The Covid-19 scare is on a rebound precisely a year after it raised its head. After the weeks-long vaccination drive worldwide, hopes were that the Chinese-induced pandemic will be turned on its head and people would sooner than later heave a sigh of relief. But, fact is that we are faced with a second wave with projections being that it could peak by mid-April. The deaths are fewer, though, but fear is that the fatalities could be higher if the scenario turns worse.
In a rare moment, this was time for India to show to the world that it mattered. Thanks to the achievements of the private sector Indian pharmaceutical firms over the recent years, several nations across the world looked up to India for support and generous supplies of the vaccine. Prime Minister Modi turned it into a PR exercise and offered an olive branch even to hostile Pakistan. This was time for the country to make some earnings too via foreign exchange. It turned out that this led to a shortage in the domestic market.
But, the vaccination programme is more or less carried on as per schedule except for some disruptions. The export of the vials has been withheld for now to stabilize the domestic market situation. Appreciably, the vaccination programme has been carried forward in a systematic manner, set against the usual bureaucratic drag and apathy. Health, for sure, is important.
The night curfews are back in some major cities a year after the Centre ordered a Janata Curfew in March last, followed by the series of lockdowns, first at the national level and then localized. Holi celebrations will be low-key this time and there have been major restrictions on the Haridwar Kumbh Mela; its duration having been curtailed to a month. It will take time for normalcy to return. This year too could be a washout in several respects. The economy, though, is regaining momentum both here and across the world.
Several states have reported fresh surge in cases, the daily national tally now is of the order of nearly 50,000. Faced with a worsening scene, Madhya Pradesh has extended Sundays’ lockdown to four districts and Mumbai is limping too. Restrictions are in place on public events in all cities where daily Covid count is more than 20. Deaths, though, are fewer now, the total in India so far being around 1,60,000. New strains of Coivd-19 are a worry too. Despite the reigning scare, election campaigns are seeing huge mass presence in state after state and how this too will impact on the overall figure remains to be seen.
