Two people lost their lives to Covid-19 in Lower Dibang Valley district on Sunday. These are the first reported deaths in the second wave that has hit the state. As the people, especially students, start returning to the state, the number of Covid-19 cases is also rising. As of now, the situation looks under control, but it may turn worse anytime. The new variants are highly contagious and can spread very quickly. Even though the government has announced some measures, the citizens are still behaving very recklessly.
Still a major part of the population is not following the standard operating procedure (SOP) of Covid-19. In the markets many can be seen without masks. Social media is still flooded with pictures of people celebrating local festivals and attending political events. The people of Arunachal are committing the same mistake that the citizens of states like UP, Bengal, Maharashtra, Delhi, Haryana, etc, did. These states totally disregarded the Covid-19 protocol and are now paying a heavy price for it. Arunachal simply cannot afford to further disregard the SOPs. This is like inviting death. Unlike mainland India, Arunachal still has very poor health infrastructure. If the second wave hits the state hard, it is going to be absolute mayhem. People will lose lives and there will be utter chaos. It is time the state government strictly implements the SOPs and stops large-scale gatherings.