World’s largest vaccination drive against Covid-19 has been launched in India by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. At this decisive moment, one can only pray for a victory of mankind against this lethal virus. The virus has already taken more lives than the number of deaths during World War 1 and threatens to overtake all such previous figures. Surely, Covid-19 is one of the greatest threats that human civilisation has faced in recorded history. Thanks to the scientists for discovering the vaccine in such a short time. Hopefully, sooner than later, corona will become a matter of the past and the world will be able to reinvent its lost rhythm.
Clearly, the situation is pregnant with hope. But still, time has not come to lower our guard. We should be as vigilant as we were during the lockdown period. We should follow all the instructions that the virologists issued to prevent the spread of this deadly virus. Practices like wearing masks, washing hands frequently, maintaining social distancing should continue till the threat is finally over. One should not forget that after its recent analysis of the situation, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has observed that the threat is far from over yet. The Covid-19 virus is mutating itself regularly and various new strains of the said virus have already been found in countries like the United Kingdom, Brazil, South Africa and China. “All these new strains are equally, if not more, infectious and can cause severe health hazards, if we do not follow the health norms strictly,” WHO has warned.
But appears that a section of people are of the opinion that the battle against Covid-19 has already been won. They are completely ignorant of the observations made by WHO. They show total disrespect of the norms suggested by the virologists. The authorities are virtually helpless as the lockdown is not in effect any more. Thus, there is no act which can force the people to follow the norms. As a result, flouting of norms is rampant everywhere. If the trend is not arrested at once, India may find itself in the midst of a bigger predicament than what we faced in 2020.
To prevent the recurrence of the 2020 nightmare, the authorities should become more vigilant and advise the people to remain indoors, rather than loitering outside. At the same time, it should be remembered that this is not the sole responsibility of the authorities. The citizens too have an important role to play. It is the duty of the citizens to educate and discipline the people. Local clubs and various social organisations can take lead in this regard. Massive campaigns should be organised to educate the people about the impending danger if norms are not followed properly. It should be taught that it is our duty to keep the surroundings clean and healthy to prevent the outbreak of any diseases. Covid-19 has proved that we were not equipped to combat pandemic situations. We have to make the people understand that life is more precious than festivities. Otherwise, we will never be able to defeat this lethal virus.