Festivity is on air. Many are desparate to break lockdown boredom, but “New Normal” is still under achieved! Social media, daily circulars, unauthorised newsfeeds all are misleading general people in a planned way. It seems that India is corona free.
Though not a very recent statement, yet a quiet optimistic one from WHO about India’s move from pandemic to endemic has made a new sensation. Reporters have got their new recipes to cook stories on a partially highlighted fact! General people are happy only to get the superficial assurance without going deeper into it! When the statement was made, the cases were around 26k. Moreover the term endemic is just an epidemiological measure that says about the nature of pathogen spread. It does not consider the virulence, the severity of infection in host body. Endemic is thus a simple way to specify the controlled existence, meaning “the disease still exists”. The post effect of Onam in Kerala is now contributing the major part (29k on an average) in the daily count of Indian’s covid summary.
Bengal is entering a festive season. Some random photographs from cinema halls left me with a dumped feeling! While the sitting arrangement was duly maintained by the hall authority, people were mostly unmasked! Several clicks from outing, shopping mall, food court, tea shop all are giving the same irresponsible impressions!
Children are still locked down, students don’t meet in classroom. Vaccination trial for adolescent group is not complete and so the vaccination is yet not enforced below 18! Adults who have been vaccinated can escape with mild symptoms, but are very likely to transmit to others if not restriction is imposed. UK with a successful completion of national vaccination is reporting high number of cases. The situation is similar for other European countries. In India, even if total number of covid survivers and complete (& partially) vaccinated people are considered on one side, the other side on the sea saw is still heavier and so the risk remains!
“New normal” in 2020 was introduced as a strategy to get back to normal life in a disciplined manner. But even after a year it seems like a myth! In contrast to less populated western countries, India always has a challenge to maintain social distancing due to its high population load and that’s why wearing mask is so needed. But people can give example of Western countries just to get rid of wearing mask. I agree, mask is not a comfortable solution, but there is also no convincing report that wearing mask for certain time a day can cause damage to respiratory system (lungs) or can itself result into hypoxia. COPD patients are already exempted, but what about others?
It is an appreciated fact that relaxation from lockdown or other forms of restrictions would increase the case number in certain ways. That’s why all epidemics and pandemics have numbers of smaller waves before reaching basal state. But efficient public health agendas are taken to control the amplitude of the wave, so that the situation doesn’t go beyond control. This effort can’t rely on Government policies only, it needs mass awareness and mass understanding. So please be aware that “The War is not yet over”.
And the respected Reporters, Pseudoscientific Persons and the irresponsible Public Figures, please raise your humanity before your commercial interests (to achieve high TRP, Hits, Shares)… because a biological pathogen doesn’t distinguish You from an ordinary person who is just believing your statements. Once it’s dark, it’s dark for all!!!
