Disturbing daily spike and total figure : Responsibility of all
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: September 17 2020 -

The daily spike is disturbing and correspondingly so is the total figure.

Daily three figure increase, with the single highest surge recorded on September 15 with 293 cases and given the current trend it wouldn’t be long before Manipur touches the 10,000 figure of positive cases.

The number of deaths too has touched the 50 figure mark and again it wouldn’t be long before the half century mark is breached.

This is extremely disturbing but as repeatedly said here this is not the time to panic but to apply one’s mind and seriously think whether people are following the Biblical guidelines issued by the World Health Organisation to flatten the curve.

Get this straight. The human body is the host of the virus and it is highly contagious.

The virus primarily spreads through contacts and respiratory droplets.

This is the reason why WHO has laid down that anyone stepping outside should always wear a face mask.

And the addendum is, wear the mask in the right way, covering one’s mouth and nose.

Maintain social or physical distancing, that is keep at least two metres or six feet apart, from the next person.

Wash one’s hand regularly with soap and water or with an alcohol based hand sanitiser.

This is not the time to socialise and keep away from all social dos.

Avoid touching one’s face and mouth as much as possible.

This is where people ought to take extra care for touching one’s face or nose or mouth is but second nature to mankind and this is where this needs to be reminded again and again to the people.

Repeats may be boring but this is a question of one’s health and well being and nothing can be overdone.

Unlock 4.0 is on and as pointed out here many times, this does not mean that the virus has been neutralised.

Rather the compelling need to open up should be seen within the context of trying to revive the economy which has already been dealt a crippling blow.

This is the reason why the instructions from WHO have become all that more important.

The mantra is, follow the SOP and the directives from WHO diligently for this is the only way to flatten the curve, but looking at the rising cases of the infected, Manipur is nowhere near flattening the curve.

More than likely that more and more positive cases will be unearthed as the testing net spreads further.

This is not to press the alarm bell, but to take one hard look at the reality for a look around Imphal is more than enough to say that there are still many who are yet to take the pandemic with the seriousness it deserves.

The call for social or physical distancing is at best just a slogan coined by the Government to many and this is the tragedy.

A tragic reality, this is.

Even as the cases keep climbing up rapidly, information of the number of people being pulled up and fined for not following the SOP keeps pouring into the office of the newspaper houses and this more than says where the priority of the people lies.

Keeping the virus at bay is the responsibility of everyone.

This is a point which should not be forgotten for when an individual gets infected it means exposing hundreds more to the virus, most prominently the immediate family members.