A Timely Caution

The Supreme Court (SC)'s warning to the States to be prepared in the coming months against fresh spike in COVID-19 infection is a timely caution. The apex Court has sought the latest status reports from four States – Assam, Delhi, Gujarat, and Maharashtra in two days over the spike in COVID-19 cases. The SC has warned that worse things will happen in December if the States are not well prepared. It has asked these four States to report the prevailing situation, management of the patients and steps taken to ease the situation. The COVID-19 cases in India is inching closer to one crore mark and is the second most affected country after the United States. The virus has claimed over 1.33 lakh in the country. In Assam, too the total number of cases has crossed 2.11 lakh while 974 affected individuals have died so far in the State.

Even though Assam reported less than 100 COVID-19 cases on Sunday there is no room for complacency as the State conducted only 9,994 tests compared to 25,000 to 30,000 tests daily during the peak of pandemic curve in September and October. The State must take the SC warning seriously and ramp up testing to detect the infected individual. Given the exponential nature of spread of COVID-19 infection, the presence of over 3000 actives cases and addition of new cases every day should be the reason enough for the Health and Family Welfare Department not to let the guard down. The achievement of the department in bringing down the pandemic curve and checking the infection is laudable. The challenge is to not let go waste the huge achievement by allowing a fresh spike. General public must be reminded that the resolve against COVID-19 cannot be slackened till the last patient is recovered and till the last person is vaccinated. Assam must draw lessons from Delhi, Gujarat, and Maharashtra where fresh spike has pushed the health facilities in these States on the brink of saturation. In Delhi, the COVID-19 cases have surpassed the five-lakh mark and has been logging an average 7000 cases daily over the past one week. The Delhi government has increased amount of fine for not wearing facemask from Rs. 500 to Rs. 2000 in bid to enforce the COVID-19 appropriate behaviour in the public. The Delhi government ordered closure of two large markets after finding that people were not following physical distance norms and not wearing facemask. It, however, withdrew the order and instead asked the market associations to provide masks to people not wearing them. Maharashtra government has warned people against violation of COVID safety protocols and cautioned that second and third wave of the virus infection is "strong like a tsunami". Maharashtra with 12 crore population has so far reported 18 lakh cases and currently has over 80000 active cases. In Gujarat, night curfew has been clamped in Ahmedabad city following fresh spike after the festival season.

The talk of fresh imposition of lockdown to prevent the spike has returned to the centrestage. However, The Delhi High Court has rightly observed that fresh surge in infection has occurred in the national capital despite too much lockdown. The High Court refused to entertain a petition seeking lockdown in Delhi in the wake of the fresh spike. The lockdown is not the viable alternative to observation of the COVID-19 appropriate behaviour. Besides, the previous nation-wide lockdown and extended lockdown and travel restrictions by some States already had spirally adverse effect on the economy affecting the poor and downtrodden more. It has led to closure of many industrial and business houses resulting in huge jump in unemployment and joblessness. Assam government reviewing the decision on reopening the primary schools from December 1 is a timely response. Instead of rushing to open the primary school classes, the State government should watch the situation for some time more. The schools and colleges reopened on November 2, but the State government has not yet made public on infection of students, teachers, and staff since then. The Education Department as well as Health and Family Welfare Department should reveal the true picture to inform the parents and guardians if their children have any infection risk. Offline classes are important as classes only in online mode when the educational institutions remained closed deprived those students not having access to internet. The SC while referring to Gujarat situation also sought to know the steps taken with respect to political events. Unfortunately, neither the political parties nor the Assam Government has cared to enforce the COVID-safety protocols in election rallies in Bodoland Territorial Region and other political and public rallies organised in different parts of the State. These political rallies will become the epicentres of a second wave in Assam if COVID safety protocols are continued to be violated and ignored.