The vaccine is here

Following the arrival of vaccine doses in Pakistan, many people took a sigh of relief. In the absence of the vaccine, many people were dealing with the fear of uncertainty. Now that the registration process has started for the people above the age of 65, we can safely assume that the country will finally show some improvements in its fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. The authorities should take proper steps to expand the vaccination drive to include those who are living below the poverty line. These people are the most vulnerable and deserve assistance from the government.

The authorities also need to take care of other issues that were partly caused by the pandemic. The rising prices of essential commodities have made life even more miserable. Many people cannot even afford to buy a face mask or hand sanitizer. The smart lockdowns that were imposed in certain parts of the country caused great difficulties for a large number of people. In our fight against the pandemic, we should analyse how our decisions are affecting the people, especially the poor.

Qazi Jamshed Alam Siddiqui

Lahore