KARACHI:
Since the Covid-19 pandemic first emerged in 2020, the government issued several warnings and set multiple vaccination deadlines to control the spread of the virus. Before that, the government had announced that mobile phone sims of unvaccinated people will be blocked because of which many people flocked to vaccination centres. It was rather bizarre to see people caring more for their sim cards rather than their own health.
The government has now initiated another door-to-door vaccination campaign to reach those who still have not been vaccinated. Therefore, citizens can no longer blame the government for not undertaking measures. It is about time for people to start acting responsibly, follow SOPs, and get themselves vaccinated at the earliest. Even vaccinated individuals should continue social distancing in public places and the management of public venues should ensure that people are always following the rules and regulations properly.
In the wake of the Omicron variant, the government recently imposed strict lockdowns and restrictions in cities with surging cases. However, many people in these cities have begun crowding vaccination centres once again. They must remember the risk that comes with such mass gatherings. In addition to creating more vaccine centres, there should be a restriction on the number of people that can visit centres to avoid large crowds. The government must also think about increasing the number of security personnel in these centres.
Irraj Mahmood
Karachi
Published in The Express Tribune, February 4th, 2022.
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