Economic Predicament  

Second wave of the covid-19 seems more severe than the first. On Friday, a record single-day rise of 2,17,353 covid-19 infections was recorded in India, taking total tally of the cases to 1,42,91,917, while active cases surpassed the 15-lakh mark. The daily new cases continue to break past records, and many states, including Maharashtra and New Delhi, have already imposed lockdown. In Jammu and Kashmir context, the cases are rising rapidly.  On April 16, 1144 fresh covid-19 cases, the second highest single day spike in the infections this year, was recorded. The government has stated that the present covid-19 resurge is unprecedented as nearly 8000 fresh cases were added up to the burgeoning tally in the last one week alone and during the time, the highest single-day record of over 1250 cases was also breached.

The rising number of cases has brought back the spectre of a lockdown. While Maharashtra and New Delhi have already gone for limited lockdowns, the other states may be forced by the virus curve to follow the suit. Rather there is threat of a more stringent lockdown looming large over in the worst-affected ones.

While reviewing the situation, the top officials recently observed that there has been alarming increase in the number of fresh cases reported in last month and now.

Considering the “deterioration” in the Covid-19 scenario, officials emphasized that it is time once again for a comprehensive approach of the Government to meet the challenge.

They attributed the sudden rise in cases to complacency in the community as a result of slight improvement in the numbers ending last year. The vaccination alone was no panacea to the problem and they called for strict need for testing, tracing, containment and enforcement of Covid appropriate behaviour.

There is need for a clear message from top level to the entire government machinery that all weapons in the armoury are required to be utilized along with vaccination to deal with the problem.

Amid this disturbing scenario, several assessments of the effectiveness of the previous lockdown have already been made.  The economic projections had revised favourably late last year and easing of lockdown restrictions actually augured well. That is not the case anymore. The second wave has come with a lag. In contemporary context, if the choice between getting grip of the situation and economic hardship was difficult last year, it will be even more difficult now.

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