WHILE the Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has proposed a country-wide lockdown for two weeks, Prime Minister Imran Khan has once again stuck to his previous position that the country cannot afford such a strategy and that smart lockdowns are the best response to the Covid-19 situation.
As was the case last year, the Centre and the province seem to be moving in the opposite directions on the issue as the Sindh CM has hinted at going it alone if the Centre doesn’t listen to his proposal.
There is no doubt that the Corona situation is assuming dangerous dimensions and drastic measures will have to be taken to stem the tide.
Both the options have their own merits and demerits as we have observed during the last one year.
It is a foregone conclusion that total lockdown would be counterproductive for the national economy and would also deal a serious blow to individuals in an already subdued economic environment.
The Government is obviously not in a position to disburse cash grants to families as it did before because of tight financial position.
In this backdrop, smart lockdown is the best approach as it targets only those localities where the instance of the virus is high.
This policy produced quick results in urban centres especially Islamabad and Rawalpindi last year and has the potential to help contain the third wave provided a proactive approach is followed.
The decision to enlist support of Ulema in sensitizing the general public is a step in the right direction as they work at grassroots and their appeals are heeded to by people especially mosque-goers.
At the same time, the Government should divert more resources for procurement of one-dose vaccines as these offer the shortest route to overcome the challenge.
