Learn from mistakes of the past, take proactive steps

Open House: What steps the administration must take to make people aware of imminent 3rd Covid wave?

Open markets in a phased manner

There is no doubt that experts panel of epidemiologists have warned about the third Covid-19 wave in the coming months. But the same people have also expressed opinion that impending wave would be less lethal than the previous one. Still the district administration and the public have to be careful and take due precautions to prevent the spread of the coming wave. First of all, the administration would have to be strict about avoiding large gatherings and asking people to put on masks and frequent hand washing or using sanitisers. The markets and bazaars should be opened in a phased manner to avoid crowding in the markets. The police will have to be more vigilant. Also the vaccination drive should be expedited so that more and more people get the jabs. The schools should be opened partially and many students should take online classes. Hotels, bars, gyms should be opened in a selective way to avoid spread of the virus. Students in many schools have got infected with the virus. So, it’s imperative that the school teachers, both in government and private, should be vaccinated at the earliest.

JS Wadhwa

Announce lockdown in time to curb spread

The third wave of the Covid will hit the country between September and October as predicted by an expert panel. The third wave will be more harmful as it will coincide with the festive season. According to an estimate, the third wave is considered to be more dangerous as compared to previous two waves. The government has appealed to people to stay at home in view of the pandemic. According to the government, if one follows the lockdown rules in spirit, then the damage inflicted by the disease can be reduced. During the festive season, people throng markets which can increase caseload. Therefore, the government can announce lockdown in India during the third wave. It is also our responsibility to follow government guidelines and stay at our home.

Akshar Kumar Singla

Saving lives should be prime objective

Since March 2020, we all experienced the tiring impact of lockdowns and stringent protocols due to Covid-19. Various businesses and industrial enterprises had to undergo many ordeals. Consequently, the economy of the nation suffered a lot. Upon some respite from the intensity of second wave, the government has now announced relaxations in the norms undertaken to prevent the spreading of disease earlier. The universities/ colleges and schools are allowed to reopen .The bazaars and restaurants / banquets are back to normal. For safety, all establishments and the general public has been advised to imbibe self-discipline following appropriate Covid behaviour. Contrary to the instructions, however, mostly the people have stopped mask wearing, abandoned prescribed sanitisation and are seen openly flouting the social distancing norms. Currently, the festival season is round the corner. During this period, the markets and public places are abuzz with unusual rush as the people move out to buy new things, exchange gifts and many reach out to pay obeisance at religious places. The inoculation drive launched to jab the entire eligible population continues to be obstructed due to the vaccine scarcity. An expert panel constituted by the NIDM has predicted the 3rd wave hitting the country between September-October. A new variant Delta has surfaced at many places and we have to guard against its proliferation. Taking lesson from the past mistakes, there shouldn’t be any room for complacency as the corona is yet not rooted out. Our earnest attention may be focused on expeditious vaccination, and forewarning people of impending threat of third wave during these festivities. The administration must restrict overcrowding and initiate appropriate steps to ensure hygiene and avoid undue social mixing at any cost. All along, saving human lives is our prime objective.

Nirmaljit Singh Chatrath

Strictly follow Covid-safety norms

We should all pray that the third wave does not spread in the country. No doubt, the media is keeping aware the masses regarding the threat of Covid-19 third wave, there are different opinions, predictions and opinions from the specialised doctors in this regard. As festival of Dasehra, Diwali are the major functions to be celebrated with pomp and show, precautions are also necessary. It is the appropriate time to advise, aware and guide the masses to be careful and strictly follow the protocol of safety from Covid-19 third wave even though they have been vaccinated with the second dose also as per the norms. In the monsoon, a number of water borne diseases engulf the masses like diarrhoea, chickengunia, dengue, and malaria etc. The safety measures adopted by us will certainly yield positive results as the masses are becoming careless in adopting the safety measures. Precautionary measures are the only remedy to keep you safe from Covid-19. As the vaccine for children is going to be introduced soon still the care of the school children is much more necessary until and unless they are vaccinated threat is always to them. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare should strictly follow the norms if they feel that the third wave can really upset in coming future, the administration should try to adopt a mechanism to increase the timings of opening of shops in the early morning and late closing so that the people can purchase their items easily.

Rajat Kumar Mohindru

govt, public should make joint efforts

Amid the ongoing second wave of Covid-19 pandemic and rising cases of Delta-plus in Maharashtra, Kerala and Himachal Pradesh, NITI Aayog’s warning of a potential third wave peaking between October and November is worrisome. Though it may prove to be less severe than the previous one, children will be more vulnerable to the highly infectious newer variant. As school and colleges open, there is every possibility of increased caseload of patients and hospitalisation. It is the collective responsibility of the government and the public at large to deal with the virus effectively. The state authorities should learn from past mistakes and implement appropriate measures to suppress its transmission. They should make advance preparations in terms of paediatric healthcare infrastructure and other medical facilities, and prioritise vaccination among children with co-morbidities. There should be compulsory indoor masking, proper sanitisation, maintenance of physical distancing and randomised testing at educational institutions. In view of the festival season, the local administration should issue fresh Covid containment guidelines, avoid giving any kind of relaxation during the festival season, ensure strict compliance with health and safety precautions and take penal action against the defaulters. People should also realise the seriousness and severity of the disease, follow all SoPs at crowded places voluntarily. The best way to tackle the worst-ever public health crisis is to stay at home unless extreme necessity demands otherwise. Moreover, the district administration should raise awareness by launching sustained orchestrated campaigning through print and electronic media. It should hold regular public meetings, organise demonstrations or marches and distribute brochures and leaflets highlighting the onslaught of Covid-19. Regular monitoring is imperative to ensure its success.

Tajpreet S Kang

Need for responsible governance now

India is still reeling under confronted with the second Covid wave that has caused severe human suffering and loss of life and generated a major economic crisis. With the relaxation in Covid restrictions, resumption of economic activities and opening of public places including educational institutions, life seemed to be gradually returning to a semblance of normalcy. But the constant spurt in positivity and death rates in Kerala, Maharashtra and the Northeast, and the recent prediction made by the National Institute of Disaster management (NIDM) of a brutal third Covid-19 wave hitting the country in the months of September and October that coincide with the festival season has raised fresher concerns. Due to its higher transmissibility, medical experts believe that the country can witness six lakh Delta cases daily and the biggest vulnerability will be the children whose inoculation the government has not yet started. The government should formulate well-thought out, well-planned and visionary strategies to keep the fatal virus at bay. It should update its health system, ramp up vaccination, containment and safety restrictions to improve adherence to Covid-appropriate behaviour. Though the government has taken multiple steps to resolve and restrain the community spread, people do not understand the grimness of the prevailing situation. Raising awareness about the pandemic is an important measure to battle the ongoing calamity. People should be made conscious of the impending threat through social and print media, radio, television, mobile phones and poster campaigns. The government should seek help from NGOs and social and religious organisations, and host educational and social events for the purpose. Only responsible governance, efficient school administration and responsive citizenry can keep a strict watch on the emergence of new variants and save the lives of coming generations.

DS Kang

Use media judiciously to raise awareness

• The ravages of Covid-19 on human health, economy and other aspects of life are no longer a mystery to the masses. Since its outbreak in late 2019, the virus has registered alternating episodes of peaks and valleys and dangerous mutations that have claimed several lives the world over, forcing people to go into hibernation and wear face masks
• Repeated episodes of lockdowns and the social distancing enforced to curtail its spread, have only made the humans yearn for freedom from masks and the liberty to roam around and mingle sans any curbs, which is evident from the way in which they can be seen thronging public places whenever Covid-19 cases start abating
• With the festive season around the bend, the Covid-19 norms are quite likely to be tossed to the winds this year as a majority of Indians are raring to celebrate these festivals with traditional fervour, after keeping these observances through the virtual modes for almost two years
• With health experts anticipating a possible third Covid-19 wave in September and October, it’s high time the district administration acted in advance to make people aware of this impending threat through various media and social networking sites, holding door-to-door campaigns, street plays and rallies in educational institutions, public places and locales that have little to no access to technology, besides ensuring that they are duly vaccinated ahead of the festival season. Shaheen Parshad

QUESTION

Given the extent to which citizens are already battling a spate of respiratory diseases amid the pandemic, what should the government do to stop farmers from burning stubble and further aggravating the situation this winter?

Suggestions in not more than 200 words can be sent to jalandhardesk@tribunemail.com by Thursday (September 9)