COVID-19 has taken the world by storm this year, with imposed lockdowns and SOPs which have been implemented to minimise its spread. But, with the second wave on the rise, over 1,000 new cases have recently been added to the fold, including celebrities and politicians alike.
Federal Minister of Maritime Affairs, Ali Haider Zaidi tested positive for the coronavirus, although his symptoms seem to be depleted energy. Actors such as Sabaat’s Ameer Gilani, Usman Mukhtar and Saheefa Jabbar Khattak have also posted on their respective social media accounts that they too have tested positive for the virus.
Gilani also requested fans to pray for him and his family as “It has made me lose my sense of smell and taste. So I’m quarantining myself in my room,”. Usman Mukhtar and Log Kya Kehenge’s Saheefa also took to Instagram to request prayers and well wishes as they were quarantining after their results.
As more and more people are testing positive, the Government is instructing that people take precaution and follow the SOPs, as Pakistan is unable to handle another lockdown like the one in April. Masks have been made mandatory and public gatherings have been restricted due to a worsening of the number of cases. A curfew has also been added, for 10pm, which restaurants are slowly beginning to follow. The only way this global pandemic can be tackled is by the people, and their decision on whether to follow SOPs or not. The opening of marriage halls, restaurants and especially schools have contributed tremendously to an increase in cases, including public gatherings, which have become more common since the reduction of COVID-19 in August.
What people can do in this tentative and potentially threatening time is to follow the curfew, avoid violating SOPs and to remember the essential benefits of hygiene practices. Anxiety and stress comes as an aftermath of COVID-19, but what people can do is stay calm and do their part, which will reduce the spike in cases, as Pakistan has aptly done before.