Virus cases stabilising after curfew lift!
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: August 24, 2021 -

UNLIKE other states and union territories where imposition of lockdown or curfew led to stabilisation of the Covid-19 situation and consequent resumption of various livelihood activities, in Manipur's context resorting to such restrictive measures weren't able to control the situation contrary to easing of the curbs seeing fewer daily cases and fatalities in the last few days.

With exception of the first wave when return of state's natives in large numbers from virus hotspots forced vigorous testing of samples but the infection rate remained low compared to the national average, the daily positivity rate during the virulent second wave was one of the highest in the country.

For the record, outbreak of the second wave in the state in April kicked off with the monthly positivity rate recorded above the 6 percent mark followed by over 16 per cent in May, 10.34 per cent in June and 15.64 per cent in July.

As the 10 days of curfew imposed in seven districts since May 8 couldn't make any significant change to the pandemic situation, the restrictive measures were periodically reviewed and extended including enforcement of total curfew in the entire state due to relentless spike in both infections and deaths.

In fact, the number of daily cases and fatalities was among the highest when the people were prohibited from venturing out of homes as a part of the government policy to break the chain of transmission.

However, the continuous spike laid bare the fact that the government's efforts to tame the contagion weren't fruitful in the real sense.

As the rate of daily infection regularly hovered around 20 per cent before and during the curfew period amid the second wave, the government authorities failed to substantiate effectiveness of the containment measures.

Rather than scaling up tracing and testing exercises when the potential vectors were technically rendered immobile subsequent to clamping Of curfew, tests were conducted only when the people volunteered to examine themselves out of suspicion that he/she might have contracted the viral disease or feared to have come in close contacts with confirmed vectors.

Notably, during the days when there were restrictions a flurry of activities took place such as political events with gathering of significant number of supporters coming out to greet prominent figures in the political circle, massive congregations to welcome home the Tokyo Olympians one after the other and political parties setting up offices to streamline campaigning for the upcoming election .

Weeks after the state remained in the vicious grip of the virus and no significant changes could be brought to the pandemic situation in-spite of enforcement of total curfew, the government started to set the unlock process in motion citing hardships faced by the public, the non-salaried section of the population in particular.

Perplexingly, in'the current month when there is no more day curfew and slew of activities are on, there has been no dreadful spike in the daily pos-itivity rate.

Though gradual improvement in the situation is something to cherish about, there is no reason to believe that the health crisis is over.

Rather, the government should make preparations to lessen the impact from the third wave, if any, as the pandemic still remains unpredictable.