THERE are fears of a second wave of Coronavirus in the country after certain parts of the country witnessed an uptick in cases in recent weeks. In his tweets, Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar once again warned that there are unmistakable signs of rise of Coronavirus adding the positivity of Covid-19 cases was 2.37% on Wednesday which is the highest in more than fifty days.
We have been emphasizing in these columns that there is no need to be complacent until and unless an effective anti-Covid vaccine is developed and available in the country. However, the fact of the matter is that our people are no longer considering the virus a threat. Rush in the commercial areas and markets and non-compliance of SOPs at places such as public and private sector offices is a common scene now. The educational institutions indeed need to be appreciated for adhering to the health guidelines but other segments of the society also need to demonstrate responsibility and maturity to check the second wave which has already begun in a number of European countries and in some countries, including France, even a partial curfew has been imposed. If the cases continue to surge, the Minister for Planning was right in suggesting that the government may have to take restrictive actions which will definitely have negative effects on the livelihood of the people. Our economy is already passing through difficult times and we cannot afford the lockdown like situation again. Closure of educational institutions once again will not be good for our children. Their education has already been affected by the pandemic. In this backdrop, we will suggest the government to activate the local administration to not only check the prices of essential commodities but also ensure strict compliance of SOPs at markets, mosques and other places of gatherings including the marriage halls. In fact heavy fines should be imposed on the ones not adhering to the health guidelines.
