Not the time to let our guards down

Even as the world is battling a new variant of Covid 19, a super infectious UK strain, the number of Covid 19 cases has started to come down in India and here in the state of Arunachal Pradesh as well.

The numbers of new infections and death have been relatively low in the last month.

However, the calm waters that India’s outbreak is in right now should not be taken as a sign that the tide has turned in the battle against the disease. States are tracking down passengers who have recently returned from the United Kingdom (UK), where a new and more transmissible virus variant has been discovered.

Worryingly, it has emerged that some of them have tested positive for the variant. This serves as a warning sign to not let the guard down.

The government of India plans to vaccinate more than 300 million people by summer. Even if 300 million people are vaccinated by summer in India, it would mean that 75 percent of the country’s population remains vulnerable.

The cases of Covid 19 cases have seen a dip in Arunachal Pradesh. But this has made both the people and the government relax and it may have serious repercussions.

The December month being festive and with the Panchayat and Municipal elections held, there were large-scale gatherings of people all over the state. It is quite possible that the number of cases might rise due to it.

What worries the health authorities most is that people do not opt for testing even if they exhibit symptoms. The government should not let their guard down till the vaccines arrive.

Today, a large part of Europe is under lockdown due to the second wave of attack and it is a big lesson for everyone.