- The government must move beyond reports
The report to the government, showing that there could be as many as 700,000 cases of covid-19 in Lahore alone, did not prompt the imposition of a stricter lockdown and a ramp-up in the number of tests, as it should have, but a lifting of the lockdown and gradual opening of all sectors of business. The report, which had been completed and submitted to the Chief Minister in the middle of May, was released through unofficial channels two days ago, indicating that it was kept under wraps until now and quite possibly has been leaked. It brings to light the government’s fecklessness in dealing with the current pandemic, and its casual attitude towards the human lives that will be lost. If indeed there are about 700,000 cases (based on a testing figure extrapolated for the whole population), that would imply about 7000 people dying in Lahore alone. Even the national figure is nowhere near that number, which means that these deaths, if indeed they occur, are going to occur in future. Does either the federal or Punjab government think that the best policy of dealing with a time-bomb is to sit on it and wait for it to blow up?
Instead of conducting tests and hoping against hope that the results come out as wanted, the government should buckle down to preparing hospitals and medical staff for the avalanche of sick people that is about to hit. Of course, one important motive for the government is to show that its anti-lockdown stance was right. Not only did it decided on easing without adequate testing facilities, but now it transpires that it has been told that its decision to ease has led to the spreading of infection.
It seems that Lahore is becoming the disease’s new epicenter. That will be confirmed only when the death toll begins to rise. The worst thing the government could do would be to try and conceal the figures, for the shaky credibility of the government would only mean the spreading of false information and of panic. The government appears trapped between its desire to flatten the curve and the reality of its not doing so. As long as it takes the little child’s way out, which is to lie, it will achieve nothing.
