Reset:
Very briefly what were the mistakes we Indians made in the
last 5 months and allowed Covid-19 mutations to go berserk:
1. We thought Indians
have gained or managed control of this virus. There was a false pretense that
Indians have built immunity on account of their eating habits and frequency
with which they catch the influenza virus had built a better capacity to fight
Covid-19 with antibodies. We let our guards down...masks disappeared or at best
became a mask for the double chin; we forgot about maintaining social distance
of 2 yards and instead started jostling with each other at every market place,
mall or places of worship; we forgot what is personal hygiene and sanitization.
2.
We
allowed assembly elections in many states and lifted the dangers of mass
gatherings and election rallies. Our independent Election Commission could have
postponed the elections by a year...a grateful nation would have appreciated
this gesture and felt proud of its responsible Election Body!
3.
We
allowed religious congregation in various parts of the country where people
gathered in thousands and came into close contact.
4.
In
the name of democracy we allowed protesters to block entry points into the
National Capital region, saying right to protest is a fundamental right. Our
constitution forgot to include a sub-clause that these are not applicable in
case of a pandemic outbreak...our nation builders of yester-years did not have
the foresight. Present leaders now, do not have, even the common sense!
5.
As
a country we should have been selfish in vaccinating our country people rather
than give away the precious concoction to others. I am not saying we
shouldn't...but first take care internally and then begin to share.
6.
Our
vaccination drive started late...this should have been done earlier with
various kinds of incentives to drive away the fear and negative publicity by
opposition leaders.
7.
We
should have roped in other laboratories and research institutions to
manufacture the approved 2 vaccines namely Covishield and Covaxin...patents be
damned!
8.
We
should have taken help of Russians to manufacture Sputnik-V 3 months back in
our country.
9.
Those
people involved in black marketing and hoarding essential medical necessities
should be booked and put behind permanently. They are the devils we read in our
religious texts...can we provide instant justice? Yes, we can...only
"Will" is required, which is in short supply!
10. Listen to the
Experienced Panel of Doctors and bring back country wide lockdown for a limited
time - at least 3 weeks, to help break the nuclear fission like chain of spread
and help the hospital infrastructure to come back to its feet! No country can
build hospitals for its entire population...number of beds are also designed on
a certain percentage of people being sick at any given time. It is much like
the way insurance premium works...
11. Opposing people,
especially those opposition leaders should have fallen in line with the
intentions of first saving human life instead of serving their party or in
gaining political mileage. And, if they didn't fall in line, just ensure they
shut up and not interfere.
12. A major problem
exists with TV, Print Media and Social Media. If our Kashmiri brothers and
sisters survived with none of these for years, rest of the country too can
survive for a brief 3 month period. All negative posts should have been put on
hold! Fear is the biggest enemy, perhaps bigger that the Wuhan virus itself. By
peddling fake news or exaggerated negative portrayals, these people have
petrified the entire nation.
13. Could we have stopped
overseas travel when the news of mutations making its first appearance come to
our notice? Certainly...we should have isolated ourselves much like the way
other countries namely New Zealand and Australia did. Unfortunately we allowed
the mutations to reach our homes...a timely action to STOP all flights would
have saved us this immense hardship.
14. In the same breadth
could we have banned interstate travel within our country? Certainly yes...but
we were concerned about getting our Economy back on track! We did that at the
cost of making individuals suffer...we helped bring the virus home!
In conclusion, is it too late to reset? Absolutely not...it
is never to late to start with a clean slate, especially now that we have
learnt our lessons and know what we shouldn't do. Let us hence take a pledge,
as a nation to reset ourselves to a new start and do what is right for the
benefit of all and not blame the unknown Indian for the ills that we are facing
today!
