Pakistan has swung into action over the wave of fresh Covid-19 infections from new variants reported in China. The scenes are eerily reminiscent of early 2020, when many had started to learn about China’s Covid infections but hadn’t fully grasped the toll it would take across the world.
A ‘nightmare’ variant, as is being speculated by some, could reverse the gains made, including the resumption of normalcy for billions of people.
In Pakistan, the authorities are right in thinking about testing inbound passengers. What is worrying is that the Sindh health minister has admitted that the government doesn’t have the funds to do mass testing for Covid-19.
Though the majority of our population is vaccinated, immunisations may be rendered ineffective against a new and lethal strain. Government officials are right in alerting border forces to the threat of the new variant. In this situation, random testing, genome sequencing and mandatory vaccinations are all the right steps when it comes to prevention. The health authorities have started screening of passengers at the airports amid threat of Covid-19 spread.
The government must ensure that, given its limited resources, those who are tested are alerted to any Covid strain. In the past, Imran Khan’s government and the NCOC did some brilliant work with track and trace, informing those that tested positive to isolate in order to limit the spread. The incumbent government must follow suit, and do everything in its power to spend whatever funds can be earmarked for Covid-19 precautions efficiently.
It is not enough for the authorities to cite a lack of funds and be complacent, as the consequences of the spread of the so-called nightmare variant will be devastating to both lives and the economy. The passengers coming from China should be allowed to enter Pakistan after tough screening to ensure containment of the virus.
