Inviting The Third Wave
More than half of 2021 gone and most of it gone living under the shadow of COVID threat. However, with Covid situations much improved across the country most of us now have the liberty of venturing out to parks for a walk and visiting our friends and family.
Even public places like malls and restaurants are partially open on weekdays. Quite many offices have resumed normal or alternate days working.
Last few months were tremendously challenging for everyone. A drastic number of citizens got hit by the second COVID wave. Those who were lucky enough not to be infected even they were not spared by the stress of their near and dear ones battling COVID. Plethora of lives were lost.
Even after working to their optimum capacity hospitals and medical staff were unable to keep pace with every day hiking cases. The days were gloomy and nights were stressful for entire nation. Every passing day divulged news of precious lives lost.
But even after such unrepairable disaster …DID WE LEARN THE LESSON?
The latest pictures of tourists flocking hill stations and malls very much answers this question.
Many tourist places in Himanchal Pradesh and Uttarakhand ran out of hotel occupancies. Market areas are over crowded. Heavy traffic blocks the roads and to the worse of it- people are not wearing masks. A live mockery of social distancing and COVID safety measures.
How responsible is this behavior especially when we already have a pre warning of third COVID wave?
The frustration of being trapped in our homes for such long period is undeniable but does it justify this extreme stupidity?
It was the extraordinary leeway citizens had taken that led to the wrath of second wave and now we are repeating the same mistake again. Who would we blame this time – Government, WHO, Medical staff, Vaccine manufacturers? Let’s keep the answer ready as it seems we would be needing it really soon.