DOCTORS, NOT MARTYRS. The message on a physician’s placard drives home the point. It underscores the responsibility of individuals to safeguard themselves against the new coronavirus.
Medical professionals put their lives on the line to save COVID-19 patients. So people have to ensure that they don’t catch the virus to ease the jobs of the stressed and overworked medical staff.
More than eight months of living with a global pandemic have taught us the importance of safety protocols. Now, as countries lift lockdowns and businesses reopen to the public, the need to take precautions against the virus is more pressing. People have to practise it more diligently.
Countries will not go down that path again. They can’t afford to wreck the economies further. So there won’t be more restrictions and lockdowns. We have to live with this coronavirus. Just like we live with other pathogens. So the onus is on us to stay healthy
Every country that has eased restrictions have had a spike in infections. That’s only natural. It’s bound to happen when more people are exposed to each other. In malls, restaurants and public transport, people are likely to come close to each other. In these circumstances, only safety protocols can save a person from the virus.
COVID-19 has killed more than 860,000 people and infected over 27 million. It also clobbered economies around the world. Job losses were a direct fallout as industry and industry was hit by plunging revenues.
A vicious cycle
Those who managed to retain their jobs are forced to live on reduced salaries. A pay cut leads to a drastic reduction in expenses. When the spending goes down, the economy suffers. It’s a vicious cycle.
We have to break the cycle to get the economies humming again. For that, we have to keep out the virus. Lockdowns, restrictions, sterilisation drives and containment zones were all government initiatives to save the people from contracting the virus.
That was necessary since the respiratory illness can be fatal to people with compromised immunity. But it came at a cost. A massive cost.
Countries will not go down that path again. They can’t afford to wreck the economies further. So there won’t be more restrictions and lockdowns. We have to live with this coronavirus. Just like we live with other pathogens. So the onus is on us to stay healthy.
To stay healthy, we have to adhere to safety protocols. It’s our responsibility to teach children to wash their hands often, wear masks and maintain social distancing. We have to set an example, and that will keep us and others safe. And our children can return to schools sooner.
In time, safety measures will become part of our lifestyle. They will save us and the economy.
