Casual, careless approach behind sharp rise in COVID-19 cases
*Continuous ignorance of SOPs fraught with severe danger
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Apr 15: Believe it or not but the fact is that majority of the people in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir are giving open invitation to the lockdown like situation as severe decline in compliance of COVID-appropriate behaviour especially in the use of masks and social distancing can be witnessed everywhere which is the main reason behind recent surge in the deadly infection.
According to the doctors, human behaviour is the major factor for the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic as when the cases started declining in the first phase, people just broke out of the ‘shackles’, started coming out of their homes more than frequently and gatherings began becoming large particularly January 2021 onwards.
On one side people started showing casual and careless (2Cs) approach towards the COVID-19 by either not wearing face mask or wearing it improperly and by completely ignoring social distancing and on the other side the administration also stopped paying serious attention towards enforcement of Standard Operating Procedures as if deadly virus had vanished completely.
This trend led to second and possibly stronger wave of Novel Coronavirus, which has now started giving sleepless night to the administration especially with the increase in cases of virus infected persons with every passing day.
Unlike in the first phase when virus had mostly affected the urban areas, rural areas too have been engulfed by the Novel Coronavirus in the second wave and this can be attributed largely to increased and ‘unwarranted’ mobility of common masses in the length and breadth of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir that too by completely ignoring the SOPs.
EXCELSIOR teams visited several places in the Union Territory and noticed casual and careless approach of the people towards the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). In majority of the markets of Jammu and Kashmir, blatant violation of physical distancing can be easily seen these days. Moreover, large number of people can be seen either not wearing mask or in most improper manner while coming out of their houses.
It has been noticed that number of people following COVID-19 precautions such as physical distancing, hand-washing and mask-wearing is very less and majority are not as prescriptive in requiring these measures or in restricting certain high risk activities.
Similarly, only some business establishments and public places are practicing limitations such as how many people are allowed inside at one time while as majority are operating normally and paying attention only towards wearing of masks by the visitors despite the fact that physical distancing is equally important to check spread of COVID-19.
During the ongoing summer season, people are understandable eager to go out early in the morning or in the evening hours but they are unmindful of the fact that transmission of the virus is easily rekindled once people increase their activities and contact with each other.
No doubt following recent surge in the COVID-19 cases, the administration has geared up itself to impose penalties for violation of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) but this exercise is confined to only one aspect-checking of mask wearing. But there is completely no focus on ensuring social distancing in the markets and other public places.
EXCELSIOR has also noticed large number of people particularly youngsters/students travelling in the public transport without properly wearing face mask and adherence to social distancing. This is mainly because neither the operators of public transport are adhering to SOPs on their own nor getting the same strictly followed by the travellers.
When the lockdown restrictions imposed in the first phase were lifted gradually and business establishments were opened there was trend of checking body temperature of the visitors but this practice has also been stopped in most of the commercial establishments despite second wave of COVID-19.
“By violating the SOPs, ignoring wearing of masks and social distancing the people are not only giving an open invitation to the lockdown like situation but also creating dangerous situation for entire population”, observers said.
Dr A S Bhatia, Head of Biochemistry Department of the Government Medical College Jammu said, “history is witness to the fact that every pandemic has second and third wave as such there was every possibility of surge in the COVID-19 cases but its severity has increased only because of non-adherence to the SOPs by the public”.
“It is only because of careless and callous attitude of the people towards SOPs that second wave is becoming more severe”, he further said, adding “people had started behaving as if COVID-19 had vanished completely”.
He further said, “even people were not ready to accept vaccine due to certain myths and wrong notions but gradually they are accepting the same”, adding “no doubt we have witnessed cases of even vaccinated people getting infected again but the severity of the adverse impact of virus in such people is very less”.
Dr Bhatia has advised the people to strictly follow the COVID-19 SOPs so as to effectively fight the second wave.
Commenting on the prevailing situation, the President of Chamber of Commerce and Industry Arun Gupta said, “checking further surge in the COVID-19 cases is in the hands of the people and they should ensure strict compliance to the SOPs so that we all are prevented from facing lockdown like situation, which will create immense difficulties for each and every individual and cause further dent to the economy activities”.
“It is also the responsibility of the administration to enforce SOPs but without putting people to harassment as during night curfew even genuine travellers are being put to troubles by the policemen”, he further said.
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