Virus rages amid weightage on vaccination goal
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: July 10, 2021 -

IN view of the state recording its second highest daily positivity rate till date on Thursday, one could assert with conviction that the narrative over the pandemic situation must have evolved into when will Manipur create new records in terms of Covid-19 infections and fatalities rather than winning the battle against the virus.

As the number of daily new cases has been averaging 500-plus for over two months now and the situation is unlikely to see any dramatic improvement, the virus-weary public would now be wishing that the predicted third wave never reaches the state or it wouldn't be as intense as the second wave.

Apart from the state's population certain to be gripped in fear and apprehension that the health crisis will aggravate in the coming days or weeks, the latest surge in new cases few days after the central team assessed the situation suggest that the fight against the contagion cannot be won with battle plans drawn in New Delhi but purposeful utilisation of government manpower and machinery and proactive involvement of the local organisations.

Thus, though belated, the declaration of 11 areas under Imphal West district as micro containment zones to suppress further outbreak and spread of the contagion appears to be the most potent means to curb the virus.

Similar to the initiative of the Imphal West district administration to intensify preventive and containment measures, virus hotspots in other districts too merit stringent enforcement of the Covid appropriate behaviour instead of simply waiting for the number of infected people to be comparable to that of Imphal West's.

Along with sealing of the virus hotspots, there should be intense surveillance in the adjoining localities or villages to timely detect vectors and avert possible mass infections as deployment of uniformed personnel along the main roads and giving emphasis on checking of vehicle documents around the capital city wouldn't help prevent spread of the disease.

Over 800 people found to have contracted the disease out of only 4390 tests conducted in the past 24 hours also testified that the government authorities had been prioritising inoculation ofthe eligible citizens while undermining the need for vigorous scouting of potential vectors.

From a negligible monthly positivity rate of less than one per cent in March, when the second wave started, to the infection trajectory spiking in May and showing slight decline in June, there has been false sense of security among both the government and the public consequently leading to the former easing the virus-induced curbs.

However, the daily positivity rate rising sharply in the first week ofthe current month is ample evidence that the importance of sustaining the containment measures has been superseded by the authorities' infatuation with achieving the target of maximum vaccination ofthe people.

With data showing higher number of youngsters contracting the disease during the second wave, emphasising only on inoculating the adult population will not help fight the contagion as possibility of the teenagers, who are ineligible for the vaccination, spreading the virus cannot be ruled out.

In fact, instances of entire families getting infected by the virus imply that the track, test and treat protocol cannot be compromised at this juncture.