Sustained efforts

Last year, Pakistan was among the few countries that were praised for their commendable efforts in controlling the spread of Covid-19. It is true that during the first wave of the virus, the country flattened the curve of coronavirus cases in a timely manner. Sustained efforts to contain the spread of the virus could have helped us make Pakistan a coronavirus-free country. Unfortunately, this opportunity was lost because in a moment of misplaced optimism, all restrictions were eased. Also, the casual approach to the implementation of SOPs sent a wrong signal to people who began to think that the virus had been eradicated completely. At that time, the UK was under the grips of a deadly wave. Then, all countries had banned flights from the UK. However, Pakistan didn’t suspend the flights and didn’t keep a check on people coming from the UK. This carelessness resulted in a sudden surge in the number of cases.

However, the recent intensive awareness campaigns and lockdowns as well as the strict enforcement of SOPs have led to amazing results. The country’s seven-day average of daily new cases continues to decline. It is hoped that this trend will continue for a long time. It is, however, necessary that the current momentum is maintained until Pakistan is declared a Covid-19-free country.

Tipoo Sultan

Rawalpindi