COVID disaster

Pakistan has crossed the grim milestone of one million coronavirus cases and more than 23,000 people have lost their lives so far. The situation is worsening amid the fourth wave but we are not yet serious about the devastating effects of the pandemic.

We have been unable to increase virus testing and the real figures could be much higher. The situation is worsening and the positivity ratio is at its highest level since May. In Karachi, the positivity ratio surged as high as 25% and hospitals are filling up once again. Days after reopening, the Sindh government was forced to shut down all business activities and close down schools.

The worsening situation is due to our carelessness. There is still disregard for enforcing SOPs and safety measures. The use of face masks, which are now commonplace in many countries, is still not being implemented. We witnessed massive campaign rallies in Azad Kashmir by various political parties attended by a large number of activists where safety precautions were openly flouted.

Tourists thronged the northern areas in record numbers over the week-long Eid holidays and gridlocked the mountainous region. The scenes of traffic jams and chaotic long queues at petrol stations have filled up social media. Despite the ongoing situation, people are finding out time for entertainment activities at the cost of their lives. The cases were expected to surge after Eid due to our negligence in the streets, markets, mosques, and weddings. It is high time to get serious and rise to the occasion.

The vaccination drive in Pakistan is still not up to the desired levels. Pakistan has only seven million people fully vaccinated people and we remain banned from many countries. Many foreign airlines are reluctant in operating flights. Saudi Arabia has resumed Umrah after nearly a year but Pakistanis are not allowed direct entry and need boosters vaccine shots.   It is evident that we are heading towards a COVID disaster. We will have no one to blame but ourselves for the situation due to our negligence and carelessness.