Second, More Dangerous Attack: COVID-19

 

Munaza Kazmi

Pakistan is facing a second coronavirus wave, with government urging the public to follow health guidelines. But people are still not taking the pandemic seriously.

In the month of October Pakistan reported over 1,000 coronavirus cases, the first time since July, when it got the pandemic pretty much under control. In the last six days, the country has registered a huge number of new cases, that brought the total COVID-19 cases to 403,311 and 8,166 deaths.

By seeing the situation, we can say Pakistan came under the second phase of COVID-19, which could prove to be more dangerous than the first wave. Resulting those people’s ignorance who say “There exist no corona”: if so they need to meet in person with the virus….

 

Though Prime Minister Imran Khan's lead government imposed a smart lockdown to hold the virus spread. But regrettably most did not follow the SOPs. Large gatherings both religious and political were resumed in the month of July, with most people believing the pandemic was over or it never existed. Moreover, their numbers and frequency have increased in the last month, especially anti-government rallies in different cities, hoping to topple PM Khan's government.

 

Elections in Gilgit-Baltistan, which involved huge gatherings. Religious congregations, weddings continue across the country, with no regard for the coronavirus restrictions.

 

Large gatherings can make the virus transmission simpler. Furthermore, not just coronavirus but other cases are rising. If a patient, who is already infected with other viruses, catches coronavirus, his survival chances are very low. That is why this second coronavirus wave is more dangerous. Moreover, Hospitals are already short of beds. 

Medical staff is also getting infected by COVID-19. And on top of it, people believe they have achieved immunity to virus. I must relate an event here, in which my mother forced me to join a so-called wedding, where women were trying to huge forcefully, on my discomfort to it they started saying things to my mother, even thou my wearing mask was pinching and using sanitizer them. Impossible people…

 

And thanks to those unruly people, the country is under another lockdown. So far, PM Khan has ruled out the lockdown possibility. He has been arguing since March that a lockdown would ruin the country's economy. But today the government issued notice for the closure of restaurants. Our hospitality industry was in recovery phase by again a big blow. 

I wonder what would happen to the families who only have restaurants as source of income, the poor waiters, chefs, the other industries and people related to it. And what would happen of our economy to which our Prime Minister Imran Khan was long trying to save.

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Munaza Kazmi is a student of Master of Philosophy at Bahria University Islamabad. Her debut novel is Unrequited Love. 

She’s an author, columnist writing in different newspapers and a researcher having seven publications till yet, she’s been writing since 2016.

You can connect to Kazmi at twitter @munaza_kazmi or on research gate as munaza kazmi.