With the wedding season in full swing and the hosting of large-scale festivals coupled with the laxity in taking safety precautions, it was only a matter of time before we witnessed a surge in coronavirus cases. The positivity ratio had reached 10 percent in the country whereas Karachi has seen an alarming increase in infections as the rate has reached a shocking 40 percent fueled by the Omicron variant.
Health experts have warned that the fifth wave of coronavirus would reach its peak by the middle of February. The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) – the largest body of healthcare workers – has warned that the next two to three weeks could be critical. It has suggested a complete ban on political rallies, meetings, and other gatherings. This week alone we have seen a crowded food festival in the heart of Karachi and protest rallies by several political parties.
The government has been unable to impose strict punishments and penalties for flouting COVID-19 SOPs or ensuring that only vaccinated individuals enter shopping malls, hotels, and public places. It also delayed its decision on closing educational institutes and eventually announced to review the positivity rates first. Now the PSL is set to kick off later this month, forcing the government to allow a quarter capacity crowds and ensure that spectators are fully vaccinated.
The Omicron variant had engulfed entire Europe. The United States has recorded over a million cases in a single day and the situation is once against worsening in India. Many virologists have predicted that the rise and fall of omicron cases should be shorter due to lower transmissibility as the variant spreads more easily but appears to cause less severe illness.
The WHO has predicted that the pandemic will not end this year nor will the Omicron be the last variant we will see. This means that this is not the time to relax public health measures. The government must strengthen measures instead to bring the situation under better control before we once again see the situation get out of control.
