Fast climbing positive cases :: Containment Zone!
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: May 01, 2021 -

Mask uppu policena phani! Mask uppu nattradi moigi dukandu changhandabani!

Roughly translated this means 'Better wear a mask else you will be detained by the cops! You cannot go into that shop without wearing a face mask, so better wear one!

'It is never about keeping oneself protected and keeping others protected too!

This is the mentality that is associated with the mandated mask in public places with some experts now even advocating that masks too should be worn inside one's house!

View this mentality in its totality and one can easily tie this line of thoughts with the decision of the State Government to declare Greater Imphal including the Municipality areas as a containment zone.

This mentality is also reflected in the rapidly rising number of infected cases, with the number jumping from 259 on April 28 to 314 on April 29, all within a span of 24 hours.

This is a big jump for a State with a population of just 28.56 lakh as per the Census of 2011.

Moreover the population density of Manipur is 128 per square kilometre, which is healthy and reflects the reality that people here do not live cheek by jowl and this is where the conduct of the people in the face of the rampaging second wave of COVID-19 needs a thorough overhaul.

Again it is this mindset which is reflected in the number of SOP violators being pulled up on a daily basis and the fines collected from them crossing the Rs 1 lakh mark on a single day for quite some time now.

The new normal and it is perplexing why people have still not come to their senses that this is the reality which everyone should come to terms with and there is nothing difficult about following the dos and don'ts which have been mandated by the World Health Organisation and the Indian Council of Medical Research.

For a small State like Manipur a cumulative figure of 31,586 people being tested positive for the virus, as on April 30, is worrying and top this off with the fact that there are over 1000 active cases and clearly this will be a big strain on the health infrastructure of the State.

The number of deaths too has been witnessing an upward trend with the number now standing at 405, as on April 30.

The statistics should more than say of the dire situation that Manipur is in right now and these statistics have been staring the people at their faces every morning when they look at the newspaper, listen to the radio or open the local TV channels.

An insensitive people, who just cannot come to terms with the fact that they too have an equal responsibility in curbing the spread of the virus and a health system which has its own capacity of dealing with the big rush to the hospital and clearly Manipur is staring at a situation which may just get out of hand.

Perhaps it would help if the Government can go on a full publicity drive to educate the people on how wearing a face mask in public places not only protects them but also protect others, how maintaining social distancing is important and yes spell out stiffer penalties for those who refuse to listen.