The state government has relaxed Covid curbs again following a drop in virus cases and positivity rate. With reports of new variants of the virus and medical experts predicting a third wave, readers suggest steps that authorities should take to ensure citizens strictly follow prevention norms...
Public participation, awareness must to contain virus spread
The state is now reopening businesses that were shut down for months due to the Covid-19 lockdown. As daily caseload in the state goes down, the decision to reopen becomes imminent for trade and businesses, as well as for commoners. However, with regard to the chances of a third Covid-19 wave, authorities need to step up to the task of ensuring all safety protocols related to the virus are strictly followed. Till now, the Covid-19 inappropriate behaviour of the public often went unnoticed for the most part due to various reasons. Hence, this time the authorities can take the help of shopkeepers to ensure that citizens follow preventive norms at public places. There must be a consensus between authorities and shopkeepers not to allow anyone in the shop unless they have a mask on and it may also be made mandatory to have taken at least one shot of the vaccine. The authorities can determine the high-risk areas with the help of already available data and create a separate task force to focus on these areas. Setting up Covid-19 testing booths, stepping up vaccination drives in that particular area, and safety protocol awareness are some of the measures that could help contain the spread. Furthermore, it has been seen that the patient with mild symptoms of Covid-19 prefers to take medicines without getting themselves tested. Awareness and efforts shall be made to carry out more tests and the patient should be able to get tested near their house. Apart from that, in housing societies, the onus can be put on the society board members along with the local police station to ensure that no one is flouting the safety protocols. Lastly, the importance of wearing a mask cannot be stressed enough. In Pune itself, police have collected ₹43 crore in fine for not wearing masks in the last 16 months. Tougher restrictions and mandatory quarantines can be levied on those who have found to be regularly violating the safety protocols.
Mihir Shete
{{/usCountry}}Mihir Shete
{{/usCountry}}More vaccination and tests needed
The second Covid wave was four times more devastating than the first one, according to a study. Kerala, which successfully tackled the second wave, reported 50% new cases last week. The third wave is inevitable, only the scale is not known and the time is unpredictable. All the states and the central government must ensure that the vaccination and testing won’t go out of sight. Children are not vaccinated till date therefore they are the most vulnerable to new variants. Few vaccination of adults will create trouble for children because if children get affected in the third wave then their parents need to be with them in hospitals. And if parents are not vaccinated then they will risk their life for their children. All the state governments have to frame a policy of cooperation, they must not be seen fighting with each other during the time of nationwide emergency. The central government really have to ensure that children won’t gasp for oxygen during the crisis. Prolonged lockdowns have severe impact on the livelihood of people, imposing repeated lockdowns without proper vaccination is an ill-thought policy.
Santosh Bhagat
Following Covid appropriate behaviour like fundamental duty
It has been more than a year that we all have been observing the pattern of Covid. We saw that the wave is coming after every three months of relaxation, but now the Covid has many variants of the virus which have become dangerous. And it is spreading at a higher rate than earlier. Many states, including Maharashtra, have started giving permission to shops and malls to be operational as per regular time. We should never forget that the virus is still among us. We should always keep this in mind that only 13% of the total population in India is vaccinated. So, we can say that 87% are at risk. In order to be safe, following the Covid appropriate behaviour is like a fundamental duty to protect the health of all. Authorities should take following steps to curb the third wave:
Vaccination: The only answer available to fight Covid today is vaccination. So, the government should increase the rate of vaccination.
Genome sequencing: Authorities should be alert to find if there is any new variant of virus. Testing and tracing people with symptoms and isolating them will help to curb spread of any other variant.
Test trace and isolate: Even if positivity rate is reduced, authorities should not reduce the testing rate. It is the main weapon to predict the wave and predict if there is any new variant of the virus. RT-PCR testing at public places will help in curbing the spread.
Actions against people not following Covid appropriate behaviour: Authorities should be strict so that people will not forget to follow prevention rules.
Public awareness: Authorities should be making the public aware about new variants or rising cases in their area. Housing societies, apartments where cases are increasing should be sealed and patients should be isolated.
Though there are many steps that authorities should take to curb the third wave, but the real answer lies with us. If we follow the basics of Covid, we would win this battle.
Apurv Londhe
Follow the rules or let the virus follow you
Many prominent personalities like India’s principal scientific advisor K Vijay Raghavan and medical experts have already told us that a third wave is inevitable - it could only be curbed if people continue to take strong measures. Even in July, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told in a conference that last year we had the same trends of cases rising from Maharashtra and Kerala that lead to a disastrous second wave in India. As we all are already having an experience, we should be prepared mentally, economically and medically to curb the next wave. Steps that authorities should take to curb the third wave include door-to-door vaccination. It would also create awareness about vaccination and help in controlling the spread of virus. Authorities should allow only vaccinated people to open shops or there should be mandatory weekly Covid tests for shop owners and workers. Even though the virus cases have dropped, the government should avoid mass gathering events such as exams, rallies, festivals and such events.
The third Covid wave is inevitable, but learning from past experiences we can be prepared for medical emergencies that can arise during this tough times which includes providing oxygen beds and maintaining proper inventory of essential drugs required in treatment of patients. We should have learned this from our earlier experience. It is very straight and simple – Follow the rules or let the virus follow you.
Paritosh Munot