DESPITE the raging war cry of precaution against COVID-19, people are getting lax and as a result, the numbers of newly-infected are surging rapidly, pointing to a more widespread second wave lurking ahead. The recent surge in corona cases in 5-6 major States of the country has set the alarm bells ringing. According to data released by the Central Government, Maharashtra and Kerala are witnessing a steep rise over the last seven days or so. Punjab, Chhattisgarh and MP are also nearing the danger zone. Numbers are scary in Maharashtra, with close to 5,000 positive cases coming on an average every day. At the peak of the pandemic, this figure was around 10,000 a day. Experts attribute the Maharashtra second wave to sheer public carelessness.

 

Dr Avinash Supe, head of the committee that recommends ways of reducing mortality, said this wave could be more dangerous than the first one. “The major reason behind this spike is the casual approach of the people. They feel COVID-19 is gone. Even if they get infected, they will be cured. Also, the vaccine is around,” he said. He notices a large number of people moving from one place to another place without following social distancing and not using masks. “There were large gatherings during the gram panchayat elections. The wedding season is also on. Earlier, 50-200 people were allowed to attend social functions. Now, it is 500 and beyond,” Supe added. The greater movement of people with the opening of trains and flights almost to the pre-COVID levels has also paved the way for rising. In fact, with cases falling drastically in the last few months, everyone, from the administration to the common man, had got a bit relaxed and norms were not adhered to as strictly.

 

The same approach was seen in several other countries too, which has led to a second lockdown phase as cases started rising phenomenally due to the relaxations. If we don’t adopt caution expressly, we may too have to face another gruelling lockdown shortly. It doesn’t take time for things to go beyond control. Moreover, there is an advent of new strains of the mutating virus and no one knows as yet what kind of danger they pose. They can even be more lethal and it is only after a couple of months that the real dangers will be visible. We must remember the ordeal the country had to go through due to the lockdown— how studies of children suffered, how businesses shut down, how people lost jobs, how people sank into depression and committed suicide and how the economy was left shattered. We have crawled back with much struggle and resilience and built things brick by brick, though it is still a long way from normal. With our recklessness and overconfidence, we must not spoil the gains and ruin our prospects. No one would wish to face another lockdown and we will have ourselves to blame. The COVID vaccines being administered may give us reason to rejoice but it must be remembered that their effectiveness will take over only after some months and till then the risks of transmission prevail.

 

That apart, India is a huge country and vaccinating all its people will take years. It is also not very clear if the vaccines available at present are equally effective against all strains and mutants of the virus. Given such flimsy premises, there is no way we can rest assured and undermine the destructive power of the virus. Much of Europe and the US are still struggling to contain the spread and fatality. We were lucky to have escaped a major onslaught in the first phase, but that cannot be said of the second phase, should it unleash in its full fury. It is only the boons of the early lockdown and strict implementation of safety protocols by the Government that saved much of India but every time, it is not possible keeping in view the economic compulsions.

 

The onus ultimately falls on us, as to how we conduct and carry ourselves in these trying times that calls for discipline and wisdom. No Government can play the health police for long. Unless there is a general understanding of the dos and don’ts in we people, things don’t take time to go wrong. We have the example of the West in front of us. As soon as people started going over the board, thinking the COVID season was over, they were hemmed in by an intense surge of the disease, compelling Governments to go back to the lockdown of the regime. Such a move will be a disaster for India. There is still time to mend our ways and exercise utmost caution like we did in the March-July period last year and helped bring the numbers under control. The PM must take the lead and urge people to abide by the protocols like he did last year and united all of India to collectively and effectively fight the disease. Rationing of election rallies, public meetings and marriage or religious ceremonies and festivities must be started again full throttle and violators are reprimanded through hefty fines to contain the trend from picking up widespread. Train and flight movements, even if not curtailed, at least should be brought under better monitoring and surveillance to contain the spread.

 

More testing and rapid vaccination is also the need of the hour wherein the Governments must invest, as these are some areas where we are still lagging. Schools and colleges opened in vulnerable areas, must be shut down for some more time to tide over the danger. Companies must continue to promote a work-from-home regime as and where possible. In the six States where the definitive surge is visible, the safety protocols must be more stringently implemented. This a collective effort and social responsibility and the people must cooperate with the Government to abide by its orders and save lives. Little lapses here and there lead to a chain of cascading effects that snowball into a major problem, which is why micro-level management, right from our homes, like the use of the mask and hand-washing, is still as relevant as it was a year back. We are still very vulnerable and still amid the danger zone, which we will not do any good to forget. Those who are thinking COVID is over, must get out of the sweet dream and embrace the tough reality. By the way, the battle is still very much on, and we the warriors are still very much on the battlefield. It is now up to us whether we choose to die or come back winning. There is still some little time left to decide. After a while, that time will be gone.