Recently, covid-19 has shown a downward trajectory in Jammu and Kashmir. The daily number of Covid-19 cases have reduced. Once hitting 5500 in a single day, the numbers hover around 2200 in contemporary times.
On Sunday (May 30) also, 2256 cases were confirmed officially while 29 precious lives were lost, lowest daily count in 32 days. Present month has been deadliest in terms of fatalities as 1540 people succumbed to the virus as on May 30. In overall context, nearly 40% of the total deaths were confirmed officially during the present month.
However, in line with the demand by business fraternity, the government has eased the lockdown to a large extent even as corona curfew shall continue from 8pm on Friday to 7 am on Monday every week till further orders. This is apart from the continuation of the night curfew which may for all practical purposes is not so relevant given there is hardly any life during the night in most parts of Jammu and Kashmir.
While that the lockdown has been eased, one hopes that it is more based on scientific advise rather than conceding to the demands of the large section of the society to protect livelihood. Without any doubt, the stringent lockdown, which was forced by the rising number of cases and fatalities, had a debilitating impact on livelihoods. The decision to open the various activities, allowing rotational opening up of the shops and permitting local transport to ply with half of the allotted seated capacity is surely going to be challenging to slow down the covid-19 numbers. To save livelihood, use of public transport, and allowing shops to operate with some riders, seemed unavoidable. The people need to render corporation and stick to covid-19 appropriate behavior. Indifference towards safe public behaviour is only going to extract a heavy toll. Even in the face of a deadly pandemic, the government was relatively soft to recalcitrant people who do not wear masks, even on buses and trains, spit in public, and crowd commercial locations but there is need to ensure public adherence to the covid-19 appropriate behavior more stringently.
While the economy will now shift gears in the activity phase, the government should continue focusing on improving the understanding of the health impacts of COVID-19. The government need s to ensure measures that will give confidence to more and more people to take the vaccine jab. At the same time it should not focus on details on improved scenarios as the same may encourage people to lower their guard. The goal must remain to preserve health and save lives.
