The government has extended the lockdown by one more week up to July 14 but we can’t say this is the last extension given the new surge of death and infections cases across the country. The death toll went up to 165 on Tuesday and it is terribly rising every day. We see there is no alternative to lockdown but we can’t also depend on such closure of everything. We must use other core measures such as immediate rollout of a nationwide vaccination programme along with enforcing other social distancing even when there is no lockdown. But we are sad to say that the government does not have enough vaccines in stock and it is yet to fix a new supply source after India stopped sending jabs.
So we would say this is a dire situation when we do not have even enough hospital beds and oxygen at a time when most hospitals in the districts do not have Covid-19 treatment facilities. We are afraid the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha will be an occasion of further spread of the pandemic and much of the success of the lockdown would depend on whether we can keep the stream of people from moving to villages. Denying mobility would be very difficult while allowing it would also stand to increase infections and deaths. We are facing a very difficult choice.
Meanwhile crowds of jobless people, mainly rickshaw pullers are found wailing at city streets looking for help as they have no food nor cash to feed their families. The New Nation posted a picture on Tuesday highlighting the empty look and utter desperation of people for some help. Millions of such people are passing time in anguish for help throughout the country while government help is nowhere visible. Reports said the government has allocated money and food for distribution but those are yet to reach the hungry. We have systemic barriers and highly corrupt and inefficient government machinery. But this is time we must rush help to jobless people at their door steps as they are cut off from their income sources.
