The situation in India is dire, to say the least.
Over the course of the last 24 hours, nearly 4,000 people lost their lives to the virus, with experts advising the Indian government to prepare for further waves, even if there are lulls in terms of the precipitous rise of daily Covid cases and deaths.
This is the result of the Indian government’s inability to act sooner to contain the pandemic, a mistake that we here in Bangladesh cannot afford to make.
Thankfully, the current government has remained vigilant regarding the spread of the virus, despite the laxity that was shown during the winter months, with many presuming that Covid-19 was no longer a serious threat.
But, since then, we and our Indian neighbours have found out that the pandemic is far from over, and with experts suggesting that a third wave is inevitable, what we must do right now is think long-term, and do our best to contain the spread of the virus, no matter what.
This will inevitably result in perhaps one of the worst economic downturns we have experienced in the recent past, but a booming economy is no replacement for a dying population -- measures need to be taken to ensure that the most economically vulnerable members of society are taken care of, a measure that will require the generosity and sacrifice of all citizens.
It is a fact that we do not have an adequate number of ICU beds, medical personnel, or vaccination doses available to cater to a nationwide outbreak which would see potentially millions of people lose their lives.
In the current situation, we cannot afford to treat the pandemic with hesitation. We must fight this head on, before more lives are snatched away before their time.
