Imran Khan presided over a meeting of the National Coordination Committee on Covid-19 on Friday as the single day death toll - one of the country’s highest - rose to 144 and the number of people testing positive for coronovirus increased at an alarming rate. Addressing the nation afterwards, he underscored the need for observing standard operating procedures (SOPs), saying he had “asked Pakistan Army to assist the police and [other] law enforcement agencies in enforcing SOPs to check the spread of coronavirus.” That should help mitigate the problem. In fact, things would not have come to such a sorry pass had the government not let its guard down when the third wave of the deadly virus came back with a vengeance. It is hardly surprising if, after having endured the previous episodes, the people had become less fearful of the threat or a sense of fatigue had set in. In fact, examples from several developed countries show the people generally tend to ignore the necessary precautionary measures unless governments ensure compliance. Deeply distressing scenes have been witnessed in India where the government took belated, half-hearted measures, and allowed mass gatherings at a recent religious festival, Kumbh Mela, with the result the country reported 314,835 cases on Friday. Hospitals are full of Covid-19 patients and run out of oxygen; many patients are being turned back, left to die due to the system’s limited coping capacity. In Delhi, India’s worst affected city, healthcare system would collapse anytime soon.

Now that we are where we are, the Prime Minister, who has expressed solidarity with India over the Covid-19 crisis, rightly warned Pakistan could face a situation similar to that of India’s if the current infection rate persists. So what are the options before the government? Some people had suggested, he said, imposing a lockdown. But that cannot be done, he explained, as experience has shown the poor suffer the most in such situations. It would once again bring suffering to the daily wage earners and labourers, which is why, he added, “we have not taken that action. Nonetheless, the PM indicated he might do that as a last resort, saying if Covid-19 cases continue to surge the government would be compelled to impose lockdowns in big cities. A day later, the government hinted at imposing a country-wide lockdown if the cases do not subside. That holds devastating consequence not only for the poor, even middle income sections of society, but also the already struggling national economy. The only remedy is vaccination. But as Imran Khan pointed out, like many other countries Pakistan faces procurement problems, which means the target of meeting the goal of herd immunity would take at least a year to be achieved. The alternative at this point in time, therefore, is effective implementation of SOPs.

The National Command and Operation Centre (NCoC) has announced several new SOPs. Schools in districts with over five present positivity rate are to be closed till Eid-ul Fitr and markets by 6pm. Both indoor and outdoor dining for the period has been banned, with only takeaways and deliveries permitted, while office timings have been limited to 2pm with 50 percent staff attendance. Also, people have been advised to do their Eid shopping now rather than thronging the markets during the last days of Ramazan. Yet even as gathering in the holiest mosque in Makkah have been restricted to avert the Covid-19 threat, here the government-issued SOPs for offering prayers in mosques are being largely ignored. A picture combo appearing in a newspaper on Saturday showed people saying Jumma prayers in federal and provincial capitals standing shoulder to shoulder. Religious leaders need to step in to inform people about the inherent danger. It is hoped the government decision to do all that is necessary to implement SOPs in public places will help push back the spread of the life threatening covid-19 infections.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021