Role of CSOs vital in preventing virus resurge
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: September 08, 2021 -
THOUGH detection of Covid-19 positive cases and deaths in the last few days has been decreasing, it is the test positivity rate which the health department authorities should strive to bring down in order to free the state from the vicious grip of contagion.
As had been repetitively commented through this column, stabilising the pandemic situation will rest entirely on bettering the testing rate, identifying and isolating the infected people and treating them at the soonest possible.
Rather than savouring over state's overall dip in new infection cases and fatalities and generalising the situation, it is desired that the authorities focus on the high TPR in some of the districts.
With only four out of the 16 districts recording TPR below the national average of 2.76 per cent as on Monday, it is obvious that the virus has been continuously transmitting.
Moreover, possibility of infected people opting to forego the crucial test owing to mild symptoms cannot be ruled out as confirmation of his/ her health status would naturally curtail livelihood activities.
Thus, contact tracing in the real sense remains the best option for the health department to provide some respite to the medical personnel who have been at the forefront of tackling the pandemic.
In view of the disturbing trend of high number of Covid-19 infected patients succumbing either due to the viral disease or owing to comorbid conditions as and when the cases rise, it is imperative that the rate of infection shall have to be kept at a manageable level, which only aggressive testing could ensure.
With the government certain to be engrossed in addressing non-Covid issues coupled with the fact that there has been gradual reopening of diverse sectors necessitating human interactions, onus of stabilising the medical crisis will now rest on the healthcare workers through timely isolation of the infected people.
Moreover, further improvement in the situation will depend on proactive involvement of the uncountable numbers of civil societies in all parts of the state.
Outbreak of the contagion, especially the second wave, has laid bare the fact that the government authorities alone cannot guarantee public safety as its activities are technically limited to devising strategies while effectiveness of the preventive measures will be decided by how the masses follow them.
Of late, there has been a trend of some state level CSOs more inclined towards distribution of immune boosting medicines provided by government institutions and foregoing their earlier activities of fanning out to localities and holding awareness campaigns.
Thus, it is wished that the CSOs realise importance of curbing resurge in the positive cases to break the chain of Covid-19 transmission for infection of even the fully vaccinated people underscore that the mutating virus does not spare anybody if he/she lets the guard down.
As the situation cannot be allowed to aggravate, CSOs need to shoulder the responsibility of making the masses follow Covid appropriate behaviour, at-least in public places.
Amid apprehension over onset of the third wave, it is commendable that a local organisation like Uripok Apunba Lup has announced strictest implementation of virus preventive measures among the street vendors.
NEWS:
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