The Lt Governor also rightly observed recently that though the number of new positive cases have declined, there is no room for complacency. The Health & Immunization Department needs to focus on booster doses to senior citizens, frontline workers and vaccination among the 15-18 age group. There should be continued adherence to Covid Appropriate Behaviour which is paramount.
Emphasizing on the CAB, the Lt Governor rightly called for the need to continue following CAB until the pre-Covid normalcy is restored.
The World Health Organization (WHO) chief, Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, also in a recent briefing, noted that 90 million cases of coronavirus have been reported since the Omicron variant was first identified 10 weeks ago. His statement comes in the context of many countries easing their restrictive movement measures amid public fatigue. From WHO’s perspective, the blanket lifting of restrictions poses a problem as most people appear to believe that Omicron is less threatening compared to previous variants and that two shots of vaccines are an adequate defence against the virus. Ghebreyesus underlined that a narrative that “preventing transmission is no longer possible and no longer necessary” had taken hold and this was problematic. This was false, Ghebreyesus underscored at the briefing, as the virus continues to evolve and four of the six WHO regions globally are reporting an increasing trend in deaths.
Covid-appropriate behaviour, including masking and social distancing, must be strictly enforced. Any slackness based on the serosurvey could prove dangerous. Lessons must be learnt from the devastation caused by the second wave. There is no time to lose and no room for laxity.
