- From all available indications appearing and reported across the country, the confirmed infection cases are on the wane for the past few months consistently. Call it providence, plain blessing, timely action from the Union Government, diligence from the citizens, efforts of the healthcare warriors, and frontline workers, or simply our in-built immunity nurtured by unique food habits having ingredients made out of natural herbs/spices, the nation has been spared profound human devastation vis-à-vis losing lives owing to the vagaries of the virus. Our mortality rates as also recovery rates are exemplary in comparison to other countries of the world.
PC: oscareducation
- Where everybody anticipated trailblazing devastation looking at the dense population and almost moribund public healthcare infrastructure, the way the country has responded ever since the stringent lockdowns were enforced and subsequent unlock guidelines provides a tremendous fillip to the inherent resilience in not only fighting the menace of the dreaded virus but also leaving no stone unturned in picking up the pieces of life despite encountering unmitigated challenges in terms of livelihood. The uncertainty that lasted for those initial few months was gradually overcome on the back of sustained efforts from all concerned stakeholders.
- Now, with the availability of the two efficacious vaccines receiving necessary emergency user approvals leading to the phased vaccination drives involving different stages entering criticality, emerging upsetting news about quite a several healthcare warriors, including doctors & nurses, expressing apprehension to get inoculated for fear of catching an unknown illness. Note that some more vaccines are under various stages of clinical trials and should be available for general usage in the next couple of months. Agreed, there will be initial concerns as regards the efficacy of vaccines but that should not deter the people from getting inoculated for their good.
PC: Philippa Roxby
- The onus is on the Governments, both Union as well as State, alongside experts from the healthcare sector to encourage citizens to shed unfounded hesitations towards the humongous vaccination drive undertaken by the authorities to make it successful ala Universal Immunization Programme that the country is widely appreciated for. The best way to go about allaying the fears is to closely engage the citizens in disseminating the information without holding back anything including the data surrounding the vaccine trials. Alongside the Government’s efforts through its machinery, the media too should join hands in propagating the right information on the same.
- Negatively highlighting the minor side-effects post-vaccination by the media would only succeed in creating much wider reluctance amongst the people to come forward to get vaccinated. Inventing an efficacious vaccine itself in less than a year is nothing short of a scientific marvel and let go an opportunity to preempt COVID-19 vaccine disruptions should be prioritized by all stakeholders. The only way to end the pandemic is to allow an uninterrupted vaccination drive covering the majority of the population. To that extent, let us all strive to join forces in quelling the pandemic from staying amidst us for an extended duration by acceding to vaccination drives voluntarily.
