PAKISTAN authorities are quoting unwinding of lockdown plans in different countries of the world as justification for their decision to open more and more businesses and sectors of economy but reports from across the globe speak of re-emergence of cases after easing of restrictions. Germany, which managed to push new infections below 1,000 daily before deciding to loosen restrictions, has seen regional spikes in cases, China reported 14 new cases Sunday (its first double-digit rise in ten days), South Korea also reported 34 more cases – first time its daily infections were above 30 in about a month and Iran warned on Sunday of a resurgence of the novel Coronavirus as it reported 51 new deaths, almost a month after it started to relax a nationwide lockdown.
Data also portrays a worrying scene in Pakistan as the number of daily infections and deaths is continuously rising in the backdrop of relaxation of lockdown. Pakistan ranked 19th in the global Coronavirus ranking on Sunday after the nationwide tally of confirmed patients reached 30,428. According to the Coronavirus tracker by John Hopkins University, the country is now ranked 27th with 659 deaths. Addition of 1,991 new cases on Sunday meant the biggest single-day jump since February 26 when the first case was reported. During the last one week, the country has recorded 200 deaths and more than 10,000 new cases of the highly contagious virus. As Sindh increased the testing, the number of those testing positive reached 1080, which translates into 20% or highest ratio of infections among those tested in a day in any province. Worst hit are Karachi and Pir Jo Goth district of Khairpur while Peshawar is leading in the province as well as the country with the highest number of fatalities and confirmed positive cases. Almost similar is situation in Lahore, which is considered as hotspot even by the governmental authorities while increase in number of tests in Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Multan and Gujranwala/Gujrat would reveal similar situations.
Punjab Cabinet’s proposal to the Federal Government seeking exemption for big cities from relaxation of Corona-related restrictions was a saner proposition but unfortunately it was not acceded to for reasons best known to policy-makers. The decision to open almost all businesses for four days (from Monday to Thursday) and impose complete lockdown on the remaining three days is hardly expected to lead to any improvement in the situation as free for all interaction on four days is bound to have implications. The Government is banking upon its strategy of ‘smart lockdown’ and expectation from the people to abide by the safety guidelines but it has been observed that there is business as usual in markets and bazaars with least regard for and adherence to the safety protocols set by the federal and provincial governments. Shopkeepers, who were pressurizing the government to allow them to open their businesses, are not following the SOPs and customers too are guilty of care-free attitude. In fact, the conflicting approaches adopted by the Centre and the Provinces over lockdown option are sending wrong signals to people about the country’s return to normalcy. It is because of this that throwing safety concerns away, we are witnessing protests in the KP against the lockdown, which often result into clashes with police. Sindh had been resisting pressure from industrialists and businessmen for rapid reopening of businesses but had to succumb to pressure after undue criticism by opposition in the province.
The situation is far from satisfactory as Speaker of the National Assembly Asad Qaisar and two parliamentarians were also tested positive for virus besides some staff members of the Assembly Secretariat, raising alarm bells about prospects of more infections among members and staff in case all of them are subjected to proper tests. The Speaker, parliamentarians and staff members are more sensitive to safety precautions and one can imagine what would happen to ordinary citizens following resumption of routine business activities. It is time to give practical shape to the oft-repeated plans of the government for expeditious tracking of virus cases and identification of hotspots for imposition of instant ‘smart lockdown’. At the same time, the Government ought to support the use of passive immunization therapy to treat Coronavirus patients as Sindh has reported its first successful recovery from the therapy. This life-saving procedure should get full patronage in the prevailing conditions.
