- One foot in sea and one on shore
The handful of countries which have decided to reopen are moving very, very cautiously, prepared to withdraw the advancing foot the moment the ground feels slippery. None is willing to undertake a move that could create an even more deadly wave of the Coronavirus pandemic. One thing common among these countries is that they are already past the peak of infections thereby managing to flatten the curve. With the exception of Spain which has decided to open the construction industry, countries like Germany and Italy are unwilling to go beyond opening laundries, bookstores, stationery and utility stores and children’s clothing shops
Instead of a flattened curve, what one witnesses in Pakistan is an upward trajectory. Coronavirus cases continue to rise with more deaths reported every week compared to the preceding one. What is being repeatedly hammered into us is that the rate of the ongoing casualties is much below what was initially feared and that Pakistan has enough masks, PPEs and ventilators to deal with the projected emergencies.
One would appreciate that the government is determined to bring back all Pakistanis stranded abroad. There is a need however to set up quarantine centres with cubicles, proper drainage, water supply, clean and hygienic toilets and a medical centre with doctors and the paramedic staff, as ordained by the Supreme Court.
The repeated assurances by the federal government that fewer deaths have taken place in Pakistan than expected has led people to develop a perception of immunity. The permission to organize large gatherings in mosques before and during Ramzan has further strengthened a carefree attitude. During the ‘smart lockdown’ people continue to crowd the streets of populous cities in Punjab and Sindh with impunity. After recording its reservations, Sindh too has decided to follow the federal government while insisting only on SOPs. It has reportedly allowed a number of industries to function while fishermen have been permitted to go about their activity provided there aren’t more than five in a single boat while the harbour administration is required to provide them masks, gloves, and sanitizers. Sindh has also agreed to open the markets step by step. With the ‘smart lockdown’ one passes time with an eerie foreboding.
