‘Need to adopt post-COVID-19 new normal’

Islamabad : Dr Nousheen Hamid, Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of National Health, has said that efforts to raise mass awareness at every level are imperative to become adapted to the “new normal” as a nation after COVID-19.

Dr Nousheen was speaking at a webinar on “Life after COVID-19: Are we ready to opt for a new normal” organised by Sustainable Development Policy Institute as a part of its campaign “No one is safe until everyone is safe,” here Tuesday.

Dr Nousheen said that the government has planned a massive vaccine programme and by the end of 2021, about 70 million people are expected to get vaccinated. However, every individual would have to play a role to respond to the challenge posed by the pandemic.

Hamza Shafqaat, Deputy Commissioner, Islamabad, said that we can get adapted to “new normal” only when people would start following all SOPs as the new way of life. He said that the government cannot invade private life to ensure that SOPs are being followed properly. He said that cooperation from the public is critical for the successful response to the pandemic instead of showing resistance to administrative measures.

Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri, Executive Director, SDPI, remarked that the challenge has multiple dynamics such as maintaining balance in lockdown and livelihood, online and face to face education, and availing health facilities etc. He added that we also need to redress emerging inequalities after Covid-19 such as access to connectivity, vaccination, and health facilities.

Public policy analyst, Mosharraf Zaidi, said that during all the efforts to respond to the challenge including vaccination, we need to ensure that no one is being left behind. The crisis could be turned into an opportunity in terms of improving our infrastructure. He highlighted the fact that in case of a third or fourth wave of the pandemic, the cushion to support the most vulnerable communities may not be available. Moreover, it must be ensured that all polices, and measures are inclusive and covering every segment of the society, he concluded.