Caught one or two steps behindNeed to think ahead

Always caught one or even two steps behind. This is what the world and India have witnessed ever since the global pandemic broke out and this should more than underline the point that here is a virus which is tricky and can mutate at will and in the process spread, infect and kill. Now that a new variant, Delta Plus has been detected in at least six persons in the country, there is all that more reason for the Government to be on its toes. This may be easier said than done, given that disturbing reports have started coming in from some of the cities, which have started unlocking after the peak of the second wave. Many violating Covid Appropriate Behaviour in some of the cities, especially in Delhi is the one line report that has come in and it is not without reason why health experts have expressed concern that such a behaviour tantamounts to opening the doors wide open for the virus to come in and wreak havoc again. Short memory it seems, but it is disturbing to note that in just a day or two people have forgotten how many ran from pillar to post, crying for the much needed medical oxygen and beds in different ICUs at the peak of the second wave. This should serve as a lesson for the Government here at Imphal too. Curfew, lockdown, containment, restriction etc cannot go on forever and come June 30, the State Government will need to look beyond and see whether the present restrictions should continue or some more relaxations should be given. In deliberating over this point, the State Government will obviously need to study the positivity rate, the rising number of deaths and the absolute figure of those infected on a day to day basis.
June 30 is still 15 days or two weeks away, but yet one can see more and more people venturing out and while the movements may have been dictated by sheer necessities, it would do good for the Government not to forget that once the restrictions are lifted or even eased, many would take it as the license to move around and even socialise ! This is a distinct possibility that cannot be written off at all and to repeat a line used here often, the virus is still out there and one can throw caution to the wind only at the risk of everyone all around. This virus is not a joke. Getting infected does not mean it begins and ends with one person, for it can spread and alarmingly so. This is the reason why the term isolation has gained so much currency now. As noted here in an earlier commentary, the Government will also need to look beyond lockdown, in the sense it will need to look at means on how to make people stick to the restrictions with more ease. This is where the works taken up by some voluntary organisations in organising free food for inmates of Covid Care Centres becomes important. The Government should take note of the service being rendered by these organisations and accordingly accord due recognition.