Rolling out the red carpet for COVID-19 : Scary proposition
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: November 14 2020 -

The figure says it all. 207 dead and 21,211 infected so far (This is as on Nov 12) .

Yet no one seems to be bothered. This is what is worrying.

In as much as the virus appears to be saying that it will continue to spread and infect more and more people and in the process kill as it wants, the people seem to be the least bothered.

Or is it a case of the virus getting redundant and hence with no novelty?

When Manipur reported her first positive case on March 24 this year, everyone just seemed to press the alarm button.

Road blocks came up all over Imphal and locals took it upon themselves to dissuade others from moving around, never mind the fact that this merely in-convenienced the people and did nothing to help stop the virus from spreading.

Now with more than 21 thousand infected and over 200 dead, the virus seems to have lost its novelty and caution is the last thing on the mind of the people.

Maybe it was the intense lockdown and the restrictions placed on the movement of people, but today a look at the roads of Imphal does not in any way suggest that there is a pandemic which has already claimed more than 200 lives and infected over 21 thousand.

Safety protocols such as maintaining social distancing and not crowding a place are all being flouted with impunity and one cannot help but just wonder at the reckless 'bravado' of the people.

The traffic jam at any point of time in a day should tell a significant story, a story of unabashed recklessness.

No one today seems concerned about the virus which has already taken a heavy toll.

It is November and add the recently held by elections to five Assembly Constituencies, the coming Diwali and Ningol Chakkouba festivals and a people who today no longer seem bothered about the threat from the virus and the script to roll out tbe red carpet for COVID-19 is ready.

The toll will be heavy. There can be no easy way out, if caution is thrown to the world, as witnessed on the roads of Imphal today.

Go to some of the bigger shopping malls and one will see all safety measures being thrown to the wind.

This is not how a virus as contagious as the coronavirus should be faced.

Strict discipline is what is called for. Let there be tougher penalty on those who break the SOPs with impunity and for starters let the political leaders lead by example.

How the SOPs were violated, with impunity is something which has already been seen in the run up to the by elections at the five Assembly Constituencies and Manipur certainly cannot afford this.

It should also not be forgotten that after Assam and Tripura, Manipur occupies the third spot in the North East region and there is nothing to crow about this.

A figure of over 20 thousand infected with a population of about 30 lakh and this means that about .66 percent of the total population are infected.

This is not a healthy sign. More unhealthy is the devil may care attitude of the people which is seen daily on the roads of Imphal.

Stay safe, maintain social distancing, wear the face mask in the correct way and wash one's hand regularly are easy suggestions which can be followed religiously.

However what is happening on the roads of Imphal and the markets are nothing but throwing open the door to the virus that causes COVID-19.

The mindset of the people needs a thorough overhaul.