Experts are not willing to relate any change in the Covid-19 infection rate to seasonal variations. However, compared to last month's situation when the infection rate saw a relative decline, the trend seems to have reversed since the second week of November. Now that the winter has set in, the incidence of Covid cases is visibly on the rise. With 2, 525 infections recorded on Monday, the pandemic is clearly on a steeply rising curve compared with 1094 cases in late October (24th). In a similar vein, the fatality data have also registered a sharp increase. So, by whatever name one may like to address it, a fresh surge in Covid cases is for all to see. But despite the pandemic's seeming return with a vengeance, there are few signs that people are taking the menace with the seriousness it warrants. Needless to say, this is unhelpful.
Understandably, considering their devastating impact on the lives of the people and their livelihoods, the government is not going to enforce shutdowns or lockdowns this time. In the circumstances, it is urgent that the level of public awareness about the newly emerging aspect of the pandemic's behaviour was effectively raised. And to this end, the importance of the option of ensuring that the people strictly observe health guidelines including wearing of face masks, maintenance of social distancing and washing of hands cannot be overemphasised. On this score, the government appears to be patently serious as it has already instituted mobile courts in the city areas for the purpose.
Deplorably though, the public's attitude towards the health guidelines is reported to have been one of apathy rather than enthusiasm. And as it has also been noticed in majority of the cases, those found defaulting on the observance of health rules did produce untenable, often ridiculous, excuses. Evidently, the members of the public lack the necessary awareness, seriousness and the spirit to go by the health rules. Though such behaviour on the part of the common people regarding the basic health guidelines may seem exasperating to some, the experience is common. Even the otherwise law-abiding people in the West are also learnt to have been showing a more or less similar mentality towards the restrictive health safety rules, especially regarding the use of face masks.
Clearly, the challenge before the authorities as well as others working to raise mass people's awareness against the pandemic is enormous. The government's publicity wings, the media, voluntary bodies, cultural groups -- all of them would be required to use their talents and platforms to motivate people so they may develop safe and healthy habits to ward off the pandemic. In this connection, the news that as an answer to the deadly Covid-19, three different types of vaccines are already in the pipeline is no doubt greatly reassuring. However, it needs to be borne in mind that there are issues of costs, logistics, priorities, and other issues to be resolved before the vaccines may finally reach the common people. So, until that time when the vaccine is made available to all and sundry and even after that, the safest and cheapest option before us would be to continue to observe the health protocols. Admittedly, the task is demanding and difficult. Nevertheless, there is no alternative to carrying out the efforts with a lot of patience and tenacity to get people accustomed to the safe health habits.
