Return to routine life

The government has decided to open even more sectors from lockdown restrictions as the number of coronavirus cases continues to decline in the country. This also raises concerns about whether the government may be acting in haste and declaring an early victory.

In the latest decision, the government has decided to open dine-in restaurants, beauty salons and gyms from next week, while tourism-related activities have also resumed. Businesses will also return back to pre-coronavirus timings and the situation will be the same as before. The efforts against the coronavirus pandemic have been bearing fruit and the government wants to restart economic activities.

The most difficult decision has been to reopen educational institutes from September 15. The situation would be assessed before the critical decision is made as it can affect the lives of children. Private schools have decided to reopen from August 15 but will likely face stiff resistance. Schools have remained closed since March and children have missed most of the year without any studies.

The decision has been welcomed and it seems Pakistan is gradually moving towards eliminating the virus. There has been a consistent decline in cases and deaths, while recoveries have steadily risen. Pakistan is been praised as virus bright spot rather than India where cases have surpassed the two million mark and is an active hotspot.

The government claims the success has been due to the smart lockdown strategy. The prime minister was strongly criticized for not taking the pandemic seriously but appears vindicated over his decision to not impose a complete lockdown. It needs to be seen if the nation is able to maintain its downward trajectory as there would be no easy return to another lockdown.

Punjab imposed a lockdown ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, yet there was an increase in cases although it dismissed by health experts. A second wave of infections is expected in winters and the nation should be prepared for it. It is necessary to resume our work and studies and return to a normal life. The pandemic is not over yet and safety precautions must be adhered as all efforts might be reversed by our misgivings.