COVID-19, life have to move along; mass vaccination way to develop herd immunity  

By: Afaq Bhat
Srinagar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging the states and union territories to consider lockdown as a last option is a hint that life and COVID-19 have to move along with each other.
“In today’s situation, we have to save the country from lockdown. I would also request the states to use lockdown as the last option,’ PM Modi said while addressing the nation on the COVID-19 situation.
An analyst while talking to Precious Kashmir said, “When PM Modi announced the lockdown last year, no one had any idea about what the Covid is all about. But this time around we are well equipped. The vaccine has already come and the government has announced that all adults in India will be eligible for the COVID-19 jab from May 1, 2021.”
He said, “Doctors are aware about how to treat the patients.  The problem that the country is facing at present is that many states are facing acute shortage of oxygen as the critical patients require ventilators to survive.”
A medico said, “If the people get themselves vaccinated they will be in a better position to fight the COVID-19 as the research and studies have shown that people who have taken the jabs are heading towards developing immunity but the ones who catch Covid despite being vaccinated don’t need hospitalization and they can be treated within their homes.”
He said, “From the day one experts have been stating that the Covid is here to stay and it won’t go so easily. It can be only defeated through developing herd immunity, but for that everyone has to cooperate.”
It’s in place to mention here that Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday recorded highest ever spike in COVID cases as more than 2000 people tested positive for the pestilence. During the past few days disturbing reports are pouring in. Hospitals are running full and space seems to be shrinking as the number of cases is increasing at a rapid pace.
“The second wave of the COVID-19 seems more deadly than the first wave. But we have to fight it out collectively. Leaving everything and waiting for the curve to flatten is just a short term solution. We should bear in mind that all pandemic in the past have been defeated through vaccines. The COVID-19 is no different and it has to be dealt in a way earlier pandemics were dealt,” said another medico.