The Union Government has sounded an alert about a third Covid wave having reached the country.
Minister of State for Health, Dr Bharti Pravin Pawar, informed Parliament that there has been a surge in Coronavirus cases in some States/UTs including Kerala, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Manipur. And people need to follow the Covid Appropriate Behavior to remain safe.
Till now, the new COVID variant has not reached Jammu and Kashmir but the administration is already making preparations to handle the possibility of a third wave breaking out in J&K.
Experts have warned against lowering the guard in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, saying the third wave of Covid “will be highly dangerous, fatal and can take a heavy toll of lives.” Recently the Union Health Ministry also took a serious note of gross violations of Covid-appropriate behaviour in hill stations such as Manali, Shimla and Mussoorie and the markets of New Delhi and other cities in India. The crowding of public places has heightened the risk of infection, prompting the ministry to warn that the relaxation of lockdown restrictions will be withdrawn if such recklessness persists. In Jammu and Kashmir, crowding of people at markets and other places has been increasing as the government relaxed various curbs. Unfortunately, as underlined by the expert, there is lowering of guard of the people.
People must not forget the havoc wreaked by the second wave just a couple of months ago. One should not overlook the fact that the heavy toll in the second wave was the consequence of complacency in January, when the first wave had petered out. With the vaccination rate all but sluggish, a repeat of irresponsible conduct can hasten the onset of the third wave.
Close coordination between various stakeholders is a must to regulate the footfall of people in markets. There is a need for strict compliance to wearing masks and maintaining social distancing, besides frequent washing of hands with soap. Rather, as experts stress time and again, it must become a way of life. Otherwise, another catastrophe may occur with more ferocity and that too sooner than later. |
