The number of coronavirus cases has been surging at an alarming rate in the past weeks as we have entered the second wave of the pandemic. Despite the adverse situation, there has a relaxed attitude towards and complete disregard for safety precautions.
The NCOC has recommended banning all pubic gathering including political, cultural, and religious events along with more than 500 people. There are taken as mere suggestions and are hardly reinforced. Political gatherings and continuing and all safety precautions were flouted during campaigning for the just concluded Gilgit Baltistan elections.
The prime minister had ruled out a second lockdown and stated that the nation cannot afford one, but weeks later the situation appears otherwise. The government is considering closing down schools and providing extending winter vacations. It has decided to close down outdoor weddings, cinemas, shrines and dining at eateries. These are insufficient as the coronavirus situation could worsen with the onset of winters.
Pakistan has touted its success against the pandemic and controlling the situation but all these are likely to be erased as the public gets weary and the situation worsens. During the first meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC), the top civil and military leadership had devised a comprehensive strategy to prevent the spread of the disease.
A lockdown was enforced on March 16 and a number of industries including construction, educational institutes, restaurants, and marriage halls were closed. The NDMA ramped up efforts and were involved in providing medical equipment and health supplies. The lockdown was lifted on August 7 and people returned to their normal working lives as if the pandemic was over.
The situation remained under control till September but then the cases started increasing due to the government had to announce that the second wave of the disease has hit the nation and smart lockdowns were enforced in different cities. Eventually, the government decided to increase restrictions in different sectors as the situation worsens. The government needs to reinforce the message to take the virus seriously as our lives, health and economy strongly depend on it.
