That the Covid situation in Punjab is terrible is a fact. According media reports, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) revealed that Punjab is contributing 55 percent to the national Covid-19 mortality rate. It is also said that major hospitals in Punjab have run out of Covid-19 beds.

The surge in number of Covid cases and concomitant deaths is largely due to the fact that people have thrown caution to the wind and started conducting themselves in a way that is not considered sensible or careful. In other words, there exist little or no observance of SOPs at public places in particular. The situation is ripe for the re-imposition of lockdowns. We must take the third wave pandemic challenge seriously.

ANISUR RAHMAN (LAHORE)

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021